Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Quote from: Jim on May 02, 2021, 09:34:42 pm

I've never used sterno yet Daniel. How does it compare for pros and cons?

I would say the only advantage over hand sanitizer is what Daniel mentioned, that you can heap the burner full and it stays put. It does burn down to a very light residue that needs to be scraped out of the burner.

One other advantage is that the burner need not be airtight around the bottom or corners. It actually works well in the Wilesco burners with all the holes along the sides. It doesn't "melt" and get liquid like when it burns, but rather develops a sort of leathery skin.

That light residue can easily be scraped out, or even more easily be washed out with plain soap and water. I just use dish soap and warm water after a run and the burner cleans up just fine. I have loaded Sterno into a something of plunger device with a large diameter nozzle, and it can be squirted into a burner that way, but really doesn't flow together at all, so doesn't fill the burn as completely as when I sort of trowel it in with a knife or spoon.

Never seen it in a can that looks like that Jim .... perhaps that is just the Japanese version of it, either authorized or not, but likely performs the same function.