Before using your Brasslite TrailBaker please be sure to completely read the disclaimer, warranty and instructions described below. By using the TrailBaker, you agree to the terms of the disclaimer and warranty. Following the procedures outlined in the instructions is necessary for safe operation.

DISCLAIMER

Backpacking and camping involve serious potential dangers such as (but not limited to) injury, death, impairment of one's self or others, damage or destruction of property, and emotional trauma. All backpacking stoves (and stove accessories) create a potentially hazardous condition for the user. Seller assumes no responsibility for the condition and operation of this stove accessory by Buyer. Buyer assumes all responsibility for the use of this stove accessory. Buyer assumes all risk of loss and injury and warrants that he or she will defend, indemnify and hold Seller harmless. Buyer represents that no reliance is made upon any act or conduct of the Seller.

NOTICE: The TrailBaker is compatible with Brasslite Turbo model stoves and butane/propane cartridge stoves. It is not compatible with other Brasslite models (Micro, Solo, Duo), any model of white gas stove or wood stove! It cannot be used with a teflon-coated pot. Using the TrailBaker with a teflon-coated pot will ruin the pot. The TrailBaker pan insert will fit pots that have a diameter of 5.5 inches (14 cm) or more. A 6 inch (15 cm) diameter pot is optimal. Using the TrailBaker with an inappropriate stove may result in damage to your cook pot and the TrailBaker thermometer, as well as potentially creating a hazardous fire condition. If procedures outlined in these instructions are followed carefully, the TrailBaker will not cause damage.

Using the TrailBaker with your cook pot will definitely cause the bottom of your cook pot to become discolored due to the elevated heat exposure the pot receives from using it (400-500 F). Titanium pots acquire blotchy, colored area(s) that are typical of exposing titanium to heat treatments. Aluminum and stainless steel pots acquire a tan, brownish stain or a stain of another color depending on the alloy composition. Cosmetic blemishing is a normal consequence of using the TrailBaker, and it will not affect the performance or physical structure of the cook pot. If cosmetic blemishing is not acceptable, then the TrailBaker is not recommended for you. Brasslite assumes no responsibility for the appearance of your cook pot as a result of using the TrailBaker.

WARNING: DO NOT use the TrailBaker unless you are able to constantly pay attention during its use. The TrailBaker requires frequent monitoring and adjustment during baking. "Monitoring" is defined as checking the condition of the device regularly as needed to maintain safe operation. "Adjustment" is defined as making changes to the position of the cook pot, windscreen and/or level of flame of the stove during the course of baking as needed to maintain safe operation. Removing the pot from the stove temporarily may also be necessary during baking if the flame of the stove increases due to heat elevation of the stove body.

LIMITED WARRANTY

This TrailBaker stove accessory is warranted to function properly under normal use for as long as the original buyer owns it. Normal use is defined as use according to the explicit directions contained herein. If any of the parts fail during normal use, Brasslite agrees to pay the cost of return shipping charges and provide a new TrailBaker at no additional charge. Damage resulting from overheating or otherwise violating the operational procedures listed in these instructions is not covered under this warranty. The thermometer is a sensitive instrument and Brasslite has gone to great lengths to find a rugged, trail-worthy model. However, it will not continue to function if abused. The thermometer may stop working if dropped or overheated beyond the limits of temperature listed on the dial. Brasslite will replace any thermometer that fails during normal use by the original owner. Thermometers must be returned for inspection and consideration of the circumstances preceding the failure. In the event that a return is accepted, the postage paid by Buyer to ship the thermometer to Brasslite will be refunded. Decisions made by Brasslite regarding returns are final.

