Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Non-Thorn Related => Topic started by: leftpoole on February 16, 2015, 04:08:54 pm
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Thanks [for the compliments on my tents].
talking of tents...how about stoves, mine indeed! Do I have 'n'+1? or have I too many.
Not all have been used yet as I have upgraded all my favourites the past 12 months and as you are aware I have been out of actiuon somewhat.
This year to enjoy?
Look here:-
http://www.pbase.com/leftpoole/stoves
John
[Slight editing by Dan for continuity after a topic split]
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John, you could feed a small town if you used those all at once! I thought I had a few (too many), but nothing like that array -- you could donate a random sample to a Museum of Fun en Plein Air!
I have a Trangia, the stove I use these days for cycle-touring; 3 MSR variants, including my original G/K, now more than 30 years old, which I keep for sentimental reasons--it reminds me of a whole clutch of wonderful places, mostly in the high country of Southern Africa; and an ancient 2-burner Coleman back-deck/car-camping stove that I bought for $10 about 25 years ago, and which I'm thinking to donate to the Boys & Girls club, though it does still work.
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Stoves eh?! I've got form in this area too. Way back in days of yore I can remember using a Primus double petrol burner to cook on before going up 'The Glydrs' in N.Wales. It was a ferocious beast that gave forth flames and heat that must surely have originated in The Devil's own backyard. It was a very powerful stove but I never felt comfortable with it. My Coleman's stove is an impressive beast too. It runs on unleaded or Colemans own fuel. A very rapid water boiler but with a small footprint it can be a bit unstable. My modern day equivalent is a gas-powered Jetboil. For solo trips its great as the pan/s can double up as eating or drinking vessels. Weight is a plus too. Which only leaves my Trangia; probably my favourite. Its a good combination of weight, efficiency, stability and its easy to use too. I bought a separate non-stick lid/frying pan for mine but, as I'm hair-shirt wearing porridge man these days it seldom gets used.
PS lovely bikes and tents John.
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Wonderful addition to the thread, John!
I have um...<whispered> eight of my own, though not arranged so neatly for viewing by others as John's.
I am a certified Stove Nut.
With sufficient time and therapy, I could recover. *If* I had a "problem", of course. My name is Dan and I have Eight Stoves. No problem!
All the best and back for another look at your outstanding collection, John,
Dan.
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I think it's great that some of you have X number of tents or Y number of stoves (where X and Y are big). There are many of us who are just starting out in bike touring, and we need good advice. What we do not need is advice such as: "I have tent A, but I have no idea how it compares to other tents because I've only used tent A." What we want to hear is: "I have 8 tents, and here is how they compare to each other." Then I can decide which tent would be best for my particular situation. Comparison reviews are much more valuable than single product reviews.
So don't feel guilty about having "too many" tents, stove, or whatever. You should only feel guilty if you have lots of them, but don't tell the rest of us of your experiences with them.
- Dave
p.s. I don't want to discourage anyone from posting a review of a single product that they have used. These reviews are very valuable and much appreciated. But multi-product reviews add a different dimension that (in my opinion) make the review much more valuable.
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Comparison reviews are much more valuable than single product reviews.
...And some of us have "more" because "less" didn't work very well. :( When I reach nirvana on a product, I stop and try to buy a backup, but by that time, the Unwritten Law is they're no longer made -- lasted so long and worked so well they cost the makers money. :D
All the best,
Dan. (...who is presently pressed for time but will say what worked best for him soonest)
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So don't feel guilty about having "too many" tents, stove, or whatever. You should only feel guilty if you have lots of them, but don't tell the rest of us of your experience
lol you have no idea how many stoves one person can own. probably have at least a few hundred paraffin. meths and petrol stoves, only 2 gas stoves, not to mention bowl fires, tilley lamps, bialladin/vapalux and a baby coleman lamp, did i mention uco's?
if your intrested in stoves you ought to take a look at www.spiritburner.com
the stove i am the proudest owner of is a pre war condrup/Primus 96 cycling/tourist outfit still in it's original bag with the board to hold all the parts labels and instructions, only know of one other www.spiritburner.com/fusion/showtopic.php?tid/13692
stove collecting is seriously addictive, it's known as the stove pox and there is no cure so be warned
atb Bill
ps i would upload some stove pics but you'd be bored, or worse still interested ;D
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Thanks for the warning, Bill. I had no idea.
Remember: It's only an addiction if you're trying to quit. Otherwise it's call a hobby.
- Dave
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No Svea in the collection?
