your RIGHT ive searched and searched but can't find it.Originally Posted by pegleg56
your RIGHT ive searched and searched but can't find it.
What kind of stove are you using? Instead of carrying a table, why not shim the stove up on unlevel ground? There are loads of ways to do this out of a variety of materials. Most of them are found on site. If you had to bring shims with you, you can get a pack of lightweight wood shims at home depot for next to nothing. Just my $.02.
Use 3 or 4 gutter nails to hold up what ever you want to use as the table surfaace. Just drive nails in the ground for level surface support.
coleman makes one, I bought one several years ago at their outlet store. It's a little heavy for me to take backpacking.
My outfitter has a set up for hanging a Wisperlight (Type?) stove for climbers. would something like that work?
I did a quick search & found this: http://www.climbing.com/print/techtips/ttbigwall184/
Looks like a do-able DIY, AND figures 1 & 2 (seems to) hold your pot steady / built in wind screen. Likely they would need a bit of fine tuning for at ground level & hanging from a tree, but a start it is. I think even a alchy stove would work on the design in "figure 3".
Last edited by Doctari; 05-26-2009 at 08:31.
When you have a backpack on, no matter where you are, you’re home.
PAIN is INEVITABLE. MISERY is OPTIONAL.
Portable Table
Thanks for all of the feedback!
Here is a commercial portable table...which does not offer all that I want/need:
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/revi...ield%20Report/
I will try making a mock up of the WalksInDark portable table--- a new and improved model of the Coleman table--- out of plastic straws or Popsicle sticks (of course, with lots of Hammock specific mods).
While I rarely use a gas lantern, the ability to hang (possibly) two +30 pound backpacks, plus a water bag (@ 8.4# per gallon), and possibly a day time trash bag---food and trash goes up into the bear hang when I am away from camp and prior to my going to sleep in the evening)....plus run my alcohol or pressurized dual fuel Coleman single burner stove; would be a treat indeed.
I am thinking out loud here, feel free to comment and/or improve on my plan! Oh yeah, as you can see I am not an engineer nor am I an artist.
Given that I have quite a few DAK aluminum tent poles, I am going to play around with them to see if I can create a light table platform.
The other idea I have is to create two "L" brackets...utilizing straight 3/8" alum square stock...or if strength allows, possibly L or T shaped... (upper, goes vertical against the tree trunk, holds the tree straps) , then use two straight 1/2" alum square stock (lowers, go horizontal from the tree trunk, holds the table). I was thinking that a somewhat loose rivet, or a nylock screw and bolt could form the pivot point between the upper and lower aluminum bar stock sections to create an "L" with the movable/lower 1/2" aluminum square stock being (almost) infinitely adjustable.
On the upper section of the L, I can cut out two pieces of the 3/8 square stock (or some facsimile thereof), rivet them so that they go from (roughly) the upper 1/3 of the "L" so that the upper part of the "L" will allow the tree strap to pass through easily; will also allow the "L" brackets be as close or as far as the tree they are attached to allows. It would probably be easier to use 1/2" or larger bar stock...take out the back side...and rivet through the larger bar stock at the (near) top of the "L."
In addition the cut out aluminum cutouts on the upper part part of the L, could also be used to tie the support cordage (spectra cordage from my Catamaran spares box) which will stabilize (think of a hypotenuse design) and support the table below.
At the lower outside part of the "L"s I will drill two holes (or one if I want to use the nightize figure 9 tensioners) in each "L" so that I can level the table by adjusting the length of the cordage from the lower "L" to the upper part of the "L".
Using stronger/larger (than the Coleman table) tree straps I can add removable attachment points to hold all of the stuff listed in paragraph 2. Additionally, of DUH, the portable table and cook stove will not be in proximity of the hammock suspension system.
Ok, if one of you out there knows the bending strength of the 3/8" and 1/2" alum square stock, I would love to hear from you. Additionally, if someone has mechanical design software (or is an mechanical engineer) I would appreciate knowing: how far down from the top of the upper "L" should the tree straps go; how large/small should be the hole in the "L" pivot point; and lastly (and possibly not very important point) what size and positions of lightening holes can be put into each piece of the bar stock.
Last edited by WalksInDark; 05-24-2009 at 16:37. Reason: more ideas
Jetboil makes a hanging kit too. http://www.jetboil.com/products/accessories/hangingkit
If heat is a problem, you can go to Lowes or Home Depot or a plumbing supply and get one of those pads that plumbers use to protect wood from direct flame when soldering.
The pads are about 12" x 10" or so. Just cut a section large enough for the stove. The pads can stop the heat from a direct flame , so should be able to protect the plastic under a stove. Cut just large enough for the stove and weight will be minimal, probably under an oz.
We place one of the pads under a wood burning stove. When done, there is no indication that a wood burning stove was even used.
Hey, TiredFeet, that's a neat idea! Do you know what they're made of? Asbestos? Nomex?
It seems to me that a shelf connected to a tree is going to have problems with being level. I think that if I was going to spend my time leveling a cooking tray, I would use tent stakes in the ground.
A cantilever connected to a tree with one of those hanging stoves suspended from it would be level every time you set it up. This would require no leveling at all on your part.
Have fun and good luck.
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