BWCA Titanium/ Aluminum Tree Shelf Boundary Waters Gear Forum
Chat Rooms (0 Chatting)  |  Search  |   Login/Join
* For the benefit of the community, commercial posting is not allowed.
Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
   Gear Forum
      Titanium/ Aluminum Tree Shelf     
 Forum Sponsor

Author

Text

seamusknives
member (47)member
  
12/03/2018 01:14PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)


I had all the materials left over in my knife making shop so made this to hold either my Coleman single-burner stove or my Kelly Kettle Scout. The .044 Ti surface is 8" x 11" and the total weight is 20 oz's. It folds down fairly flat.
 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next
andym
distinguished member(5340)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
12/03/2018 02:41PM  
Interesting design. I've sometimes looked at the wood ones that people have made that use lines going up from the outside corners to provide the stability.

On your design, would it be worth adding some padding to the metal edges where they contact the trees to protect the bark from getting cut.
 
seamusknives
member (47)member
  
12/03/2018 02:51PM  
Andym,
I purposely left the two vertical edges dull to minimize any scarring of the tree's bark when the belt is tightened. Ultimately you need a little "purchase" for stability. I made the shelf a bit longer than some others I'd seen to keep the heat well away from the tree's trunk. I'll still probably wrap that part of the trunk with some aluminum foil for it's sake.
 
12/03/2018 03:08PM  
I'd be worried about a wind gust blowing my stove and dinner over.
 
seamusknives
member (47)member
  
12/03/2018 03:20PM  
AmarilloJim: "I'd be worried about a wind gust blowing my stove and dinner over."

My buddy cooking on an elevated cooking shelf I made years ago from some Easton Aluminum arrows and aircraft cable tied onto some lashed-on horizontals. This was a double burner Coleman but we never had a stove fly off. Once in a while some plates would take off!
 
andym
distinguished member(5340)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
12/03/2018 04:44PM  
Sounds like you've carefully thought this through from the trees point of view. Wrapping the tree to deflect heat is not something I thought of.
 
seamusknives
member (47)member
  
12/04/2018 12:23PM  

You never know, we could come back as a tree. This is it folded down. I have a stuff sack that fits it.
 
BuckFlicks
distinguished member(628)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/04/2018 05:38PM  
That's awesome! I love it. I think I'd use it for other stuff, though... food prep, dish washing, contact lens station, shoe or gear repair... I feel like there are too many variables that I can't control for putting a stove on it. Probably my own idiosyncrasies, though.
 
mjmkjun
distinguished member(2885)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/05/2018 07:29AM  

What a nifty gizmo.
A shelf to compliment a pocket shower.
Fixing quick meals & coffee -- at waist level.
platform for self/group photos.
 
Guest Wimp
Guest Paddler
  
12/06/2018 07:01AM  
seamusknives: "
You never know, we could come back as a tree. This is it folded down. I have a stuff sack that fits it. "


Nice workmanship. How far does the top slot cut into the support rail, how do capture the board in the slot, and have you used it in the field? I assume the perimeter holes are for tie-downs? It would be fun to see how light you could get this design while still maintaining durability and load-carrying ability. Have you considered perforating the board?

Nice!
 
seamusknives
member (47)member
  
12/06/2018 09:47AM  
Guest Wimp: "
seamusknives: "
You never know, we could come back as a tree. This is it folded down. I have a stuff sack that fits it. "



Nice workmanship. How far does the top slot cut into the support rail, how do capture the board in the slot, and have you used it in the field? I assume the perimeter holes are for tie-downs? It would be fun to see how light you could get this design while still maintaining durability and load-carrying ability. Have you considered perforating the board?


Nice!"


The Ti working surface overlaps the vertical support rail about an inch but two slots in the surface mate with the rails for a 5/8" "in contact" overlap. At the top of the rail is a tapered Al wedge with a S.S thumbscrew that cinches the two parts together. I had other designs that would have been lighter but went this way with the U-shaped support arms below the table for maximum lateral support and strength. The arms are attached to a thru axle and have bronze washers where they connect to the support. Skeletonizing the Ti top would reduce weight but I opted to leave it solid for more versatility as a work surface when a stove's not being used.
 
