The materials of the replacement headlamp strap had been almost 100% upgraded. The elastic webbing has been changed to one that feels silky smooth. The hardware is being replaced with something that is sized more appropriately with a sleeker design. It is kind of hard to tell difference in the pictures but, when you touch it, it just feels better. Check it out here
The Toilet Paper Holder started life out as the "Sample Chuck Box". I have come to the realization that people are ordering it as a TP holder and not as a sample, so I have eliminated some of the clunky aspects which made for a good sample, but not for the best toilet paper holder. The changes include replacing the unnecessarily thick 6mm top with 4mm, getting rid of the hook and loop that use to hold the top down and replacing it with elastic webbing and adding a little handle to grab or hang the holder from. You can check it out here.
Finally I have created yet another design for the headlamp hanger. The pictures below tell the story and , this link is where you can get them/
]]>Above is the holder with the Troop's camping kitchen check list.
You can get clips like Charles used on Amazon. Charles is a leather worker so he attached the clipboard holders with double caps, which made for a neat installation.
Above is a picture of one of the troops freshly finished boxes. It's looking good!
]]>
The first new design incorporates the initials "CKB" (for Camping Kitchen Box) and second design removes the B, since it does not perform a functional purpose, for those who really all about function.
You will also note that they glow in the dark, or you can get it in black if being a ninja is your thing.
]]>First is for the headlamp shade... a new smaller cord lock. The picture below compares the new cord lock (on the left) to the old one (on the right) and a a triple AAA battery for scale, The smaller cord lock also allows the use of thinner cord, making the whole arrangement even lighter and more compact
The pictures below show the old and new cord locks on the shade.
The other small thing are also related to your headlamp.. the headlamp hanger, or now hangers. For those those who do not like snakes , but want a headlamp hanger, I now have a design that is called "Standard", since a generic design calls for a generic name. Both design are now available in black as well as red. If that is not enough choices for you, tell me what color you want.
]]>It worked well , but it lacked pizzazz, so after futzing and noodling and fiddling around with it some, and then a bit more futzing , I settle on this.
It is suppose to be a Rattlesnake.. I hope you can see it. Here it is being useful as a headlamp hanger, which is sort of the point.
I have deemed it good enough to sell, so check it out Here. I have matched is up with the Headlamp Lampshade to make a very useful camping accessory .
]]>
And if Camouflage is not you thing, We still offer Fire Red, Safety orange, Royal Blue Kelly Green, and Tacticool Black (which looks like normal black, but is tactically cooler)
]]>
]]>
Pictured above in a old Plano 3700 tackle box that perfectly holds a dozen typical Spice Jars. (actually eleven regular spice jars and two half height ones ones). This particular example has been kicking about my house for a while.
The 3700 is sort of a standard size tackle box with typical dimensions of around 14" X 9" by 2" , with four long molding in dividers that can be sub dived with little plastic walls. Searching the internet will bring up many examples. Of course Walmart carries an Ozark Trail Example.
You will notice that the Ozark Trail version is "Improved" with better latches and built in handles, which is probably fine when dealing with tackles but does cut into the row by these latches a little bit, making the compartments smaller. Below I managed to squeeze in the salt and pepper shaker, which are a little smaller then a typical spice jar, near the latches. The handle takes up a lot of space sort of ruing the compartment for a jar of any type, but I threw in some sugar packets to make myself feel better and prove the space was useful for something.
The Plano example I have above does not seem to be available anymore, and they have similarly improved version with fancier latches, but it looks like they might have maintained the Inside dimensions and made the outside a little bigger, so it might be worth the eight dollar price of admission, verses the three and a half bucks for the Ozark Trials version. Either seems a good way to carry and organize full size spice jars if that is your goal, so don't be looking for a solution from me soon.
Quick Update 9/30/23.. I noticed Harbor Freight Tools has a completely clear, non branded version, if that is what you want / need.
