Looking for the ideal material to use for a bale on the 1100 pot I just got. Don't have access to Ti spokes. Does stainless wire work well and is it just as light? What gauge to use? Any ideas and sources would be a great help. Mark

Stainless steel brake cable (cycle type) works and is easily available.

I would not bother with titanium bicycle spoke. Just get the thinnest double butted stainless spoke you can find, the difference in weight is just a few grams for a spoke, and you won't use a full spoke. Another alternative is Stainless bicycle derailleur cable (the best) or stainless brake cable. Derailleur cable is thinner.

Cut off the end, it's usually made of lead.

Edited by dag4643 on 03/18/2010 16:34:44 MDT.

Have been using a spoke bale on the SP900. Recently added on to the bpl pot. On the bpl I recycled the spoke nipple for a cleaner interior. SP the nipple end was just bent.

Interior pic

Noel, can you elaborate on what you did for your wind screen and tell us what those red 'clips' are?

The red clips look like the top of a tent stake to me.

Also like to hear more about the windscreen on the bushbuddy

"The red clips look like the top of a tent stake to me."

Yeah, That's what I was initially thinking, I just haven't seen those particular stakes before, if that's the case - it looks like a plastic head.

My guess is that two stakes are piercing the foil to hold it in place, which looks like a great idea. Props.

Those red stakes are MSR Needles and are all-aluminum:
http://www.rei.com/product/734484

It looks like he's skewering not only the outer aluminum foil but an inner support ring too. Somewhat similar to Joe Meiser's pot stand (maybe originated from someone else): http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmeiser/4260172903

EDIT: I wasn't aware of the support ring on the Bushbuddy design - my bad!

Edited by Village on 03/25/2010 22:46:00 MDT.

That's it. Stakes through stand. I will try screen material this weekend.

Couple spare Al stakes through the BB pot holder and the windscreen. Works nice. Enough pot overlap for efficient heating, wind protection. Gap allows for adding fuel. Just my feelings. The BB seems to burn hotter/cleaner with nothing surrounding the lower intake holes. Few less grams of windscreen. No real net weight savings unless you double duty the stakes as stakes. Not sure how much loss of stake strength is occurring from the heat exposure. Ti upgrade in the future.

I tried the Hong method with flashing. It did work - some but not much wind when I tested. When I took the screen off the flame blew more sideways than up. I think I will make one with thick al fold. All I had was the flashing or reg fold. The reg fold was too difficult to get it right.

My dimensions were 12" by 4". The holes were 1" up.

Was a fun experiment.

George, is there an easy way to fold over 1/4" of metal flashing all the way around? That would strengthen the edge and also eliminate the sharp/cut edge.

However, most of us do not have any big tools for working metal. I thought that I had made a big jump when I got a new Dremel tool.

--B.G.--

fyi Cheap tools requiring minimal skill...

Wiss Tinners Snips A-11 ($14) cuts through like scissors
Irwin self-starting steel unibit #1 ($10) makes holes from 1/8 to 1/2 in. Can use manually or with a drill.

I believe thick aluminum fold would be easier and better and lighter. No tools necessary either.

I used the flashing because I had some handy.