Hi. Fuel for solid fuel stoves is usually quoted as being hexamine (hexamethylene tetramine IIRC!) or trioxane, but I've never seen metaldehyde (Meta fuel) being mentioned. I've used Meta fuel in the past for model steam engines and it's very clean burning, unlike hexamine and I understand trioxane (unavailable in the U.K.). What's the problem with Meta fuel for stoves - expense? Regards: Jim Ford
The meta fuel that was sold here was ex army stuff and came in a white waxed packet. The tablets were about 50mm spquare and 10mm thick. The problem with meta was when you blew them out, they really stink something awful. I have been told the commies in the Malaysian caimpaign used to know where the British troups were because of the meta stink :-)
I think what you're refering to is hexamine - it smells like dead fish! Metaldehyde has a pleasant sweetish smell, a bit like alcohol. Regards: Jim Ford
Metaldehyde also has the strange property that if you touch it with a hot iron, it will give off a cloud of what look like snowflakes, that float around and then settle on everything! Joke shops used to sell tiny bits to stuff in the end of someone's cigarette ; they were usually labelled 'Klondike Blizzard' or some such