]]>
*A year ago I created what I called the Sample Camping Kitchen Box. It was a short version of the drawer with a little lid. At the time I could not think of a really good use for it (besides as a sample) , but recently I was lurking on the camping equipment forum of expedition portal and saw a thread about toilet paper dispensers. Eureka! The box is just the right size for a roll (or a double roll) and look how easily it dispenses!
]]>Fresh from the workshop is the new Flatware Roll created for the Camping Kitchen Box. This is designed to hang from the back of the box in place of the paper towel holder. When it is not hanging, you can roll it up and stash it neatly in one of the drawers of the Camping Kitchen Box, keeping your flatware organized and rattle free. If you are interested in purchasing one you can check out on the store here.
The cutlery roll is sewn by me on my mother's 1956 Singer, which had recently come into my possession. Sewing was not my mom’s passion, though she did sew some awesome curtains for me and my brothers’ boat themed bedroom. The machine sat for many years, but after some cleaning and oiling, it is running like.. well a sewing machine. It doesn't do anything fancy (just straight stitches) but it is plenty strong and a pleasure to use. I’m looking forward to continuing to sharpen my sewing skills.
]]>The first solution is the Coleman Stove Stand It weighs less then 4 pounds and it will hold up the box no problem, but will probably have the most sway compared to other options.
The Camp Time Narrow Roll-a-Table is almost a perfect fit. The top is 32" X 22" inches and only weighs 8lbs. There is also a version available with adjustable legs.
The Mainstays 40 Plastic Adjustable Height Fold-in-Half Folding Table from Walmart is a little bit heavier at 12 ½ pounds, but it is very sturdy. The top is 40" X 20" which is large enough for the box with some work space left over. It also features adjustable legs giving you height options.
If you don't like Walmart, the Lifetime 4' Fold-In-Half Adjustable Table is similar , with a little larger top (48" X 24") but also weighs more (around 20 lbs.)
What about the table that I have featured all over the web site? Well that table is OK, but next time I buy something it will probably be one of the above options. It is light weight, and corresponding a little wobbly. I think I originally got mine at Target years ago when they sold more camping equipment, and it is no longer available, but you can find similar items by googling.
]]>
I call it a paper towel holder because that is its most obvious use, but It is really two buckles in the back of the box, two which you can attach the included strap with two buckles, so you can use it however you find it useful. For example, in the picture below I just bent up some wire, and hung my cooking utensils from it. I intentionally have left the strap long, in case you have some other ideas.
]]>First here is the finished cover:
Besides being easy and inexpensive to make, this design also allows easy access to the handles, allowing you to carry the box without removing the cover
The cover is made from the good old reliable blue polyethylene tarp. I chose it because it was cheap, and it greatly simplifies things since hemming the edges is not required. I used "Extra Strong Upholstery Thread" which is made out of Nylon and plenty strong. I used a couple of pieces of stick on Velcro to hold the flaps over the handles down.
There are only three pieces, two sides, which when sewn together circle the whole box, and a top. A 6' X 8' foot tarp actually has enough material for two covers if you cut carefully. I removed the factory hems and then cut out the pieces.
Note for the illustrations that follow, the blue side of the tarp is the "good" (eventually outside) of the cover, and the grey side is the "bad" or inside of the tarp.
Sew a long side of the top to a long side of one of the sides, overlapping the two by one inch and spacing the ends of top evenly from the ends of the side (Five inches each way) the Top should lay the top on of the side, so eventually when the cover is complete, water will run down the sides and not inside through the seam. Repeat this procedure, sewing the other side of the top to the top of the other side piece. when you are done it should match the illustrations below.
The one inch overlay might be a bit excessive for good sewers, but it leaves plenty of room for beginning sewers.
You can use pins or basting tape to hold the seems together as you sew, but for the top I actually used cellophane (Scotch) tape to hold the pieces together until the sewing was complete.
