View Full Version : Combination windscreen/pot stand
I made a soda can stove and I think that I made a combination windscreen/pot stand. I say "think" because I've only used it during patio tests and I guess that it works OK. But I'm posting this mainly because, if I haven't missed the obvious, I'm wondering why more don't use it.
I bought a large can of grapefruit juice, cut it into about 2" higher than my soda pop stove, then cut the bottom out of the can such that now it's a tube. Then I used a can opener on each end to put triangular holes around the top and bottom. The now-windscreen/pot stand fits easily inside my Evernew 1.3L pot, and needless to say the soda stove goes in as well.
How does it work? My first test seemed to show that the stove wasn't getting enough air because the flame, while it didn't go out, wasn't very "robust." So I cut more holes with the can opener.
Do any of you use this type of windscreen/pot stand? I did it mainly to save a bit of space in my pack.
I have a Brasslite but I've decided not to take it because the attached pot stand is quite small and I can just see myself spilling a liter of nearly boiled water. The stove's a work of art, but I think it's staying at home.
SGT Rock
04-14-2005, 13:51
What I found is you want a windscreen that goes up the side of the pot instead of stops at the bottom because it facilitates better burn patterns and heat trasfer. Plus they weigh so little I can fold it up and put it inside the pot - only weighs 1/2 ounce.
Gotcha. And all this time I thought the windscreen was to keep the stove from going out. Oh well...
SGT Rock
04-14-2005, 14:01
It does that too. But a good deal of any stove's performance is gained through a good windscreen.
Smooth03
04-14-2005, 15:58
Dainon:
I have the exact same strategy with a coffee can. I'm nto sure it works as a windscreen but as Rock said, carrying some aluminum foil is so light why not? I did indoor "tests" using foil, and then not using foil. Granted it was indoors with no wind at 70 degrees, but the foil cut about 2 minutes off of the boil time. I'm sure over a week this would more than make up for the weight difference.
Streamweaver
04-18-2005, 11:38
I used to use cans also for pot stands but the main reason i switched to aluminum roof flashing is 1. what rock said
2.cans are a bit heavier
3.cans tend to rust Streamweaver
Footslogger
04-18-2005, 12:47
I've actually come full circle on wind screens for cooking. Years ago, when I still used cannister fuel stoves for just about everything, I used the thinnest aluminum flashing I could find. Worked well but because of the burner/pot height with respect to the ground, they had to be pretty tall and would not fit in my cook pot. So ...I switched to heavy duty aluminum foil.
Then along came the alcohol stove phenom and I became a convert, while still using the heavy duty aluminum as my wind screen. That's what I carried on my thru in 2003. One huge difference about the alcohol stoves though is that they sit closer to the ground and therefore the windscreens don't have to be as tall. Another thing I learned is that most alcohol stoves work best if they are elevated a little bit and had a good air supply coming from the base of the stove.
Bottom line is that I now have a 3 piece pot stand (variation of the Trangia Westwind) that has small feet which support the windscreen about a half inch or so off the ground. I found that the aluminum foil was a little too flimsy and began experimenting with ultra thin flashing material again. What I came up with was a strip of the flashing that covers from feet of the pot stand frame to about the lower 3/4" of my cookpot. Total weight is around 2 oz and it fits inside my 0.9 Liter Evernew pot. Since it is elevated off the ground there is excellent upward air flow and it's the best my Trangia has ever worked.
Anyway ...that's been my experience. For the time being anyway I'm gonna stick with my flashing wind screen.
'Slogger
AT 2003
'SLogger...i got the .9 liter SNow Peak version....
i love reading the posts of all you guys with your different versions of your windscreens & variations of the same theme "PEPSI-CAN" stoves....
quite humorus! :p
after i fire up my MSR POCKETROCKET fer a few secs...& am eating my vittles while you guys are still adjusting yer windscreens, etc.,etc,etc.
NO BRAG..........JUST FACT!
Footslogger
04-18-2005, 13:37
after i fire up my MSR POCKETROCKET fer a few secs...& am eating my vittles while you guys are still adjusting yer windscreens, etc.,etc,etc.
==========================================
Yeah ...you've probably got me beat by a few minutes but to be totally honest, I'm not in that big of a hurry when I'm out on the trail. I kinda like it slow and easy. Plus ...I have the previous experience of the pocket rocket and cannister fuel. I'm happy where I am
'Slogger
after i fire up my MSR POCKETROCKET fer a few secs...& am eating my vittles while you guys are still adjusting yer windscreens, etc.,etc,etc.
Since you've got that noisy thing cranked up disturbing the peace for everyone, boil my water.
:jump :p
SGT Rock
04-18-2005, 19:19
i love reading the posts of all you guys with your different versions of your windscreens & variations of the same theme "PEPSI-CAN" stoves....
quite humorus! :p
after i fire up my MSR POCKETROCKET fer a few secs...& am eating my vittles while you guys are still adjusting yer windscreens, etc.,etc,etc.
NO BRAG..........JUST FACT!
IF you are in a hurry, why are you walking :jump
It is more fun to make alcohol stoves. I have made about 20 and continue to perfect my fabrication techniques. It's cool to use something that you made when you go on a backpacking trip. If you don't understand that, stick with canister stoves. It's all good, they both boil water. I also reduced my stove weight, fuel, windscreen, pot stand to 8 oz. for a 5 day hike. If I do an overnighter it's like 3 oz. Can't do that with a canister stove.