Titanium Foil as a Bowl?

[Aaron Sorensen]

I really don't like the shape of any titanium bowls or pots out there.
I would like a "bowl" shape that a spoon can go over smoothly.

I have the Snow Peak 1.6 ounce Titanium Bowl. I like the size, but the bottom shape just still doesn't cut it.

So, I am thinking of taking 4 pieces of titanium foil and work out the cut so it bends over a bowl to the shape I want.

Then just take a + shaped piece around the outside to keep it together and use a type of JB-Weld on the outside edges of the + to hold it all together.

I would make this hold about 24 ounces and have 2 of the upper pieces slightly raised to have a pail type handle on the bowl that will have the ability to go over the side of it and keep out of the way of the heat and stove.

So would this work?

[Colin Krusor]

Aaron, I only forsee two potential challenges. The first is failure of the JB Weld bond. The second potential problem I see is fatigue and cracking of the foil. Presumably this Ti foil bowl would experience some flexing when you lift it by the bail while it's full and when you pack it into your pack. In my experience, Ti foil can fatigue and crack where it flexes.

I would recommend mechanical fasteners (like rivets) instead of JB Weld. You could just put them around the outer edge, where it doesn't need to be watertight. Also, if you use pure Ti or a soft CP alloy foil it will be less likely to crack. Anything you can do to reduce flexion while in use will reduce the risk of cracking, I would guess.

[Bob Gross]

"I have the Snow Peak 1.6 ounce Titanium Bowl."

Interesting. Have you weighed it?

I bought the same Snow Peak bowl, and it weighs 1.8 ounces. I noted this to the online retailer, and they changed that number on their web site.

Most of the titanium foil that we come across here is 0.005" thick. It would be interesting to try your proposal with something thinner. Maybe half that thick?

–B.G.–

[Franco Darioli]

I have a 10oz bowl (2oz heavy) that waws the lid from a Tatonka Ti pot.
I cut the handles off.
Tatonka does not list that anymore but maybe someone else might have a similar shaped lid.

[Kevin Beeden]

I'd echo the concerns regarding the fragility of Ti foil. As soon as you crease it, you work harden it so much that it will crack very easily*. And if you try to glue it with JB Weld, the foil structure won't be stiff enough to stop flexing, and flexing will peel and crack the glue.

You mention four pieces of foil, but I cannot envisage a way of doing this and forming a water-tight bowl; at least not without having some stopping of the gaps (hence the JB Weld? in contact with your pan contents? No thanks…). I'd initially imagined you were planning some kind of Ti origami…

Assuming the four pieces overlap, we now have four layers of metal on the base, giving us, say, 20 thou thickness. What's the weight of that? (Compared to a nice, pressed Ti bowl, for instance). Then add all the JB Weld stopping…

And, since we have layers, there will be a small air gap between, so conduction won't be great.

* this is even true of more ductile materials like Al. I'd experiment with the idea with Al foil or flashing, and see how long it lasts. Sadly, I don't think it will be long before you get pinhole leaks at the fold corners.

[Roger Caffin]

> taking 4 pieces of titanium foil and work out the cut so it bends over a bowl to
> the shape I want.
Good Luck.
But keep your other bowls handy.

Cheers

[Tim Anderson]

You might want to take another approach and simply shape the snowpeak bowl you have.
IF you've ever seen artisans hand-shaping pots, you get the idea.
They do it on a rounded edge of an anvil, but I'd think a chunk of wood pre-formed to the shaped you want, and some mallets would work.
Ti is resilient and elastic, so it would take alot to go to a ripping point.

[Aaron Sorensen]

thanks all for the info.

I figured this at least may not work.

[Author]

Posts