You guys all got me inspired and I hacked a lid from the bottom of an aluminum pie plate, but then I read Jason Klass’ web page showing some variations on this theme. I’ve been messing with beer cans so I had one of the safety can openers and it was a 2 minute deal to dig a large can out of the recycle bin and whip the end off. I don’t know the size — it’s the large size can of fruit or beans. Anyway, it sits down over the top bead of the 600 mug like a charm. I drilled a couple holes and used a handle made from one side of a binder clip:
To get the handle in the holes I had to bend one leg 90 degrees, rocked it into the hole and then bent it back to its original position. By tweaking the lid metal a bit, it lies flat swung one way and tilts over about 45 degrees swung over the other side– enough to grab it with a bandana, spork or twig. I guess I could put a little heat shrink tubing on it.
I like the finished-but-quick-and-dirty approach and the ability to replace it if lost of damaged. You could put a screw through a single hole in the center and just clamp a small binder clip to it. I use those binder clips for all kinds of things at work– they are great for holding bags closed, cable management, could be a clothes pin too.
I’m happy with the mug as a pot– jut enough to get a couple cups of hot water for a dehydrated dinner, plenty for oatmeal and coffee in the morning, light weight, lower cost, and small volume. I’m teaming it up with the Snowpeak Folding Ti Cup for a bowl and mug.
Thanks for the tips on *not* getting the fuel cannister stuck. If I put a Handy Wipe, a Coleman F1 stove, and a lighter in the mug first, the canister won’t go in far enough to get stuck.
This pot works perfectly with the Esbit folding stove. I got a full boil with two cups of water well before the fuel tab burned out. The folded stove fits in the cup with the fuel tabs in stored inside the stove– perfect for an overnighter. Add a little foil for a wind screen and start walkin’.
