# anyone else burn aluminum cans?



## volks-man (Feb 5, 2009)

i thought maybe i could melt an aluminum soda can in my garage wood stove. i figured i could just shovel the puddle out after it cooled.
i was wrong.
the cans are totally incinerated! 
neat stuff!

anyone else have these bouts with insanity? 
what have you tried to burn?



edit: i don't burn all my cans. i just burn one from time to time as a conversation point.


----------



## November Wolf (Feb 5, 2009)

In michigan we take the cans back to the store and get .10 cents.

When I was younger I put bunch of plastic in my dads garage wood stove and that thing was cherry red for hours. Had to leave the overhead door open and watch it cause we thought the stove was going to melt and burn the place down.


----------



## volks-man (Feb 5, 2009)

November Wolf said:


> In michigan we take the cans back to the store and get .10 cents.



'kramer' and i crunched the numbers... the expense is too high, we can't make that trip and afford the truck rental and fuel. if only we had access to something like a mail truck..... hhhmmmm.


----------



## jburlingham (Feb 5, 2009)

I have burned them before, just tells you that your fire is hot enough to surpass the boiling point of aluminum. As a kid I'd burn them up with a torch, now that I have a kid, those nickles pay for things!!!!!!


----------



## November Wolf (Feb 5, 2009)

volks-man said:


> 'kramer' and i crunched the numbers... the expense is too high, we can't make that trip and afford the truck rental and fuel. if only we had access to something like a mail truck..... hhhmmmm.




That is too funny. :hmm3grin2orange: I think michigan has a new law on the books this year because of Kramer.


----------



## Rookie1 (Feb 5, 2009)

Melted a few Jack Daniels bottles in the campfire before but never in the woodburner.


----------



## smokechase II (Feb 5, 2009)

*double up*

When you go to the store for the next ration of beer.

Take the cans then.

============

Depending on the grade/type of aluminum, aluminum melts at around 1200 degrees F.
A decent wood fire gets that easily.

=============

Ever thought of making an incendiary device for the purpose of arson that would be in a completely consumed container that wouldn't attract attention?
(It wouldn't be a pop/beer can. Too many people could gather it.)

Also, someone would remember this post and turn me in.

*****************

If you want serious fun. Something more than a few million drunk hunters already know. Put Magnesium in a fire. Throw some water on it once it gets going to cool it off. 5000 degrees will burn right through your wood stove. Steel is nothing (around 2300 F. as I recall).


----------



## Philbert (Feb 5, 2009)

volks-man said:


> i thought maybe i could melt an aluminum soda can in my garage wood stove. i figured i could just shovel the puddle out after it cooled.
> i was wrong.
> the cans are totally incinerated!
> neat stuff!
> ...



I had a friend who ran a scrap yard and tried to melt down cans into billets like he did with other aluminum scrap. Ended up baling them for the same reason as you discovered.

Aluminum does 'burn'. It is used in rocket fuel, thermite, etc.

Philbert


----------



## WVwoodsman (Feb 5, 2009)

I will toss one in every now and then. Many years ago in my days of youthful indescretion when I was in scouts some of us had the idea to toss a plastic milk crate in the camp fire after the adults went to bed. This made a small fire huge within minutes. The burning melted plastic lit up the whole area and was not easily put out. Another time I as camping with a friend and he tossed some bullets in the camp fire. I saw him do this as he quickly darted behind a big tree to take cover. I told him he as really nuts and that we could have gotten hurt. This was stupid. Nothing bad happend, but it very well could have ended tragically.


----------



## Wood Doctor (Feb 5, 2009)

*Cash for Aluminuim Cans*

Around here we can recycle aluminum cans for cash. Why burn them?


----------



## forestryworks (Feb 5, 2009)

i've put unopened dr peppers and cokes in a fire and ran for cover...

the loud boom is enough to get the sleeping dead out of their tents - running!


----------



## Ductape (Feb 5, 2009)

volks-man said:


> 'kramer' and i crunched the numbers... the expense is too high, we can't make that trip and afford the truck rental and fuel. if only we had access to something like a mail truck..... hhhmmmm.




Aahhhhhhhhhh.................... Mothers Day ! The MOTHER of all mail days !


----------



## clutch25 (Feb 5, 2009)

I've burned thousands of cans and bottles and waste oil and.....

With the magnesium...old Lawn Boy mower decks are made with it...I had a couple laying around and broke them up with a hammer. Tossed em in the campfire and you won't be able to see for 3 days! 