Important note about using the windscreen with the TrailBaker: The windscreen is the primary tool to adjust and maintain consistent temperature of the cook pot. It's recommended that there be a minimum distance of one inch (2.5 cm) between the edge of the pot and the windscreen. Depending on air temperature and wind conditions, closing the windscreen closer than this minimum distance may cause the stove body to heat up and the flame to increase, resulting in a cook pot temperature that is unacceptably high. In order to have a windscreen that will maintain enough opening and still have ends that overlap, it may be necessary to make a new, longer windscreen than you've used with your stove up until now. Use the instructions provided with your Brasslite Turbo stove to make a longer windscreen if needed. If you've misplaced your instructions and are not sure how to make another windscreen, visit the Brasslite web site (listed at the end of the instructions) to obtain a new copy.

Preparing the TrailBaker for Use

Note: These steps are necessarily done by you (the customer) because not all cook pots are the same size. This baking system has been designed to accommodate many brands and sizes of cook pots.

The following materials are required to prepare your TrailBaker for first-time use: 12 inch wide heavy duty aluminum foil OR aluminum oven liner (available from most large grocery stores), felt tip marker, scissors, ruler, scotch tape, nipping pliers (for cutting the chain. The nipping part of an inexpensive pair of needle nose pliers is sufficient. It's possible to use scissors to cut the chain if you don't have access to nipping pliers, but be warned that this may damage your scissors, depending on the quality of the blade metal).

When you open the TrailBaker box, please locate the following items: TrailBaker pan (round pan, with four attached chains and clips), TrailBaker thermometer, small bag containing 4 bead retainers, index card, these instructions.

Preparing a lid for your cook pot

Note: The permanent lid of your cook pot will not seat due to interference by the TrailBaker clips. Using the Trailbaker requires that you make a temporary lid for your cook pot. Several support/pan removal designs were tried and this is the lightest version. When planning to use the TrailBaker on trips you may choose to leave the permanent lid of your cook pot behind to save weight.

1) If aluminum foil is used, unroll a piece that is about 20 inches long (50 cm). Fold the foil in half and smooth flat. If oven liner is used, cut a piece that is at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) bigger than the opening of the pot.
2) Lay the cook pot open side down in the center of the aluminum foil or oven liner. Trace around the top of the pot with the marker. If aluminum foil is used, cut a circle of foil that is 1 inch (2.5 cm) bigger than the traced circle. Fold the edge of the foil 0.25 inch (0.5 cm) twice to prevent the layers from separating. If oven liner is used, cut the circle 0.5inch (1.25 cm) bigger than the traced circle.
3) Center the aluminum disc on top of the pot and fold the edge down to make a lid for the cook pot. While the temporary lid is attached to the cook pot, pierce the lid with the thermometer point down, approximately 0.5 "(1.25 cm) from the edge of the pot. During baking, the point of the thermometer rests on the bottom of the pot, with the dial facing up.

Preparing the TrailBaker pan

The TrailBaker pan comes with 4 inch (10 cm) lengths of beaded stainless steel chain and clips already attached. This length is much more than is needed. The chain lengths must be shortened to fit your particular cook pot. This is accomplished by doing the following:

1) Using the enclosed index card and your ruler, measure a 1inch high (2.5 cm) rectangle along the length of the card. Cut along the line to obtain a piece that is 1"x 5" (2.5 x 12.5 cm). Bend this piece lengthwise to form a cylinder, overlapping the ends by about 0.25" (0.5 cm). Tape the cylinder closed with a piece of scotch tape. The cylinder should be 1" (2.5 cm) high and about 1.5"
(3.75 cm) in diameter. This cylinder will be used as a temporary support to hold the pan at the correct height above the bottom of the pot, while the chains are being adjusted to their proper length.

2) Place the card cylinder edge up inside the center bottom of your cook pot. Make sure the chains are inside the pan. Lower the pan into the cook pot so that it rests on this paper cylinder. Try to make sure that there is even space between the walls of the pot and the edges of the pan. The idea is to have it centered.

3) Stabilize the pan with one hand and with the other hand lift up the clips and hook them over the edge of the cook pot. Use your fingers to feed that chain back into its hole towards the bottom of the pot until the chain shows no slack. Keep the chains lined up straight with their holes, not angling away from the holes on the pan.

