Thanks all!
Miguel – I emailed you, too, but I'm really glad both got there safe and sound. From other threads it sounds like you're getting really involved in aid efforts and I wish you the best in it. I know the impact for you all will long outlast the international attention.
Christopher – Heck yeah, Made in Pittsburgh! The Boiler is just for meals (or hot drinks) that only need boiling water – so yeah, freezer-bag cooking, but it doesn't necessarily need to be in a freezer bag. Personally, I have simple tastes, and I could eat oatmeal and Ramen for breakfast and dinner for months on end, but some get much fancier, even with just boiled water.
Steven – I'm working on some improvements for the next batch, but orders should be open in a few weeks. If you sign up for the mailing list on my blog (www.theboilerwerks.com), you'll get a notice as soon as they are.
Chris – great idea, but it should be "Boiler around town," remember, kettles are lame. :)
Tim – as for "lighter, smaller, cheaper and better" options, I don't know. There are cheaper MYOG possibilities, but this is on par with other commercially available systems. "Smaller, lighter" – yeah, but this also carries water. As for "better," I strongly disagree. If all you want to do is boil water for a solo trip, the efficiency, speed, simplicity and weather-worthiness is hard to match. I hope you think the same when you get yours. :)
Corey – if you check out the YouTube channel for Medicineman4040, you'll see a handy pot stand he devised for heating water on top (doesn't reach boiling) and boiling water on the bottom – pretty cool. It sounds like the trangia works pretty well as an alcohol burner, but an optimized burner will soon be in the works.
On clean pouring – I should start by saying that I think dribbles of water are less concerning than dribbles of paint, but that avoiding them is good, if possible. Looking at the production Boilers and my prototype, I can see why there may be a bit more of a dribbling concern – the spout is just a faction of an inch further from the outer rim of the Boiler. It's a very small difference, but enough that it inhibits the stream of water from releasing as well from the vessel. If it really bothers you (and you have access to a drill press or a friend with one) you could bore out the spout another 1/32" – 1/16" and it should pour better. If you do this, however, I would recommend not doing it concentrically, but rather lining up the inner edge with that of the existing hole – it's already as close to the chimney as it can go. Deburring is tricky but doable. For the next batch, I'll make sure the spout is that fraction closer to the outer rim. Shouldn't ruin the whole experience, I hope. :)
On coring the the stopper – cork is cool, but a drill bit will just chew up the silicone. Something called a "cork borer" will make a much smoother cut. Have any friends that work in labs? :)
