Homemade Backpacking Gear

by Jason Klass

Difficulty Rating:  2

Materials Sourcing: 2

The Belt Buckle Windscreen is really more of a concept than a specific design.  It was born out of frustration with typical methods for attaching the ends of aluminum flashing type windscreens for alcohol stoves.  I was looking for a sleek method of attachment that was light, versatile, and wouldn't require extra parts that could be lost (i.e. clamps, paperclips, tent stakes, etc.).  One day I saw a thin strip of flashing lying on my desk that I had just trimmed from a windscreen I was making and had an idea.  It dawned on me that I could just take that strip, hold it against the outside of the windscreen and bend each end toward the inside of the screen to make a simple attachment.  What I discovered was not only that it held better than other methods I had tried, but it also allowed the flashing to slide into itself making the windscreen adjustable to different diameter pots; like a belt.  Theorhetically, one windscreen could accomodate many different-sized pots.  This design also allowed precise adjustment of the distance between the pot and the screen to control ventilation.  After much experimentation, I find this to be the best method of attachment for flashing-style windscreens.

Admittedly, this is nothing more than a thin strip of aluminum with some holes punched in it.  The "belt buckle" is little more than that.  It's not rocket science or some miracle breakthrough.  Just one of those simple "slap yourself in the head for not thinking of it before" ideas.  It's only a simple means of attaching the ends of aluminum-flashing-style windscreens.  The "buckle" (as I call it) is just a slender piece of flashing that slips over the top and bottom of the windscreen, making a secure and versatile closure.  It can be applied to any aluminum-flashing-style windscreen.  The instructions that follow are meant solely to illustrate how to make this attachment: not the windscreen itself.  I have included some tips though on general windscreen making.  This idea is a direct response to other means of attachment that I have found to be inadequate:  http://zenstoves.net/PotStands.htm . (diagram by Zenseeker)

Although it looks like a lot of steps, making the "buckle" is easy.  Keep in mind that these instructions only show how to make the buckle attachment and are not comprehensive instructions for making the entire screen.  For better information on making a windscreen go to:  http://zenstoves.net/.  The buckle system can be used with any windscreen made from aluminum flashing and no special tools are required.  All of the ones you will see here were made in my kitchen with household items (save for the Whitney punch).  Although simplicity is one of the things I appreciate most about this design, I fanticize about what I could do if I had a full machine shop!

 

You will need the following:

• 1.  Extra Fine Sandpaper
• 2.  A standard 1/4" paper punch or Whitney-style metal punch
• 3.  Scotch tape
• 4.  A ruler or measuring tape
• 5.  Aluminum flashing
• 6.  Scissors
• 7.  A Permanent marker

 

Let's get started!  First, cut a strip of flashing 3/8" wide and about 8" or 9" long. My original design used two strips but after some experimentation, I found that one was adequate.  You can make one or two as you like.  One advantage of using two strips is that you have a backup in case one fails (though I haven't had this problem).  If you want to make two, just repeat the process below.  Remember, making the strip too wide creates a "flat spot" in the screen and you won't get a perfect circle.  I highly recommend using the 3/8" width. Hold the strip up against your windscreen so that it is centered and there is an even amount of the strip above and below the screen.  Use the marker to mark where the edges of the screen meet the strip (this will be where you fold the strip later). Now, trim the strip so that there is about 7/8" to 1 1/2" left beyond each mark. If you make it too long, the flame from the alcohol stove will burn and melt it (trust me!); however, if this happens after a test run, you can always trim it down later. 

Now it's time to mark the holes.  They are not necessary but do reduce weight a bit and makes it look cool. I use Zenseeker's templates for the Supercat stove as a guide:  http://zenstoves.net/Templates/TemplateSuperCat.GIF .  Download the template and cut it out.  Make sure to use the holes labelled "15 and 10" not "15 and 20" and use the set of holes on the left.  Line the strip next to the template so that you can see where the holes will fall.  Remember that the marks on the strip indicate where it will be folded later so make sure there is at least 5 or 6 milimeters of space between the edge of the last hole and the mark on the strip (folding takes up a few milimeters).   I "X" out the holes I'm not going to punch just to make sure I don't accidentally punch into the part that will be folded.

Now cut the template to match the size of the strip and tape them together.  Only tape the ends.  If you tape over the holes, they will be difficult to punch.

Now it's time to punch the holes using the template as a guide.  You can use a paper punch or drill but the holes tend to come out rough on the inside creating friction when trying to cinch up the windscreen.  I recommend a Whitney-style punch (pictured).  If you're planning on making alcohol stove and windscreen design a hobby, it's a good investment:  http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44060 .  If you don't want to spend the money and just want to use a drill of paper punch, you can sand down the inside of the strip later to reduce friction. After you're finished, sand down all edges and corners of the strip with extra-fine sandpaper.  You can follow this up with some fine steel wool if you like.

Now your your finished "buckle" is ready to be attached to the windscreen.  Take your windscreen and close it enough so that the two pieces of aluminum are overlapping (the diameter does not matter at this point).  Hold the strip up against the outside of your screen so that the marks you made earlier are aligned with the upper and lower edges.  Make sure it's straight. 

Carefully fold the top section in with your thumb and index finger so that it compresses the two pieces together.  Do the same with the bottom.  It may feel loose when you fold the first one but will tighten when you fold the bottom.

The tabs on the inside of the screen should look like this.  You're done!  The screen should slide easily to adjust diameter.  If it doesn't, then the buckle is probably too rough.  Slide it off and sand again checking for any small burrs that might be causing friction.

After you've made your windscreen, you need to "relax" the aluminum.  If you use it right away, it will warp.  To avoid this, put your pot on your alcohol stove.  Then, adjust the diameter so the windscreen is 3/8" from the rim of the pot.  Remove the windscreen making sure to maintain the diameter.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Then, place the windscreen directly on the oven rack and bakefor 25 minutes at 400 degrees.  Your result should be a perfect circle.  You might encounter some browning.   This is normal.  If you don't like the looks of the browning, you can use sandpaper and steel wool to remove the coating from the flashing before baking it though this is a somewhat arduous process.  Here are some other tips and tricks.

If the buckle is too loose, you can tighten it simply by pinching it at the top and bottom with your fingers.  If it's too tight, grab the tabs on the inside of the screen and slowly pull them out.  Be careful, you don't have to pull as much as you think to get a big difference!  Try a little at a time.  Also keep in mind that repeated flexing will cause stress and eventually break the aluminum.