Moulder Strip Directions

[Bob Moulder]

The backing identifies the adhesive as 3M 300LSE

Not quite 200C but it seems totally adequate for this application in the intended temperatures…. In other words, much cooler than 73F ambient!

Temperature Resistance: 3M™ Adhesive 300LSE is usable for short periods
(minutes, hours) at temperatures up to 300°F (148°C) and for intermittent
longer periods of time (days, weeks) up to 200°F (93°C).
Lower Service Temperature: -40°F (-40°C).

The ends of the silicone strip where the adhesive attaches to the canister will never get anywhere near that hot.

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Bob

Interesting. That’s an acrylic adhesive, not a siloxane as I expected. So they have managed to put a buffer layer between the silicone pad and the acrylic adhesive. They do that sort of thing with lots of tapes – very techie.

Even so – minutes and hours at 148 C is MORE than enough!

Cheers

[DAN-Y]

Early morning idea appeared in my mind

Remove label from canister with circular wire wheel and hand drill. Use high temp silicone thinned to paintable consistency, paint canister in a 7 inch area. High temp silicone has copper as ingredient I suspect it will be conductive to heat more so than silicone without copper.

Apply apply 7 inch strip of the black 1.5 inch silicone tape to painted surface. Do not stretch silicone tape when applying to canister, just press firmly down onto canister and 1 inch wide copper strip. Copper strip holds very well to silicone tape and will not slip out from under it when pulled on.

High temp silicone gasket material:

https://www.permatex.com/products/gasketing/gasket-makers/permatex-high-temp-red-rtv-silicone-gasket/

I’ll try this today, something ventured, something gained ;-)

 

[CARLOS C.]

Hate to bring this one back from the dead but where did you guys source your silicone strip and aluminum/copper? I can find the aluminum at Home Depot etc but I’m struggling with the silicone piece.

[Roger Caffin]

Vast quantities on eBay, masquerading as bakeware.

Cheers

[CARLOS C.]

Thank you Roger I suspected as much and almost cannibalized a thin cutting board from the kitchen.

[David Thomas]

For aluminum of the right dimensions, a ruler at Walmart goes for like $1.79 and makes 3 Moulder Strips, just scrap off the cork backing or put it to the outside.  I use a hammer to tap it into a curvature to match the 100- or 200-/400-gram-canisters.

It’s also multipurpose – if you need to measure anything up to 4 inches long.

[Roger Caffin]

almost cannibalized a thin cutting board from the kitchen.
DANGER!
You do that, and you might miss out on dinner or find your ears missing!
Do not misappropriate kitchen things belonging to wife!

Cheers

[David Thomas]

Yeah, sure, but if you very carefully cut a single strip off the edge and refinish it with the same curvature, you can sometimes get away with it.

Although I started with extra credit in the bank, because on our first, non-backpacking date, I fixed her KitchenAid mixer by filling a burr of the SS shaft with a diamond hone.

But the clothes iron?  For heat-set glue and many other things you do in the garage?  It’s worth the $5 at a thrift store or even the $12 at Walmart for the marital harmony.

[Ryan Smith]

Carlos,

I got the perfect width, length and thickness in both copper and aluminum off of Etsy for like $6.00. Might check it out.

Edit: Here is a link to the shop.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SupplyYourSoul

Ryan

[John K]

I use an inexpensive kids silicone bracelet:

[DGoggins]

I need to buy some copper for a different length strip. Bob Moulder uses 1″ strips of .02″ thick copper. @violentgreen  ….what are you buying from Etsy?

And I would assume that copper is the preferred material for the strip over aluminum, correct?

[DGoggins]

And, this does look correct here ->

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/205601576/2-metal-stamping-blanks-1-x-6-copper-or?ga_search_query=copper+strips&ref=shop_items_search_4

 

But its only 6″ long…I need something longer to be able to use an amicus and 225g canister…

I believe this could be correct? ->

 

They also have 24″ for $9 with free shipping (its just the 48″ is a lot more for the money)

[Roger Caffin]

I use an inexpensive kids silicone bracelet:
Now that IS clever.

Cheers

[JCH]

I believe this could be correct? ->

https://www.amazon.com/16oz-Copper-Strip-0-0216-x48/dp/B01MRZ2MWE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1520568562&sr=8-2&keywords=copper+strip+24+ga

Dan – I’m pretty sure that is exactly what Bob recommended.

[David Thomas]

“And I would assume that copper is the preferred material for the strip over aluminum, correct?”

This could kick off another 256 posts.  And we’ll still be arguing.  They both work.  They both work fine.  Comparing densities and thermal conductivities, and Al is somewhat better than Cu.  But without specifying the alloy and any heat or physical treatments of the metals, most copper strips you’ll find are more malleable than most aluminum alloys.  So it’s easier to conform the copper strip to the canister’s curvature.