12/06/2018 10:16AM  
That's really cool! Nice work
 
Nozzelnut
distinguished member (151)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/06/2018 11:39PM  
Wow! The craftsmanship some folks have amazes me!

Great job!
 
Guest Wimp
Guest Paddler
  
12/12/2018 11:29AM  
seamusknives: "
Guest Wimp: "
seamusknives: "
You never know, we could come back as a tree. This is it folded down. I have a stuff sack that fits it. "




Nice workmanship. How far does the top slot cut into the support rail, how do capture the board in the slot, and have you used it in the field? I assume the perimeter holes are for tie-downs? It would be fun to see how light you could get this design while still maintaining durability and load-carrying ability. Have you considered perforating the board?



Nice!"



The Ti working surface overlaps the vertical support rail about an inch but two slots in the surface mate with the rails for a 5/8" "in contact" overlap. At the top of the rail is a tapered Al wedge with a S.S thumbscrew that cinches the two parts together. I had other designs that would have been lighter but went this way with the U-shaped support arms below the table for maximum lateral support and strength. The arms are attached to a thru axle and have bronze washers where they connect to the support. Skeletonizing the Ti top would reduce weight but I opted to leave it solid for more versatility as a work surface when a stove's not being used.
"


I'm curious, what added versatility is permitted by not perforating the surface? Not skeletonizing, but perforating. Also (and given your attention to detail you probably already did this), but putting some texture on the surface would be nice to improve friction coefficient.
 
seamusknives
member (47)member
  
12/12/2018 02:38PM  
A lot of the time on a project like this, I'll fiddle with drawings and see my original plans change quite a bit. I also have the tendency to take something to a point and then field test it, look at it and consider what I might want to do or change.
Right now I have a good sized surface that's easy to clean. Holes would surely lighten it but also give grease, food, etc. a place to grab onto. Same problem with texturing and the issue of having only .044" of thickness to work with. I'm going to make some hooks for the holes on the sides for utensils, etc. I plan on making them project up about 3/8" from the surface to act as ballards to keep the stove or whatever from falling off. Holes aren't out of the question....maybe later.
 
gravelroad
distinguished member(992)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/13/2018 09:56AM  
Very nicely done! It suggests the possibility of using something like this in tandem with the tree steps used to get into tree stands. Multi-purpose gear has a much better chance of coming on trips with me.

If you were interested in making another, what would your price be for one like this one?
 
gravelroad
distinguished member(992)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/13/2018 10:01AM  
Various windscreens for backpacking stoves might work well as a heat reflector on the tree.
 
seamusknives
member (47)member
  
12/13/2018 03:06PM  
gravelroad,

Thanks for the interest but it's sort of cost prohibitive. The Ti costs me about $45 and with the other parts and then the labor it wouldn't make sense. Besides, I'm busy with making folders for orders and an upcoming show. I've been looking at windscreens and am going to incorporate one with the shelf for my old 442.
 
Guest Wimp
Guest Paddler
  
12/13/2018 03:48PM  
Yep, many design considerations go into even something as humble as a shelf. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, this might be a fun project to try to “perfect” over a period of time. Then you can pitch it to the military for 50-100k—after offering it to board users at a discount, of course??
 
seamusknives
member (47)member
  
07/20/2019 09:50AM  


Even though I rebuilt my Coleman 442, I wasn't impressed with the stability of cookware sitting on it's top or even the stove's base stability. So, I bought an MSR Dragonfly and modified my tree-shelf to accommodate the fuel canister with an outrigger attachment. I like the idea of this stove set-up for being able to more safely use a wind screen ( not in photo). The rear, wire stove support leg has a screw-down clamp to keep the stove in place. The 10.5" Lodge griddle is a bit heavy but a good size for two and it packs well. Looking forward to September!
 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next