Wire mesh pot stand - Expanded metal

[RobKimball]

Howdy all-

This may be common knowledge for those more experienced in this home-made stove business than I, but I found a 12" by 24" sheet of 1/2" expanded metal grille at Home Depot for about $8 and made my pot stand out of it.

It has the same properties as a hardware cloth stand, except the expanded metal is considerable heavier. My 4" diameter pot stand is strong enough to support my weight!

However, the stuff is not as easy to work as hardware cloth. I needed a bi-metal blade on my Sawzall to cut it, but it was easy to shape by hand.

[Lanthar Mandragoran]

Thanks for the tip. I've seen expanded metal at mcmaster.com and other online sources but never at home depot. What section did you find it in? Can you tell if it's aluminum or steel (the two most common materials I've seen online)?

[RobKimball]

The bit I bought is steel. It was in the hardware section, near the tie-downs and joist straps. The brand is Crown Bolt, and it comes in a flat cardboard box.

[freefall]

I didn't want to use chicken wire because of the weight but this sounds like a possible winner. I found a hot dog cooker (aluminum) @ Walmart that weighed less than the chicken wire but it melted.

For my Pepsi can stove, I use a Blue Diamond Almonds can. I cut 3 large slits around the bottom for intake and a series of notches along the top for outflow. Stove, stand and windscreen (aluminum foil) weigh in at 1.8 oz. Boil time for 2 cups +/- 4.5 minutes at room temp w/ 1/2-3/4 oz denatured ( I don't measure but get about 20-24 uses out of a 12 oz. bottle) at 5700' elevation.

And you get almonds to put in your GORP to boot!!

[Spock]

Along the same lines, expanded aluminum gutter screen (Home Depot, Lowes) works very well as a pot support. It is easier to work with that what you described and probably lighter - but certainly strong enough for any pot up to a gallon at least.