A Simple and Inexpensive Billy Pot

averageiowaguy

averageiowaguy

Joined
Mar 22, 2011
Messages
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I've recently returned to an old favorite for campfire cooking - the Billy Pot. It is also known as the Billy can and Billy tin depending on the country of origin. I'm going to try to make some videos using a Billy pot in the near future. Enjoy!
[video=youtube;ON7bMSFYc-o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON7bMSFYc-o[/video]
 
Always good to see simple and easy bits of DIY kit.

Thanks for talking the time.
 
That takes me back 45 years....

After trying to clean them from cooking baked beans, I quickly graduated to British Army Mess tins
(which I still have)
 
I use these all the time when I am in the woods. Can't beat simple and basically free pieces of kit.
 
I love your video style, AIG.
But what about the BPA surface sealant applied to the insides of acid-holding cans? Can you just burn it out before use?

-D
 
daizee said:
I love your video style, AIG.
But what about the BPA surface sealant applied to the insides of acid-holding cans? Can you just burn it out before use?

-D
Click to expand...

I don't know. I've done it this way since I was a kid with no apparent ill effects, except that I'm a little nuts. Can anyone with expertise shed light on this question?
 
Sorry to be the Debbie Downer about this, but modern cans are made of aluminum which has a film coating in it. That coating will leach BPA right into your foods, especially if you go and cook with it.

This would't stop me from cooking with cans in a survival situation, but I would caution people from regularly using them.
 
CWL said:
Sorry to be the Debbie Downer about this, but modern cans are made of aluminum which has a film coating in it. That coating will leach BPA right into your foods, especially if you go and cook with it.

This would't stop me from cooking with cans in a survival situation, but I would caution people from regularly using them.
Click to expand...

A magnet sticks to this can. I'm not sure what to make of that. Again, I know nothing of modern can manufacturing so I am going to have to rely on people who do.
 
II think one good 'burn out' on a good intense fire will drive off any BPA.

From the MSDS data and studies I have read, BPA will thermally degrade from between 300-450'C. Any average campfire will be well in excess of that (by 2 to 3 times at least). Any small dose exposure that could remain after 'roasting' the billy for say 30 minutes will be negligible anyway.

Of course you can always use a steel can as you have AIG :)
 
Is the BPA in the white coating on some types of cans or could it also be on cans that don't have a coating you can see? Some cans just have no visible lining such as coffee cans....any experts on tin cans? It seems like if you don't see a coating there probably is not one but I would rather eat dirt than boost my estrogen levels.
 
It is a plastic-looking film. If it looks milky-white inside, you're eating it!

img_22182_can%20coatings--rgov-800width.jpg
 
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