Winter stove base

EJ, a snowshovel works well for me…I usually use my snowclaw jammed into the side of the snow wall after I dig out my floor to put my shelter overtop.

…are we wearing the exact same clothes in our avatars? :)

I use a circle of light 3-ply for my Xtreme, about 8" diameter. Or a square – depends on which I grab.
Coat with a good layer of Estapol on both sides first, to make them last.

Cheers

Cut the bottoms off of three soda cans. For a heavy pot, use 24oz Heineken or Fosters cans.

All excellent suggestions. I was thinking of using a shovel as well. But I like the soda can base. Roger, by 3-ply, you don't mean plywood do you?

BTW, if you use your windscreen, will it not cause too much melting below the stove base?

Yep I think he means plywood. Estapol, did they have the ads with horses in them? I assume that 3 ply could also be used as a chopping board, table, frisbee for camp …

Yep, thin plywood. Heavier than the 3-can idea, which is awful cute, but as Roger Brown suggested, the plywood also gets used as a chopping board, a plate, a snow scraper, a support for hot pots, …

Cheers

> if you use your windscreen, will it not cause too much melting below the stove base?

My 3-ply stove base is just large enough that the windscreen – which I definitely do use!, sits mostly on top of the 3-ply. No problem. used it like that for the last … 15 years.

Cheers

Cut a rectangle out of solid blue foam, and cover with aluminum tape.

> Cut a rectangle out of solid blue foam, and cover with aluminum tape.

Doesn't this let the stove wobble a bit?

Cheers

That's what I was afraid of. With a heavy pot…