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Old 01-20-2021, 01:55 PM   #1
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
Default cauldrons

One of my players wants his character to own a couple of cauldrons. One of them would be 2 gallons in capacity; let's look at that one.

How much should it cost?

The Basic Set says that group basics, including a pot sufficient for 3-8 campers, costs $50.

High-Tech says that a group mess kit for 4 people, including a skillet, bowl, and pot, costs $15.

Low-Tech says that a metal box with capacity 1 gallon (probably comparable to the pots included in the above) costs $367; and LTC3 says an uncovered metal pot is 80% of the cost, or $294.

I don't think these are consistent; and the first two define sets of gear that *include* a cooking pot. Even if we assume the pots in the first two are only 1 gallon, that's still $92 per Low-Tech and LTC3.

Clarification is requested.
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Old 01-20-2021, 02:07 PM   #2
Fred Brackin
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Default Re: cauldrons

Quote:
Originally Posted by whswhs View Post
One of my players wants his character to own a couple of cauldrons. One of them would be 2 gallons in capacity; let's look at that one.

How much should it cost?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/King-Koo...911S/205105927

$60 and 52 cents for this one though it's probably the cheapest that Google could find when looking for "2 gallon cast iron pot".

Still it's a principle of the Universal Gurps $ and Average wealth changing by TL that the price of items doesn't change while the wealth of shoppers does.
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Old 01-20-2021, 02:24 PM   #3
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
Default Re: cauldrons

Checking the CPI inflation calculator, I find that $60 as of the December just past equates to $42.66 in 2004, which I believe is the reference for the GURPS $.
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Old 01-20-2021, 03:14 PM   #4
Dingle
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Ireland
Default Re: cauldrons

I think the difference is build quality and expected lifetime. I would expect basic camping gear or a mess kit lifetime to be measured in months. I would expect cauldron lifetimes to be measured in decades.

Think https://www.walmart.com/browse/home/...623679_8140341
($40 for a set)
VS
https://www.lecreuset.ie/en_IE/en_IE...size=28cm-l6-7
($400 for a 1.6 gallon pot) (I'm using this example because I've been using a pan by this brand for ~20 years)
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Old 01-20-2021, 03:20 PM   #5
bocephus
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Default Re: cauldrons

Quote:
Originally Posted by whswhs View Post
One of my players wants his character to own a couple of cauldrons. One of them would be 2 gallons in capacity; let's look at that one.

How much should it cost?

The Basic Set says that group basics, including a pot sufficient for 3-8 campers, costs $50.

High-Tech says that a group mess kit for 4 people, including a skillet, bowl, and pot, costs $15.

Low-Tech says that a metal box with capacity 1 gallon (probably comparable to the pots included in the above) costs $367; and LTC3 says an uncovered metal pot is 80% of the cost, or $294.

I don't think these are consistent; and the first two define sets of gear that *include* a cooking pot. Even if we assume the pots in the first two are only 1 gallon, that's still $92 per Low-Tech and LTC3.

Clarification is requested.
A cauldron (or caldron) is a large cast iron pot (kettle) for cooking or boiling over an open fire, with a large pot and frequently with an arc-shaped hanger. In other words, a large kettle.

I think your first issue is your comparisons.
a Mess kit for 4 people that costs $15 is maybe a gallon and made much lighter and out of aluminum or stamped steel. That doesnt compare to a 2 gallon cast iron pot.

Second LTC3 says 80% of the weight not the cost.

Finally
If you take the LowTech description is for a 1gallon metal BOX 367 so we double the size and triple the price. "Casting a large Iron pot is not easy or the same as building a metal box", and thats probably still not a legit price, but we need something. I also doubt very seriously this would be a TL1 price/tech, but lets go with it.

RAW Each TL halves the price.

367x3 = 1101 make it $1100 TL1
TL2 $550
TL3 $275
TL4 $138
TL5 $69
TL6 $34.5
TL7 $17
TL8 $8.5

I did 3 quick min of searching and found Amazon had a cast iron one on sale for $30, and a 2 Gallon aluminum pot for $19 with a lid. So those prices aren't crazy off base when you allow for materials shift with the higher TLs.

But your guys wants a Cast Iron pot so you need to figure it out for your TL. I have already done the bulk of the work for you if you except the x3 premise I offered.

If he wants a "Cauldron" which is a particular shape in my mind, but I dont know if it really matters for you. I picture that as a round(ish) vessel with a thick rim and bottom. If he really wants that (cause looking like a witch out of Shakespeare is important), like the shape has some effect then Id say it may well cost you several hundred today cause thats a specialty item.
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Old 01-20-2021, 07:53 PM   #6
William
 
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Location: Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Default Re: cauldrons

What do they want to use it for? Is cast iron required? This is a guess, but I would imagine a large ceramic vessel would in most historical periods be much easier to create and cheaper than a similarly sized cast iron one. Big cauldrons strike me as usually used for the sort of thing you use a crock-pot for anyway -- long slow cooking. Here is a 2-gallon ceramic crock for $36.99, although this does not come with a lid.
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Old 01-20-2021, 08:30 PM   #7
Rupert
 
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Location: Wellington, NZ
Default Re: cauldrons

Quote:
Originally Posted by bocephus View Post
A cauldron (or caldron) is a large cast iron pot (kettle) for cooking or boiling over an open fire, with a large pot and frequently with an arc-shaped hanger. In other words, a large kettle.
It's not going to be cast iron until the industrial revolution. Prior to that it'll be hand-forged from wrought iron, making it expensive (lots of skilled labour) and lighter (because the metal will be thinner than a cast version).
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Old 01-20-2021, 08:35 PM   #8
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
Default Re: cauldrons

It's actually copper, that being the commonly available metal, and less costly than bronze.
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Old 01-20-2021, 08:37 PM   #9
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
Default Re: cauldrons

Quote:
Originally Posted by bocephus View Post
a Mess kit for 4 people that costs $15 is maybe a gallon and made much lighter and out of aluminum or stamped steel. That doesnt compare to a 2 gallon cast iron pot.
I don't see any indication that the group basics in the Basic Set are at a TL where aluminum, or probably even stamped steel, is available.
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Old 01-20-2021, 09:00 PM   #10
Tyneras
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Kentucky, USA
Default Re: cauldrons

A quick browse on the internet turned up antique 2 gallon copper buckets, weight around 4.5 pounds. So the price should be the price of 4.5 pounds of copper plus labor. Labor is usually 1 to 4 times material costs (LTC3 p.23) and a cauldron is pretty simple, so likely the low end there.

So using the LTC3 range for copper prices of $4.30 to $18, that 2 gallon cauldron should be between $38.70 to $162, depending on the price of copper.
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