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Help me design my first camp stove/chuckbox

sixstringsteve

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
Anyone who's seen Kurt's Kamp Kitchn can attest to how practical it is. I've got tupperware boxes that work just fine to hold my utensils, and a coleman propane stove that's great for cooking. But I'd like to combine the two. I've done some research on ExPo and seen some incredible designs, but I pretty much want to make a more modern version of Kurt's Kamp Kitchn and improve on any shortcomings it may have. My favorite part about it is how you just set it on its stand, flip the lid out, turn on the gas, and ignite it. it's so quick to get going.

Criteria:
- a burner/stove on one side
- a small tray on the other side
- room to store stuff in the middle
- waterproof
- must be able to hold a tea kettle, small frying pan, and utensils
- I think I want it to be made of metal, but I may experiment with wood first since it's easier and cheaper to work with (for me).
- possibly have a built-in griddle or frying pan

I'm thinking of finding some ammo boxes and cutting those up. Or I could just completely re-deisng it and start with sheet metal. Since my welder isn't set up to weld aluminum, version 1 is going to have to be steel.

I'm a terrible businessman, so these will just be for me and some friends if I build enough. If I figure out something that works well, I'll be happy to share the plans with anyone who wants 'em.


For those who haven't seen kurt's gem, here are some pictures. I'm not trying to steal your thunder kurt. If you'd like me to remove these pics I'd be happy to.

kk8.jpg


kk11.jpg


and the other side:
kk7.jpg


kk4.jpg


kk5.jpg
 
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sixstringsteve

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
Paging Kurt...

I read that your dimensions are roughly 22x12x12. If you were to re-design it, would you build it smaller or bigger? What are the weaknesses you've found with your Kamp Kitchn?

do you leave your propane bottle attached to your kitchn 24/7, or do you remove it when not in use?

I like the availability of the little green propane tanks. Are there any other fuels I should look at?
 
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sixstringsteve

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
oh yeah, separate burner adjustments would be nice. I think I'll end up hacking up an old coleman propane stove to stick in there. Electric start would be nice as well, but not necessary.

I'm picking up a pair of 81 mm mortar boxes this weekend (25x13x7.) I'll try to make them work.

http://www.armysurplusworld.com/product.asp?engine=froogle&productID=47900
81mmmortarbox.JPG


I'll get a pair this weekend and start mocking them up. They have several holes in 'em, and they're not waterproof, so I'll need to find a solution for that.
 
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Cody

Cody

Random Quote Generator
Supporting Member
Location
East Stabbington
Sometimes I cook for one, sometimes I cook for 10, sometimes I'm packing light, sometimes I bring the entire kitchen sink. For me, a one solution fits all approach just wouldn't work. Kurt's is practical for what he does as he typically is just cooking for himself or a couple others, but trying to cook a big pot of soup or taco mixings for 6-10 people is a bit problematic on it from my experience, and for the variety of cooking scenarios I encounter.

I think for me it would be novel to have one, but in the end I don't really buy or build anything just because it's novel. But for those of you who only see yourself cooking for 4 people or less, something like this would be ideal.
 
sixstringsteve

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
Cody said:
in the end I don't really buy or build anything just because it's novel.
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what!?! Some things are just so cool that you have to buy them based on novelty alone. Then you're forced to invent reasons that they justify the cost. :rofl: I kid, I kid.

You're right. I only cook for myself and my wife. MAX i'd cook for 4 people. Any more than that, and the dutch ovens come out.

Lately I've realized that I carry way too much gear when I go camping. I'm trying to slim it down a bit, and consolidating stove, mess kit, and table into one unit makes for quick cooking and cleanup, and less stuff to bring. I like the idea of grabbing 4-5 key boxes and chucking 'em in my truck and I'm ready to go camping.
 
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Hickey

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
Location
Grantsville, Utah
FWIW, Coleman has a newer, smaller camp grille for about $60 bucks. It's about the size of a George Foreman grille and has a skillet available. The "Fold-n-go"
 
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Caleb

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
sixstringsteve said:
Lately I've realized that I carry way too much gear when I go camping. I'm trying to slim it down a bit, and consolidating stove, mess kit, and table into one unit makes for quick cooking and cleanup, and less stuff to bring. I like the idea of grabbing 4-5 key boxes and chucking 'em in my truck and I'm ready to go camping.
Click to expand...

