MSR Fuel Bottle Collar

[Stash]

I store my Whisperlight stove and accessories in the black bag that came with it and have to bend the hose on the pump in a "U" to make it fit. Because it likes to stay that way I have to prop up the top of the fuel bottle to keep the stove from tilting when connected. For years I've I gone poking around for a rock or stick to hold the fuel bottle at the right height and said to myself that I need to pack some sort of gadget to keep on hand for the task.

Well. I finally remembered and took care of it this morning. I was looking around my workshop for something light and the right size and came upon the top of an old 1 gallon drywall compound bucket. I cut the edge off so I had a 6 or 8 inch diameter disk, then cut a 1" hole in the center for the bottle. A quick test in the back yard and I'd hit the right size the first time! Small. Light. Easy to pack.

When I was taking the stove apart I came upon an added benefit. No matter how long I let it sit I always end up getting a little fuel sprayed on my hand when I remove the pump from the bottle. The same thing happened during my test but, instead of getting fuel on my hand, the collar caught it. Letting it sit for a while the fuel evaporated and I was good to go.

Pics of the little device should anyone care to try it...

 

[Chip]

Stash, love the ingenuity. Not to be a "glass half empty" kind of guy, but have you lit the stove and boiled water or anything yet ? I'm concerned the collar may melt. Maybe make the same disk from an old coffee can bottom or pie tin ? I guess there's a chance the plastic could ignite, also.

 

[Stash]

Stash, love the ingenuity. Not to be a "glass half empty" kind of guy, but have you lit the stove and boiled water or anything yet ? I'm concerned the collar may melt. Maybe make the same disk from an old coffee can bottom or pie tin ? I guess there's a chance the plastic could ignite, also.

No I haven't Chip. But I thought of adding "heat shield removed for clarity" to the pictures. I normally use an aluminum wind shield with the stove that would keep the plastic at least 6" from the stove and add a bit of a heat shield. It might soften but I'm doubting it. I'll let you know how it goes.

If need be I'll switch to the pie tin. I'd slice the heck out of my hand if I played around with a coffee can disk.

 

[DSettahr]

Stash, love the ingenuity. Not to be a "glass half empty" kind of guy, but have you lit the stove and boiled water or anything yet ? I'm concerned the collar may melt. Maybe make the same disk from an old coffee can bottom or pie tin ? I guess there's a chance the plastic could ignite, also.

If it's a thermoset, it will probably be ok. You'd only have to worry about a thermoplastic melting.

(Thermosets are plastics that get harder as temperature increases. Thermoplastics get softer with higher temperatures)

 

[Stash]

Thermodoesn'tmatter

Well whatever kind of plastic it is it doesn't get hot enough to change. I brought water to a full boil and let it cook for a while. Held onto the plastic with bare fingers. Not even warm.

<You can't see in the picture but it's boiling away. Note the drops of water on the bottom heat plate from water coming out the spout of my Primus>

 

[IndianChris]

I like your ingenuity.
Stash - I know exactly what you're talking about. Great stove btw. I have the same one.
I find that the same problem exists after I unfold everything and place it on the ground or inside my tent (hahaha...just kidding) to start cooking. I first start out with a quick bend of the hose in the opposite direction to alleviate some of the problem. But I also find that by the time I place my pot full of water on the stove, the problem goes away. The weight of the full fuel bottle is heavy enough to stay put while there is a full pot of water on the stove.
Hope you work things out.
Is it a new stove? Have you used it much?
Did I mention that I love that stove?
As for the fuel on the hand...just don't light a cigarette immediately afterwards hahaha or whatever it is you like to smoke.

 

[miehoff]

Change the material?

Could easily, with tin snips, make one out of aluminum flashing or something. Sand the edges to keep them dull...

Maybe even change the shape to a triangle to save weight and space...round the corners for safety, or edge them with heat accepting duct tape.

Great idea, though. Love making up stuff like that!

 

[Stash]

Could easily, with tin snips, make one out of aluminum flashing or something. Sand the edges to keep them dull...

Maybe even change the shape to a triangle to save weight and space...round the corners for safety, or edge them with heat accepting duct tape.

There's almost no weight to it and no need for metal. It just doesn't get hot that far from the flame. At least on this stove).

 

[Stash]

I like your ingenuity.
Is it a new stove? Have you used it much?

Had the stove for a number of years. Never a problem. Only down side is the o-ring kit has way too many parts that really don't wear. I think think there's a thread somewhere on that...