Storm kettle billy can support

[Bernie]

Last time I went canoeing, we paddled the Torridge from Beaford to The Puffing Billy (http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?33744-River-Torridge-Beaford-to-The-Puffing-Billy) and stopped for lunch. I cooked my meal in my billy can over my storm kettle. Fortunately it was a relatively quick cook time, so holding the billy can the whole time wasn't too much work. But I did decide that I would make a stand for my billy can for future use.

Here's what I cut and hammered into submission this afternoon:

Billy cans are wider than they are broad, so the blades are designed specifically for my billy can. I wasn't sure how to cut the "floor" of the support with my hack saw without cutting off the end supports. I opted to fold the metal over, which was easier, AND makes a nicer base for the billy can.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kFtX76OLsBw/TyQ7LOzs4mI/AAAAAAAAAs4/tlUVREugRSg/s576/P1280175.JPG

Unplanned WIN was that the blades of the support fit inside the fire pot:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--MhbHx3yjxQ/TyQ7AsPvbqI/AAAAAAAAAsg/qBE_5LPCog4/s576/P1280176.JPG

Once together, they have enough length in the "body" to sit securely inside the neck of the kettle:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IZ04UWmsNdA/TyQ7C1SRXGI/AAAAAAAAAsw/7dCvKfbs_Hc/s576/P1280173.JPG

Inserted and ready to cook on.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-v7n6lOG_jy8/TyQ7CSx3skI/AAAAAAAAAso/5gdqiiLaZW8/s576/P1280172.JPG

I've subsequently looked online and seen a pan support (http://www.edenproject.com/shop/Storm-kettle-pan-support.aspx) at a very reasonable £7.50 though £4.95 postage seems a bit dear.

This was fun to make and kept me out of trouble for a few hours. :)

[Terry]

Very nice looking job, well done what time is the brew then.

[Saxon]

That's good, I'll have to have a rubbish skip diving session and see if I can surface with a small piece of sheet metal and have a go at that...:D

[Fletching]

Looks a lot more durable than the ones you can buy from Kelly Kettle, mate. Job well done.

Steve :)

[Bernie]

Very nice looking job, well done what time is the brew then.

I'll give it a go today if I get the time and update this thread with the results.

In another forums I've been told that someone ruined their brand new Kelly Kettle by cooking on it without any water in it. It's scary and yet very good to know. Aluminium melts at 660.32 °C (1220.58 °F) so it must have been a fairly hot fire. I can see how water in the kettle would help limit that. I wonder whether being box-new had an effect? Mine is second hand and the "chimney" is totally black with soot. Does that help inhibit the heat transfer?

[happybonzo]

Kelly are supposed to bringing out a base to fit on the fire container. They were blathering about last year on their Facebook site and website but nothing on their website yet. The way they were cracking on about it was that the item was nearly ready.

[Fletching]

I wouldn't try it if I were you Bernie. I ruined one a few years ago because I let the kettle boil dry. I heard 'pings' then 'pops' and when I kicked it off the base and looked inside, there was a great big open crack in the inner wall. This was a well used one as well.

Steve :)

[Bernie]

I think the ferocity of the fire plays a part. I tend to keep the fire a lot smaller than I would if I new the kettle was made of a metal with a higher melting point. I've just been out with my son to make a brew. Nice and cold out there so we enjoyed the drinks whilst playing with the kettle and billy stand. I did have to top up the kettle a few times.

It's a right hassle getting the image URLs to paste here from Google+ so I'll just link to that if you don't mind. Sorry, I'd rather go have some fun than spend the next half hour "inspecting element" and copying URLs. :(

https://plus.google.com/photos/110351235332210640129/albums/5702747911464995329

To answer the question of whether I can feed the fire from the top, it's easy enough and demonstrated in this short video. A related videoalso shows how stable the set up is.

http://youtu.be/FaDbVw6pUZY