MKT 90 FIELD KITCHEN finds a Sucker to take her home!!!!

[61sleepercab]

I have been watching the GL auctions and first fell in love with Sandy the M925 who has become the talk of the town. You bought what?? I want to do a display with her for events, car shows etc,

I am a self taught chilli cook and have read all I could find on the field kitchens and started watching the auctions.

Well the stars aligned and I became the proud owner of a MKT 90 field kitchen Event #11898 Lot #5237 sitting at the Indianapolis, Indiana lot. She seems to have good canvas and most of the tent poles but no ovens or burners to be seen .I would like to preview but the 350 mile trip would eat into the bidding pile. I have the TMs online and have read them.I have a couple of questions. I want to be able to display the unit and maybe cook some BBQ and chilli for church,4H,etc.

1.Has any one made a mobile sink that could roll out to sit on the gang way and roll back in the center bay when not used?

2. Has any one converted to propane burners ? Did they work OK? Remember I have no MBUs at all? I do not want to do a butcher job on the trailer if some one later after me wants an original unit. I will try to attach pictures from the auction.

 

[25thIDAirAssault]

I know someone on here has converted to propane? Not sure how it turned out, did not follow thread. I have seen wet sinks, for field use but I think they my be medical gear? Good luck with your trailer.

John

 

[tobyS]

Doesn't this have a water tank that mounts to the top? I thought I saw one on the GL sale video...but may be mistaken.

I thought about buying one too but nearly made a (big) mistake at another site and lost track of the Indy sale.

I made a portable cooker out of a 1200# iron casting flask, putting it on a dually rear end. Wood (and LP to start) fired. Incredible for cooking but now have to finish the rest of it (mounting 3 bay sink before building top part).

Perhaps a steam table for your rig?

 

[61sleepercab]

I have to get her home to see what is left to work with. If I ever cooked for pay I will have to see what will pass inspection as far as sinks and sanitation.
I may have invested in a 6000 pound hot dog grill? I also have a dual wheel trailer under a generator set that I was looking to lengthen out to carry a bbq smoker and grill with some burners for pots.
I see that I have good looking canvas which is a good start. I can't cut the mustard on new canvas cost. I am leaning toward propane burners $20.00 each versus $200.00 for MBU. I have to check locally whether you can cook over diesel . I know chili cooks use Coleman gas or propane stoves at the contests.

I have seen SOS instructions on the web so I am encouraged. Thanks for the info. Mark

 

[Aswayze]

We have a couple of MKTs that we use for East Wind. You can see pictures of them in our photo albums here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28248345@N08/collections/ just look at any East Wind from East Wind 2 forward and select NATO.

We use ours with the MBU burners. When you don’t have burners and you are looking at them sight unseen, they seem menacing but in reality, they are wonderful units that quite easy to use, provide a very economical burner and decent heat control. We power ours with the original power converter but the truth of it is, they are nothing special, you can make them run off of just about any decent 24 volt power source. The'll huff and puff for a second the first time you start them but once you have them in operation, you'd never know they are diesel, they burn very clean.

Ranges are darn near free, it’s the pots that kill you. You’ll need pots regardless so you might as well scoop up the next $35 M59 range you spot.

You’ll really find the hammer head pot and lid to be quite useful, that’s the go to one for a lot of cookin on the MKT plus it pulls duty as a steam table with the mermite insert holder on it or the full pan insert.

The grills are great but often take a bit of work to get cleaned up initially, take the time and work at it if yours comes to you looking icky, they are worth the effort.

The MKT itself has no on board cleaning systems. We usually just set up an wash, rinse, sanitize set up externally but this last year we scooped up a second MKT that was already stripped out that we instead converted to a field sanitation trailer and linked to the cooking MKT so as to provide a wash station that was on the same level as the trailer.

For sinks, we prefer to land the KCLFF t-ration cookers. They make WONDERFUL sinks and are easy to heat water in since they have an MBU slot in the bottom. We’ve got two now in addition to a two compartment field sink that we’ll be getting rid of once we find one more of the KCLFF units.

