View Full Version : Nice big cauldron
John Burton
02-06-2005, 20:45
Having seen Woody cooking at the recent moot in a nice big cauldron, we realised that a large pot hung from a tripod would be ideal for our family. Obviously a large pot is a heavy thing to carry, but surely there must be a demand for them for larger group cooking, etc. does anyone know where we can get one, or have any design considerations we should be aware of?
e11even
Try here at Unbeaten Tracks (http://www.unbeatentracks.com/pots.htm) as I don't think you'll find a better selection of cast iron pots
Cheers
Peter
I made myself a couple of big cauldons from the bottom of 14 Kg. gas bottles.
Make sure they are empty then remove the valve and stand upside down for a couple of days just to be sure. Safety first and all that.
Chop the base off and cut just below the centre weld with an angle grinder. Add some loops or drill holes to add handles and there you are.
Some bottles have a coating inside which is best removed with a sanding disk . I've never been able to work out which ones do have the coating and which don't so it's a bit of a lottery.
They are much better than cast ones, firstly they're lighter but you could play football with them and they will not crack like a cast one or even dent.
Ps. You can turn the top end into a neat little BBQ brazier
Wayland
have you got any photos of the pots?
I've just shot one off, I think I can get this to work.
Ignore the raised spots on the two right hand pots, they are there just to imitate the Viking rivetted cauldrons.
The big ones are 14Kg bottle bases and I think the other was a 7Kg.
Buckshot
03-06-2005, 13:24
I've just shot one off, I think I can get this to work.
Ignore the raised spots on the two right hand pots, they are there just to imitate the Viking rivetted cauldrons.
The big ones are 14Kg bottle bases and I think the other was a 7Kg.
That's very cleaver Wayland :)
Now if they had a lid....
If I needed a lid I'd make one out of wood, just like they did in the past.
Roving Rich
03-06-2005, 13:58
Nice one Wayland, thats a fantastic idea ! they really look the part too.
Cheers
Rich
I used to use cast iron pots for late mediaeval shows where we ran a field kitchen, but they always had to be packed so carefully for transport and I still managed to break two of them.
Added to that the sheer weight of them, some required a wooden pole and a person on each side of the fire to lift them on the pot cranes when full.
Ever since working out this little trick we haven't looked back.
Keith_Beef
03-06-2005, 16:20
I used to use cast iron pots for late mediaeval shows where we ran a field kitchen, but they always had to be packed so carefully for transport and I still managed to break two of them.
Added to that the sheer weight of them, some required a wooden pole and a person on each side of the fire to lift them on the pot cranes when full.
Ever since working out this little trick we haven't looked back.
Do they age as well as proper cast iron pots? I was under the impression that the slightly porous nature of cast iron was what took up the oil to make the nice non-stick coating.
Keith.
I've never had a problem with them. If anything I think they work better because the surface is smoother.
I've certainly fried in them on many occasions, crispy bacon being one of the best tests for sticking that I know of.
One thing I have found over the years is that the oil makes a big difference over a camp fire. If you are working with a very hot fire it's best to use grapeseed oil as it has a higher burn point than most.
Having said that I normally use olive oil.
How did you fit the handles on?
The handles are rivetted into countresunk holes and then ground smooth on the inside.
The pot at right back has loops taken from a brass plant pot and the others I knocked up in the forge.
I made myself a couple of big cauldons from the bottom of 14 Kg. gas bottles.
Make sure they are empty then remove the valve and stand upside down for a couple of days just to be sure. Safety first and all that.
Superb idea mate. Tip for quickly making sure they are empty - fill em with water, then pour it out. Job done. ;)
Wayland - it looks like you've flared the rims of the pots, how did you do that?
George
Big hammer over the edge of a log. :D
Ok
You mean the easy way then. lol
George
Hi Wayland
Is it important that they are cut below the centre weld point - I would like to use the full depth of the 18.5 kg bottle I have for the bows, so will not need to hammer the rim, only cut out a couple of holes for wire handle.
I only cut them below the weld because I am trying to make them look like old ones.
You certainly could cut them above but I can't remember how neat the inside of the weld is, might need a bit of tidying up with an angle grinder.
Povarian
21-06-2005, 17:24
Great idea for recycling gas bottles, although I'd probably go for bead/sand blasting to remove the inner coating rather than just trust to a sanding disk to get it all. Any idea what the coating is?
Nice cauldron hanger too by the way - very tidily done. :)
cheers mate - I'll find out in the next few days how tidy the weld is (when I finally pluck the courage) and about the inner coating. I haven't got a sand blaster - I'm more hoping that the thought of all the money I'll be saving will keep up my strength with the sand paper, maybe not with the bow one where it won't matter, more with the other six that I was given by a local machanic - if it does'nt rain it pours.
John Burton
21-06-2005, 20:47
Thanks Wayland and all for your info. I've a couple of large gas bottles kicking around, so I may just give it a go. Thanks for the pictures.
Mr_Yarrow
21-08-2005, 17:56
Wayland,
Quick Q, where do you get your bottles from? everywhere around me charges a fortune for the bottle as a deposit and you take ti back for recycling. as such you never see them dumped or scrapped.
I am right in thinking your talking about the gas bottles you use in a caravan, or gas BBQ etc?
Ta
Wayland,
Quick Q, where do you get your bottles from? everywhere around me charges a fortune for the bottle as a deposit and you take ti back for recycling. as such you never see them dumped or scrapped.
I am right in thinking your talking about the gas bottles you use in a caravan, or gas BBQ etc?
Ta
Try your local rubbish tip, there are usually loads hanging around. :D
anonymous_traveller
18-02-2006, 08:52
good pointer about the gas cylinders is after you took the reg off the top , fill it full of water - this will displace any latent gas pockets - then let rip with the grinder!!
if you cut the handles of the top of the bottle and cut a 4 inch hole in top of bottle and cut square hole on front, weld two hinges on it ,youve got a nifty little log burner.........
not to contradict anyone but ive been making fires from gas bottles for a few years with the valve removed and left outside for over 3 months theres still enuf gas soacked in to the metal to ignite at the valve opening if you take the rain water out and let them dry.
i get empty ones from a scrap yard they dont even bother charging me anymore,remember the bottles are not your property ever.
is ther an explanation of how to ad pics to this site or can ed maybe ad them to a post i make if i email them to him ? cheers
for instance ide like to put my pic in as a sig but have no idea how, pics are at this site.
faceparty.com/threewheels
Spikey DaPikey
18-02-2006, 09:24
A mate has this on his biker site.
Log burner from gas bottle, as said above :)
http://www.bikerlifestyle.co.uk/tech/workshop/heater.html