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I'm in remission haven't bought a stove in at least 6 months ::)
I keep promising my boys I'll start selling a few soon but i can't bring myself to do it ::), NEED WANT MUST HAVE them all
last time i had a purge was 5 years ago to raise the cash for my Sherpa,
sjs had a sale on a while back so i grabbed a couple of xtc frames,I said i'd sell some to cover the cost,
but one xtc built and still not sold any more stoves maybe on the other build lol
my top users
top stove
British army No7 (excellent super tough little stove)
I'd settle for any of the below
svea 123r (fiddly but has the wow factor,super reliable) best in the matching optimus panset
trangia 27 duossal
optimus 111 paraffin (or optimus 22 if car camping)
optimus nova (fuel strainer/filter removed and replaced with cotton wool)
msr dragonfly
for boiling water msr xgk ex
worth a mention
meta 50,vargo triad,trangia westwind
never fancied
msr whisperlite or the international version, most far eastern clones,anything russian,czech or east german
most coleman stoves
must'nt forget the british army No12 perhaps i'm unlucky but i have had 4 and each one was naff
stoves bugger, now you got me started again, and i was doing so well
edit
mickeg I was still typing mate lol
Svea 123 yup ask jags lmao :)
pics are
primus 96 doing a brew at lands end and cooking road kill cornish new potato's
and a svea 123 lol outside one of my my golite hex's
yup too many tents to (tent whore)
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Hello!
I feel redeemed! I feel like an Amateur again. Thanks people. I though I was a bit odd having 'all' those stoves. Now I feel 'part' of a small community. Yay!
About the tent in the final picture (above) I don't have one, grrr must try harder.. lol
Great stuff, thanks again you lot,
John
PS All of the fun has helped me greatly by the way...
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if your intrested in stoves you ought to take a look at www.spiritburner.com
Oooooh, I love those old pressure stoves! When I was a child my family used them a lot for camping and during power cuts, also Tilley pressure lamps.
I still have the Primus 96 I used cycle camping in the 1970s, and also the Optimus 00 I couldn't resist a few years ago at a car boot sale. However I am NOT ALLOWED to collect stoves (or anything else, really) as we don't have room. Two stoves is as many as I can use, anyway. I recently serviced them with spares from Spiritburner.com and they run beautifully. Nothing like the sound of a roarer burner to put a smile on my face :D .
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Oooooh, I love those old pressure stoves! When I was a child my family used them a lot for camping and during power cuts, also Tilley pressure lamps.
I still have the Primus 96 I used cycle camping in the 1970s, and also the Optimus 00 I couldn't resist a few years ago at a car boot sale. However I am NOT ALLOWED to collect stoves (or anything else, really) as we don't have room. Two stoves is as many as I can use, anyway. I recently serviced them with spares from Spiritburner.com and they run beautifully. Nothing like the sound of a roarer burner to put a smile on my face :D .
Yeah, the roarer burner on the 111 (in my case a 111B) makes you feel warmer, especially in the dark of night when the burner head has a red glow. But, the quiet of a silent burner on a 111T or a Phoebus 625 is just as good.
But quite frankly for bike touring, I leave those stoves at home due to weight. Instead usually bring a Primus OmniFuel, but the lighter weight Primus Express Lander worked great on my last tour.
I mentioned the Svea above because it worked great on my last backpacking trip, three days in Grand Canyon this past April.
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Having enjoyed cooked on many different stoves over the years, I am pleased I only own 3! A Trangia 25 that is getting on 40 years old! It cost £13.75 way back in the good old days. It has new bits, non stick pans, gas burner, lid and strainer, ok that's 4 with a spirit burner too. A Jet Boil, one of the best water boilers I have ever used, which is not surprising as us brits are famed for brewing up. A Primus Omni fuel TI with a 1Lt ETA pot. Very small and ultra light weight. Oh and a 1944 Patten aluminium canteen and cup, army mess tins, to use with Hexamine solid fuel. A Camping Gaz thing that I was given, new and unused, & a all brass Paraffin stove 1930 vintage and working.
Well not just the three!
Hi My name is Andy and I may have the same problem Dan, Save us a seat at the the next meeting!
Andy
P.S and the twin gas and grill in the camper :-[
& a Titanium pot with handles and lid in a nice mesh bag that was a gift from a friend, just needs a suitable small light weight gas burner to complete it.
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"top stove
British army No7 (excellent super tough)"
Not really, real men take a trailer with a No 1 burner (hydra cooker)...
My current choice is a Primus Omnifuel in a Clikstand, usually used with gas canisters for convenience, but with an empty fuel bottle for when no gas is available. Also fits in a Trangia for when I am not on my own or in really rough conditions.
But you can never have too many stoves!
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"top stove
British army No7 (excellent super tough)"
Not really, real men take a trailer with a No 1 burner (hydra cooker)...
My current choice is a Primus Omnifuel in a Clikstand, usually used with gas canisters for convenience, but with an empty fuel bottle for when no gas is available. Also fits in a Trangia for when I am not on my own or in really rough conditions.
But you can never have too many stoves!
No1 burner, 12"x12" and compo, that dose bring back some happy memories ;)
Andy
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real men take a trailer with a No 1 burner (hydra cooker)
lol real men would be needed to fit a hydra in a Bob Trailer,
btw have you been around one running? i have and was scared witless of it, i was given one at the ccs stove meet in Newark as it was being left behnd, I had it about 5 mins then gave t to someone more deserving (and who wsn't scared of it)
My current choice is a Primus Omnifuel
i have an omnifuel, but i much prefer my Nova's only thing an omnifuel can do that a nova can't is burn cannister gas, but who in their right mind buys a 130-150 quid stove just to use canned gas in it? panel wipe is much much cheaper than gas, plus you can check how much fuel you have
gas burns fine in an msr pocket rocket much lighter cheaper and more packable
plus in 2015 who needs to be manually pricking jets? that went out in the 40's-50's
But you can never have too many stoves!
to true, and said like a true stovie :D
lol the fact you even know what a hydra burner is sort of implies your either ex army or a closet stovie,which is it?
i'll still stick with the army No7 as my first choice stove, tin of lighter fluid from any newsagent/garage forecourt and i have dinner and a few brews for £2, try finding meths.the right type of gas cans, colemans/panelwipe or paraffin so easily
mickeg
Phoebus ? that isn't a name i expected to hear on here, how did you come by one of those?