Fold the cover in half across the long axis of the top ,mating the two good (blue) side together so that the silver side is facing out. Sew both the short sides of the sides together.
I used small binder clips to hold the sides together as I sewed them
Flip the cover right side out, and the Finished cover should look like the photo below. Slip it over the top of your chuck box, and admire your handy work.
Once again I should mention, if you don't want to make one, you can buy one . If you do make one, send us a picture and show us what it looks like.
]]>
]]>
While cleaning up at my parents house, my brother found this page cut from the Longmont Colorado Daily Times-Call , dated Wednesday March 3, 1971, which appears to be part of a regular feature called “Cooks’ tour of the Valley” . The headline sums it up nicely, as a good headline should. Enjoy!
PHOTO FEATURE
by DIANNE BOONS
Come spring and summer, many Cooks' Tour readers will be taking to the trail or the campground. They may be on foot, or horseback, in a canoe or in autos or campers. No
matter how they go, food will be an important matter. Days in the open air demand energy that comes from good eating. If you're planning a camping trip or trailhike, now's the time to practice open fire cookery says R. T. Brown, this week's Tour guide.
Though he's known to many Longmonters as a pro in the stock broker business, Brown once pursued a career in exploration geology. His searches for copper and uranium were carried out on ten-day stints into the hills on horseback. Five years of that plus numerous hunting, fishing and back-packing trips have made Brown an expert on camp cookery.
Best Fire
The best cook fire, according to Brown, is a five to six foot long fire confined between two green logs about six inches in diameter. The logs are placed six to nine inches apart on billets (props) to let a draught through. One end of the fire should be into the wind. In addition there should be two uprights with a crosspiece from which pots can be suspended. A good fire box can also be made of large rock or, if it's in the backyard, with brick stacked two high with air holes in between. Concrete reinforcing rod is excellent for uprights and the cross piece, Brown says. A grill is useful as is a large cast iron or aluminum griddle, if weight is no object. Both grill and pots can be supported by the logs or brick if there are no uprights available.
Start With Tinder
As for the fire itself,for starters gather a grapefruit sized pile of tinder. What to use? Dry twigs under all conifers are easy to acquire and their resin makes them burn well, Brown says. Also excellent are shredded dry birch or aspen bark. Next, thin, dry twigs are set teepee style over the tinder. The teepee is built larger and larger with limbs increasing size until the firewood is about a foot high. The best woods for a fire — because they don't spark — are the hard woods such as oak, hickory, apple or fruitwood, Brown says, adding that they are not always readily available on the trail but a good supply can be obtained from tree trimmers.
Roaring Blaze
A roaring blaze is needed to make coffee and for a reflector oven. But a bed of hot coals is the requirement for other cooking. A word about getting the fire started in the first place...matches.
Kitchen matches are the best. Aside from the supply carried with gear, pack two waterproof
containers with matches,too Brown advises. Campers can waterproof their own supply by pouring melted parrafin over matches is the hint from this veteran woodsman.
Heavy Duty
As for cooking utensils, Brown counsels investing in a heavy duty set of aluminum cookware.
Cheaper, thinner ware dents and has to be replaced after short use. Mountaineering companies market sets of nesting pans and dishes especially for back-packers and They also offer cast iron clutch ovens with lids which will hold a layer of ashes or serve as a platform on which to support the pot. The first meal of the day starts the night "Take the wood to bed with you," says Brownw Dewy wood doesnit ignite. Dry, seasoned wood burns best because it releases the gases which are actually what flames. Heat drives these gases from the wood if the "pores" are not blocked with moisture.
Breakfast
Thisthe breakfast procedure: start the tire and while it roars set the coffee pot on to boil. Use one to two tablespoons of grounds for each cup of cold water. The moment the coffee boils remove it from the fire! as coffee boils over Let it steep five minutes and pour in a half cup of cold water for each four cups of coffee to settle the grounds. While the coffee’s a making, the campers are dressing and when the fire dies they are ready to make some instant oatmeal or bacon and eggs. Raisins set to soak the night before make a good "taste intensifier" for oatmeal. They, prunes or other dried fruits also provide energy.