I had my gear (for me and my wife to camp "comfortably") down to three plastic bins, a lantern, a tent, and our sleeping bags. Then I wanted it even easier to load and go, here's my solution :rofl:

web.jpg


Now I hitch it up and go, and to keep on "topic" of this thread, here's my grub box :p

web.jpg
 
Stephen

Stephen

Who Dares Wins
Moderator
Location
Never Far From Nowhere
I have lusted after Kurts Kamp Kitchn (hey, there the product name for the new one! Just think of the initials! Oh wait... :ugh:) since day one. I think its a great way to keep everything in one box and be ready to go. I've drawn up some plans to build one, even mocked one up in cardboard a bit ago. Then I pulled out my Dad's old Coleman 425f, got a stand for it and I thought, "With this and a little dry goods storage box, do I really need a Kamp Kitchn?" I think I'll run with the 425f for a bit and see how that works. Right now I'm hunting for some of the chef trays they used to make for the Coleman stoves.
 
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Coco

Coco

Well-Known Member
Location
Lehi, UT
sixstringsteve said:
That is too cool Caleb. I've never seen one with an outdoor kitchen like that. I love it.
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x2, that is pretty cool!!!

For me in my experiences (boy scouts) the little coleman grills just werent enough for me. They seemed like they would always take forever to cook anything, and if the slightest breeze came up, they would blow out. Now kurts setup is pretty damn cool, but for me, a camp chef is the way to go. Although I do know it isnt very practical for expedition vehicles.
 
Stephen

Stephen

Who Dares Wins
Moderator
Location
Never Far From Nowhere
sixstringsteve said:
tell me more about these chef trays stephen. I was hoping you'd find this thread and share what you've come up with.
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These are the Chef Trays:

1316648004-Coleman_426_7.jpg


They're rare little buggers. But they are so simple, I could probably just fab a set up for as much as they seem to sell on eBay.

As for what I've come up with, I really like the Kamp Kitchn, but for some reason, I am not the biggest fan of having the stove element on the door. So I was thinking of doing something more like the Kanz Field Kitchen:

Gallery_propane_08.jpg


Only with a smaller stove on the top set a bit higher for more storage underneath and having doors on both sides.

As for your idea with the 81mm ammo cases, are you sure? Don't those weigh about 23 pounds a piece? That would make the whole setup damn heavy.
 
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sixstringsteve

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
Stephen said:
As for what I've come up with, I really like the Kamp Kitchn, but for some reason, I am not the biggest fan of having the stove element on the door.
Click to expand...

For some reason that's my favorite part about the kamp kitchn.


Stephen said:
As for your idea with the 81mm ammo cases, are you sure? Don't those weigh about 23 pounds a piece? That would make the whole setup damn heavy.
Click to expand...

That's a good point. The way I read it, 23 lbs is the shipping weight. So hopefully it's less than that. Plus I'll be cutting about 1/3 off of each box and welding them together, so that'll cut down about 14 lbs total. Still, that's around 30 lbs, which is 3x the weight of Kurt's. I've purchased the ammo boxes already, but they're at my brother's house in Provo. I'll get 'em this weekend and see how heavy they are.

EDIT: Website says 23 lbs is actual weight. i guess I don't have to worry about it being sturdy enough. :D

Lightweight isn't one of my criteria. I'd rather have it heavy and sturdy than lighweight. No doubt Kurt's setup works for him, but I wouldn't mind something a bit more heavy duty.

I still need a way to make it waterproof. I think i may just end up getting a tarp bag from Ikea and modifying it to fit over the entire thing. Not glamorous, but it'd work. I'd LOVE to find a way to seal that box though.
 
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sixstringsteve

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
I love the way the Kanz legs work. that'd be really slick to find a way to build some legs or a stand into my design.

Is the Kanz waterproof?
 
Stephen

Stephen

Who Dares Wins
Moderator
Location
Never Far From Nowhere
I have no idea if they are water proof. I've never seen one in person. I doubt it though.
Why do you need it waterproof? I'd think just "water resistant" would be good enough.
 
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