4) Count the number of beads showing in-between the lip of the pan and the end of the clips. All four chains should have the same number of beads showing. Add one to this number, and you'll have the correct number of beads you need for your pot. Remove the pan from the cook pot, and take the paper cylinder out. Don't discard the cylinder; store it in the box in case you need it later.

5) Grasp the clip and gently wiggle each chain out of its hole until it's fully extended. Starting with the bead at the end of the clip, count the number of beads you recorded in step 3. Using the nipping pliers, cut each chain at the link after the bead number you recorded. Each chain section should be the same length, with the same number of beads. The sections of chain you cut off will be longer than the sections attached to the clips. DO NOT discard these pieces. They can be used later if one of the chains breaks for some reason. Store the chain pieces in the small baggie that contained the bead retainers.

6) Place the pan on a table. Feed a section of chain that has the clip attached back through one of the holes in the pan, from the top down. Snap a bead retainer from the supplied baggie onto the underside end of the chain. Repeat for the other 3 chains.

7) Test the pan in the cook pot. Grasp two opposite chains by their clips, lift the pan and lower it into the cook pot. Attach the clips to the edge of the cook pot. Now attach the other two clips. If you cut the chains evenly, the pan should be hanging level inside the pot, with the same space between the pan and bottom as what was taken up by the paper cylinder. Test the lid on the pot, and insert the thermometer back into the hole you created in step 4 of preparing the lid. The thermometer slides in-between the pan and the walls of the pot, with the point of the thermometer resting on the pot bottom. You are now finished preparing the pan.

Baking with the TrailBaker

Now that the preparation phase is finished, the fun part begins: Prepare your favorite baking recipe. You may wish to try the recipes included at the end of these instructions, as a start. Except for modifying the quantity, the TrailBaker will bake almost any recipe that you'd normally bake in a regular oven, without modifying the proportion of ingredients.

1) Grease the pan with oil, and place the mixture you intend to bake into the pan. Grasp the edge of the pan and lower it into the cook pot. While holding the pan's edge about level with the top of the pot, attach the clips over the edge of the cook pot, and then gently release your grip on the pan. Place the lid onto the pot, snug it around the opening and insert the thermometer into the hole.

2) You will get approximately 20 minutes of baking time out of an ounce of alcohol. Following the directions that came with your Turbo stove, dispense 1 oz (30 ml) into the stove (more may be added if you are using a Turbo II or Turbo II-D and you know you'll need to bake longer than 20 minutes). Place your Turbo stove on a level, safe cooking surface. Prepare to cook with the stove as you would in cold weather. That means you're going to add 2 ml of alcohol to the pre-heat pan.

3) Place your prepared cook pot on top of the stove. Light the preheat fuel, and position the windscreen.

4) Carefully watch the thermometer. When the temperature hits 250 degrees on the thermometer (the end of the thermometer's "blue zone"), firmly grasp the handles of the cook pot with one hand and apply gentle downward pressure to hold the stove in place. Immediately close the ports of the stove, and continue to watch the thermometer. If the temperature exceeds 450 degrees, lift the pot away from the stove and allow it to cool to the desired baking temperature. The flame of the stove will lower, due to the fact that the reflected heat coming from the pot has been taken away. Return the pot to the stove and continue to monitor the temperature.

Regulating the heat…Learning to dance

This section is titled as such because using this accessory is a lot like learning to dance. It gets better and easier the more you practice, and you never stand still. As mentioned above, this is not a "set it and forget it" device. If you want your recipe to turn out right, you MUST pay attention to what is happening. Once the pre-heat fuel has been lit, the thermometer will rise rapidly as the pre-heat fuel transfers its heat into the cook pot and the stove fires up. Once the ports are closed the flame will gradually adjust itself to the standard simmer flame. At most, the flame should just be touching the bottom of the pot. Regulation of the temperature is achieved by a combination of opening and closing the windscreen as needed, and if necessary, lifting the pot to allow the flame to settle down if too much heat is reflected back into the stove.