Bacon
While the campers eat their oatmeal, Brown recommends setting the bacon to cook over low heat. Turn the strips once then pour a half cup of light white wine over the bacon and continue cooking just enough to render the grease. Remove bacon from the grease and pour eggs in all at once.*crack them into a cup or bowl *firsL For a gourmet treat, pour in half a cup of light, dry wine, cover the pan and steam the eggs over low heat until they are medium firm to firm.
Bread, Brown suggests taking the coarsest homemade variety as it doesn't squash. It can be toasted on a stick or grill.
Pancakes
If pancakes are on the breakfast menu, make enough to use as sandwiches throughout the day. Wheatgerm and whole wheat flour can be used in a homemade mix to give the pancakes extra stay power. Speaking of stay power, the fat-protein combination sticks the longest But fats are the most difficult food component to acquire from nature so be sure to take plenty along, says
our outdoor Chef.
"Cheese, bacon, margarine and butter are good sources --- don't depend on fat in game you may catch. People in the woods for long periods have ‘rabbit starvation’ because there is virtually no fat on that common source of woodland food“
Vitamin C can be obtained in nature from the husks of rose pine needle tea and dandelions. On long treks, vitamin supplements are a must, however.
Lunch
Lunch on the trail should be a quick affair in Brown’s opinion as time can be used to better advantage other ways. It is the evening meal he considers the most important of the day and one of his favorites is built around kabobs cooked on a peeled green stick.
The trick to cooking the cubes of meat alternated with onion, zucchini or whatever is to glaze the meat quickly in a roaring fire and then prop the stick over a low fire to finish cooking. The searing seals in meat juices.
For a night cap, hot chocolate laced with brandy or a hot tea toddy with brandy, cream and sugar are this camper's favorite.
As for camp cooking in general, Brown lists four things to remember: simplicity, ample calories, ample taste and improvising.
"Improvising is the key to survival in cooking and camping Campers have to prepare well but learn to use what's provided by nature for the rest of their needs”
Preparing well includes learning to make a good fire. And here for something to practice with are recipes for campfire cookery.
What is winter for?
For saving bread bags and developing the camp foods to pack in them. . .the pancake mix, the chocolate pudding mix or whatever.
There are many dried foods now on the market, not intended for campers especially but a boon to them just the same. Some are packaged in foil or other lightweight containers.Many, however, come in jars and campers can make good use of doubled plastic bags to pack food for camping trips.
Some of the foods which are considered "staples" are flour, baking powder, cereals such as oatmeal and rice, dry beans and peas, powdered milk, powdered eggs, instant cocoa, side bacon, salt pork, lard, margarine or canned butter, dried soup powders and sauce mixes, and
bouillon, sugar and dried fruits and vegetables, coffee, tea and juice mixes.
What the above have in common is that the heavy water is left at home. Water from springs and streams that flow in clean and uninhabited country can usually be considered safe. Wilderness lakes in the Northern U. S. and Canada also usually contain pure water.
If there is the slightest doubt about the purity, however, cooking and washing water should be boiled hard for about 10 minutes.
Most sporting goods stores carry halazone tablets one of which will purify a quart of water in a half hour. It takes that long for the tablet to release the bacteria killing chlorine gas.
In Mexico and other semitropical areas,chlorine tablets are not always sufficient to kill water borne bacteria. Iodine tablets are used instead. So much for water.
In addition to the dried staples listed above campers wiII benefit from taking oregano, garlic and other taste intensifiers. And don't forget the meat tenderizer!
Campers will want to develop their own mixes ... using dried eggs and milk to insure sufficient protein. However, here are a couple of mix suggestions
to serve as models.