Now I have a buddy bring a couple a year from the scrape yard just for that reason...good show!


----------



## mattmc2003 (Feb 5, 2009)

an old inner tube in the shop heater makes for some nice heat and a cool train sound! lol


----------



## ShoerFast (Feb 5, 2009)

This post won't mean much to many that read it, but to the metallurgist in some of us, I think it's a cool (well about 1300 deg cool ) trick. 

Anyone that needs some super soft normalized steel, toss it in an aluminum can and keep a consistent fire around it. 

It is my bet that a fire that just barely eats away an aluminum can is somewhere in the 1300 Deg. F range, perfect to normalize most steels if baked for a day or so and slowly allowed to return to ambient temp. 

Look close for the can, it is wrapped with wire and full of projects, note the far right a chunk of bar stock to even the temp in the can. 





After about a day in the can, even ball-barring steel can be carved with about any file.


----------



## volks-man (Feb 5, 2009)

ShoerFast said:


> This post won't mean much to many that read it,* but to the metallurgist in some of us, I think it's a cool (well about 1300 deg cool ) trick.
> 
> Anyone that needs some super soft normalized steel, toss it in an aluminum can and keep a consistent fire around it.
> 
> ...



interesting.
can it be re-hardened?


----------



## ShoerFast (Feb 5, 2009)

volks-man said:


> interesting.
> can it be re-hardened?



Yes.


----------



## EastwoodGang4 (Feb 5, 2009)

There was a post a while back that said burning aluminum cans in the wood burner cleaned out creosote. So I tried it too and the cans just disapear.... and like others pointed out those cans are worth $$ so what's the point of burning them


----------



## Suz (Feb 6, 2009)

*Burning aluminim cans*

I throw in 3 or 4 aluminum cans in my wood burner to help with the creosote build up in the chimney. I heard this works and it must because I've not had a chimney fire since using the cans.
When I clean the chimney all I find is a little 'dust' that gets knocked down with the brush.


----------



## Geez (Feb 6, 2009)

Wood Doctor said:


> Around here we can recycle aluminum cans for cash. Why burn them?



With the price down to about .10 a pound now, it doesn't cover the gas to take them in anymore.


----------



## coppermouse (Feb 6, 2009)

I got a free wood furnace because the guy burned tires in it and melted a hole in the firebox.

Also when we were 4 wheeling and camping these guys would catch magnesium engine blocks on fire and they were BRIGHT.


----------



## woodbooga (Feb 6, 2009)

Never in the stove, but back in the day we destroyed the evidence by tossing Bud cans in the camp fire.

Post-21, I began drinking Guiness. They put a little device in the bottom of the can to make it foam upon opening. If you toss a Guiness can in the camp fire, it'll make a little jet-o-flame. 

One time I tried to show this to my little brother. Wasn't working, so I got on my hands and knees and peeked. Simultaneousely, He crunched the can with a stick, which shot a ball of fire into my face. That was the first time he set me on fire. But not the last.


----------



## yooper (Feb 6, 2009)

Suz said:


> I throw in 3 or 4 aluminum cans in my wood burner to help with the creosote build up in the chimney. I heard this works and it must because I've not had a chimney fire since using the cans.
> When I clean the chimney all I find is a little 'dust' that gets knocked down with the brush.



yes it does work, It is the same as buying that store creosote eater...that stuff is just aluminum oxide(I think that's whats its called) and that's what ya get from burning cans.
last summer I tore down a camper out at my hunting property. burnt all the crap in a fire pit...the aluminum siding that I didn't pick over for scrap went right in too.There where puddles of aluminum all over the base of the fire. made some cool looking nuggets


----------



## dingeryote (Feb 6, 2009)

yooper said:


> yes it does work, It is the same as buying that store creosote eater...that stuff is just aluminum oxide(I think that's whats its called) and that's what ya get from burning cans.
> last summer I tore down a camper out at my hunting property. burnt all the crap in a fire pit...the aluminum siding that I didn't pick over for scrap went right in too.There where puddles of aluminum all over the base of the fire. made some cool looking nuggets



Yooper,

I ain't doubting you, but I am curious as to how the aluminum oxide affects the creosote and minimizes or keeps it from sticking to the Chimney.

The commercial stuff just seems to be "Mouse milk" to my way of thinking.
If it worked, why is there an industry set up around cleaning chineys?

If it does work, and I can avoid getting up on the roof(1 Beer Pitch) as often, I'm all for it! LOL!!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


----------



## Dalmatian90 (Feb 6, 2009)

> That was the first time he set me on fire. But not the last.



