The Caldera Clone

Nice one Marcus.

Welcome to OM.

Thanks for posting the pictures, Marcus.  Nice to see the script getting some good use.

I see you sorted the handle opening; hope this reduces the heating of the handle you experienced in your first try.

I like the finger hole idea, and glad to hear that the windward side can be left unpunched.

A boil/burn ratio of 6:7 and 15ml of fuel sounds very efficient: over 65% (depending on weight of the pan).

BTW -

    I found these hole punches to be quite useful. The largest ones are good for the ventilation holes, whilst the smaller ones are good for making tent-peg sized holes (should your pot need lifting). Very reasonable price too @ £1.95 excl p&p

    And as for foil - I also found that "serving platters" are a useful source. You can even get some with a pretty pattern etched on them!

MW: looks like the set I bought in my local cheapo hardware store.

I don't seem to be able to find serving platters big enough, sadly...

captain paranoia wrote (see)

MW: looks like the set I bought in my local cheapo hardware store.

I don't seem to be able to find serving platters big enough, sadly...

CP ...

    I use a TiLite 750ml mug/kettle, and the serving platter I used was only just under size, leaving a small, curved v-shaped notch at the bottom of the join. I decided to declare this a decorative air vent .

    I'm not sure, but I think the platters I used came from a pound shop. (99p a pair - Bargain !!!) And they do seem to be of a similar size to some others that I "rescued" from a Work's buffet.

    Admittedly, they were too small to make one-piece C(l)ones for my bigger pots, but did make an ideal bog standard windshield .

captain paranoia

do you have a up to date version of the clone plans, and is there a 'version' for a Snow Peak mini cook set, or do the plans accept all sizes?

Thanks

Rob

RobM wrote (see)

captain paranoia

do you have a up to date version of the clone plans, and is there a 'version' for a Snow Peak mini cook set, or do the plans accept all sizes?

Thanks

Rob

Hi Rob ...

   I think that if you PM Cap'n P he'll send you the latest Clone stuff (that's what I did) It's not a plan as such - more of a computer printer language program that you can edit to suit all of the different pot/cooker combinations, you'll probably only be limited by the size of the "sheet" of aluminium you've got to hand. I think the original code is right at the start of this thread - but's it's been updated since then.  

twiglegs wrote (see)

I can't find anything suitable to make one with, i'd buy a caldera cone but i can't seem to find one that will fit my litech trek kettle, i'm sticking with it despite this as i dont like ti mugs, the litech is wonderfully non stick and quite light too, shame though.

Hi Twiglegs ...

     Sourcing the aluminium sheet is half the fun .  The main suggestions are Party sized disposable BBQs or Serving Platters.
 

Thanks - I PMd cp.

Time to play now (foil on its way soon from Mole)

twiglegs wrote (see)

Is anyone selling suitable foil to make a clone, have i missed something. ?

Hi Twiglegs

Have a look here  _

I made a 2-piece fissure cone that fits inside another pot.  CP's fissure template worked well. I made a couple of adjustments-- instead of trimming out the tabs, I made two overlapping cones with four screws and nuts holding it together.  Some aluminum window fitting screws made good lightweight fasteners. The cone for an 800ml pot weighs about 2.5 oz.

With the thicker coleman pot, for some reason it boils 2 cups faster (4:30) but uses a couple ml more fuel.

I'll try to post a couple of pics later.

Ok, here are the images...  to further document CP's achievement...

The lid is also a small frying pan, which can also be used with the cone as you can see in the second pic.

Thanks for the photos, Marcus.  Glad to see the Flissure option works nicely; it certainly packs down neatly.

Your screw method of assembly is interesting, but I'd probably end up with a screw loose... 

The original thinking for the Flissure template with interlocking fingers was that the upper section would be held in place only by the fingers, and the Clone fastened with slot and tabs in the lower section.  This was necessary because I thought the fingers would have to be mated before the vertical joint is made.  I was also concerned that if both upper and lower sections had slot-and-tab joints, the upper tab would have to point in, and lower tab point out, and I didn't like the idea of the inward-pointing upper tab; I was concerned that it might overheat and melt, being within the cone.

However, the upper section without a vertical closure can be prone to coming apart, so I'm tempted to re-work the Flissure option with slot-and-tab joints in both upper and lower sections; it would certainly make the joint/handle logic easier in the script...

I notice you made the handle opening very large, and I'm sure you had good cause; can you explain your thinking on that?

> Edit: Is the cloth pictured there one of the ten for a quid ones from asda.

Marcus would be shopping in Wal-Mart, if anywhere...

Actually it is a paper towel! And I have no Walmart nearby, I live in the city (DC)...

CP-- there are no tabs at all on this one.  The top front screw goes through all four pieces of material, if that makes sense.  If you like I can provide better pictures.  

 I understand how the pattern was intended to work-- it is quite clear in your template.  For some reason I wanted something more solid, that would better resemble an un-fissured Clone.

I just used your pattern, but cut longer overlapping arcs that matched the bottoms of the interlocking fingers.  

Does the handle opening seem big, even on the first pic?  The second is the accesory frying pan.  If so, I had *another* issue with my measurements-- user error.  The handle still stays nice and cool on this one.

Thanks Marcus.

It's okay; I could see how your screw system worked, I was just musing idly on the fingered Flissure method, not suggesting you hadn't understood it.   The use of full, overlapping cones is perfectly sensible (the fingers can be a little fragile).

I thought I'd come up with another way of doing it yesterday, using a smaller number of fingers simply to lock the two cones in place, but then realised it wouldn't work, as you couldn't mate the cones in that way...

> Does the handle opening seem big, even on the first pic?

It does to me; looks like it could be narrowed by an inch on each side.  But if it keeps the handle cool and seems to work, what's the problem...?

I did it ...er... to make it lighter, yeah...

Actually, the photo is a bit deceiving as the pot is skewed to the left a bit, but if I were to do it again I would tighten it up a bit.

Support-wise, it is OK.

I had to make the hole for the handle a bit bigger than the handle for my pot too.

Otherwise the 'mounting plate' for the handles 'snags' on the top corners of the cone, meaning fitting has to be very precise.

A little bit of clearance is good for lazy clumsy people like me.

I will post pics of mine at some point (although it doesn't look any different), my hole punches arrived today so just completed it.

Out of interest - has anyone made long cut outs along the bottom edge, to make a '3 legged' design, for stability on uneven ground?

Something I am considering... the cut outs would replace the vent holes too, would need to do something to strengthen the feet/legs though... maybe fold the foil from the cut up at 90 degrees then roll/fold up (like the join edge).

> Out of interest - has anyone made long cut outs along the bottom edge, to make a '3 legged' design, for stability on uneven ground?

I've not done it with a Clone, but I have done it with other stove designs.  With a Clone, I think you'd need to have one of the 'feet' spanning the vertical joint.  And yes, I'd reinforce them, from bottom (a bit tricky because of the curved edge) and from sides.

I was thinking along these lines for the alternative Flissure joint I mentioned earlier...

Have play and let us know how you get on.

> Otherwise the 'mounting plate' for the handles 'snags' on the top corners of the cone, meaning fitting has to be very precise.

Ah yes, I have that problem with my MSR Titan.  I get around it by angling the pot as I insert it into the Clone.