CHOCOLATE PUDDING
3/4 cup sifted flour
4 cups skim milk powder
2 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
2 cups cocoa
To use, add 11/2 cups water for each cup of mix. Cook over boiling water stirring constantly for 15 minutes. Add one T. of margarine and a half teaspoon of vanilla when done.
DRY BISCUIT MIX
Sift together several times:
8 cups flour
1 cup nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup baking powder
3 tsp. salt
1 cup of shortening which requires no refrigeration
For biscuits add to every cup of mix one third cup of water— enough to make a soft dough. Knead quickly, patting or rolling to desired thickness. Cut with Can top and bake in reflector oven.
For shortcake purposes, use the same dough but add 1 T. of sugar. Flatten dough to ¼ inch and cut in squares. Brush half with melted butter. Cover with one of the remaining pieces. Bake in reflector oven. Butter and add berries. One cup of dry mix makes six medium-sized shortcakes.
This recipe is not for a mix but for hardtack to be made at home and taken along for snacking.
LOGAN BREAD
A bread for the backpacker. Light, tasty, keeps for months. To one quart of water, add:
4 lb. whole wheat flour
11/2 cups honey
1 cup blackstrap molasses
1 lb. raw sugar (or brown)
2 cups powdered milk
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 ½ cups melted shortening
Pour into cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour — cut into squares while still warm and soft, then put back in, with door of oven ajar, overnight at very low temp. When thoroughly dry will keep for months. (Bake in low, flat pan.)
1. This recipe tastes strongly of molasses. If you prefer a more neutral taste, substitute more honey for molasses.
2. Soy flour is a good substitute in part for whole wheat flour.
3. For experimental purposes, cut recipe in quarters. Full recipe makes about 40-50 pieces 2 inches x 3 inches x 1 inch.
And one more recipe … this one is for a batter in which to fry shrimp, onion and oysters.
DEEP FAT BEER BATTER
2 cans beer
3 cups flour
mustard
garlic salt
Freshly baked bread has always been somewhat of a cause for celebration. No less so on the trail or in camp! There are a number of breads which are successful camping candidates. Among them is — believe it or not— sourdough bread.
When Cooks' Tour included a recipe for making one's own sourdough starter several months ago one reader called in to stoutly affirm "It couldn't done."Other Readers reported trying it successfully. Here is another recipe for sourdough starter and bread which Brown has previded.
SOURDOUGH
In a lard pail:
Mix four cups of flour with enough warm water to make a th•ck creamy batter. Add two tablespoons of sugar and two teaspoons of salt.
Let sit in a warm place two days or more to sour. Yeast dissolved in warm water can
be added to hasten the fermentation which then would take place overnight. Cover the sourings only loosely or they'll explode !
Mix three fourths of the sourdough with a tablespoon of melted fat and a cup of flour in which a teaspoon of baking soda has been thoroughly mixed. Then add enough flour to make good kneading dough.
Put the dough together in a hurry, cut dough to fit pans and set in a warm place to rise. After doubled, bake 40 minutes to one hour in a warm oven that is hottest the first fifteen minutes.
Use leftover souring to start more.
Bannocks are another traditional campfire bread. The beauty of this bread is that it can be done in a pan, on a griddle, or simp!y by wrapping a glob of dough around a stick.
Birch is a good wood to use,
BANNOCK
1 cup white flour
1 tsp. baking powder
tsp. salt
Mix well before adding liquid and make sure pan to be used for baking is warm and its interior greased. Now stir in enough cold water to make a firm dough. Mold rapidly with as little handling as possible into a cake about one inch thick.
If you like crust, leave a doughnut-like hole in the center, Dust lightly with flour and lay in a hot pan. Hold pan over fire until a crust forms on the bottom, rotating so loaf will shift of its own weight and not become stuck to the metal. When hard enough that it will hold together, turn (or flip for showman like effects.)
