[Sca-cooks] flame-resistant mats

[Stefan li Rous]

Kiri said in talking about a camp stove she is thinking about:
<<< The way we're planning to use this
one is to take along a couple of collapsible saw horses, then put a  
piece of
plywood with a flame-resistant mat on it...so we won't be using table
space. >>>

Where would one find one of these "flame-resistant mats'? Home Depot?  
Discount store?

I teach a hands-on pewter casting class at different events. Some of  
you have likely taken it at Gulf Wars, Pennsic or in Ansteorra. I use  
a small, electric melting pot to melt the pewter in. Years ago the  
little metal stand that came with it lost its insulating legs and it  
also rusted into uselessness. I am often teaching on top of wooden or  
plastic tables provided by someone else. To prevent the heat from the  
melting pot or spilled pewter from damaging the table I usually put  
down a piece of plywood and use a sheet of aluminum on top of that.  
The spilled pewter is less likely to stick to the aluminum than the  
plywood, which makes it easier to pick it up and drop it into the  
melting pot to re-melt. My next improvement is likely to be replacing  
the sheet of aluminum with a steel sheet with upturned sides or a  
sided baking sheet so the molten aluminum doesn't flow off the edge.  
I've also had a problem with some of my sheets of aluminum warping  
and wrinkling because of the heat.

Anyway, I still have a concern about possibly burning or melting the  
table through the plywood and I'm wondering if one of these 'flame- 
resistant' mats might be a good replacement for or addition to the  
plywood/metal sandwich.

Thanks,
   Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
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