That said, if you stepped off the AT in a small town, you could find an aluminum ruler or a strip of aluminum at a hardware store, bend it back and forth until it failed from metal fatigue and beat it with a rock against a concrete curb until it was about the right shape and it would work fine.

I’ve also had success by cutting an aluminum can into 4-5-6″ x 3″ and folding it in thirds lengthwise to give a 1-inch wide strip.  Larger aluminum cans from energy drinks (Monster, AMP, Rockstar) or any of your finer malt liquors (Colt 45, Olde English 800, King Cobra) or the newer foo-foo, fruity, high-alcohol ways for teenagers to get a buzz (Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Steel Reserve Spiked Punch, etc) have thicker walls and are tall enough if you’re using 200-gram canisters.  $2 and drink it or root around in the trash for free.

[David Thomas]

I’ve also cut a T-shape from aluminum flashing or beverage cans to have more contact area at the bottom of the canister (where the last of your fuel is) with and without folding the vertical portions to double or triple the thickness.

The silicone wrist band looks great.  I’ve used a very thin velcro strap sold in a pack of 12 for organizing extension cords.

 

[DGoggins]

Well…if there is no major real life difference between the two, then I might as well use aluminum…I already have aluminum flashing ->

I love your idea to increase the surface area around the canister with “wings”. Generally, you would still recommend folding flashing though for the vertical part?

And…for smoothing the aluminum after you cut it to remove sharp burs…just a metal file?

[David Thomas]

A copper Classic Moulder Strip (CMS) is good down to at least -20F without a cozy.  A slightly lighter weight of aluminum would be good to the same temp.

I haven’t tested side-by-side them yet (haven’t had any days off when it’s below -15F) but I suspect that two layers of aluminum flashing would go to at least -10F.

Realize that the heat transfer would be additive.  Make a 2-layer aluminum T.  Make a 4- or 6-layer aluminum T.  Bring them both.  They’ll only be like 10 or 15 grams each.  Try the lighter one.  If it isn’t keeping up, try the heavier one.  If needed, use both at once.  And/or use a bandana as a cozy over the Moulder Strips.

One advantage of folding the flashing for more layers/thickness is that you get mostly folded edges instead of cut edges.

Rather than a file, I use a belt stander (not hand-held, but on a stand).  Or hand-sand the edges with fine sandpaper or a Scotch-Brite kitchen scouring pad.  Wear leather gloves until it is smooth.

Not for up in the flame, but at the base, clear fingernail polish can be applied to the cut edge.  It also can protect dings in your car paint from rusting, sometimes improves visibility through a chipped windshield, and can bind a torn fingernail back together so it doesn’t tear further.

[Ryan Smith]

Dan,

That Etsy link looks correct. 6in strips worked perfectly for me, but that’s also for a BRS-3000t which is a very short stove.

[Jeremy and Angela]

I’m really digging the silicone bracelet.  A quick peek online reveals they also come in different widths; a 25 mm one might almost work as its own cozy, no?

-J

[Jerry Adams]

Moulder strip is 1 inch wide x 0.02 inch thick copper.  If you do aluminum, it has to be twice as thick.

You can make it twice as wide and half as thick and the thermal conductivity would be the same, although you have more surface area conducting heat away so it may be worse.  You better test.

I think the length of the strip is very important.  If you use a 4 ounce canister instead of an 8 ounce canister, the strip will be about 1 inch shorter which helps.  If you use a short stove, like BRS-3000 the strip is shorter which helps.  If you use a tall stove, like a Soto, the strip has to be long and it doesn’t work very well.

[DGoggins]

Well, I wouldn’t be able to make something twice as wide because the strip has to fit in between the fins of the amicus. So twice as thick would have to be it.

I already have a moulder strip for a 4oz canister and amicus. its made of folded up copper foil so if I bought a strip of copper I would replace that and make a new one. (the foil kind of separates). I tested that one at 15° F and it worked well ->

So I just wanted a 1″ or so longer one so I could take a bigger 8oz canister. I’m hoping 1″ longer isn’t going to significantly affect the performance. I’m most likely never going to -15°…probably never lower than 0°.

[Jerry Adams]

I bought some cheap copper from amazon.  I suspect what they say is “copper” is probably some alloy, but…

1 inch longer strip for 8 ounce canister vs 4 ounce canister may make it barely work, something for you to experiment with.  My experience with Soto + 8 ounce canister.  1 inch makes a big difference.

the air temperature is a second order effect.  To evaporate butane requires a certain amount of heat.  If your strip conducts that much heat to the canister then it will work.  This will be the same at any air temperature.  Having colder air temperature will cause a little more heat to be lost from the strip to the air, but that effect is small.

[DGoggins]

As a followup…I did buy the amazon copper. It does seem exactly the same as what Bob was using. It really only took about 5 minutes to create several strips. I just used like…wire clippers, which worked well enough. I cut 45° cuts at the corners 3x (so 1 45° cut and then another 2 cuts to make a corner “rounded”-ish.). Super easy! And cheap.

 

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