I have a bit of free time to fill this weekend, so figured I'd build a windscreen or hut for my kettles along the lines of a few options I've seen some members post here. Better to have it ready than to wish I had time to build one later.
I have a few questions I can't seem to find answers for though:
1) what is the minimum clearance from the Kettle exterior I should keep for safety? 2 inches? 4 inches? More?
2) Is a 2 or 3-sided wind screen sufficient, or should I build a complete whole box/hut? I have enough spare plywood and lumber, and probably enough hardware (other than a few strap hinges), but I'm wondering if a fully enclosed hut provides significant benefit? I've read that wind is more punishing than the cold temps, but wind here usually blows snow with it. I suppose a collapsing screen would be easier to store. Hut would keep that white stuff off my toys though.
3) If hut is the way to go, is reflectix beneficial on the inside and outside? I don't mind buying it.
Note, it gets pretty cold where I live (highs 23 F, lows -30 F) from December to late March and according to this site we had almost 400 cm (around 12 ft!) of snow (though probably only 3-4 ft accumulated at a time). Man alive, I forgot how much that sucked.
This guy doesn't seem to mind it.