Decided to diy a pot grabber/lifter for my Optimus 99

Discussion in 'Fettling Forum' started by AngryDaddyBird, May 7, 2018.

  1. AngryDaddyBird Banned

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2018
    Messages:
    361
    Location:
    Home of the Evergreens
    So I been waiting for an original pot lifter for my Optimus 99 and also a windscreen. I missed one last week or so on the bay. Well I decided to try and make one and while doing that I wanted to keep it light as I could do if it came out ok I’d make several more to keep with my other stoves like the 8r and such.
    I have titanium so figured go that route.
    Here’s the pictures.from start to finish.

    3BBF8282-C38D-47C2-8020-B333D5B1649E.jpeg

    04D7EBAA-7361-47AA-B920-47011AE53D1B.jpeg

    8C03D358-0A30-41DC-B1CA-59C3DB95B723.jpeg

    0CBD5F85-E3AA-413E-AE91-3DA839CB481F.jpeg

    3B3EDF5B-EA32-4540-803E-B34D8C95A76F.jpeg

    3A9878DF-0879-440D-8FFA-F685A26B34F7.jpeg

    73785531-2B20-44C3-84FC-8B4B6C06B942.jpeg

    F4972A85-0B0B-4523-9EB6-4AA37F8FC7E7.jpeg

    9D95E7C2-AF6F-44E3-AFAC-67506D4F29C9.jpeg

    422386F2-3862-4C31-B624-EB8D848A5084.jpeg

    5F201F3D-291A-4EA3-9265-BBCD12EAE1DD.jpeg

    AD9C20F5-25DF-4D06-8DDA-96841CF9BC1C.jpeg

    712D5593-7E30-49A8-AB69-6FA62695D2AD.jpeg
     
  2. AngryDaddyBird Banned

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2018
    Messages:
    361
    Location:
    Home of the Evergreens
    Here’s the results. 1 of the pictures shows it holding up a full pot of water. I was happy and it’s quite stable holding it. It’s strong enough to grab close to the corner of the pot with no problem bending. It actually feels more stable than the original.

    83A6F7E5-5C2D-4376-A775-1A298EF07983.jpeg

    3E5CDA9A-9C7E-4C5F-A4E3-3CFC16C2F881.jpeg

    68F4F7AC-1EED-4E9E-8623-C477A23E74E9.jpeg

    265D0E9D-7EFE-4AD3-B52F-171CDFE18C50.jpeg
     
  3. AngryDaddyBird Banned

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2018
    Messages:
    361
    Location:
    Home of the Evergreens
    So to see how well it worked I decided to test it on my Optimus 199.made kimchi Ramen!! 2 packages.
    Worked perfect! For now this will due for my Optimus 99 until I find an original one and a windscreen. I have enough titanium to make a lot of grippers and I’m already thinking of ways to improve it.
    The pot cover/lid in the pictures i made of the same titanium sheet. Works well and the pot gripper is able to lift it easily.

    9DE4129E-44A6-4794-9AA3-99AD739503A6.jpeg

    7F99A4A2-2AD0-4418-A8B9-389CD99E4642.jpeg

    E89D8CFB-EAB5-4849-A79E-AF06E7E6D870.jpeg

    2A02D932-4929-4FB4-B3DE-564343C68634.jpeg

    0B8C13CA-644B-4BFD-B35C-3B70CCAFB2DC.jpeg

    8B08AAC9-0326-4C48-9A64-5DD8F0A68658.jpeg

    I hope I posted in the right area. If not I’ll gladly move this or delete it.
    Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!

    Kal
    Thanks for reading.
     
  4. snwcmpr

    snwcmpr SotM Winner Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2011
    Messages:
    20,086
    Location:
    North Carolina
    Awesome.
    What is the thickness of the titanium?
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2018
  5. Go Scout

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2016
    Messages:
    448
    Location:
    England
    @AngryDaddyBird

    Well done you - it looks as though you're familiar with metal fabrication and the result looks great. I only wish I had more skills in that area, although my workshop is more geared up for wood work.

    Interesting read - keep up the good work.
     
