Paper Kettle

[EdS]

The mother-out-law was telling me about kettles/pan that they used to make out of newspaper. Take several sheets and fold in to some sort of box with handles, then hold over a fire. The dampness of the paper stops it burning.

Anyone know how they are made?

She called it a Rupert Kettle as she learnt the method out of a Rupert the Bear Annual when she was a kid.

 

[george]

I've seen it done using hot rocks to boil the water or by coating a plastic bag in mud before putting it on the fire, but never the paper straight on the fire. Do you reckon it would work?

George

 

[Tony]

As long as the flames don't touch the paper it could work.

 

[Stew]

This is something that I remember being discussed on a diferent forum a few years back. There were people who had done it.

If I remember rightly it has to just be embers and I don't recall if it had to be multi layered or not. I always assumed it was single layered.

There is a box that I can fold that I just somehow know how to fold (one of those things that you learn and never forget) and I tried to heat it on the fire. The paper ended up splitting and putting the fire out! :-?

Haven't tried it again.

I've just done a quick search and come up with a couple of pages. I haven't tried either of them out.

This one seems best

This seems a it more complex but it might be sturdier

 

[ESpy]

I used to do that with a bunsen burner at school. Thin cardboard, folded into a box shape and secured with paperclips. Sit it on a tripod, burner underneath. The card can't get hotter than 100C is the idea...

 

[Keith_Beef]

When I was in the cubs, Akela took a paper cup, filled it with water, and held it over a candle flame until the water boiled.

The point is, that you *do not want* a great thickness of paper. Too much insulation, and the outer layer can reach its flashpoint and start to burn. You need a thin enough layer, so that the outside surface is kep below its flashpoint by conducting the heat to the water inside the cup.


Keith.

 

[Stuart]

A single sheet of paper folded into a tray shape, with fat or candle wax rubbed on the inside to prevent the water seeping though can be held over a fire without burning and the water inside will boil

you can also boil and fry on bannana leaves

the boiling point of water is lower than the flash point of the paper, and the water is drawing all the heat away from the paper

 

[Stew]

Yeah water is a nice conductor of heat.

:bu:
If you want to see someone put their fingers in a bowl of molten lead (and not have them burnt) then click this link and scroll down to Hot Stuff!

The other videos are quite good too, but they go on for a bit.

 

[alick]

Won a bet with this one once. Use a square of ordinary white writing paper, fold it into a paper cup (beginners origami model - type 1 !) fill it with water and boil it over a gas stove.

It's a bit hard to hold a soggy piece of paper with no handle, but it proved the point. Thin paper is good - to stop the paper drying out. Strong is good - otherwise it falls apart as soon as it gets wet.
I think it's important that the water can soak into the paper since this is what draws the heat away and stops it charring.

:biggthump Alick

 

[TheJim]

The best type of paper to use is from a paper potato sack!
Multiple layers ends up being water-tight and strong. The worst the outer layer gets is a bit crispy as long as the flames/heat are hitting the part of the paper holoding the body of water.
i.e. any flaps of paper or twists at the top of the vessel that you can hang it from a stick that the water body does not deflect from will burn!

Enjoy!

 

[EdS]

Blast from the past. Hell have I been posting here 8 years.

 

[bushwacker bob]

Blast from the past. Hell have I been posting here 8 years.

Yep...............

 

[John Fenna]

You can also fry up bacon and eggs in a paper bag - do not let the flames toutch the greasy paper though or it will catch fire!

 

[rik_uk3]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LqY9AQtoJs&list=UUOnokVCrKrlsQbsLIzV-Y4A&index=20&feature=plcp easy enough.

 

[wedgie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/frying-an-egg-with-a-paper-pan/8762.html