 

[SCSG-G4]

Sinks is why I converted an entire MKT into a Field Sanitary Trailer (a mobile FSC). Green_Gator has done the propane conversion, and Cgarbee says there are instructions on the seabee cook web site. Only negative about propane is going through tunnels - tunnel operators frown on propane in case of a wreck. Look at my thread "MKT Thumb drive" to see if you have all the reading material you will need. The current contents is about twice the size in GB as what is described there, but it includes radios, 5 ton trucks, and some other related items now. I've had some canvas pieces custom made by Ehmke manufacturing of Philadelphia (they have all the military MKT patterns to cut from), but it's not cheap (govt price plus 20-30 percent) so look for surplus stuff first. PM me if you have more questions.

 

[tobyS]

I would think a water system and sink should be mounted rather securely and tanks plumbed. Do you know a stainless steel fab shop? Will you have water/sewer hookups when available? Or tank(s)?

 

[SCSG-G4]

There is a small sink in the MKT, right under the cutting board, it just does not have a drain and will only hold five gallons max. My sinks are US GI and each one is a separate unit (wash -105 F, rinse - 125-140 F, sterilize - over 175 F) with the drains hooked together with rubber hoses flowing down into a grease trap and then carried off in a hose. At the GA Rally, we use about 50 gallons a day or less (depending on how well the pots, pans and utensils are cleaned/scraped out before they are washed). Takes about 15 gallons to get them eight inches deep, which is less than half full. There is a water hookup at the GA Rally, and I have another trailer with a 275 gallon IBC as a water trailer for emergencies. Others are free to do it differently.

 

[61sleepercab]

Thanks for the info you have provided. I had Bob R. pick up the trailer from the Indianapolis lot and he will check it out and see if there is a dead raccoon in this trailer like one that was sold. I never saw in the GL descriptions whether or not dead critter was included. Wonder if haz met team called????
He reports good canvas and nothing fell off on the way over to a storage lot. I can't wait to poke around and see what turns up.
Thanks for the info and encouragement. mark

 

[poppop]

Mike, SCSG-G4 is the MKT expert. Any info he gives you is correct and he will answer any questions you have. He knows all there is to know about MKT's.

 

[SCSG-G4]

Mike, SCSG-G4 is the MKT expert. Any info he gives you is correct and he will answer any questions you have. He knows all there is to know about MKT's.

Not quite, but I do seem to be the SME (Subject Matter Expert) here on SteelSoldiers! Thanks for the vote of confidence!

 

[thtrev2001]

We switched our intitial MKT over to propane a couple of years ago. We purchased it for our scout troop to use and I was a little apprehensive about our boys using pressurized diesel burners, so we made the switch. I spent about $400.00 plumbing the thing with valves, copper lines and burners, both "jet" burners and wide burners. We purchased a large propane tank to supply enough fuel. Our first "event" was a 4th of July celebration and we were tasked with cooking pancakes and bacon for about 100 people. We were so far behind 10 minutes after we got started. The propane just couldn't produce enough heat to keep all 8 feet of griddle hot enough, plus the hot spots directly above the burners, toasted a lot of bacon and pancakes. I went to Mkcoen for help and he educated me on the MBU's. We switched back and have been happy ever since. This is one case where the military engineering was spot on with the MBU's. they work great, are easy to maintain,clean and refueling is easy and quick.

 

[25thIDAirAssault]

We switched our intitial MKT over to propane a couple of years ago. We purchased it for our scout troop to use and I was a little apprehensive about our boys using pressurized diesel burners, so we made the switch. I spent about $400.00 plumbing the thing with valves, copper lines and burners, both "jet" burners and wide burners. We purchased a large propane tank to supply enough fuel. Our first "event" was a 4th of July celebration and we were tasked with cooking pancakes and bacon for about 100 people. We were so far behind 10 minutes after we got started. The propane just couldn't produce enough heat to keep all 8 feet of griddle hot enough, plus the hot spots directly above the burners, toasted a lot of bacon and pancakes. I went to Mckoen for help and he educated me on the MBU's. We switched back and have been happy ever since. This is one case where the military engineering was spot on with the MBU's. they work great, are easy to maintain,clean and refueling is easy and quick.

