Aluminum Flashing Windscreen Project

[WildGene]

Well, after 3 months of having 10ft of aluminum sheet flashing from Home Depot sitting in my closet, I finally built a "Klass Belt Buckle Windscreen". I want to thank Jason Klass for keeping his website up since this project was really delayed.

I have been using windscreens made from hobby & craft store aluminum embossing foil (thanks, Reality) for my alcohol and solid fuel cooking setups. Though the foil is half the weight (0.3oz vs 0.6oz on this windscreen) and more packable (a tight roll or simply folded), I found the foil to be too fussy to form a circular shaped and suspectible itself to blowing around due to winds. Although, I still use the foil for a reflector underneath the stove.



Notes on my procedures to construct the aluminum flashing windscreen:
1) I used a utility box knife instead of scissors. Using a straight edge, lightly score 3 times and then a firm press of the knife 1 or 2 more times. Even with all that cutting you'll only be half way through the material. But simply flex at the score and you'll get a nice clean edge as the sheeting snaps off.
2) When bending the belt buckle over the windscreen, use 2 layers of the sheeting to achieve a more gentle bend. A one layer fold-over and the crease on the buckle will be too tight and the material with crack at the fold. Besides the buckle will secure over 2 layers of sheeting anyway once you form the circle around the stove & cookpot.
3) Super fine sandpaper for me was 400 grit. Use to round corners and sand off galvanized coating on surface while dulling the slightly sharp edges.
4) Do bake windscreen in oven per Jason's instructions to really form a more permenant circle shape.
5) I concur with Jason, no need for any windscreen holes or vents, just dig trenches to increase air flow to the stove or prop up the windscreen with twigs.

Again a belated thanks to Jason Klass. Now I go back to making a couple more windscreens for other stove cookpot setups besides my solid fuel setup.

[tpeterson1959]

It looks really nice. Good job! and thanks for the tip on using two sheets to achieve a more gentle bend for the buckle.

[etowah]

no need for any windscreen holes or vents, just dig trenches to increase air flow to the stove or prop up the windscreen with

I find it better to use evenly spaced punched holes. Alows for evenly distributed air. Little trenches may direct flame off to one side of pot or erratic flame pattern instead of being focused directly on bottom of pot.

[MountainDog]

Nice looking screen. Is it heavy?

[WildGene]

Originally Posted by MountainDog

Nice looking screen. Is it heavy?

Stupid me I didn't post a weight.
So the aluminum flashing windscreen I made is 0.6oz which is double the weight of my prior windscreen made of aluminum embossing foil. Count on double the weight for flashing over the foil. And even lighter than either is double layer Reynolds foil.
But still 0.6oz isn't much vs 0.3oz. I think it does better controlling the flame from a solid fuel tab.