[at-l] Pot question

[wb4pan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Chase Davidson)]

Skeeter,

	The baking sheets I use are 15" x 17" , so you can cut a pretty wide
strip of flat aluminum out of each pan. The strip of aluminum I get is
too tall but not long enough to form a complete circle around my pot.
What I do is join two of these flat sheets to make one very long
sheet. Join them by simply folding a flat seam between the two pieces.
Next I double fold a flat seem on the top and bottom to hide the sharp
edge from my fingers. Then I cut the little flap that protects and
makes room for the pot handles. Cut it narrow so you can also fold the
sides of this notch to hide the sharp edges. This flap will divert
most of the heat around the handles.  I make the screen a good inch
larger than the pot all the way around with no vent holes in the bottom.
	I have used this design for several years now with the biggest
problem being storage. I get up to 1500 miles out of one and its is
pretty ragged by then. Currently for storage I flatten the screen and
then fold it. This makes it just right to slip in my .9 liter Titanium
pot bag. I put it under the pot to keep any residue on pot bottom off
the storage bag. Of course this folding is what wears out the wind screen.
	If I were burning alcohol I think I would select a round fuel bottle
and wrap the wind screen around it preventing any sharp bends. 		I
think I will experiment with a wind screen made in two circles. Made
so it will store inside my cook pot without any folding, but still be
tall enough when stacked to get the full heat exchange effect.
	I am not sure I would be satisfied with a two piece wind screen. I
like things simple that do not require a bunch o fiddling with each
time they are used. I would rather any item be a couple of ounces
heavier but have carefree operation. You want see me using tent pegs
or rocks in place of a simple pot support!
	You are right moving the windscreen to one side to protect the
handles is not an efficient method, but it would save your handles
until you find another way to correct the problem.
	Anyway that's what's been working for me. I needed all the extra
coverage because I designed the system for cooler burning rubbing
alcohol in the winter. Now I use Esbit most of the time cause it is so
easy. Alcohol is cheaper though.

chase

Mark Hudson wrote:
> Well, my handles are already burned, so that was what the question was...
> Yes, my windscreen could go higher, but what I have is all the baking sheet
> would allow, which is about to the bottom of the handles. One other thing
> to note on your "heat exchanger"; if you get the windscreen too close to
> the pot it actually makes your boil times longer by reducing the amount of
> air flow.
>
> skeeter
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