  6. AngryDaddyBird Banned

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2018
    Messages:
    361
    Location:
    Home of the Evergreens
    Glad you guys like how it turned out. I was planning on cutting the slots or cutouts like the original but figured it’s light already and I like how stiff it is.
    Thanks for reading.
     
  7. AngryDaddyBird Banned

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2018
    Messages:
    361
    Location:
    Home of the Evergreens
    It’s made of 0.025” thick titanium. I have .045” and thicker also. I might make a thicker one for regular sizes of pots
     
  8. snwcmpr

    snwcmpr SotM Winner Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2011
    Messages:
    20,086
    Location:
    North Carolina
    Nice work.
     
  9. hikerduane

    hikerduane Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2010
    Messages:
    9,742
    Location:
    Plumas County, CA
    Very nice work. Us gram wienie backpackers would love more gear of ti.
    Duane
     
  10. snwcmpr

    snwcmpr SotM Winner Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2011
    Messages:
    20,086
    Location:
    North Carolina
    I wonder if the Ti is lighter than the original Al pot holder.
     
  11. bem1965 Sweden

    Offline
    Joined:
    May 1, 2012
    Messages:
    306
    Location:
    Sweden
    @AngryDaddyBird
    That is great work!
    I feel pretty proud of my own work at making a pot handle for an Svea 123.......... After this I might try for a Mark II that is less crude!

    /Lars
     
  12. ulysses

    ulysses Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2008
    Messages:
    1,578
    Location:
    Manasquan, New Jersey USA
    Excellent job; turning scrap into something useful. Keep up the experimentation, and the great posts. The punch outs in your ti plate look like the bottom plate in Clikstand stoves.

    Paul
     
  13. ROBBO55

    ROBBO55 Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2014
    Messages:
    2,212
    Location:
    Somersby, New South Wales, Australia
    Nice work. :thumbup:
     
  14. IvanN

    IvanN United States Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2016
    Messages:
    2,739
    Location:
    N.E. Oregon
    Lovely!!
     
  15. Mark Layman

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2018
    Messages:
    423
    Location:
    USA West Virginia
    nicely crafted. Like a good micro brew.
     
  16. AngryDaddyBird Banned

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2018
    Messages:
    361
    Location:
    Home of the Evergreens
    Wow thanks to everyone for all the nice comments. It was a fast project. I’m sure if I spent more time on it I can gat it nice. I been thinking of polishing it or giving it a brush finish. But decided leave it and on the next one I’ll polish it.
    As for weight it’s a little lighter. If I cut holes or slots in it it will be a lot lighter.
    I was worried the gauge of Ti wouldn’t be strong enough but Ti is pretty stiff and springy so is more than stif enough for this.
     
  17. AngryDaddyBird Banned

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2018
    Messages:
    361
    Location:
    Home of the Evergreens
    The scrap Ti is what’s left after cutting the pieces for the MSP (my survival pack) core 4 and core 3 bioreactor stoves.
    I’m a backpacking wood stove fan and did lots of testing for a couple companies. I got several videos showing the core stove
    Here..
     
  18. AngryDaddyBird Banned

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2018
    Messages:
    361
    Location:
    Home of the Evergreens
    If anyone’s interested I made a thread about me making a titanium flame plate for my 8r. Nothing fancy but it works.
    9D09A974-15C1-4663-BA0E-5F98FC34A80E.jpeg E34627A3-B20E-44CD-9BCD-942990B726E2.jpeg 57F06795-423F-4DB3-8478-FFB6FEB6D196.jpeg 5B5BA8EF-C22C-42A2-B869-C5BE08C584DB.jpeg 3CE5EA07-D03A-430A-AD8A-108D7E49C763.jpeg 8C315510-6079-4B62-90AE-9AE7B084E605.jpeg FBB76845-6F38-478B-BF60-CF33DDD38F37.jpeg
     
  19. Simes

    Simes R.I.P.

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2004
    Messages:
    4,539
    Location:
    I'm on the way....
    Nice work, I suspect you will be getting enquiries for more.
     
  20. AngryDaddyBird Banned

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2018
    Messages:
    361
    Location:
    Home of the Evergreens
    Thanks. I think it works ok so far but it’s nothing super nice or fancy. As long as it works I’m ok. I finally get to use my 8r. Don’t know why I didn’t try making one sooner.