Wow...I'm watching a biography of Hunter S. Thompson. Man, I read that hearing Johnny Depp's voice reading it like it was Thompson's own words 

======
As for aluminum cans and creosote, I suppose their could be a catalyst effect...probably not a reagent -- aluminum oxide is very stable, that's why aluminum only tarnishes and doesn't disintegrate like iron does when left out in the elements.

Somehow I suspect the real answer is if you're burning a fire hot enough to reduce the cans to ashes you're burning hot enough to clean the chimney. Get it hot enough, often enough you drive the moisture and volatile liquids that had condensed on the side of the chimney off and leave behind just ash.


----------



## yooper (Feb 6, 2009)

I was told it makes it "crumbly" if that's even a word. and it falls off the chimney. I burnt wood for the first 10 years I lived in my house. it was my only heat source. I burnt mostly green wood so the fire would last much longer when I was not home. I also burnt allot of pine,popple and hemlock as I worked in the woods logging and any thing stove size off the slasher went into the truck and was burnt that night. I would burn about 10 cans a week( WI. cans as I didn't want to burn the dimes☺) I never had a chimney fire and only cleaned it about once a season. was never much in there. I am not quite sure of the reason it makes it not stick but I do believe it works.


----------



## volks-man (Feb 6, 2009)

yooper:
it may or may not work.
just to be safe i threw a couple cans in the garage stove again tonight. what with burning some wet wood i figured what can it hurt.


----------



## yooper (Feb 6, 2009)

One more thing to add....At the deer camp the stove pipe is made out of half inch thick water line it has been used for 14 years and allot of cans go into that stove. it has never been cleaned except by pounding it with a hammer to knock the creosote off. a couple hard taps and every thing just falls to the bottom. it is a 6 inch pipe.


----------



## Dok (Feb 6, 2009)

We had a hot burn pile last weekend. I cleaned up around the splitter and burned all that oak splitter scrap. My 6 year old was helping, so I showed him that soda cans actually burn. Gotta teach them young.
Dok


----------



## yooper (Feb 6, 2009)

ever hard boil an egg in a Styrofoam cup? now that's a trick to show the kids....especially around breakfast time around the camp fire. my kids do it all the time.


----------



## johncinco (Feb 9, 2009)

Burning the cans dries the creosote out for sure. I dunno how, its just does! With a 33' stack, I try everything to make sure it is not building up. 

Actually somebody with some scientific sense explained it once around here.


----------



## Wood Doctor (Feb 9, 2009)

johncinco said:


> Burning the cans dries the creosote out for sure. I dunno how, its just does! With a 33' stack, I try everything to make sure it is not building up.
> 
> Actually somebody with some scientific sense explained it once around here.


That's only because in order to burn aluminum cans to ash, you have to have enormous heat in the stove, which will also knock out creosote--kind of like a blast furnace. While doing so, you could burn out your chimney and burn down your house.

Is that a risk that you want to take?


----------



## dingeryote (Feb 9, 2009)

Wood Doctor said:


> That's only because in order to burn aluminum cans to ash, you have to have enormous heat in the stove, which will also knock out creosote--kind of like a blast furnace. While doing so, you could burn out your chimney and burn down your house.
> 
> Is that a risk that you want to take?



I dunno,

I just roached a Coke Can into the Coals.

Now I'm curious to fish it out and see what's left.


Stay safe!
Dingeryote


----------



## Wood Doctor (Feb 9, 2009)

dingeryote said:


> I dunno,
> 
> I just roached a Coke Can into the Coals. Now I'm curious to fish it out and see what's left.
> 
> ...


Is the fire out or still hot? The aluminum can is likely still there. Melting point of Aluminum is 1221°F. But, it takes more than twice that to vaporize it. Good luck.


----------



## dingeryote (Feb 9, 2009)

Wood Doctor said:


> Is the fire out or still hot? The aluminum can is likely still there. Melting point of Aluminum is 1221°F. But, it takes more than twice that to vaporize it. Good luck.



Fires still going. House is still here

Been burning Sassafrass in small amounts as it's warmed up outside.

The Coke can was there for a Minuite or two, and when I looked back...GONE!

When things cook down a bit I'll shift the coals and ash over and see if it puddled, or made it through the bricks..LOL!!

Fan is still running (Fan and wiring access is underneath the bricks)and no fire under the box so it didn't get too far.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


----------



## volks-man (Feb 11, 2009)

dinger,
what were your results?
no puddle, i'd bet.


----------

