Kmart Grease Pot Supportscreen DIY

[zelph]

Here's how to make a windscreen pot support for a Kmart Grease Pot.

First, here are some photos of what it looks like and the method of holding it closed.

First photo

Second photo

Third photo

The next few photos are of the drawing that I made in order to make a template which in turn I put onto a sheet of aluminum flashing that needs to be 10 inches wide by 26 inches long. I then traced around the pattern and then cut the alluminum flashing. I added an extra inch to the length of mine to overlap and secure the ends. The photos show the exact sizes.

I chose the dimensions that would give me the height of the stand by using the dimensions of the burner( 1 1/2 inch high) and then chose to have a 2 inch air space between top of burner and the bottom of the pot. The pot is 3 inches high. Those dimensions added together is what determins the height of the potstand, which comes out to 6 1/2 inches high.

You can design your own custom stand to fit whatever pot you have that has a lip around the top of it. Follow the above format.

1st photo

2nd photo

3rd photo

4th photo


Materials needed::

1 sheet poster board 22 x 28 available at Kmart

1 piece of wood 3/4" x 3/4" x 26" to be used to draw 2 arcs (one will be a 15 1/8" inch radius and the other will be a 21 5/8" radius) Use 2 finishing nails that are 2 inches long, pund them in or put them into a cordless drill and drill them in. Put the nail in the chuck just as you would a drill bit, and drill it through the center of the stick in the appropriate place according to the dimensions given.

1 tape measure or yardstick

1 pair sheet metal cutters

1 piece aluminum flashing material 10" x 26"

Drill and drill bit for your hole preference air in and out and closure

Look at the drawings whenever in doubt.



The letters "A" and "B" give dimensions for diameter of pot under it's extended rim(5 3/8") and the diameter of the base(7 3/4") of the pot holder (this dimension I chose. I wanted it to be 1 1/4 inches larger on each side of the pot to give good stability and room at the top for exhaust holes to be away from sides of pot)

Draw a verticle line thru the center of poster board(short dimension). Where it touches the bottom of the board is where you start your measurements. First the hight of your burner, then the air space you want between top of burner and bottom of pot and then the height of your pot.

In my drawing you can see the dimensions given for the diameter of potstand base and pot. Look to see where the arrows point to. Starting at the bottom where letter "B" points to, draw a line up through the point shown by letter "A" and extend it on up till it crosses over the center line at the top of drawing. That pivot point is marked "X" and also with red circle

The red lines show the arcs to be drawn. 15 1/8" radius and 21 5/8" radius

"X" marks the spot where it crosses over the center line. That is where your arcs are drawn from, pivot point. The first arc to draw is 15 1/8 inches from that pivot point to the top of the pot (shown by small red circle on top of pot)

The second arc is 21 5/8" from pivot point to bottom of BURNER (shown by red circle)

The circumfrence of the 5 3/8 pot diameter is 16 7/8"

The circumfrence of the 7 3/4" potstand base is 24 3/8"

The circumfrence of a circle is found by multiplying the diameter by 3.14

Next thing to do is mark off in one inch increments on the large arc (24 3/8") Begining from the centerline at the base of the burner mark off 12 3/16 inches to the right. Now go back to the centerline and mark off 12 3/16" to the left. These 1" increments are made on the arc line(reminder)

Now draw a line from the 12 3/16" mark all the way up to the pivot point(X marks the spot, also circled in red at the top of drawing). Now do the same for the other side of the arc. Where those lines cross over the smaller arc(15 1/8" radius) shows where your cut lines will be to determine the length of the potstand. At this point you can add an additional inch or so to its length for overlapping when assembling.

Cut the shape out of the posterboard, curl it around your pot and make sure it fits before you transfere the shape to your flashing materal.


I hope the photos explain better than my instructions.

I'm not satisfyed with the fastening system I used on my initial stand. Your input to different systems would be appreciated by all. Thank You

If you see any errors in my instructions please send me a private message and also post it for all to see incase I'm not here fast enough to make the change. Thank You

If all efforts fail and would still like to make your own, I can send you a paper copy to make a rigid pattern using posterboard. At least 1 week has to pass by before I honor that offer, that'll give you time to try

[1Pint]

zelph = "I'm not satisfyed with the fastening system I used on my initial stand. Your input to different systems would be appreciated by all. Thank You"


Hey Zelph - How about trying a small binder clip? I just received my StarLyte stove today (THANK YOU!!!) with it's windscreen. When I attach a small binder clip upside down (that is, at the bottom where it would sit in the dirt or on the picnic table), it holds perfectly and without causing a noticeable angle or lean to the surface the pot would rest on.

I put your clip fastener on the postal scale but it didn't register. Nor did the small binder clip.

Good luck. And thanks again for the amazingly small and light stove! Can't wait to play with it this weekend.
Laura

[Pest]

Neat windscreen. I was wondering how to make a cone shaped windscreen.

