Vance,
Up here in Canada, Methanol is the standard fuel for locos. Obtainable at
almost any hardware store as Methyl Hydrate.
Burns well and clean. Don't drink it, but otherwise safe. We have used it
indoors in basements and Train Shows and we're all still here !
I believe it is used in camp stoves. Sold in gallon plastic jugs for about
$5.
Cheers,
Peter Trounce,
Toronto.
----------
> From: VR Bass <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: Multiple recipients of sslivesteam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Re: Denatured versus Ethyl Alcohol
> Date: Thursday, August 24, 2000 1:35 AM
>
> Chuck, you are now using ethyl alcohol. "Denatured" means they add
> enough methanol to make you puke if you try to drink it, hence the
British term
> "methylated spirits" or "meths" for short.
>
> Walt's warning about getting "pure" ethanol is a good one, but keep in
mind
> that alcohol is hygroscopic, which means that it tends to take water out
of the
> atmosphere. You'll never get completely pure ethanol unless you let it
drip
> from the still right into your fuel tank, but the longer you let the
gallon can sit
> open to the atmosphere, the more water it will take on until it's about
70%
> alcohol. Probably, buying a quart at a time would be more economical
since
> you'd use all or most of it before it took on too much water.
>
> As for burning characteristics, it's the long-term classic fuel for a
reason.
> Methanol is rumored to be even better, but it's highly toxic and thus
very hard
> to find.
>
> -vance-
