Turkey Deep Fryer Windscreen

 My first 'ible!

Ok, so super low-tech solution here, but thought I would share. We live in the mountains of Wyoming and turkey frying in November can bit of a challenge with temps in the single digits and wind speeds in the 20-40 mph range. This wreaks havoc on the fryer's heat retention. A windscreen keeps heat in, saves fuel and cuts down on cooking time, if you're into that sort of thing like me. If you are cooking a lot of birds, this can make a huge difference, and lead to less tank changes. 

I was inspired to try and build a windscreen from the use of this technique with small backpacking stove, such the MSR Whisperlite (much respect yo). I tried a method last year using some aluminum foil, wrapped around some cardboard and HVAC foil tape. It was very effective, but left lots of room for improvement. The cardboard actually did not burn, surprisingly, but the HVAC tape kinda melted. This new design will be a huge upgrade IMHO. The biggest thing is to make sure you allow enough air in to keep the flame going. There are probably lots of ways to achieve the end goal but this will hopefully work nicely, with the bonus of being reusable for many years of turkey frying.

What you'll need:

3 Pieces of 24" (long) x 4" (diameter) HVAC ducts (these are the round chimney-like ducts sold in sheet metal sections.)
Wire - 2 pieces about 1.5 feet long
Hole Punch
Sharpie
Gloves

The HVAC sheets should have a hook and loop or tongue and groove coupling along the edge. We are going to exploit this feature to attach the 3 pieces in to one long piece.These sheets are available at just about any hardware store. Mine were leftover from a remodel at my house so I have no idea what they cost. You may be able to find these in a metal recycling bin at your recycling center. 

DISCLAIMER: Sheet metal edges are EXTREMELY sharp. WEAR GLOVES and protective clothing. No flip flops or short sleeves

1) Attach 3 pieces of metal together, leaving the last 2 edges open. This will require a bit of cleverness. You can slide the grooves together lengthwise, or try and and start at one end and push the seams together.
2) You should now have a single piece of flat sheet metal that is about 36" x 24." Using your sharpie, measure down from the top and bottom edges along your groove/hook edges 6 or 8 inches and about an inch in from the groove. Mark 4 spots for your holes that line up on either edge.
3) Using your hole punch, make 4 holes. 
4) Thread your wire through the holes and twist together.
5) Tie it in a tube shaped enclosure around the burner and turkey pot.

See the photos for how to attach screen to the fryer. When you are not using the screen, you can roll it up tightly in a tube, keeping its nice round shape intact for next time! Note that the bucket was just used as a temporary stand. Screen will actually sit an inch or two out from the sides of the pot once the burner is in place underneath.

These photos should give you everything you need to get going. I'll update the post in a few days with pics from turkey fryer central HQ. You can see there is a gap in the screen. This will hopefully provide the necessary space for air to flow to the flame, otherwise you're "Like a Candle in the Wind" - Elton John. 

Enjoy!