Author Topic: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove  (Read 3939 times)

richardh1905

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Some of you were interested in my mention on another thread of a combined windshield/pot stand made out of beer cans. This is how I made it.
 
https://wildaboutwalking.wordpress.com/gear/beer-can-windshield-pot-stand/

Weight less than 25g.

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MarkT

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #1 on: 20:24:04, 22/02/21 »
That's "probably" the best windshield/pot I've ever seen  :) :)

richardh1905

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #2 on: 21:10:26, 22/02/21 »
That's "probably" the best windshield/pot I've ever seen  :) :)
;D ;D
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Peak

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #3 on: 00:36:36, 23/02/21 »
RichardH,
Nice job, thanks for showing

Peak

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #4 on: 06:35:29, 23/02/21 »
RichardH
Reading about the making of your windshield/ pot stand and I noticed that you survive on oatcakes, squirty cheese & veggie pate, these have been my go to rations for many years. A few times on a overnight trip I've taken 2 eggs and boiled them for breakfast and had with cheese oatcakes, probably my fave camp breakfast. Wondered if anyone else would like to share their usual backpacking food.

windyrigg

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #5 on: 09:06:04, 23/02/21 »
The potstand/shield looks great Richard, I'm now motivated to improve my set-up.
Food for me always includes a tin of sardines. At the lunchstop on a walk in Ireland I took the sardines and started to line them up on a baguette. This brought the whole place to a stop, after a few minutes someone asked where I was from, this was absolutely unknown behaviour to the residents of Connemara! A German girl eventually said this would be 'normal' behaviour (!) where she came from but I'm still guessing sardines might be a bit of a marmite thing?     

fernman

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #6 on: 09:39:37, 23/02/21 »
Well done Richard but aren't you a bit embarrassed by what product you made it out of?
I'd have chosen something better, a brand that makes a bit of a statement about myself!


Sardines and baguettes were my basic diet when I was living on a French beach in the 60s, it was all I could afford!

jimbob

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #7 on: 11:35:23, 23/02/21 »
Fernnan, showing off your highbrow meals. I never knew what sardines were till I was quite an age. I was unaware of the invention of them in the UK.
 We ate pilchards. Pilchard sandwiches were the thing. And if they were in season sometimes you got a slice of tomato.

Richard, Good pot rest/wind thingy, is that the type where the flame reaches the parts others dont. Or am I getting confused?
Have seen brillo pads used in those alcohol burners.
 They seem to do the job.

Personally don't like anything with a flame of that type when I'm out, because I can be very clumsy. I do have a gas stove but since discovering the flameless system I've never used it. One heat flask, one 20gram heat pack and water. Dehydrated meal and hot chocolate from one pack. Seemingly you can make your own heat packs from lime, which can be easily bought at decorators warehouses. But having seen lime being slaked as a kid, (limewash was used to paint the hemels, both to clean and disinfect them) , I prefer buying the ready made kits. Oh and the heat flask can store the packs and the spork etc when in the knapsack.
Too little, too late, too bad......

richardh1905

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #8 on: 13:44:14, 23/02/21 »
The potstand/shield looks great Richard, I'm now motivated to improve my set-up.
Food for me always includes a tin of sardines. At the lunchstop on a walk in Ireland I took the sardines and started to line them up on a baguette. This brought the whole place to a stop, after a few minutes someone asked where I was from, this was absolutely unknown behaviour to the residents of Connemara! A German girl eventually said this would be 'normal' behaviour (!) where she came from but I'm still guessing sardines might be a bit of a marmite thing?   


Thanks windyrigg. Beer can aluminium sheet is stiff and springy, despite being very light. Flames from the burner do tend to anneal the aluminium somewhat, but only the upper part where strength is less important.


Sardines used to be a regular hill snack for me, many years ago, but there's the fishy oily tin to deal with afterwards.  :P  So now I generally stick to oatcakes + delicacy of my choice, supplemented by nuts and cereal bars, and maybe, just maybe, a Higginsons* Pork and Chilli Jam pie.  :smiley6600:


*Local butchers and award winning pie makers.
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richardh1905

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #9 on: 13:50:25, 23/02/21 »
Well done Richard but aren't you a bit embarrassed by what product you made it out of?
I'd have chosen something better, a brand that makes a bit of a statement about myself!


Proud actually, as I fished them out of the bottom of hedgerows whilst on a recent dog walk, giving litter a new lease of life! I picked up 13 cans in about a quarter of a mile: 2 energy drinks, one Heineken and TEN Carlsberg - Carlsberg drinkers are 'probably' the worst litterlouts in Grange-over-Sands!  :D

Quote
Sardines and baguettes were my basic diet when I was living on a French beach in the 60s, it was all I could afford!


Ripe Camembert and baguettes my favourite in France - preferably after the Camembert has been sitting on the parcel shelf of the car in the hot sun for half a day. Mind you, the French certainly know how to flavour their tinned sardines, mackerel and tuna, lots of herbs and chillis, so much better than the tins we get here in Britain.
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richardh1905

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #10 on: 13:58:06, 23/02/21 »
Richard, Good pot rest/wind thingy, is that the type where the flame reaches the parts others dont. Or am I getting confused?

Heineken, if I am not mistaken.


Quote
Have seen brillo pads used in those alcohol burners.
 They seem to do the job.
Interesting. I wouldn't have thought that they woudl be absorbent enough. But mineral wool works really well, and I have a roof full of the stuff, including the loft over our draughty unheated garage, from where I pinched a handful). 

Quote
Personally don't like anything with a flame of that type when I'm out, because I can be very clumsy. I do have a gas stove but since discovering the flameless system I've never used it. One heat flask, one 20gram heat pack and water. Dehydrated meal and hot chocolate from one pack. Seemingly you can make your own heat packs from lime, which can be easily bought at decorators warehouses. But having seen lime being slaked as a kid, (limewash was used to paint the hemels, both to clean and disinfect them) , I prefer buying the ready made kits. Oh and the heat flask can store the packs and the spork etc when in the knapsack.


Yes, I've seen you mention heat packs before - would be appealing at times of high fire risk. But I am more familiar with meths burners, having owned a Trangia copy decades ago; also one of those wonderful Mamod model steam engines as a child. I suspect that the naked flame appeals subconsciously to my inner cave man!
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richardh1905

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #11 on: 14:01:47, 23/02/21 »
RichardH,
Nice job, thanks for showing


Thanks for the feedback. The only error that I made is using a 4" nailnail to punch the pot burner support holes, rather than using a drill, as the resulting nail hole is ragged and weak. Drilling such thin metal takes care, though, I would probably use a small drill and enlarge the hole with a needle file.
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richardh1905

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #12 on: 14:02:54, 23/02/21 »
30ml Speedster burner has arrived today, so I'm going to give that a try. Outside as it is pretty windy!  :)
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Peak

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #13 on: 15:31:25, 23/02/21 »
RichardH
Remember to blow it out and not snuff it with the lid because it can damage the seal, but I'm sure you already knew that.

richardh1905

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Re: DIY Beer Can Windshield/Pot stand for an alcohol stove
« Reply #14 on: 19:14:36, 23/02/21 »
Spotted that thanks Peak :)
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