E veryone is more or less famil¬ 
iar with this handy little device 
and it can be easily made at home. 
The size of the baker depends 
upon the size of the baking pan and 
should be made accordingly; the illus¬ 
tration will show a size suitable for one 
man, which will hold two frying pans 
and will bake biscuits or anything else. 
Aluminum or tin may be used to make 
it, the former is the best, and the weight 
when completed is one and a half 
pounds. It fits nicely in the pack sack. 
The chief requisite is to keep the inside 
bright if successful baking is expected, 
therefore, to protect the bright surfaces 
it should be constructed in such a man¬ 
ner that these will be inside when folded. 
The illustration shows the inside or 
bright surface on top, and this must be 
kept in mind at all times when laying it 
out. To close it, fold over the points 
L, M, N and O on top of P and O, then 
bring together the two parts P and O, 
this will make a package 14^ inches by 
9% inches and 5/16 inch thick. 
The only tools required are a tin 
shears, hammer (a wooden mallet is bet¬ 
ter), pliers (with wire-cutting attach¬ 
ments if possible) and a file to remove 
the burrs from the edges of the metal 
and holes. An ice-pick may be used to 
prick the holes. Procure some galvan¬ 
ized iron wire not over ]/% inch thick, 
and sufficient sheet aluminum of a little 
under 1/32 inch thick. 
There will be required one each of 
the following: L, M, N and O, of which 
all are alike, except that U and S are 
the same on L and N and T, also sec¬ 
tion A A is the same on M and O; one 
each of P and O is also required, and 
both are identical, except the hinge 
notches at V and W which are varied 
to fit into one another. All hinge notches 
as indicated at B or V-W and all others 
not specifically lettered must be bent up¬ 
ward and over as indicated at C, that is, 
. they must all point in one direction when 
assuming that the pieces are laid as 
shown in the illustration; the pieces as 
shown at L, M, N, O, P, O represent 
the way they will look after being cut 
out and lugs put on. When ready for 
bending the hinge lugs, the wire at K 
will serve as a hinge pin and a support 
at the back end as shown at J. The one 
end" of K cannot be bent to shape until 
it has been placed in its respective posi¬ 
tion. The pointed end is placed on a 
small flat rock or twig to prevent its 
sinking into the ground; for all other 
E are depending upon the friends 
and, admirers of our old corre¬ 
spondent Nessmuk to make this de¬ 
partment worthy of his name. No man 
knew the woods better than Nessmuk 
or wrote of them with quainter charm. 
Many of his practical ideas on camp¬ 
ing and “going light ” have been adopted 
by the United Stales Army; his canoe 
has been preserved in the Smithsonian 
Institution; and we hope that all good 
woodsmen will contribute to this de¬ 
partment their Hints and Kinks and 
Trail-tested Contrivances. — [Editor.] 
hinge pins the detail at R is used; all 
notches for hinge lugs in this case are 
cut 13/32 inch deep, just enough to bend 
around the wires R and K. This is im¬ 
portant in order to get tight joints. 
The hole in the lug at S will come in 
line with the hole at T when the baker 
is set up, and the wire at E is then in¬ 
serted as shown at H and locks the oven 
so it will not fall apart when moved 
around. The notch at U provides clear¬ 
ance for F when it is in position as at G. 
This will keep sides intact and prevents 
them from bulging out or in. Inciden¬ 
tally the wires E and F serve as a sup¬ 
port for the baking pans, and these are 
the only loose parts. 
Sufficient margin should be allowed 
when laying out, to permit folding the 
edges as shown by dotted lines or at D. 
The piece shown at section A-A is riv¬ 
eted to the sides with small shingle nails; 
the nails must be heated red hot and 
allowed to cool slowly before they can 
be used as rivets; the edges of L and N 
fit in the recess at X when the baker is 
set up. 
A few brief suggestions on how to use 
the reflecting heater: A back log will be 
required to reflect the heat of the fire; 
rocks may be used in place of logs, or 
the fire may be built against a bank. 
Else only small, dry sticks, which can be 
broken with the hands, in order to fur¬ 
nish a quick hot blaze. Keep enough 
fuel on hand so you can devote your time 
to baking, as this will require close 
watching. If one end bakes faster than 
the other, the pans should be reversed. 
E T se a dish towel or gloves to handle the 
baker or pans to avoid burnt fingers, as 
it will get hot. 
To bake biscuits, put them in the baker 
and set only near enough to the fire to 
get a fair heat in order to let the bis¬ 
cuits raise, then move the baker up close 
to the fire and bake. The time required 
to bake biscuits depends on conditions. 
If there is no wind and the fire is good 
and hot it should not take over twenty 
minutes. To test them to see if they are 
done, insert a fork in them, and if no 
dough adheres they are ready for the 
table; this is better than trying to time 
them. 
'T'HERE are many dainties which can 
*■ be prepared in camp with these little 
bakers: To make a batch if biscuits for 
one man, use one half pint (one cup) of 
flour, sugar level teaspoonful, baking 
powder rounding teaspoonful, salt three- 
fourths teaspoonful, and one-half cup 
water; the baking powder, sugar, salt 
and flour should be mixed dry, to which 
is added three-fourths teaspoonful of 
lard or grease; then add water sufficient 
to make a stiff dough; do not put the 
hands in it, use a spoon. To roll out the 
dough take a long piece of oilcloth 18 
inches square, white preferable, and lay 
it over the baker when folded, sprinkle 
well with flour both on oilcloth and on 
top of the dough so it will not stick. 
EKe a peeled stick on a can to roll the 
dough; cut the biscuits of sufficient size 
to make two rows in each cook kit pan. 
I might mention that the oilcloth can be 
folded and packed inside the baker where 
it will keep clean. This little outfit is 
certainly worth the trouble to take along 
on your trips no matter whether it is for 
two days or two weeks. 
P. C. Kangiesek, Kansas. 
