My attempt at a cup lid

[John Fenna]

As someone with little disposable income, a liking of making things and an over inflated idea of my own abilities, I decided to have a go at making my own lid for my Crusader Cup.
I thought I had the thing sussed - invert cup on wood, draw round it, cut out block.
Nail block to board to make a "male" half of a mould. Invert cup, draw round it, cut a hole a little larger than the outline - "female" mould half. Put piece of light weight ally in between mould halfs, hammer "male " into "female" + mug. HAH!
Being female the "female" mould half broke and the ally being light weight tore....
Attempt 2
I cut the bottom out of a mess tin (1945 issue - a historical artefact ruined! The things you notice after you start a job eh!) for some decent weight ally and piened this over the "male" mould. The wood compressed giving an undersized, rounded edged lip. The sheet was too small for a decent sized lip all round.
BUT the lid I made covered the top of the mug, did not need steam holes drilled in it and did noticably reduce boiling times...
The handle is a hazel button fitted with a self tapping screw, the finish on the lid is "rustic" and it looks a bit like it was fashioned by someone with no metal working skill, from inadequate materials and a poor grasp of the design idea...I wonder why....BUT IT WORKS!
Why I bothered making it is another question as I hardly needed another stove/billy option, but it was a fun learning experience and for me the satisfaction of using DIY kit is much greater than that gained from using "shop bought" no matter how crude (if effective) the DIY looks.
Just thought I would share so others may learn from my errors.

 

[Shewie]

Nicely done there John, I might have a go myself at some point if that`s okay with you, don`t want to end up in court over copyright issues though.


Rich

 

[Ogri the trog]

....BUT IT WORKS!

Says it all John,
An' it looks pretty good to me.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Barn Owl]

Being metallurgically(?) challenged, i went for the soft option and use one of those steak pie type ashets(quite thick foil),shaped to fit.3 for a pound or so in s/mkt.
Does anyone elses spouse/partners think they're mad?

 

[nobby]

I bought a sheet of very thin aluminium from the non ferrous scrappy for a pound. Drew the lid shape using the inverted mug as a template and then free hand drew three lugs. Cut out and filed to shape. Bent the lugs with my fingers to just grip the cup. You don't need a lip all round or anything heavy. My grip is a piece of nylon string passed through two drilled holes and knotted.
Nowadays I am cycling and have given up all this kit as too heavy.
I have a Titanium billy with lid and a Ti mug that fits inside with an aluminium lid made as above. The hexy block holder is also Ti, with folding legs. I use the round Highlander blocks that light easier, and burn hotter, than military style ones and a single block heats 600ml of water on a Summer's day. Autumn needs one and a half blocks but I also use a hobo stove in Autumn if I need more than 6oo ml of hot water.

 

[topknot]

Hi John,
Looks good.
Instead of using a hammer , a car bottle / scissor jack would given you more control in pushing the parts together.
I'll let you work it out ?
Topknot

 

[markheolddu]

Nice work John, ally is not that easy to work with. Have you tried the that ally windshield material yet, or was that what you tried to start with?

Mark

 

[Dougster]

Does anyone elses spouse/partners think they're mad?

Mine tuts whenever the tools come out....

 

[BushTucker]

My wife just thinks I am a nutter. Nice one John, you do realise that you will probably become obsessed in getting it better!!

 

[mr dazzler]

Why not have a go at doing a cast aloominum one? You could use polystyrene or wax to make a pattern, in a sand box or with a plaster shell?

 

[John Fenna]

Several answers to several questions
1/ My wife does not think I am mad - she KNOWS IT!
2/ yes I tried the ly wy alu Mark - that is what tore...
3/ No I will not get obsessive about getting it right - once is enough!
4/ anyone want to try the way I did it feel free, but learn from my mistakes and do better!
5/ Cast alu? not for me thanks - I have a working lid - and all my fingers and a non-smoldering house - so far......
Thanks for all your kind interest
John

 

[British Red]

Its a good lid John,

Rather like Russ, just make another 50 and you will have it down pat

Red

 

[John Fenna]

I dont want to put a lid down Patrick!

 

[British Red]

If you don't put the lid down you get told off

 

[John Fenna]

Very bad Feng Shewee.....

 

[British Red]

Does bad Shewie mean a flying rhino comes out

 

[John Fenna]

Now I want a tutorial on armour plated lids!
Or a Capped Crusader to defend me!
My lid (and maddness has definately been capped so I am now putting the lid on it and going to bed...
It has been a long day of preparing our Church Xmas Fayre, being Santa (I am not dyslexic but came close to a personality change - the costume should dry clean OK) for three hours then going on to Panto rehearsal then this foolishness.
I can't cope with any more just now, no more I tell you, NO MORE!
The Scottish Falling Over Water (at this price it aint Scotch!) has had its effect and my wit bone is numb and I bow to the master
:notworthy
And lift my lid to you sir!
So it is Good Night from both of me and my brain.
John (Oh no it isn't) AKA Tumbleweed AKA Santa...

 

[FGYT]

i made 2 of these the same way a couple of months ago the small mess tin is just big enough and the big one is plenty big

for peening over Dont cut the flange to big or it will be very hard to get it bent over
you didnt say so sorry if you did but i Drilled the handle hole and used this to screw the plate to the male former to help hold it down ( second hole and screw would be better to stop it spining as you wack away) i also sligtly rounded the former egde
and take tile peining over a bit at a pass it maybe easier if you cut the flange at the corners and work from the center front curve round each way to the corners the back bit i just did as a flat

Funny enough i still have the 2 mess tins wit hcut out btms in the garage trying to think of a use maybe a Wind shield they fit just inside each other and should stack to a reasonable hight

ATB

Duncan

 

[brancho]

That looks like some of the pan lids in our Scout hut battered but still usable (usable being the operative word). Nothing wrong with a bit of improvisation my Scout Troop is run on it
Well done john.

The lightest windshield I have used is aluminium foil on a scout camp on a horrible day in August 20 mph wind and about 15 deg C :umbrella: and it was raining the foil worked great and can be refolded and used again.

Alf

 

[warthog1981]

I.ll be the first one to admit it my first lid was absolutely terrible tried to use a soft pine former and a big old hammer and way way to thick ally.
lol by the time you get up past making 80 odds they start to look ok