This is more properly a small construction project than a fettling project. Someone mentioned that if you added an extra set of Coleman crinkle washers to the burner of a Coleman 500 that you’d get more heat. Toward that end, I sought and found a junker Coleman gassie stove and obtained the washers, which incidentally are the same size on most Coleman stoves. I’ll run a comparison boil test later though. About that time, John (Presscall) came on line with his rebuild of his 500a with a 1940’s date and did a masterful job of fettling and explaining what he did with some more information about the windscreens here.... http://www.cl I had never seen the windscreens that were on John’s stove, so determined to make some. Aha, he said to himself, you have a junker Coleman stove and I betcha the side screens from the lid will make fine screen pieces for a 500. So after cutting, grinding, filing, striping and sanding I finally have something that ought to work. The screens are exactly 7.5” L X 2.25” H. On the side that goes over the fill pipe, I cut a notch exactly 2.5” long X .5” H in the exact center. The 45 degree corner was cut instead of a radiused cut at 1.25” up from the bottom. The clips were made of the same material, cut, ground and filed to 4 square edged little pieces, 1’ X 3” Long, They were bent around a ¼” bolt held in a vise and then the ears bent by holding the 1st bend in the vise with the bolt in the bend and then bending over the ears. I’d use a smaller diameter bolt and would make the clips ½” X 2” on the next one. I needed a jig to bend the arc of the screens into something approximating the curvature of the plate on the stove. But, a slight digression here. At first glance, I thought I’d bend the screens over my thigh, but someone informed me that my legs looked like two well ropes with knots tied in the middle. So, I looked for something more suitable when it dawned on me that my lady friend might have the right size thigh. So I asked but she was already a tad miffed at me for castigating her slightly about her choice of footwear. She’s a pretty girl and always dresses nicely, but, hodamotty, green shoes. Damn. I had to hold her down to get it done.....took a couple of hours, but I finally got the bends just right. I was going to solder the clips on the screens and did prepare for that. I did a bit of solder learning, but didn’t have a good place to do the soldering and holding so changed courses in mid stream.. As the project went along it simply became easier to brad the clips to the screens, thus the use of the copper tacks as brads. I may still fill in with solder but for now, the brads are working fine. So there you are. Two windscreens exactly 7 ½” X 2 ½” that are working fine for me. The guage is pretty light on the screens, very little heavier than tin can material. The clips are 1” X 3” and are fitted to where they need to be, so I can’t give you those location details. As I indicated earlier, I’d make the clips smaller that 1” X 3” and I’d use a smaller diameter bolt as the bending apparatus, one closer to the size of the legs of the grate. I’d be happy to answer any questions but I think the pictures are pretty self-explanatory. And I still haven’t done the burner comparison with the extra crinkle washers from the junker Coleman gassie stove. Best, Bob
Outstanding job Bob!!! This is also on my list of things to make. Maybe the only thing the 500 is lacking is a windscreen and this solves that. Are you going to paint the steel? Cheers, Jeff
Thanks Jeff, I have some high heat black and silver and had planned to paint one or the other color, but can't decide. I also like the color as is, but doubt that it'll stay that way. I noted that link to John's info included above doesn't work, so here it is again: https://classiccampstoves.com/posts/119146 Best, Bob
They look really nice! And your windscreens look great too, Bob. Seriously, I'm going to put that on my list of projects. You did an awesome job. Yeah, are you going to paint them? sam
My word, what a fine job, Bob. The rivets (brads you call them) look great too. Funny thing, but take a look at the similar rivets on my recent acquisition in this post. Here's a shot of the rivetted repair on the burner pan Rivets I'm really pleased to have posted that earlier fettle of the '42 Coleman and given you the idea. Really pleased indeed. Another CCS triumph of swapping tales and ideas. Great! That burner output test you have planned, using the additional washers, is something I'm looking forward to, very much. Brilliant job, thanks for posting the details, Bob. All the best, John
Quite outstanding!! Very nice and I mean the legs! Really though, thanks for showing your work and the suggestion of using an otherwise junker Coleman suitcase. I see them all the time during summer yard sales for a couple of dollars.....I won't bypass them the next time now.
Bob: Very nice job. I like the look of the copper rivets. You and John have inspired me to search for materials. I'd put up with the green shoes.... Paul
Bob, Excellent work . Beats the heck out of plain old tin foil wrapped around the outside If you do decide to paint the grate and shield a "silver" color, might I suggest Ace Hardwares "Aluminum" heat paint. This I have found is very close to OE color and shine . Two very light coats is all you need. Shoes , what shoes?, she had shoes on Tom