[doodah man]

I'm not satisfyed with the fastening system I used on my initial stand. Your input to different systems would be appreciated by all. Thank You

Hey Zelph,
One idea I have is to use a couple of those aluminum screw posts used to hold punched paper sheets togeather (made by Charles Leonard, Inc). They are available in various lengths as short as 1/4". If you need a few, I have a bunch and can send you some... doodah-man

[zelph]

zelph = "I'm not satisfyed with the fastening system I used on my initial stand. Your input to different systems would be appreciated by all. Thank You"


Hey Zelph - How about trying a small binder clip? I just received my StarLyte stove today (THANK YOU!!!) with it's windscreen. When I attach a small binder clip upside down (that is, at the bottom where it would sit in the dirt or on the picnic table), it holds perfectly and without causing a noticeable angle or lean to the surface the pot would rest on.

I put your clip fastener on the postal scale but it didn't register. Nor did the small binder clip.

Good luck. And thanks again for the amazingly small and light stove! Can't wait to play with it this weekend.
Laura

That was fast delivery, glad you got for the weekend and have fun trying it out. I'll give your idea a try this weekend.

Doo Dah Man Hey

Zelph,
One idea I have is to use a couple of those aluminum screw posts used to hold punched paper sheets togeather (made by Charles Leonard, Inc). They are available in various lengths as short as 1/4". If you need a few, I have a bunch and can send you some... doodah-man

Your stove is in the mail today!!!!! I'll try the posts this weekend if I can find them. I think they sell em at Ace Hardware.
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While I was daydreaming of nice weather and stoves I had an idea, went to the hardware store and bought some of these HOLE PLUGS. They are made of steel and are heavily nickle plated.

Photo of HOLE PLUGS Note!!!! Rock head side to side to get special effects

Next photo shows inserted into potstand

This one shows same, inserted in potstand

This one shows them used on the "StarLyte"

Also on the "StarLyte" backside view

First thoughts are positive. I'm thinking of making them part of the "StarLyte" stove. When the potstand is pulled apart by the little part sticking out, the plugs remain fastened to the stand. Very very nice, I like it.


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[Pest]

How do I get a starlyte stove?

[zelph]

How do I get a starlyte stove?

If you're close enough, I'll arm wrestle you for one. If not, go to this link for info on getting one.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=21273

[Pest]

If you're close enough, I'll arm wrestle you for one. If not, go to this link for info on getting one.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=21273

How does the adjustabel pot stand work?

[Dances with Mice]

I'm not satisfyed with the fastening system I used on my initial stand. Your input to different systems would be appreciated by all.

Would a crease fold work? No extra parts needed.

Then just a couple picture hanging wires for a built-in potstand and it'd look sorta familiar.

[Pest]

Are those wires heat resistant? All the wires I use get brittle quick.

[zelph]

Would a crease fold work? No extra parts needed.

Then just a couple picture hanging wires for a built-in potstand and it'd look sorta familiar.

I don't think the crease fold would work unless it locked like the caldera cone shaped one.

Looking for somethng everone can make easy and have fewest parts.

Pest--- the adjusable potstand--- You form it into the desired diameter for your pot bottom and then clip it with the furnished stainless steel clip.

[Dances with Mice]

Are those wires heat resistant? All the wires I use get brittle quick.

The one shown being assembled in my gallery completed a 9-month thru-hike with 2 wire changes. The problem reported was rust. So with daily use you'd go about 3 months before having to buy another dollar's worth of picture hanging wire. And just to be clear - I meant that the wires were changed two times. Both of them.

The one I have now is going strong on its second year of overnighters.

[Dances with Mice]

I don't think the crease fold would work unless it locked like the caldera cone shaped one.

Why does it have to lock? The creased fold joint gets stronger with more weight applied to it as long as the force is compressive. If the force is expansive, use single folds on each end and hook them together.

It's easy to check. Take out all joiners and place the pot on the windscreen. Do the edges move apart or together? If together you're golden. If they move apart then you simply make one fold on each end and hook them together.

If the top edge moves together and the bottom edge moves apart then you're screwed and need to use joiners.

[Dances with Mice]

And someone needs to explain the infatuation with the conical "caldera". Near as I can tell a cylinderical shape would perform exactly the same and is much easier to fabricate.

I guess I'm in the "don't get it" camp. Is it just a coolness factor, or what?

[Lance]

Zelph:

Outstanding geometry!

Here are a few pictures of another fastening method that is easy DIY.
The cone must overlap two or so inches to space the 3/32" fastener holes a working distance apart. The wire in the pictures is 1/16" welding rod I had laying around. A straightened large paper clip works too. If the holes were sized right, a spare tent stake would work. In a pinch, you could 'stitch' the cone together with tent stakes through the 1/2" vent holes top and bottom.

The cones pictured were designed with an XL spreadsheet, TurboCAD and templates printed on plain paper. If I hadn't had those resources, I would have done exactly what you did!!! Again, good work.

