Most campstoves, no matter what the fuel, benefit from being shielded from winds. Small cooking fires too. Here is a simple windshield you can easily build.
Materials: scrap plywood, duct tape, straight edge, pencil, saw, and Some coffee.
Start with a piece of scrap, 1/8" plywood, say, 12" X 24". Lay it flat. Sip your coffee.
Along one long edge, starting from the lower left hand corner, measure off and mark at 0" (the lower, left hand corner), 8", 14", and 22". Label these four points A, B, C, & D. Take another sip.
From the TOP left hand corner, measure and mark at 1", 7", 15", & 21", label each of these as 1, 2, 3, & 4. Sneak two sips.
Using a straight edge and pencil, draw lines connecting A and 1, B and 2, C and 3, and D and 4. With your saw, carefully cut along these lines to make three, trapezoidal pieces 12" tall, 8" along the bottom, and 6" along the top, and some scrap. Sit back, and count your fingers. If you still have the same number you started - with congratulate yourself. Drink some coffee.
Lay out these three pieces side by side, next to each other, with the 6" end up and the 8" end nearest you. Align the long sides so they are parallel. Keeping the long edges parallel, separate them by 3/8" gap. Another sip.
Run duct tape full length along each of these two, 3/8" gaps, evenly on both sides of the gap. Carefully lift, and turn over the assembled pieces. Again, run duct tape along the joints, applied evenly on both sides. Basically, you are done, finish off the coffee.
I chose to run also duct tape along the outside edges to prevent slivers in my fingers. And, I doubled up tape slong those 3/8" joints. I advise that you do this. You get another cuppa coffee if you do.
You can now fold the ends over the center - one end folded over on top with the other under on the bottom. This is the way to stow and carry it. Unfold it part way, and set it up with the longest side down, and shortest side up. Note that it doesn't stand straight, rather, it leans in a bit. This makes it more stable and less likely to fall over. It will sit, leaning in toward the stove, and is pretty solid. Start on that second cup of coffee.
Sometimes, I found that it shielded the breeze too well, and my stove was getting pretty hot. So, I drilled three lines of 1/8" holes along the bottom of the center piece. It lets through a measured amount of air for ventilation, but doesn't blow excessively on the stove or fire.
The unit has other uses too. I use it as a door step at my tent entrance. Finish off your coffee.
Materials: scrap plywood, duct tape, straight edge, pencil, saw, and Some coffee.
Start with a piece of scrap, 1/8" plywood, say, 12" X 24". Lay it flat. Sip your coffee.
Along one long edge, starting from the lower left hand corner, measure off and mark at 0" (the lower, left hand corner), 8", 14", and 22". Label these four points A, B, C, & D. Take another sip.
From the TOP left hand corner, measure and mark at 1", 7", 15", & 21", label each of these as 1, 2, 3, & 4. Sneak two sips.
Using a straight edge and pencil, draw lines connecting A and 1, B and 2, C and 3, and D and 4. With your saw, carefully cut along these lines to make three, trapezoidal pieces 12" tall, 8" along the bottom, and 6" along the top, and some scrap. Sit back, and count your fingers. If you still have the same number you started - with congratulate yourself. Drink some coffee.
Lay out these three pieces side by side, next to each other, with the 6" end up and the 8" end nearest you. Align the long sides so they are parallel. Keeping the long edges parallel, separate them by 3/8" gap. Another sip.
Run duct tape full length along each of these two, 3/8" gaps, evenly on both sides of the gap. Carefully lift, and turn over the assembled pieces. Again, run duct tape along the joints, applied evenly on both sides. Basically, you are done, finish off the coffee.
I chose to run also duct tape along the outside edges to prevent slivers in my fingers. And, I doubled up tape slong those 3/8" joints. I advise that you do this. You get another cuppa coffee if you do.
You can now fold the ends over the center - one end folded over on top with the other under on the bottom. This is the way to stow and carry it. Unfold it part way, and set it up with the longest side down, and shortest side up. Note that it doesn't stand straight, rather, it leans in a bit. This makes it more stable and less likely to fall over. It will sit, leaning in toward the stove, and is pretty solid. Start on that second cup of coffee.
Sometimes, I found that it shielded the breeze too well, and my stove was getting pretty hot. So, I drilled three lines of 1/8" holes along the bottom of the center piece. It lets through a measured amount of air for ventilation, but doesn't blow excessively on the stove or fire.
The unit has other uses too. I use it as a door step at my tent entrance. Finish off your coffee.
