Use the sides of two Fosters cans to make one windscreen. Cut the corrugated top and the bottom off of the cans, using mostly just the blue part.

I'm not a rivet guy so I need other suggestions on how to join the two, split, curled, can bodies. Mine weigh 16 grams together.

Edited by heyyou on 01/26/2013 00:42:43 MST.

1.)

You could try bending or rolling the last 3/8" of each piece over. One turning inside and one turning outside on both pieces. To join the pieces slide the outside turn of one piece into the inside turn of the other piece. Do the same with the remaining two ends.

You may have to put them both together at the same time which could be a bit fiddly. Also because the ends are simply bent over and not "shaped channels" it may only stay together if it is forced to be held to a tighter diameter than it would normally be if not joined into a circle.

2.)

JB Weld could be used in a lap joint on one of the areas where two of the ends join together. Use the rolled / bent / folded technique on the remaining two ends.

3.)

If you were to hem the top and bottom edges by folding them over on both pieces you could use the old slide tab A into slot B technique. Trim off a little of the "hem" to form a tab on one of the ends of each piece of Fosters can. Leave the "hem" on the corresponding piece of Fosters can to receive the tab. Don't fold the hem to tightly on the extreme end of the material or the tab will not join easily.

On idea number 3 I'm not sure how it will affect rolling up the windscreen for storage. I suspect it would try to kink in multiple places if rolled too tightly.

Also you could mix and match techniques from each of these three suggestions using your imagination. ;-)

MYOG is as much about creativity as it is technique.

Party On,

Newton

Even more low-tech, would paper clips work? I've used them to close some windscreens I've made before. Or maybe bobby pins if you've got a lady around the house. Has anyone weighed both and know which is lighter? :D

Adam

I like the idea above of folding the edges for stiffness and a smooth edge.

For joining the two halves: How about drilling/punching holes and running a Ti tent stake though the holes? Have one set of holes run through the overlap. Maybe put a double thickness there by JB welding a 1 cm strip all around the windscreen. Then the windscreen doubles as a pot stand to hold your pot at the desired height above your burner (not sure if you a standless alcohol stove or a canister stove with integral stand).

16g = 0.56 oz

My flashing Al windscreen for my fosters pot weighs 0.45 oz

depends what you use it for, yours is probably much taller than mine.

You can solder aluminum cans together with low temp fluxless Aluminum soldering rod and propane torch...if your good. One of the demos they do at trade shows is a guy cutting a coke can apart, and then soldering it back together. He makes it look so easy, even an idiot can do it.

If your not good you melt the can. I tried once for kicks, couldnt do it.

Edited by livingontheroad on 01/26/2013 20:34:27 MST.

Paper clips can work, but a binder clip works even better. 1 gram each.

--B.G.--

was thinking about cutting aluminum rectangles from aluminum cans the size of large poker playing cards, and pairing them up with hinges made from thin strips of duct tape. they will fold like an accordion /\/\/\/\ ( think: Thermarest Z-lite) and flat for storage |||||||

* sacrificial office hole puncher for air intake in the aluminum cards. Also use some of the holes to "tie in together" the sheets, with a little metal wire from the grocery store, but not too tight, to allow the cards to fold and stack.

* smooth out the razor edge, with a fat pen's roller edge: if you are not into bending rolling metal, then cover sharp edge with thin duct tape, but a lot of duct tape as a trim will add weight, then again so does a first aid kit if you slice off a finger.

* or for the ghetto gear fans, cut cardboard to the desired shape, then wrap it in kitchen foil for flame insulation

+1 on the binder clip / paper clip comments above.

Edited by RogerDodger on 02/01/2013 11:36:48 MST.

OP here.

Bought a rivet gun (it is single shot, no ID required), used it, then found the directions on the inside of the folded paper backing.

Used one, eighth inch aluminum rivet in the middle of the edge of the two, equal sized, stacked sheets, so I can spin one sheet horizontally to spread the fan, then spin it back for more compact storage. The doubled edge is less sharp than a single edge.

As usual, the tools cost about the price of a nice Ti wind screen of about the same weight, so I now have the pride of owning my own dirtbag version that works almost as well as a professional one. I'm looking forward to wasting money on a single use tool for my next DIY project, maybe a laminator for bonding mylar layers into poorly made cuben. I'm only limited by my imagination and my life savings.

Edited by heyyou on 02/01/2013 14:23:16 MST.

I've been using drinks can wall for windscreens for years. I have some example photos on my OM galleries:

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/gallery/images.asp?uabn=1105&SP=&v=1&P=4
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/gallery/images.asp?uabn=440&SP=&v=1&P=5
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/gallery/images.asp?uabn=440&SP=&v=1&P=6

Simple lap/fell joints work, but they don't lock very securely.

These days, I'd use the same slot & tab system that I use for my squeezebox and conic clone stoves; cut an angled slot and mating tab at each end of the shield (so two slots and two tabs in each piece, with top/bottom swapped at each end). Fold one tab out, and one tab in, and then simply slide the tabs into the mating slots between the pieces.

Probably easier to understand with a picture. See my template tool and Zen's example designs at Zen's website:

http://zenstoves.net/PotStands-WindscreenStands.htm#Captain_Paranoias_Windscreen_PotStand_Tool

> I like the idea above of folding the edges for stiffness and a smooth edge.

David, whilst folding an edge works well with ductile Al foil (I used this method to reinforce the edges of early Squeezebox stoves), it doesn't work so well with can walls. If you fold it sharply enough so that it will still form a nice curve around the pan, it tends to fracture. Score and fold is my preferred method of cutting Al can sidewall; works very effectively and neatly...

The other thing to bear in mind is that Al cans use an alloy that softens to a putty-like feebleness very easily. So my experiments using Al can wall to make pan supports ended in disaster, as the support slumped, spilling the pan... Not such an issue for a windscreen, so long as you keep it well away from the flame.