Wire 'fastener':
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/file...3/IMG_0600.JPG

Close-up of wire fastener:
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/file...3/IMG_0601.JPG

Inside close-up of wire fastener:
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/file...3/IMG_0602.JPG

More cones:http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/file...3/IMG_0573.JPG

XL spreadsheet for calculating dimension (sorry about picture quality):
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/file...4/3/ConeXL.JPG

[Skidsteer]

And someone needs to explain the infatuation with the conical "caldera". Near as I can tell a cylinderical shape would perform exactly the same and is much easier to fabricate.

I guess I'm in the "don't get it" camp. Is it just a coolness factor, or what?

It's for folks who've spent years buying the most compressible gear only to realize that their pack has too much leftover space. So they add an item with sharp edges that's awkward to store and prone to spring open violently.

It's a brilliant scheme to justify buying a smaller pack.

[zelph]

And someone needs to explain the infatuation with the conical "caldera". Near as I can tell a cylinderical shape would perform exactly the same and is much easier to fabricate.

I guess I'm in the "don't get it" camp. Is it just a coolness factor, or what?

Look at this report from Hanna_hangar:

I am so in love with this stove. It is truly a JetBoil of the Alkys Stove!!!!
3 cups of water to a rolling BOIL on only 15 ml yep thats right just 1/2 ounce of alcohol!!!!!

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...4&postcount=23

3 cups boiled using 1/2 ounce fuel. That is what cought my interest and is why I made one for the "TwiLyte" stove. Wanted to see if would grab more heat. Another fact of interest is windscreen and potstand combined.

This photo furnished by lance shows how heat is concentrated right where the pot is supported. Nice photos Lance and good idea how to fasten.http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/file...3/IMG_0573.JPG


DWM---

Why does it have to lock? The creased fold joint gets stronger with more weight applied to it as long as the force is compressive. If the force is expansive, use single folds on each end and hook them together.

The material I used in this one has alot of spring back/expansive pressure. Being cone shaped makes it act a whole lot different than just a cylinder. The use of single folds on each end should work.

When you get the time make one of these just for the heck of it to see what I'm refering to.

Lance----Why so many stoves? Give us some pros and cons on this type of setup. Thanks for sharing your information.

My thoughts were to eventually make it in two pieces, so it could store flat.

I have not tested this thing yet with the grease pot. The pot fits, the cone stands up and is stable like a rock and it's bulky.

I'd like to be able to try every stove design out there to see for myself how they work and how much bull is associated with the designs.

[Dances with Mice]

3 cups boiled using 1/2 ounce fuel. That is what cought my interest and is why I made one for the "TwiLyte" stove. Wanted to see if would grab more heat. Another fact of interest is windscreen and potstand combined. ....
I'd like to be able to try every stove design out there to see for myself how they work and how much bull is associated with the designs.

Using a metal shield to guide and concentrate the heat of the stove and lowering the pot into the shield (or raising the shield around the pot, same difference) isn't a new idea. Even Backpacker magazine described a combination windscreen / pot support / heat exchanger almost five years ago. The combination is tried and true. What I don't get is why increasing the bottom diameter by a couple of inches would make any difference. Below the stove the incoming air doesn't care, above the stove the hot gasses are following the same path around the pot. It still appears to me that ease of manufacture and storage are being traded for style points.

I'm not knocking the caldera, I think it's a great design. I'm just wondering why a hassle factor (conical shape) is being added to a simple design.

[Two Speed]

. . . It's a brilliant scheme to justify buying a smaller pack.

That's bad because . . . ? And just how do you suggest that I accumulate enough gear to equip a Boy Scout troop if this sort of excuse isn't acceptable? Hmmm? Hmmm?

Using a metal shield to guide and concentrate the heat of the stove and lowering the pot into the shield (or raising the shield around the pot, same difference) isn't a new idea

Are you trying to suggest that some of these inovations are recycled ideas? You wouldn't be insinuating that the flux ring on a JetBoil is really a heat exchanger, are you? Take thyself and your credit card to REI and don't return until the card is maxed out!

[Dances with Mice]

Are you trying to suggest that some of these inovations are recycled ideas? You wouldn't be insinuating that the flux ring on a JetBoil is really a heat exchanger, are you?

I was getting there but I didn't want to go all engineer at once. Now that you've opened the door ... what I haven't seen on these stove threads, maybe I missed it, is a Kempner-Trego type analysis of stove design factors.

Our basic problem, or premise, is that we want to transfer the energy in our fuel to our water by converting chemical energy to heat.

Identify influencing factors: Stove, windscreen, pot, and environment (ambient temperatures and wind). Any more?

Identify inefficiencies: Heating the ground, stove, windscreen, pot, and hot air escaping the system are all wasted energies. In a perfect system the water would boil but the pot, stove, ground, and windscreen would all be at their initial temperatures and no hot gases would escape.

Then brainstorm ways to minimize the heat not transferred to water.

For example thin pots are more efficient than thick pots. But who would attempt to sand down the bottom of a Heiney can? What sort of fanatic would go to that extreme? No sane person would consider doing that.

More heat would be transferred to the water if the interior bottom of the pot was finned, giving more metal-water contact. I haven't seen anyone try that, but a coiled strip of aluminum on the bottom of the pot might work.

And so on. We could probably generate a hundred or more ideas in an hour.