I totally agree, do as you wish, but the original equipment in the upgraded MKT's are awesome and so easy to use. The power converters work great and are reliable, as are the MBU's. The Version 3 equipment works best if you can get it, but the older MBU100's work great too, especially under the M-59 ranges, for cooking corn, potatoes, and boiling water, ect. If you really want to make nice pancakes and omlettes, get a 4" griddle, you will be amazed how nice it cooks. Good luck.

John

 

[61sleepercab]

I am going to open up the SOS/ hash wagon in a day or two and have a new digital camera to take pictures of what is still there. I looked over the TMs to see what is missing and got a Army recipe book dated 1944. First funny thing noticed was stuff measured in qt and 1.5 qt dippers and a GI canteen cup measure for small dabs of stuff. Mark

 

[wreckerman893]

I have had the pleasure of working with Mike since he first brought an MKT to the GA Rally (the exact year escapes me) and it has been a blast cooking for the rallies every year. Until he built the Sanitation Unit we washed dishes on the ground and mostly in the dark with cold water. We continue to improve every year. Many years ago I was the Ration Driver for my unit in Germany and we had to haul around tents and set up and tear down often when we were out in the field and it sucked. I learned a lot from an old school Mess Sergeant including how to make proper SOS. The MKT's are great and you will get a lot of good use out of it.

 

[KaiserM109]

... The propane just couldn't produce enough heat to keep all 8 feet of griddle hot enough, plus the hot spots directly above the burners, toasted a lot of bacon and pancakes. ...

I have an MKT-85 and converted one of my M1 gasoline burners over to propane and have gotten good results, equivalent to a good condition M1 burning gasoline. It will heat 5 gal. of water just as fast and the spread of the burner distributes the heat widely enough. I had to do 2 things to make it work, open up the orifice on the mixing valve and open up the burner holes. That is because propane has a lot less energy density than gasoline vapor and a lot more is needed to get enough heat out. I also used a 10PSI regulator, instead of the usual 3 PSI.

The Army switched to diesel for 2 reasons, no vehicles in current use by the Army use gasoline and gasoline is very dangerous. I saw a field mess burn in Vietnam because of a mishandled gasoline burner.

Judging from the pictures you posted, you do not have burners. SCSG-G4 is the guy to talk to to locate a burner set, but I am sure that it will be very expensive. Probably the easiest way to use propane is to get some commercial burners that will put out enough heat to do the job and run a distribution line to the 6 burners (if you use all of them).

My “project” is packed up in storage, but I will try to post some pictures.

I hope you make good use of your MKT-90. My son and I can set our 85 up in about 45 minutes and take it down (properly) in about the same amount of time. CAREFUL backing it up, it is easy to jackknife and, if you are not careful, you will cut your air lines or electrical cable between the truck and trailer. I also have 2 M105 trailers and between the 3, I have cut both. You have to have a good spotter when backing up.

 

[61sleepercab]

Thanks for the info on the MKT trailers uses and history. I had a neighbor who was a retired Air Force baker who told the tale of being in the field as a green cook and asking the Mess officer "Hey what does it mean when the oven burner dial is in the red?" The Mess officer never answered and started running away from the tent and my neighbor fell in step in the same direction!!!!!!! He never said what else happened next, but he lived to tell the tale. I will post pictures when I can get to open the box of goodies. Mark

 

[andy3]

I am in love with these trailers. I have to get one for personal use and for my Scouts!

 

[oldgoatfarmer1361]

hello I have some old kitchen gear the burner /Gas and some oven stuff just have to find it.

 

[61sleepercab]

You may be like me, cut some weeds and find a car ............my wife was backing up to park and found where I had placed a Red B Model Mack with her front fender. No harm to the Mack but the Lumina fender was toast. Hey see what you find and give me a shout. Mark