A how to for a pilot cover for Big Buddy

[croixflats]

I just made this up tonight and it was prety easy. I show you what I did step by step with pictures and dimentions.

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First you will need a pair of tin snips, pencil and ruler and a small piece of sheet metal.

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Lets start: Cut a piece of sheet metal 4 1/2 inches long by 1 1/2 tall. use some sheet metal that is bendable by hand. thicker if you want but thinner is easier to work with.

Next measure in 1 1/4 on both sides and cut in center to the 1 1/4 mark

Fold in half the open it back up to form an L

Fold down sides

Cut the flanges in half that are sticking out then fold over

Bend tabs that are sticking out to a 90 degree thes are for mounting to big buddy

Punch/drill holes in top

Almost done! Now mount the gaurd to the Big Buddy dont go to far in just to the outside edge. I used screws just incase I need to remove it you could use rivets.

Put front grill on and wallaa your done!

[NCLaker]

That is pretty slick!! Why didn't Mr Heaters design this into their units .... seem like a no brainer given how frustrating it is to keep pilots lit or lighting them if their even the lightest breeze.

When is your mod device going to be available on the Outdoor Pro Store?

[gunmunky]

Great idea! I think I will have to try making one this weekend. Thanks for sharing.

[castmaster]

Great post! The only thing I'd maybe do different is to drill the holes before bending and its still flat. I a little easier to drill that way.

[jwhjr]

Great idea, thanks for posting the how-to.

[Sifty]

That is a great idea. I'm going to try to make one this weekend.

Sifty

[McGurk]

Pretty slick, I will be making one myself. Thanks for the writeup and pix.

[BartmanMN]

Cool, thanks

[NCLaker]

One question ... on real cold days, sometimes the built in ignitor does not want to work to get the pilot lit. So I resort to using a match. Can you still do this with the pilot cover in the way? If not, I would want to rig something that was easily removable if I need to light by hand. Thoughts?

[croixflats]

You are still able to use a match. What you could also do is cut a slot in the gaurd where the screw whole is so you can swing the guard out while the other screw holds it in place.

[castmaster]

Hey Croix could you post the pics again? I never got around to making one, was gonna give it try this weekend but looked up this post and pics have been deleted. Think I remember about what it looked like and should be able to get by with just the description but figured if it wasnt to much hassle to post it wouldnt hurt to ask!

[Bigtom]

I also wrapped a peice of tin foil around the wire mesh guard and that seems to be working just fine. Cheap and easy fix if your in a bind.

[Ed Carlson]

TIP: A trick I use and would like to share is to tuck the flap of the portable inside the shack and set the Buddy heater up against the shack outer wall an on top of the flap.

This protects the pilot flame and the burner from back drafts, up drafts, and drafts from the beneath the skirt and to the side. The weight of the Buddy holds the flap firmly in place. This makes for a very good all around draft guard and solves a couple of common Buddy draft issues.

This bottom barrier under the Buddy also lessens the chance of moisture, ice, and snow getting up into the heater that often may cause further difficulties.

I also set my Vexilar on the flap on the apposing side of the front or opposite side flap. This further secures the flap and forming a tight draft seal from the other direction.

I use this trick on my Frabill Frontier Hub Shack. It proves just as effective as it does with my Commando portable. The flap serves as a much better seal on the inside than the out in most conditions. By keeping the storm flap on the inside this also eliminates or greatly reduces the freezing in of the bottom storm flap to the ice in slushy fishing conditions.

[rusty rapala]

Ed, I read your tip on an earlier thread this year and folded the flaps to the inside of my Thermal Base Camp this year and it worked really well.

[Ed Carlson]

Ya it's a simple easy fix and works very well.

Simple things are my specialty.

LOL!