Cook pot cozy suggestions needed

I'm thinking about trying a cooking cozy, but I have a question or two. First off, My pot has the swing out handles, so I dont know if i should try to notch the foam to let them stick out, or plan to set the pot down, fold the handles in, and then slide the cozy over the top like putting a hat on it. Secondly I have no idea about the heat resistance of the foam from a sleeping pad, so I'm not sure if i can use a bottom or not, or if I should give time for the pot to cool before using the cozy.

I can't help a lot, but I recently ordered a set of cozies from AntigravityGear for my Titan Kettle and cup, both of which have fold-out handles. They simply notched the cozy for the handle; you hold the handles while you slide the pot down into the cozy. They also include lids, which simply sit on top of the lid; they are "locked" into place by the fact that the cozy is about half an inch taller than the pot; the cozy lid pushes down into that space, and is held in place by the friction of the side of the cozy.

James make the cozy slightly larger diameter than pot with handles folded . Yes use a bottom in cozy. Glue together with agood contact adhesive. Glue a layer of heavy aluiminum foil to inside of cozy prior to glueing seams! Make cozy a half inch or so taller than pot for foam lid! Its easy!

Learn from my mistakes, let the pot cool just a bit before you put the cozy on there. Melted plastic not good.

Thanks for the info everyone. I recently bought a blowgun, so I have picked up an extra of the cheap blue walmart pads to make target for it. I will be able to use some pieces from that one to experiment on the cozy with. However, I am also involved in a new house being built, and we're friends with the AC guy. I saw in his van, some stuff that looks alot like the stuff from the website Glenn mentioned. I may ask if I can have a piece or two of scrap of that to mess with too. We already have some of the metal foil tape, which I assume would be the best stuff to use with the metallic bubble wrap material.

I attempted to make a cozy out of the blue foam, and I made nothing but a mess. After I rolled it, the foil all puckered up and as a result, it ended up too small inside. In order to make it big around enough to work it would be pretty bulky, so I decided to try the windshield screen version this time (haven't had a chance to talk to the a/c guys). I'll see how this one goes. The foam also seems to be pretty weak at the main seam because of all the tension of the foam trying to straighten it self out, so I think the windshield screen version will be more stable.

I think the problem may be that I have one of the cheapest blue pads out there, and it is much harder/stiffer than some of the slightly more expensive ones. The softer blue pads would probably work much better than the one I have.

Maybe, but IMO, I really don't think the/a more expensive blue pad is going to give you better results than the cheap one - my guess is that it's still going to want to spring back to its flat form. After time, perhaps the material can be retrained to hold the form you want it to...

You'll have much better luck with the windshield screen.
Insulation may be hit or miss, depending on the quality of the screen, but it should hold a cozy form well enough.

I'll reiterate my Insulbright suggestion - it's light, washable and because it's a cloth-like material, will conform to any shape you want it to when it's packed.

Missed the insulbright. I've been using windshield reflectors for years.

Several "relief cuts" in the blue foam cylinder may end the tension that is trying to straighten the pad. If you still have the blue cozy, it might be worth a try. I'm thinking cuts on the inside, if from a saw blade, might allow room for the pad to close on itself and mostly fill the voids. Knife cuts on the outside shouldn't remove any significant amount of material and just allow the foam to stretch into a circle.

Good Luck!

CM

If it wasn't already too small, the inside cuts might work, but removing surface area from the inside would only make it smaller. I may still try that idea and use it for the smaller set of pots I have though. I'll be sure to put an update on here after I try it.

I'm not sure we are thinking along the same lines when you mention removing surface area. Relief cuts are intended to break tension. In the case of the foam pad, the cuts would be perpedicular to the flat face. If make with a knife, the cuts would not remove material. If make with a saw blade, a "kerf" the width of the blade would be removed, to the depth of the cut. The way I read your response, I took you to think I meant you should shave some of the pad's thickness away.

CM

No, I understand what you mean about the cuts. I was refering to the small amount of material removed from the kerf of the saw blade that would be lost at each cut. It would only be a tiny bit for each cut, but since it was already too tight, that tiny bit added up from the many cuts that would be required would most likely make it not fit at all. I will probably still go back and play around with the releif cut idea in the future just to see how it works out.

I finished up the windshield reflector cozy, and it works GREAT. I opted for the design of sittin the "lid" down on the ground, the pot on top with the handles folded shut, then the sit the cozy over the top of the pot. I cut a piece of blue foam to put under the "lid" to insulate it from the ground better. I found that with the windshield reflector material, there's really no cooling time required before sitting it right down on the material. I also cut my windscreen to be the same height as the inside of the cozy, so that it can be placed inside the cozy to protect it from being crushed in the pack. There is still room for the pot inside the cozy with the windscreen, and the stove and pot stand inside the pot, so the whole thing nests together well. I will be making a storage sack to keep it all together now that I'm settled on the design. Thanks for all the help everyone.

James,

Here's what's worked for me:
I made a blue foam cozy by first cutting the cylindrical piece that goes around the pot, then tying it together with fishing line. Kind of looks like sutures. I then cut the circular, bottom piece and super-glued it on (actually inside). Finally, I cut a small chunk out of the side for the handle. Works very well and has lasted me several years. Keeps the morning oatmeal warm for a long time. By the way, the pot handles fold against the foam cozy and the entire pot/handles fit inside. A snug piece can be added to fit over the lid if desired.

I have made two cozies out of blue foam from a pad I got at Target or maybe Sport Chalet-cost $10, if I remember right. I used the rest of the pad for pieces to set my stove on and for a seat pad for snow camping. You can see the pads in various pics I have posted in the winter camping forum a while back.

I used wet suit cement, which works better than hot glue, in my opinion. I made one for a thermos bottle and one for a pot. I just cut out a piece so the handles could swing out for the pot. Nothing fancy, no foil. Not as sophisticated as a manufactured one, but cheap and easily replaceable.

Here is the finish product, and how everything nests. I haven't weighed it all, but I had most of it together, and a couple extra windscreens I had just cut, and it was right under a pound.