Thread: Show us your.... Arken Flarken.

just to re-state the obvious-- Babs,,

Originally Posted by bacicat

Or whatever you call your portable camp fire. Finally got around to making one up after seeing a couple in action at Glenreagh last year. It is an old 9Kg gas bottle with the top lopped off and a few holes drilled in it. The top is then used as a base.

I've already thought of a few mods and accessories that would improve it - like a grill plate and a handle for moving it when hot.

So, what have you made and what have you done to it to make it better?

The vent slots in mine are big enough so that I can slide the crank handle through to move it around while it is hot. I also have a woven wire mesh grill on the top. (approx 20mm mesh) Sorry Pedro, no pics.

Cheers, Mick.

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

just to re-state the obvious-- Babs,,

There is a pic - is it not working for you? I can see it.

No pic showing at this end.

It's working for me.

We have a couple of these little animals although ours is actually called a "garten schlafen offen" which came about from the fact that when I manufactured our first one we had a young East German couple staying with us and they asked "What is it?"
I told them that it was a fireplace to cook on when we went camping.
They didn't really comprehend camping so came up with the name "Garten Schlafen" which translates to sleeping in the garden or outdoors, and "offen" meaning "oven".
Since then various people have come up with different names and the name "Arken Flarken" relates to the one belonging to Tim and Wellie.
Our first one was made out of a 20lb (9kg) bottle but the one we use more often and is the handier of the two is made from a 4.5kg bottle. It was all red at first but I think because of the lack of density of the steel out of which this bottle is made and the amount of heat absorbed because of this fact means that engine paint couldn't stand the heat so obviously got out of the kitchen!
The inner firebox floor is stainless steel mesh, whereas the top cooking mesh is a stock standard trivet from your favourite camping store.
A crude swing away handle has been fashioned out of a bit of smallish booker rod and a wooden handle and this fits through the cooking plate with a nut and washer on both sides.
The handle is simply a light metal chain that is long enough to firstly, not get too hot, and secondly to allow the whole caboodle to be moved even when in use (with care).
We have a wok and a frypan that coincidentally fit perfectly in the top of the device when the top cap is not fitted.






Most people laugh when I bring out my Black and Decker battery operated chain saw, but I find it very handy for cutting wood down to a size that fits the Garten Sclafen Offen.
My wife Patsy also has a device which happens to be pink in colour which is very handy for removing hot things off the oven when it is use, but I will leave that for others to explain.
Regards
Glen

Ok, here's another pic. Hope this one works for everyone.

Thanks Glen, a couple a good ideas I'll be stealing off you.