Kelly Kettle

I recall these being discussed a while ago, and perhaps a few times since then. I may muster the energy to do a search (but I probably won't.) ;)

It looks like a really cool piece of kit. I don't have one, but I think you could pack a lot of gear in the chimney/combustion area and have it very well contained and protected.

The fact that you can burn anything in it as fuel is a big plus, too.

The only drawbacks I can think of (right away) are:
1) It would be tough to clean the water-holding part.
2) Don't know how long the cork stopper would last in a hard-use or long-term situation.

One of these days, I guess I'll have to break down and buy one to play around with. :cool:
 
it also can't be used as a fry pan, cup, plate, pot- just kettle. that's why i like the 3# coffee can and 3# coffee can lid/pan/plate. it's also free.
 
On tip. Some vendors in the U.S. are exagerating the capacity of the models they are selling. Do a search for Kelly Kettle and go to the manufacture's site to see the actual capacity.

There are other small ("backpacking") "stoves" built to burn anything, one model with a battery-powered fan. They actually seem to work. I built one with a hand-cranked fan, and it was a little blast furnace.
 
Dux said:
try www.garretwade.com and search for 'kettle'. cheaper and they have the accessory kit (small fry pan, pot, firegrate, etc.). looks neat, but is quite diminutive in my opinion. maybe more 'solo alpine dayhike', less 'general northwoods camping'.

cheers! :D
Click to expand...

This link does not take me anywhere.
 
I have one. It's good for brewing tea on day hikes, fishing trips, etc. I use teabags that I hang in the kettle and then pull out without dirtying up the kettle. It's a bit bulky for backpacking and not as versatile as a pot, so I don't use it for that.
 
I like the design very much. Perhaps the kettle would be useful in a survival cache and not so much being lugged around in the pack?
 
Thomas Linton said:
There are other small ("backpacking") "stoves" built to burn anything, one model with a battery-powered fan. They actually seem to work. I built one with a hand-cranked fan, and it was a little blast furnace.
Click to expand...

Thomas, That's a cool idea to fabricate a hand cranked model of the Zip Sierra Stove from the ZZ Stove gang (link below). No need to worry about battery life that way. Do you happen to have a photo or a drawing of how you built it? A good idea is always worth stealing. ;) :D :D

http://www.zzstove.com/

Here's a couple threads on the Kelly Kettle (with some divergence into other topics too) from the Swamp Rat survival forum:
http://www.swampratknifeworks.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=000306#000000
http://www.swampratknifeworks.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=000187;p=1

A couple alternative stove types (besides the rocket stove designs linked in Swamp Rat thread above) are the alcohol mini-stoves made from soda cans and the hobo stove made from a coffee can.
http://www.datasync.com/~wksmith/welcome.html (ultra-light alcohol stoves)
http://www.i4at.org/surv/hobostv.htm
http://www.castbullet.com/makeit/hobo.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/art/enchanter/westmk1.html
http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/archives/article.asp?ArtID=2352
http://www.rmsg.us/cook/campcook.htm (links to make-yer-own stoves)
 
MATERIALS THAT I USED
>I found a hand-cranked garden insecticide powder dispenser at a garage sale. They are commonly used to dust plants with products like 5% Sevin powder. Let's call it a "blower." It was gear-driven and had a friction-fit output pipe about 12" long and 1.5" in diameter.
> 1 lb. and 3 lb coffee cans. (Not that they hold that much any more and not that you are restricted to such cans -- but use steel cans.)
> 1/2" opening hardware cloth (heavy wire screen) large enough to make a grate in each can.
> metal clothes hangers or similar wire.

(I suppose that any cranked blower or even a bellows could be used)

TOOLS THAT I USED
>side-cutting pliers
>small tin snips
>10d nail
>hammer
>12" piece of 4x4 with one edge trimmed to create 1/2" flat instead of sharp corner (to support sides of can when punching holes with nail)

CONSTRUCTION (very tough! :rolleyes: )
>First, I cleaned the blower out REAL well with soap and hot water.
>Then I cut a hole in a coffee can to fit the output pipe from the blower SNUGGLY. The height of the hole was dictated by the height of the output pipe when the blower was resting on the ground. You need clearance so the crank handle can go around.
>Then I cut the hardware cloth onto circles to fit inside the cans.
>Cut three lengths of hanger wire 1" longer than the diameters of the respective cans. These lengths of wire are inserted through pairs of holes punched opposite each other in the sides of the respective can, and they act as supports for the hardware cloth grate. NOTE: You want the grate to fit as far down in the can as possible so punch the holes accordingly.
>Place the lengths of wire through the holes and bend 1/2" over to secure in place.
>Insert wire grate from top.
>Use nail to punch holes 1/2" apart around top of side of can about 1/4" from edge and enlarge to 1/4" by inserting and rotating one point of the tin snips (Or you could use a "church key" to make openings in the top of the side of the can).

Fuel (anything that burns) goes in can on top of grate. Light. Insert and blower and turn crank. Cook. Boil. Melt glass. Great tool for "starting" charcoal.
 
I have a Sierra stove and love it...it is compact and burns anything and the battery powered fan makes it awesome. I've had several stoves and I like this one the most.
 
another nod for the sierra stove, its awesome. In a pinch you could use a piece of tubing to blow air into the fire, I carry tubing anyway to make fire starting easier on the eyebrows.
 
I bought a one pint Kelly a few weeks ago. Before I start drinking the water from it I'm boiling it a few times and discarding the water to get rid of the flakes of aluminium and sealant.
Yesterday it boiled a pint in under four minutes.
 
I've got a Kelly- love it. Bulky, though. If you are interested in the concept of burn anything, blast furnace stoves, build one. The Kelly uses convection column (hot rising air) to "suck" fresh air into the combustion chamber. The fan stoves push air into the combustion chamber. It seems to me that an inventive sort would create something along the lines of the Kelly but less bulky- like a combustion chamber with a removable chiminey. Worked for me... :cool:
-carl
 
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