Now pan can be propped at a steep angle in front of the fire so that the loaf will receive heat on top and bake some more. Turn several times to make sure loaf cooks evenly.Cooking usually takes about fifteen minutes. Test by inserting straw or slender twig.If any dough sticks the bread needs more heat.
Instead of slanting the pan in front of the fire the cook can build a wall of large rock about a foot from the blaze.When the reflecting surface is piping hot, lean the pan with its back to the rocks and its front to the blaze.
Collapsible reflector ovens also make good bannock bakers.
If the bannock is cooked on a stick, hold the dough in high heat. Once a crust is formed,lean the stick between the fringes of the fire and a reflecting surface for about 15 minutes. Or shove one end of the stick into the ground beside the heat,Variation is what makes cooking fun. Into bannock dough can go milk or egg (both in powder form.) Sugar, shortening and raisins or spices can be used, too.
For dumplings, drop gobs Of dough on top of bubbling stew.Cover the pot and allow the contents to continue boiling, Cooking takes ten or twelve minutes.
To make corn bread, use corn meal and flour mixed in equal amounts in the bannock
Add fresh or powdered egg.
]]>Available now at the Camping Kitchen Box store and Etsy
The Camping kitchen Box in Black.. very elegant isn’t it?
Same great functionality, but it goes with everything… of course so does white :)
]]>I have been using some of the leftover pieces of 4mm plastic from making the drawers to make bins that are useful for small parts around the shop. It occurred to me that if I could match it with some of the 6mm scraps that I have laying around , I could send it to people who were not ready to make a blind leap for a pretty pricey purchase. After a little trial and error I have created something that covers the essence of the construction and sturdiness of the Camping Kitchen Box, if not actually being a real miniature.
So if you were wondering about the camping kitchen box , but were not ready to plunk down the big bucks, the Sample Camping Kitchen Box is for you. Yes, I am charging 10 dollars, but that really just covers shipping and handling.
Check it our here
We added a new option for the Camping Kitchen Box... colored webbing for the buckles and the drawer handles. This will be very useful for those who need multiple boxes and want to be able to easily tell them apart. Of course it is also nice if you just want a little splash of color. If your favorite color is not here contact us and we can probably order it for you.
The New Webbing Color Choices are Black, Blue, Green, Orange and Red
]]>Some people can’t believe a chuck box made out of plastic can be very tough. I made a video to correct that misconception I dropped the Camping Kitchen Box loaded with gear repeatedly from 10 feet onto concrete. How did it do? Well watch the video.
I can’t wait for some else to repeat this experiment with their wooden or aluminium chuck box!
]]>I made a pour over coffee maker out of a plastic cutting sheet and zip ties. It weighs next to nothing and can be folded down, which makes it great for the backpacker (as well as anyone else) who can’t live without freshly brewed coffee in the morning. I purchased both the cutting sheets and the zip ties at a the dollar store, so cost for this project is just 2 bucks! The tools required for this project are very basic , just a ruler, a straight edge, a utility knife or scissors and an awl.
To start cut two pieces from the 14 X 11 cutting sheet that are 6 X 11 as pictured.
Fold the two pieces as pictured below. First fold the straight line down middle, and then fold the angles which are done in the opposite direction of the first fold.
When both pieces are folded, place them back to back and note the cone that is created. Use the awl to punch the holes for the zip ties that hold the pieces together. For each zip tie, punch two holes about ½ inch apart. Make one hole from one side and one from the other, to make it easier to feed the zip ties through. Put two or three zip ties on each mating surface, close to seam.
The Two halves held together with zip ties, before the zip ties are trimmed.
Lastly trim the bottom to change the profile so that it forms a slight cone,which will help the device to sit firmly in the cup and makes sure the your coffee drips into your cup and not over the side of your cup
Before and After trimming the bottom
The D.I.Y. pour over coffee maker in use.
]]>
One of the more common comments about the Camping Kitchen Box is "It looks cool, but can you make it smaller?" Well after some noodling, some head scratching and some prototypes that went straight into the recycling bin, the answer is "Yes!"
