The prototype ultralite volcano kettle is a success!

I made two prototypes over the weekend. The first was a disaster, but I learned some lessons from it. The one pictured here holds a pint of water, and boils water in just about 3-4 minutes.  I count that as a success.

Dimensions are 4 inches in diameter, 7 inches tall, and weight 183 gms, about 6.3 oz.  It is constructed of aluminum flashing, glued with JB Weld, an epoxy good to 600 degrees.   Instead of the conical top of the Kelly Kettle(R) and the Storm Kettle(R), my kettle has a flat top with water opening next to the "volcano" spout. Instead of bail and chain, I attached a set of foldaway handles like the ones on the .85L MSR pot.
 

The fire can is an 8 oz tuna tin (4.2 " diameter)  with a hole cut in it's side. The pot sits on two removable wire coat hanger stands threaded through 1/8 inch holes in the side of the can. When they are removed, the pot slides into the fire can which protects the most fragile part of the kettle - the edge where the inside cone meets the outside cylinder.

Kettle collapsed into the Fire Can

7x4 inches, 6.3 oz, handles fold in, against the kettle

I ran the stove 6 or 7 times the first day with different twigs, and different tinder. Twigs worked best when they were less than 4mm thick. Testing different tinder, I started the fire with paper, then with kerosene, with alcohol, with gasoline (caution!) and with shavings from a stick. For the fuels I started the fire with about 5cc (1tsp) of each fuel. If gasoline is used, one should make sure there is fair ventilation so the fumes are not collecting in the pot's "volcano". Normally, using a liquid fuel would be an emergency tinder in wet conditions, as shaved sticks seemed to work just fine as tinder. One can boil water with only paper as fuel... I used a little 10 page advertising circular without any twigs to make coffee and oatmeal this AM.
 

Boiling time was 3-4 minutes from lighting.  It sometimes took about the same time to find some twigs to burn. 

As others have mentioned, the stove does best when there is a bit of a breeze.  The hole in the Fire Can is pointed into the wind and a draft is created up the "volcano" flue  inside.

If you decide to build such a stove, it is a bit more difficult than the alcohol stoves I have built.  It took me about two hours of cutting and gluing for the second stove.  Make sure you let the JB Weld cure for 15 hours before firing it up.  Otherwise you will just melt the glue.  (How do I know?... Yep!)  If there is a small leak at the cone-cylinder edge, go back and repair with JB Weld and allow to cure for 15 hours again.  The JB weld seems to work for all the kettle parts, mainly because the water in the double wall cools it.  On one prototype, I had flanges glued to the inside of the un-cooled fire pot.  They cooked right off in a paper fire. 

The method I found to hold the pot together while the glue was drying is worth your trying.  I sewed the cylinder and the cone pieces with malleable wire.  E.g., when I made the cylinder, I cut a rectangle of aluminum flashing and bent it into a rough open cylinder.  I joined the two edges by pushing a sewing needle through the edges which overlapped by about a half inch, two holes about a quarter inch apart.  Then I made small wire tie of malleable wire, brought it through the holes, and twisted the ends to hold the edge together.  Same for the long vertical edge of the cone.  Once I had the top made and fitted and had trimmed the cone so it fit the bottom the the cylinder I was ready for glue.  The twisted part of the ties was on the outside of the cylinder and also on the outside of the cone. 

To glue the beast together, I loosened the wire ties on the cone and cylinder so I could spread glue on the overlapping edge.  Then I tightened the ties back down.  Next, I put a bead of glue inside the bottom edge of the cylinder and forced the wide edge of the cone into this bead.  The top was then added to hold the narrow end of the cone after putting a bead of glue along the inside edge of the top where it joins the cylinder.  The piece is held together for drying by holding both the top and the cone to the cylinder with duct tape.  This keeps the cone from falling out of the cylinder. 

Next stage is to apply glue around the cone and top joint, and to glue on a half inch high piece of 1" copper pipe as a spigot.  The spigot is applied to the top by folding several tabs into the pipe from below.  It is important not to have any of the pipe extending below the top or you will not be able to empty the kettle completely.  (How do I know??...  Yep! That is what first prototypes are for.) 

After the glue dries, use dikes to cut off the twisted portion of the outside wire ties.  The wire ties in the kettle remain where they do no harm.  (You did not use rusting wire did you.)

If you make a pot like this, please send me an email letting me know of your success.  I plan to use this pot for several hikes and see how strong the pot is under field conditions.

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