1) The average temperature for most baking recipes is within the range of 350 F - 450 F (177C - 232 C). The minimum cook pot temperature the TrailBaker will create will vary greatly depending on the size and composition of your cook pot, and the environmental conditions. It's highly recommended that you experiment with your TrailBaker at home before attempting to use it in the field.

2) The windscreen must be adjusted closer or further away from the stove/cook pot in order to retain more/less heat under the cook pot and around the stove body. If the stove body becomes heated too much, the flame will increase and the temperature will rise. It's possible for the heat to rise above the limits of the thermometer. If the temperature rises beyond the baking range, immediately remove the pot from the stove and keep it off until the thermometer drops to within the baking range. Return the pot to the stove and continue monitoring the thermometer. Adjust the windscreen as needed to maintain desired temperature. In the event that overheating occurs, failure to remove the pot from the stove may damage the thermometer and burn your recipe.

Your questions, suggestions and comments are always welcome. Feel free to email me and I will respond as quickly as possible. If you enjoy your Brasslite TrailBaker and think it's a good product, please be sure to recommend it to your hiking comrades, and post your opinions on the Yahoo group "Backpackinglight". If you feel really enthusiastic about your TrailBaker, please consider taking the time to post an owner review on the Backpack Gear Test Web Site (www.backpackgeartest.org).

Thanks for your purchase, and happy trails!

Aaron Rosenbloom
www.brasslite.com
Email: aaron@brasslite.com

Two Recipes Developed Especially For The TrailBaker

Quick Cornbread (Two TrailBaker Pan-Size Muffins)

1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
corn or canola oil carried in small bottle (minimum of 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon carried for recipe).

Combine all dry ingredients in a zipper-type plastic baggie. In camp, add 2 tablespoons of oil to the baggie, close the baggie and work the oil into the mixture by gently kneading the baggie. Open the baggie and add about 1/2 cup of water. Again close the baggie and knead gently. Add water in small increments as needed and repeat the kneading process until the mixture resembles the consistency of cooked cream of wheat or grits. Liberally grease the TrailBaker pan with oil and spoon 1/2 of the mixture into the pan. Prepare the TrailBaker pan for baking according to directions and bake the mixture at about 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Avoid lifting the lid of the pot to check progress. At the 20 minute mark, check the bread. If there's a golden brown color on top, it's probably done. Remove the pot from the stove and allow the pot to cool before attempting to lift out the TrailBaker pan. Depending on the air temperature, this will usually not take more than 5 minutes. If you greased the pan properly, it should come out clean from the pan with gentle lifting from a spoon.

Spice Cake (Two TrailBaker Pan-Size Cakes)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour or buckwheat flour
2 tablespoons white flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of powdered cloves
pinch of salt
corn or canola oil carried in small bottle (minimum of 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon carried for recipe).
Optional: small handful of dried fruit, finely chopped.

Combine all dry ingredients in a zipper-type plastic baggie. In camp, add 3 tablespoons of oil to the baggie, close the baggie and work the oil into the mixture by gently kneading the baggie. Open the baggie and add about 1/3 cup of water. Again close the baggie and knead gently. Add water in small increments as needed and repeat the kneading process until the mixture resembles the consistency of cooked cream of wheat or grits. Liberally grease the TrailBaker pan with oil and spoon 1/2 of the mixture into the pan. Prepare the TrailBaker pan for baking according to directions and bake the mixture at about 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Avoid lifting the lid of the pot to check progress. At the 20 minute mark, check the cake. If there's a golden brown color on top, it's probably done. Remove the pot from the stove and allow the pot to cool before attempting to lift out the TrailBaker pan. Depending on the air temperature, this will usually not take more than 5 minutes. If you greased the pan properly, it should come out clean from the pan with gentle lifting from a spoon.

© 2008 Brasslite, LLC