Windscreen - Step 9 Step 9 – Assembly and final touches

Final weight - 1.6 ounces, not counting twigs.

Fasten the flashing together. Stick the wire loops through the slits. Insert two twigs, wooden matchsticks, or straightened paper clips through the loops to form the potstand. Twigs work fine, I’ve only had one burn through in many uses, and I was using too small of a twig that time. Bigger twigs are better. Dry twigs are best, don’t pull any off trees.

If your pot has handles, cut a slot for them, and round off the edges. It’s not a bad idea to round off the edges of the flashing that insert into the seam, either. This photo was taken before the edges near the pot's handles were rounded.

To use: Put your alcohol burner on the ground, fill with fuel and light. Place assembled windscreen/pot holder over the burner with the portion of the flashing without airholes facing into the wind. Place pot on potstand.

After it has been used at least once, adjust the wire loops if necessary (remember, I said to wrap them loosely!). The wires should be stretched fairly tight but should not deform the windscreen.

After use, disassemble and lay the flashing down with the inside facing up. Lay the two wires flat along the length of the windscreen, then roll your fuel bottle into the flashing. Fasten with a rubber band or, even better, a hairband. When you are ready to use it again, take the hairband off and store it wrapped around your fuel bottle because once it hits the ground it disappears forever.

Variations: The wind screen can be made shorter, say to just below the handles on your pot. This would save some weight. You could also vary the distance between the top of your stove and the pot by placing the wires higher or lower. I am experimenting with using an aluminum foil lid around the top of the pot to make a backcountry oven.

When made for this pot, the stove was 6 inches high.

In combination with the 0.4 ounce kitten stove, you have a burner, pot holder, wind screen, and heat exchanger, custom made for your pot, all for a grand total of 2 ounces. And, if you store the stove in your pot and the windscreen around your fuel bottle, it takes up no room in your pack!