One of my favorite times..invention time.

It's never been about feeling compelled to make absolutely everything I own and use, it's more like, "I could make that better and cheaper if I do it myself." Then, attempt to enjoy the process, that's a bonus.
There is a lot more going on than it seems in these next few pictures. At first glance it appears to be a long sheet of metal flashing 6 inches wide, a 3ft aluminium dowel 1/4 wide, and a few hand tools. The portable vice is a nice touch, to be able to move it where your working, instead of being mounted to a work table. I'm also in my wife's parents apartment and we're not on the lease. Keeping a low profile, though a challenge, is a priority.

Not only am I going to make my own tent stakes (tent stakes available to me locally were too short or too expensive) I'm making my own pot stand / wind screen combo, to cook our food on. Making it myself allowed me to use two longer tent stakes that will double for supporting the pot and hold the wind screen together. It saves weight, money and I made it myself ( Insert maniacal laugh)



First order of business, open pliers enough to place the dowel in it's jaws before you clamp the pliers, that aren't normally supposed to be used like this, in place.




Then slowly bend it around the jaws of the pliers to make a shape like this. Aluminum is soft, so to make one of these only took about 20 seconds, then I cut to length with the bolt cutters.

Next on the menu is drilling 4 strategic pilot holes in the sheet metal to place to two extra long tent stakes all the way across. This will not only hold the wind screen in place, I'll set the pot evenly on top of them. The height of the holes were selected to place that alcohol burner I made out of a cat food can a while back. An ounce of gas line antifreeze known as Heet, is all that's required to properly cook our meal for two.

Disregard the purposely deformed can from an earlier burn test, and you are looking down upon a wind screen combo cook pot that is super light.

Here it is, in action with a pot holder being used as insulation to keep the water as hot as possible while cooking. Aluminum is probably the best type of metal for heat distribution through convection. It's also harder to keep things warm as it is quick to cool off. Since it's completion, Heather has already crocheted a more permanent, circular design for insulation. (picture temporarily unavailable)

Before the fuel ran out, I measured boiling temperatures for 2 to 3 minutes. That will be good enough to heat our dehydrated food after it's reconstituted. 

Finally, to prove that I am not completely perfect, I'd like to point out how I almost completely melted the face of the thermometer. Yeah, that's not steam. In the heat of the moment...