I am proud to present the "Camping kitchen Box 650" the little brother to our classic chuck box, which is now know as the "Camping Kitchen Box 1000".
The new Camping Kitchen Box 650 on the left, and our traditional chuck box on the right.
Well first of course is the size. The new box is about 2/3 the size or the original. They are both 22 1/2 inches tall, and both about 16 inches deep, But the new box is only about 17 inches wide (not counting the handles) as compared to the original which is 24 1/2 inches wide (once again not counting the handles). For some folks this is the difference between unwieldy and easy to handle.
Smaller size of course means less weight. The traditional CKB weighted only 10 pounds empty, but the new box weighs an even more incredibly svelte 7 1/2 pounds.
So with the smaller size what are you giving up? Mostly the ability to carry a two burner stove in your chuck box. If you don't count the upper stove compartment both boxes actually have similar storage space.
As you can immediately tell from the pictures the new box has three drawers. When I first started tinkering, it was kind of obvious that a smaller box would have fewer drawers... until of course it became obvious that having the three drawers solved a lot of design issues.
You may have also noticed the doors are different. The original box has folding doors with "living hinges". Unfortunately theses living hinge doors did not scale down. When made shorter, the folding doors just did not fold enough. To solved this problem I had to come up with a new scheme., which turned out to be separate doors that slide in tracks in the front of the box. After you open the box by sliding the doors out, they can be quickly clipped to the side of the box, where they are out of the way but not running loose, trying to get lost.
If you want to keep your camp stove together with all your other camp kitchen gear, and don't mind carrying a two foot wide box (or you have some one to help you) the CKB 1000 is for you. If you find the size of the original a bit intimidating, and don't mind making a second trip to get the stove, then the CKB 650 is your solution.
]]>
I don't know all the reasons folks purchase one or the other, but when comparing the Camping Kitchen Box to the Cabela's camp kitchen (or similar) , ease and speed of use, as well as the light weight are what I think of as the main advantages.
With the Cabela's camp kitchen (or similar) there is a lot of setup involved. When you arrive at the campsite and first you have to unpack and set up the camp kitchen (5 Minutes with practice?) . After it is setup you then take your camping cooking gear out of whatever it is packed in then put it into its place in the Camp Kitchen (5 Minutes? 10 Minutes?) You are now ready to start cooking. At the end of the trip you have to unpack all your equipment from the kitchen and put it back in the containers you bought it in (5 -10 Minutes) and then take down and pack the kitchen itself (Longer then the 5 minutes setup time because you have to stick everything back in its travel case.)
With the Camping Kitchen Box you arrive at the campsite and put it on the picnic table and open it up and secure the doors and all your cooking gear is right at hand in 30 seconds. If you are camping at a site that does not have a table, this typical folding table (which has about the same work surface as the camp kitchen) sets up in less then a minute and comes down as quickly. All you have to do with the Camping Kitchen Box is close it back up and it is ready to go.
Weight is certainly advantage of the Camping Kitchen Box. The Cabala's kitchen is 57 lbs according to the web site. The CKB weighs around 10 pounds if you add in the weight of the table I linked to(25 pounds) the total is 35 pounds.
The Cabela's Kitchen does have a couple other features that are noteworthy. First would be the sink, but I replicate similar functionality with a Plastic Dishpan, The lantern hangers are a nice feature that the Camping Kitchen Box does not have, but placing a lantern on top of the box sitting on top of a table does offer similar functionality. :)
]]>Old Plastic Rivets
Pop Rivets and Fender Washers
Pop rivets with fender washers, outside view
Inside View
For those interested in the technical details, I am using 3/16 inch pop rivets. The rivets are backed up on both sides by 3/16" ID , 3/4" OD fender washers. When I am attaching 2 pieces of 6MM corrugated plastic together, I use a pop rivet with a depth is 5/8 of an inch. When attaching a piece of strapping to to a single piece of 6MM corrugate, I use 1/2" depth rivets.
