The Camp Kettle or Teapot

There's lots to say about the camp kettle. There are many different styles and sizes of kettles that are made of numerous materials. Each kettle has its advantages and disadvantages, but each one has its place, depending on the type of outing and heat source you plan.


Stainless Steel Teapot




This teapot was purchased from Mountain Equipment CO-OP. What I like about this teapot is that it fits nicely inside my smallest cooking pot, so this takes up no additional room when I go car camping for the weekend. The spout, though appears lame, is actually quite functional. This teapot is great on a gas stove, though I personally would not use it on a campfire.


Enameled Steel Kettle

I was wondering what would be a good campfire kettle. A buddy of mine was out with me one Saturday and he had a enameled steel kettle. This particular one came as part of a cooking set. What I like about this is that it is naturally black in color, so after heating it in the campfire, it still looks fine afterwards. He just keeps it in a grocery bag in his pack.

I had to get one.

I didn't want to buy a complete cook set, so the only enameled kettle I could find that was sold separately, was this blue one. I purchased this kettle, actually it was a full 'coffee percolator', from LeBaron. The percolator portion is easily removed from the kettle. I bought it to use on the campfire, however it is still just a bit too nice and new, so I am currently using it with one of my gas stoves.

The Apple Juice Can Kettle

Just about every Newfoundlander has seen the apple juice can kettle in one form or another. I am always looking for ways of improving things, so, instead of the 'rabbit-wire' handle, mine has a handle that I made from a coat hanger. This handle will keep it's shape, which makes it easier for pouring. I do not have the top lid removed, just a couple holes punched through. This makes for more difficult filling, but keeps the water cleaner while boiling. I like just creating a flat space on my fire and sitting the kettle on there as oppose to hanging it over the fire. Of course, the outside of the can gets dirtier more quickly this way, but apple juice cans are cheap and it heats up more quickly. The one shown above has been used a few times now, so it may be time to get a new can, and transfer my coat hanger handle. Be sure to punch, and not drill, any holes that are required in your apple juice can kettle.

Transforming "My First Chuck Box" into "My Deluxe Chuck Box"

There was one main problem with My First Chuck Box, weight. I needed to get the weight down. I had chosen 1/4 " plywood as the sheathing material which made for a strong box however, was a struggle for 1 person to lift when filled with gear and stove. What didn't help was the fact that my stove is one of those WOODS stoves that has a grill and a single burner. These stoves are significantly thicker and heavier then the standard 2 burner stove. I decided to use Meranti sheathing when building my second box for my brother. This sheathing is much more attractive when varnished and has a thickness of somewhere around 3/16". I used the Meranti sheathing everywhere I had used the 1/4" plywood previously. I like the idea of being able to use the box as a seat when everything is stored away, so I doubled up on the Meranti on the lid, whereas a single layer of 1/4" plywood was sufficient for the lid of My First Chuck Box.

Other changes I made were not so much improvements, they kind of took My First Chuck Box from a basic version to a deluxe version. Some of these options included: wood dowel handles with nylon rope attachments, brass latch to attach the stove access door to the box, and a paper towel holder.

The picture below does not show good detail, however that's the best picture that I have at the moment. I know we'll be using the box in a couple months time, so I should be able to get some better pictures then.

My First Chuck Box

I'd seen a number of Chuck Boxes/Camp Kitchens/Grub Boxes on the market but, the were a little pricy and they weren't exactly what I wanted.  I was looking for something that was small, yet could take my stove as well as some gear.  I began digging around on the web, and found some plans at blueskykitchen.com.  With some minor modifications to the plans to provide a custom fit for my stove, I built the chuck box shown in the pictures above.  I was rather pleased with this version, though I would make some modifications when I built one for my brother.