Any good?

[nic.]

I have been trying to make some relevent stock for the wilderness gathering this year- Do you think I am on the right tracks?

I haven't included uprights as I assume that if there is fuel for a fire then it won't be two difficult to find a couple of forked sticks.

Nic

 

[lannyman8]

looking good dude...

 

[Imagedude]

I haven't included uprights as I assume that if there is fuel for a fire then it won't be two difficult to find a couple of forked sticks.

Nic

Difficult to find fireproof forked sticks though!

 

[SimonM]

Looks good, what size is it? Rabbit...or hog?

Simon

 

[Silverhill]

Nice! Looks like a well made piece.

 

[nic.]

Looks good, what size is it? Rabbit...or hog?

Simon

Yes, scale would have helped!
is from 8mm square section, around 2' long. so rabbit sized, although I'll be bringing a chicken along.
I have made them in 16mm and 6' long for suckling pig.

Difficult to find fireproof forked sticks though!

Hopefully I made the main spit long enough that upright won't catch fire- I could easily do them in steel on the day if people want.

I'll do a few more sets anyway.

 

[TasMonk]

Great looking work, Nic! That would be a good addition to any rustic cooking set-up.

 

[Everything Mac]

Yup - I like that.

 

[British Red]

Be interesting to see that with metal uprights and a "locking" mechanism (to stop the weight forcing the heaviest bit to hang down) Make a great fire set!

 

[nic.]

Be interesting to see that with metal uprights and a "locking" mechanism (to stop the weight forcing the heaviest bit to hang down) Make a great fire set!

Great Idea, I'll see what I can come up with- as its square section it may well just need a vee to sit in- I'll have a play.

 

[British Red]

Well, I have my tripod and fire grill and numpty odd cast iron dutch ovens and skillets but never found a spit I've been really happy with.

If you have "the technology" I'd suggest a grub screw in the handle and the meat tines as well to stop them moving around on the spit (tap and die or weld a nut on with a butterfly bolt that passes through a hole in the handle etc). Would lock the whole thing together well.

The "V" rest is a great idea....might it need a handle at each end to lift and turn?

Just thinking out loud really - love open fire cooking me

 

[nic.]

If you have "the technology" I'd suggest a grub screw in the handle and the meat tines as well to stop them moving around on the spit (tap and die or weld a nut on with a butterfly bolt that passes through a hole in the handle etc). Would lock the whole thing together well.

The "V" rest is a great idea....might it need a handle at each end to lift and turn?

Just thinking out loud really - love open fire cooking me

The spit is slightly upset at the handle end so it jambs on a bit like a square morse taper. I have the technology to put a grub screw in but would prefer not to use it. Welding a nut on would be a couple of steps too far for me!

Have never had a problem with the tines working lose, they tend to sear in as they get hot. But again it would be easy to put grub screws in if need be.


I have drawn out an idea for a couple of v rests one with a locking mechanism on, I'll try them out tomorrow. If I make the V's deep enough the spit will still spin in them when the lock is undone.

Generally in my designs I try to pare it down to the bare minimum; lighter, cheaper, less to go wrong and lose. But this design is modular so I can offer lots of different variations.

Nic

 

[British Red]

Clever - like the handle jamming on!

Look forward to seeing this work. I have had a problem on spits in the past with the tines - as the meat cooked it shrank away from the tine and in turning the tines slid off down the spit - with meat in the fire

Perhaps the square spit fixes that? Loving the design regardless - look forward to seeing it with stands!

 

[Imagedude]

If you have a problem with the tines working loose you could secure them in place using a simple coil of steel wrapped around the main bar. The steel coils act like a prussic knot. If I get time next weekend I'll make a set and post a photo.

 

[nic.]

not the best pictures, but hopefully you can see whats going on. The long thin arm has a bit of spring in it and clips against the side of the upright. when it is uncliped the square bar will spin in the V's.

 

[shaggystu]

that's a fantastic looking bit of kit, if i was in the habit of cooking big chunks of meat when camping i'd go for one of those, unfortunately i'm not

stuart

 

[British Red]

Oh now that is clever - I like that a lot! Some ability to lock the tines and that would be as near to perfect as I have ever seen!

 

[shaggystu]

....Some ability to lock the tines and that would be as near to perfect as I have ever seen!

could the tines be locked in place just with a couple of small wedges?a couple of bits of green wood maybe, just sharpen them up and push them down between the spit and the holes in the tines, just an idea

stuart

 

[British Red]

I'm sure Nic can dream something up - that locking bar for the spit is a work of genius!

 

[nic.]

Oh now that is clever - I like that a lot! Some ability to lock the tines and that would be as near to perfect as I have ever seen!

I can always do grub screws if required- you would need an allen key to get at your roasted dinner though. I think the spring/coil idea might be neat though.

could the tines be locked in place just with a couple of small wedges?a couple of bits of green wood maybe, just sharpen them up and push them down between the spit and the holes in the tines, just an idea

stuart

They are a pretty good fit, but if it works that is an easy solution. And I'm sure the reason that you are not in the habit of cooking enormous lumps of meat is because you don't own one of these.