[pct-l] carrying and shipping alcohol

[dgiese at maine.rr.com (Dave Giese)]

I carry my alcohol in a bottle that once contained a liquid vitamin  
supplement that I bought at a health food store.  It has a 1/4 and 1/2  
oz. metering reservoir incorporated into the bottle.  I've also seen  
this type of bottle used for gasoline stabilizer.  I don't trust the  
caps so I keep it in a ziplock, although it hasn't leaked yet after 3  
mos. of use.
DoItYourself

On Thursday, February 12, 2004, at 02:21 AM, Bruce Harvey wrote:

> I'm certainly interested to read what others are using for carrying  
> alcohol,
> and for shipping it.
>
> Carrying:
> What I'm using to carry alcohol in the pack is working fine, but am
> interested in other's approaches.  I'm using a semi-flexible plastic  
> bottle
> (not Nalgene) from REI.  My estimate (not measurement) of its volume  
> is 4~5
> Oz.  That has been enough for eight firings of duration sufficient to  
> cook
> very thin angel hair pasta al dente.  I bought two bottles, to get  
> both a
> solid cap and a flip top dispenser cap.  One bottle and both caps are
> carried in the pack.  The dispenser cap is used to fuel stove, the  
> solid cap
> when hiking.  I don't trust the flip top to be leak proof, even with an
> added O-ring gasket.  The solid cap and bottle have been leak-proof.   
> On one
> hike, bottle was opened at 6400', closed with approx 3/4ths of the  
> volume
> being airspace, and taken to 9000' while purposely inverted; no  
> leakage was
> detected.
>
> Nalgene bottles are reputed to never leak, and look like they  
> shouldn't leak
> due to difference of inside and outside pressure.  However, decanting  
> from
> their open tops would likely entail considerable spillage, unless the
> bottles were filled to no more than approx 1/3rd full.  Metal bottles  
> for
> liquid fuel could be used, and decanting might work OK using the pump.
> Decanting from the open top of a metal fuel bottle would be the same  
> as with
> Nalgene bottles (if not worse, due to the interior threads and rounded  
> lip
> at the opening).
>
> As to size of container, determine for yourself how much volume of  
> alcohol
> you'll need for your firing times and number of firings.  You may as  
> well go
> with bottle (or bottles) with the volume you need for each particular  
> hike
> or hike segment, plus whatever margin you decide on.  To determine your
> needs, fire up at home and cook several of the meals & quantities you  
> plan
> for the trail, and factor in the increase of time to boil at higher
> elevations.
>
> Shipping
> For shipping alcohol, I'm tentatively planning to ship denatured ethyl
> alcohol in regular plastic 16 Oz. alcohol bottles of the sort found in
> pharmacies and grocery stores.  One of these could also be carried in  
> pack;
> they withstand eleveation change without leaking even when near empty.  
>  My
> plan for shipping is wrap them in paper towels or cloths, rubber band  
> the
> absorbent material, and then enclose each wad in a plastic zip lock  
> bag.  I
> believe that *may* satisfy USPS requirements and EPA regs, but I'm  
> still
> reading those.  If interested, be forewarned that there is a lot to  
> read.
> You could start at the link below.
> http://search.usps.com/ 
> search_entry.jsp?Enhance=0&QueryText=hazardous&search.x=31&search.y=11
>
> Anyone out there who is knowledgeable please add to the discourse!   
> Help out
> the rest of us.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Judith Rush" <crush@ptd.net>
> To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 10:32 PM
> Subject: [pct-l] Alcohol stove
>
>
> My son and I decided to go with alcohol stoves this year. What size  
> and type
> container is used for the alcohol ??
>
>                                            Carl
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