Industrial Alcohol

[BMcL]

Where and how can I purchase industrial methylated spirits (clear) or de-natured alcohol (about 4 litres) for an Origo alcohol cooker?
The present regulations are
1. A doctor's prescription
2. Permission from Customs and Excise.
I was informed of these regulations by my local chemist, any comments?

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[MASH]

I can't imagine why you'd need a Doctor's note to buy methyl alcohol, it is so poisonous I'd have thought an Undertaker's would be better.

Are you sure you're chemist has got his ethyl and methyl correct? A half competent "O" level chemistry student is well aware of the (considerable) difference between C2H5OH and CH3OH. Sounds like a pretty scary fundamental error by a pharmacist... As far as I am aware Customs & Excise have even less interest in Methyl alcohol (meths) than a Doctor does (it attracts undetakers, but no Excise duty). You can, after all, buy meths - coloured - in any hardware shop. Uncoloured...well, France perhaps? Portugal certainly. They use it to barbecue sardines.

Now in Poland, you can buy alcohol that will fry your bacon and make tonic taste like napalm, all from the same bottle! And at around a pound a litre...Doctor's note not required!



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[Anchorite]

Re: France, bien sûr

Take a daytrip to Calais: you'll find it in every supermarket. It's called ALCOHOL A BRULER, comes in one litre plastic bottles. I think the French use it for cleaning windows...

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[snowleopard]

Meths...

is not methyl alcohol, it's 'methylated spirits', i.e. ethyl alcohol with a small amount of methyl added to make it undrinkable and a purple dye to identify it. the theory is that if you try to drink without paying duty, we'll kill you.

i'd be surprised if any spirit stove would have a problem with meths. it's probably just that the manufacturers have never heard of our strange system.

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[roger]

pedants note

Alchohol a bruler is alchohol to burn i.e. spirit. I dont know if it is methylated. I would think it most unwise to drink.
The Scandinavians use a red spirit in their alchohol stoves. I think they are even more difficult to prevent drinking spirit because the red spirit smells awful and leaves the cabin full of vile fumes after cooking. Mark you we havent used the stuff for 15 years and they may have altered the recipe.

<hr width=100% size=1>Roger

 

[MacMan]

You can get standard Meths in B&Q in the UK.

I have used this in an Origio cooker last season - no problems.

Suggest you transfer it to a more suitable container before putting to sea - the feable plastic bottle you get from B&Q is not very strong.

Apparently the sootiness an be reduced by adding a few drops of water to the Meths before using. I intend to try this this Season.

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[jimbouy]

The french ALCOHOL A BRULER is probably a good option if you can find away to get some. My Ma swore by it in the days when Fondue was popular, less soot and less smell.

<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[steve_cronin]

Yep! that\'s the stuff!

Our last but two boat (originally ) had an alcohol cooker which required a small amount of spirit to be dropped into a pan under the main burner to get the pressure & vapourising going. If we used meths then after only a few lightings, a thick syrup of unburned dye formed in the pan. When this was sufficiently thich to burn, it did so giving off a revolting smell. Changing to Alcool A Bruler kept the stove clean and sweet-smelling.

Problem is that in nanny-state-mud-island we can't buy it or lots of other reagents and solvents freely available to our french neighbours and it is quite likely that these stoves, being universally of foreign origin, were intended for pure alcohol.

The reason we got rid of ours incidentally is that it would often flare up to the deckhead without warning, particularly on hot days and just about four seconds before executing a tack. It also had a regular habit of blocking it's jets but to be fair this too only happened on meths.

Steve Cronin

<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion

 

[ex-Gladys]

Whilst Alcool a Bruler is better, we use pain ole british meths most of the time in our Origo.

<hr width=100% size=1>Larry Botheras

Anderson 26 "Amber"

 

[kds]

Re: Yep! that\'s the stuff!

The Origo is not pressurised and has no jets.
Our last 3 have worked well on meths, but I also plan to try the water additive, although can't say that we find it a dirty fuel.
Best source locally is the hardware store on 2.5 l. bottles.
Ken

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[VicMallows]

Re: Yep! that\'s the stuff!

You've all scared me to death! ... I'm sticking to LPG!

Vic

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[MacMan]

Re: Yep! that\'s the stuff - or not ?

This sounds nothing like my Origio - "3000" I think but don't have the paperwork with me. We don't have any jets either. Not sure if the original poster has something like ours or something like yours ?

Again - if the your model is similar to mine then "Meths" is fine. Will try out the French stuff when we get over there this year.

Mine look something like this -> http://www.sailnet.com/store/item.cfm?pid=20751

BTW, I don't use my Meths/Origio stove underway - do others ?

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[Andrew_Fanner]

Re: Yep! that\'s the stuff - or not ?

Not used it underway yet, may do so this seasojn, but on the Thames, so that might not really count

Half full 12V kettle underway, with care!

<hr width=100% size=1>Two beers please, my friend is paying.