Homemade Backpacking Gear
by Jason Klass
Heineken pot Grip
by Jason Klass
Difficulty Rating: 2
Materials Sourcing: 1 - 2
For those of you that make cook pots from Heineken cans, here is a simple solution to the age-old problem of how to avoid burning your fingers when lifting the pot from the stove. Some people add bail handles but these can get hot as well. Others use a bandana but I find this does not provide a secure grip. So, I came up with this solution that works fairly well and is integrated without adding a lot of weight.
1. JB WeldConstruction
1. Take the fiberglass wick and wrap it around your pot to see what length you need. The resulting width is up to you. In this picture, the width is 1 1/4" which I consider minimal to grip the pot effectively and comfortably. You may want to make yours wider especially if you plan on using it as a mug.
2. Spread JB Weld around the diameter of the pot where the wick will go. Putting a few big dabs of it on the can then spreading it evenly with your finger is the best method.
3. Tape one end of the length of your wick to a starting point so you can create tension as you wrap.
4. Wrap the wick around the diameter of the can keeping tension as you go. Make sure each wrap butts up against the one above it so you have uniform coverage. When you finish the wrap, you may have to push them together using your thumbnails to ensure tight placement without any gaps.
5. Let it dry at least four or five hours. You will have frayed ends where the wick runs out but don't worry about this now. Let them hang out. It will be addressed in the next step.
6. Now that the epoxy is more stable, it's time to clean up the frays. Take a small amount of JB Weld and dab it onto each end with a toothpick or something else. Then smooth it over with your finger so it's flush against the can.
Here you can see the top and bottom ends of the wick that have been smoothed over with epoxy. Maybe not pretty, but practical.