"Pimp My Kelly Kettle."

[dlarson]

There was a DIY Kelly Kettle thread on BPL and I seem to remember the person having decent luck. I haven't quite figured out the value in them other than that they are simply different. A can or tin stove and a titanium pot would almost certainly be lighter and the pot has more value than the Kettle in that in can double as your eating container.

Samh, I suppose the one attribute the kettle has is that it will perform under about all adverse weather conditions.

In my opinion, the method of heating the water is the value. Windscreens help direct heat around a regular stove and pot setup but they also absorb heat and conduct it away from the water. The solution to that problem is to use the water as the windscreen (Diagram).

The big problem is the weight of the setup. It's too bad they don't make small titanium Kelly Kettles.

[zelph]

Thanks for the pics Darren!
I've been toying with the idea of a homemade Kelly Kettle using aluminum cans. The only problem is that you can only boil water in a pot that doesn't have a middle. Tossing some Ramen Noodles inside would be difficult to eat and clean! But I will say that the Kelly Kettle design is superior to a regular pot when it comes to boiling water.

Daren's photo shows the cooking pot on top of the kettle making use of the flames exiting the top. He says both boiled water at the same time with 30ml of fuel. That's effecient. I'm surprised at those figures. The extra weight is durability and diversity. Wood as fuel being the diversity part. The use of alcohol during inclement weather. No priming wick wrapped around it is necessary like many stoves on the market.

on fire. you can see the flames coming out of the top of the chimney.


30ml of Methyl Hydrate brought both the kettle and the pot to a boil. it's too bad it's too heavey and bulky to carry.

[DarenN]

the pot on top made a world of difference in getting the Kettle to boil. a lot of heat was being wasted out the top of the chimney. but with the pot there to hold in some of that lost heat, the kettle boiled very quickly. the pot didn't reach boil till just at the end of the burn.

i have a vague idea for a dedicated alcohol burner design for the Kettle that might work better.

Daren.....

[DarenN]

and now it is also a grill.


to keep the two halves from sliding apart i'll make a couple tiny wire rings so it will hinge in the middle. the halves fit inside the chimney (along with the potstand) for packing.

Daren.........

[zelph]

and now it is also a grill.


to keep the two halves from sliding apart i'll make a couple tiny wire rings so it will hinge in the middle. the halves fit inside the chimney (along with the potstand) for packing.

Daren.........

Very nice Daren!!!! What is the diameter of the grill? How many jumbo shrimp would fit on it? Nice welding job there!!!!

[DarenN]

it's made from 1/8" S/S welding rod and it's spot-welded together. the outside diameter is 6".

......

[zelph]

it's made from 1/8" S/S welding rod and it's spot-welded together. the outside diameter is 6".

......

Great, good enough for 3 jumbos.

[Ridgerunner]

Nice addition to your Kettle, Daren. You always come up with great ideas and display excellent workmanship.
Anyone interested in a lighter Kettle, Devin Montgomery has posted a few prototypes over at BPL. Scroll down thru the thread.
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... ad_id=7456

[Bfinnigan]

I just joined this forum and I do a lot of hiking, snow shoeing and backpacking with my wife and daughter. Since last summer I have been using the Ghillie Kettle which is made in the same factory as the Kelly and Volcano kettles. I make custom knives and hawks for a hobby as well as a lot of metal machining. As soon as I got the Kettle I realized it can be tricked out with some things to make it better. When I saw "Pimp my kettle" I had jump in and see what others have done.

Instead of posting dozens of pics here is the link to the survival forum I mod.

http://primalfires.yuku.com/topic/4266

This is one mod that will really speed up the heating and offer some wind control.

Chimney choke.


I just finished a damper control for the fire bowl. After trying to use it up on MT Rainier in the wind last weekend I really needed to control the air coming in as well as the chimney.

It's an air laminate stainless baffle with titanium knob. It will keep the wind flow into the fire pot controlled as well as damper down the fire after the water boils to hold a simmer.


I have made a pan support, stainless steel grill, small cast iron frying pan and pouring handle for the pot.

My little cardboard parrafin wax rolls will bring the 1.5 pint pot to a boil and are easy to make.

[Ridgerunner]

Very nice work Bfinnigan. I like the damper system you've made to control the fire output. Welcome to Bplite and hope to see more of your work. Heading to your link now.