DIY, repurposed, and frugal. 1: cooking gear

I've seen surplus Trangia alcohol stoves, with a small set of cookware, go for pretty cheap. I've found aluminum military surplus pots for under ten bucks, too.
 
Fantastic thread idea. In fact, one of the best I've seen in some time. We should have more DIY threads that are about ingenuity, creativity and resourcefulness rather than a measure of the depths of our pocketbooks here in this sub-forum. Christ, I spend enough on BF recommendations on knives anyway, and then I always see gear here I want. Lets turn the tables and MAKE some gear together.

In terms of Recycling and Reusing, I have great resource to share. I sometimes find gently used items at Goodwill that are either dedicated backpacking cookware or could be made to be. About a year ago I found 4 Sierra cups for .50 cents a piece. I found an aluminum cup/measuring cup with cap for .99 cents. I've found a Kleen Kanteen for $1 in nearly perfect shape! There is a lot of stuff in the cookware section that can also be turned into ultralight cookware and gear. I picked up a small aluminum "cake pan" (I think thats what it is) that measures about 5 inches in diameter. Great for baking bannok bread or using as a plate. I also found a US Military Bivy cover (100% goretex) for $2. I'll see if I can post pictures soon of some of my finds and I'll put together a DIY project just for here :D

To the MODS: PLEASE MAKE A DIY GEAR THREAD STICKY? In these tough times we could use some alternatives. I think the creative aspect is also appealing. I really really love this idea. Kudos Koyote!
 
that might lead to a megathread issue. I'd like to see a "best of WSS" sticky that links to other threads. There have to have been a couple dozen very good start-to-finish DIY threads in here over the past few years
 
I don't think they care about threads under 100 pages. Just lock most of em at 100 and start over, you can link to #1 at the beginning of #2 if need be so you're not losing any context at all. I would really love to see more DIY stuff round here.
 
Try buying some heavy duty aluminum foil. I used it to cook on and boil water. Heck you can use it for almost any cooking from water to food.
 
xbxb said:
Try buying some heavy duty aluminum foil. I used it to cook on and boil water. Heck you can use it for almost any cooking from water to food.
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Actually these foil baking tins work much better than heavy duty aluminum foil.

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I'll take yalls word for it, but that looks mighty hard to fry anything in. And if you can fry eggs and potatos or maybe backstraps or fish in nothing but aluminum foil you know a lot more than me about camp cooking. :confused: Chris
 
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Here is a really light and strong version of the "Pepsi Can" alcohol stove. I've made one myself out of an aluminum Bud Lite bottle but this one is the commercially available White Box Stove.

The item on the right is the "priming pan," but is really just a disposable aluminum foil ash tray.
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The stove weighs just over an ounce and boiled two cups of water in approximately four minutes on less than an ounce of denatured alcohol. It is a side burner so it has a wide flame pattern and does not require a pot stand. Warning! Alcohol flames are all but invisible in normal lighting! This stove is lit.
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No Flash
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This stove worked great with my GSI Teapot, but the flames were too wide for narrower pots. I cooked a pancake in my One Egg Wonder but it was a little too hot. This stove is best suited for times when all of your cooking tasks involve boiling water.
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Here is my own MYOG version. I placed the burner holes a little farther down so it burns a little cooler and the flame pattern isn't quite so wide. It made a passable pancake.
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I did this shoot indoors so a windscreen wasn't necessary. I'll post some pics of it set up with it later.

Pepsi Can stoves are great MYOG projects and are very usable. I'll be trying out a couple of top burners with my Klean Kanteen/MYOG Clone stove soon.
 
A recycled 4 litre wine cask bladder (with removable tap) makes a usefull water container :thumbup:

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An old cake cooling rack makes a very usefull campfire grill :thumbup:

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Whilst not exactly "kitchen" an old stocking makes a very usefull soap container that will stop "things" from sticking to the soap and can be hung from a branch to make it using easier :D
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Kind regards
Mick
 
reckon this one is backwards from the subject-an old butcher/kitchen knife, now repurposed for leather work...

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Mick...

It's funny the things you pull from threads like these. I've seen some really cool and new ideas here.... but once in a while the most humble of inventions takes the cake. This one does it for me.

Soap holder, wash cloth, drying rack, game bola and flail..... all in one.



 
Nice idea with the stocking soap, Mick.
I might have to try the wine cask. How durable are they? would you trust one in your pack?
 
SouthernCross said:
A recycled 4 litre wine cask bladder (with removable tap) makes a usefull water container :thumbup:

Waterontap1.jpg




+1 When I go fishing I fill one with water and freeze it before putting it in my pack. It keeps the fish cold on the hike back and I drink the water as it thaws.
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G'day Rick

Magnussen said:
..... but once in a while the most humble of inventions takes the cake. This one does it for me.

Soap holder, wash cloth, drying rack, game bola and flail..... all in one.



Click to expand...

In truth, all credit must go to my Mum who first showed me this :thumbup:

BTW, an old stocking is great for catching Yabbies (small crayfish) as well. Just stuff some meat in one and throw it in the water. Their feet get caught in the fine gauze and can't let go as you pull them in (like they can with meat tied on the end of a piece of string) :thumbup:




Kind regards
Mick
 
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