Boiling your shorts

[CoyoteWhips]

In the category of silly ideas I've never tried. If you've managed to get a large paper bag at your last supply run, you could probably boil water in it on a fire ring grate and get your clothes really clean.

Boiling water disolves the glue, so moving the bag will dump all the water on the fire.

...the water and your laundry, if you've been especially careless.

[4eyedbuzzard]

There's a Bart Simpson, "Eat my (boiled and grilled) shorts" joke in this somewhere. Boiled then grilled. Sounds like ribs.

I've heard you can boil water in a paper grocery bag, but have never tried it. Perhaps we should submit this to "Mythbusters" for further analysis."

[wrongway_08]

Clean clothes, but then how to dry them after the fire goes out from the water

Would water boil in that large of a bag or would the bag burn through first, would have to be on the flames for a while to get the water hot.

[4eyedbuzzard]

The water soaking the bag should theoretically keep the paper at the water temp(no more than 212 F, below the ignition temperature of paper(451 F for us Ray Bradbury fans).

[weary]

Clean clothes, but then how to dry them after the fire goes out from the water

Would water boil in that large of a bag or would the bag burn through first, would have to be on the flames for a while to get the water hot.

The only way the bag could burn is if the flames reach to a portion where there is no water. Then it would burn from the top down to the water level. Only a pressure cooker allows water -- and hence the bag -- to rise above 212 degrees (plus or minus a little bit depending on atmospheric pressure.)

[kayak karl]

In the category of silly ideas I've never tried. If you've managed to get a large paper bag at your last supply run, you could probably boil water in it on a fire ring grate and get your clothes really clean.

Boiling water disolves the glue, so moving the bag will dump all the water on the fire.

...the water and your laundry, if you've been especially careless.

Im giong to a camoground tonite. i am going to try it. it should work. a paper cup works. just did it over a soda can stove. so to complete your test, i will take a paper bag and my "Git-R-Done" boxer shorts and attempt to wash them.
will send pics tomorrow

[Skidsteer]

How do you dispose of the water after the boiling is done?

Seems like the EPA would need to be consulted.

[kayak karl]

How do you dispose of the water after the boiling is done?

Seems like the EPA would need to be consulted.

hey coyote, how bad are these shorts u are boiling?

[4eyedbuzzard]

Hiker shorts? We're talking superfund site here.

[CoyoteWhips]

hey coyote, how bad are these shorts u are boiling?

All's I'm admitting to is that I hope the remaining charcoal filters the water when I douse the fire at the end of the night.

Wouldn't recommend making tea with the remaining water, but early on when it's just getting hot, it'd be handy for a bandanna bath.

Hopin' Karl's field tests are successful!

[RadioFreq]

Our Boy Scout troop has boiled water numerous times in a paper cup. The thing to remember is that water boils at 212 degrees F and paper burns at 451 degrees F. As long as you keep direct flame off of the bag the water will keep the paper from reaching its flashpoint. The thing I would worry about more would be the water soaking the paper and seeping out.

Good luck.

T minus 14.5 months.....and counting

[kayak karl]

In the category of silly ideas I've never tried. If you've managed to get a large paper bag at your last supply run, you could probably boil water in it on a fire ring grate and get your clothes really clean.

Boiling water disolves the glue, so moving the bag will dump all the water on the fire.

...the water and your laundry, if you've been especially careless.

Test was done, and coyote was right. the bag did not burn but the glue failed quick. could not get to phone fast enough. Sorry coyote but your shorts are stll dirty
It ain't over yet. when the wind dies down, i got 3 other tests;
1. bag made of postal wrapping paper. no seams at bottom
2. tyvek bag made the same
3. a bucket from KFC (just an excuse to go there)
place your bets now! what do YOU think will work?

[oops56]

I think it should not be on the grill but hang over it

[Grumpy Ol' Pops]

Probably just too close to the open flame. You need to let the convective heat do the work of transferring the heat of the fire to the material of the container, not the radiant! Once the convective heat gets to the container, then it becomes a matter of conduction to transfer the heat to the water inside. Otherwise, the paper temperature gets up to, and exceeds, 451 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the temperature at which paper begins to burn. The KFC bucket should probably be the best!

[CoyoteWhips]

This is so much more fun than Socratic debate.

Now I'm curious if I can boil my noodles right in a Chinese food box. Gonna get one and see.

[Grumpy Ol' Pops]

[quote=CoyoteWhips;475643]This is so much more fun than Socratic debate.
quote]
Absolutely agreed!

[Dances with Mice]

Now I'm curious if I can boil my noodles right in a Chinese food box.

That won't happen if you take them shorts off first.

[Skidsteer]

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[doggiebag]

Test was done, and coyote was right. the bag did not burn but the glue failed quick. could not get to phone fast enough. Sorry coyote but your shorts are stll dirty
It ain't over yet. when the wind dies down, i got 3 other tests;
1. bag made of postal wrapping paper. no seams at bottom
2. tyvek bag made the same
3. a bucket from KFC (just an excuse to go there)
place your bets now! what do YOU think will work?

I say clean shorts with Tyvek.

[EMAN]

Bearing in mind the "superfund" comment, for what it's worth, in the trail journal pictures of our trip on the BMT last Oct., there is a photo of what happens when you're on the trail and need to wash your shorts....hahaha.....thank you very much Cuffs.