]]>Recently one of those other things to trying to teach myself sewing. Looking for some practice projects, I remembered the stuff sack lampshade. After a couple prototypes here is the result. Like I said it is just a basically a small stuff sack, but it really is successful on two fronts. It does a great job diffusing the light and a very easy project to practice sewing on.
The next two pictures try and illustrate the difference the lampshade makes. The first shot is the naked headlamp pointed at the greatest book ever , “The Golden Book of Camping”. The second shot has the lampshade on. Note the much more pleasant and evenly diffused light.
As I mentioned, I am just learning sewing and this is not a sewing tutorial. In addition to what I have described below you might want to search youtube for tutorials on basic sewing (if you are a beginner like me) and making a stuff sack
It looks like the Monte Bell is made from polyester tent fabric (30 Denier according to the description) . My version is made with something called non woven polypropylene. If you are not familiar with this material, it’s most common use is in the making of reusable shopping bags. If you happened to have a white reusable shopping bag , you are all set, just start cutting. If you need to track some material down , it is sold under the the Oly Fun brand name. One of the nice things about this material (besides that it does a very nice job of diffusing light) is that since it is not woven, it does not unravel and there is no need to hem.
Besides the non woven polypropylene and the usual sewing supplies, the only other thing you will need is a something for the draw string. I am using paracord.
The only thing slightly unusual from making a typical stuff sack (besides the diminutive size) is that I have doubled over the material to increase the diffusing effect.
On with the instrutions
First start with a piece of 7 X 9 inch material
Fold it in half horizontally. Pin the material to keep it from moving and mark a line ¾ of an inch down from the fold to mark the sew line for the drawstring channel . Cut out some 45 degree cuts on each side of the drawstring channel which will make the openings neater.
Fold vertically and pin in place
Sew along the open side and bottom, then remove the pins.
Thread the drawstring, turn the sack rightside out, and you are done!
]]>
First I did the top, just trying to do I pretty accurate American flag...
On the rest of the case I just went a little more artsy, but tried to keep with the theme...
OK I did not do the little stars on the flag with masking tape.. Found the almost appropriatly sized stars at the craft store and laid them out on the proper grid. ( http://www.vexman.net/flagspec.htm )
And I made it so that it "flew" correctly when the stove is open.
]]>
I do get a lot of requests asking about customizing the Camping Kitchen Box. The writer loves the idea of the Camping Kitchen Box, but they want to know if I can change some of the dimensions If they want to make it taller or shorter that is easy, but if they want to change the width or depth , that is more difficult. For the top and bottom, I use some special tooling that is not easy to change, so to change width or depth I would have to recreate it. I don't usually say no to special requests, but when it comes to width and depth the price I will quote is usually more than folks are willing to pay.
Note that on this box, the standard top and bottom pieces are used (the top having a hole of course), so I got to use most of my usual tooling, and the customer got a reasonably priced solution.
If you are Interested in something custom I am always willing to listen.
]]>
I am not planning on selling these, as they are very easy to make. The cutting diagram is below and the video shows how easy it is.
Everything you need to make your own Headlamp Lamp Shade
Materials
Tools
While I am showing off the new box I figured it would be a good time to take a look back at the previous versions of the box, which are pictured below. The first version of the Camping Kitchen Box was made out of yellow (or maybe beige?) plastic. It was very innovative, but there is always room for improvement. The big changes between the yellow box and blue box pictured below were to the top and bottom which now feature one piece construction and and are essentially mounted upside down from their previous orientation. Both of these changes made the box more structurally sound.
During the time I was using blue plastic, the design has evolved some more. The big changes were using one piece of plastic to form the back sides and doors, and a new drawer design makes them more functional and aesthetically pleasing. The current white box is being built the same as the last blue one made, but rest assured the improvements will continue.
]]>