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lol real men would be needed to fit a hydra in a Bob Trailer,
btw have you been around one running? i have and was scared witless of it
I'd never heard of these but as usual google came to my aid:
"They were placed in a shallow trench, with the burner at one end, and metal grilles or plates placed over the rest of the trench, above the flame. Cooking pans and/or pots were then placed on the plates/grilles."
and a Youtube vid: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBaVaS0jsbM)
:o
...try finding meths.the right type of gas cans, colemans/panelwipe or paraffin so easily
White Spirit as sold in the UK for cleaning paint brushes is essentially the same as paraffin and burns very cleanly in my Primus stoves. It's readily available in 500ml bottles for about £1.60 in supermarkets, petrol stations, ironmongers, etc.
Note to American friends - this is NOT white gas i.e. petrol, and is entirely safe in a paraffin/kerosene stove. Good for cleaning chains, too.
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Thanks, Donerol, that's helpful. I didn't know about "White Spirit". (In my neighbourhood, I'm the go-to guy for Strange Substances Made Only in UK, this on account of my Dorset roots. I usually respond with tall tales about Marmite in varying viscosities.)
At the risk of complicating things further in this thicket of confusing names, you note that White Spirit as sold in the UK...is NOT white gas i.e. petrol.
Can't speak for the States, but here in the Canajan part of America, "white gas", also known as "naptha gas" is similar to Coleman fuel, and will burn in Coleman stoves, as well as in multi-fuel stoves such as my MSR Dragonfly and my old msr G/K. On the latter and the Dragonfly, however, with white/naptha gas or Coleman fuel, you have to use the "G" jet, as the "K" jet is for kerosene/paraffin (though it will also work with aviation fuel or diesel.)
The Dragonfly works with petrol/gasoline as well (on the "G" jet), though I avoid using that fuel because the fumes are so combustible. Naptha/white gas & Coleman fuel seem more stable in that respect.
There's probably a sub-thread here, on "things I have burned in my multi-fuel stoves"...
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Thanks, Donerol, that's helpful. I didn't know about "White Spirit". (In my neighbourhood, I'm the go-to guy for Strange Substances Made Only in UK, this on account of my Dorset roots. I usually respond with tall tales about Marmite in varying viscosities.)
At the risk of complicating things further in this thicket of confusing names, you note that
Can't speak for the States, but here in the Canajan part of America, "white gas", also known as "naptha gas" is similar to Coleman fuel, and will burn in Coleman stoves, as well as in multi-fuel stoves such as my MSR Dragonfly and my old msr G/K. On the latter and the Dragonfly, however, with white/naptha gas or Coleman fuel, you have to use the "G" jet, as the "K" jet is for kerosene/paraffin (though it will also work with aviation fuel or diesel.)
The Dragonfly works with petrol/gasoline as well (on the "G" jet), though I avoid using that fuel because the fumes are so combustible. Naptha/white gas & Coleman fuel seem more stable in that respect.
There's probably a sub-thread here, on "things I have burned in my multi-fuel stoves"...
I like the Dorset roots part because I live in Christchurch, Dorset.
I like the There's probably a sub-thread here, on "things I have burned in my multi-fuel stoves".../b]
because it is getting to be really interesting and informative.
John
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I like the Dorset roots part because I live in Christchurch, Dorset.
I like the There's probably a sub-thread here, on "things I have burned in my multi-fuel stoves".../b]
because it is getting to be really interesting and informative.
John
lol sub thread on fuels we have burnt. i'm in ;D
and once someone is stupid enough to mention coffee making, we can have another sub-thread............................................................................................... i like coffee lol
btw as well as white sprit you can also burn barbeque lighting fluid lidl and wilkinsons work a treat, but i still reckon a tin of swan/ronson/zippo lighter fluid is easier to find
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I am with you Bill on the Optimus Nova +. It is well built and self-cleaning with a magnetic jet cleaner. I have used it with all types of fuel without a problem. You do have to ensure that you only use the wide range of fuel recommended.
I have been using Aspen 4 which is a cleaner form of petrol. Burns very cleanly and powerfully and is less toxic than normal unleaded petrol.
http://www.aspenfuel.co.uk/products/environmental-fuels/aspen-alkylate-petrol/aspen-4-alkylate-petrol/
But when touring I haves used normal petrol, diesel, kerosene and lamp oil (like kerosene) without a problem. I think the Optimus Nova + (or similar Primus and MSR stoves) are the way to go for longer cycle tours.
I have also used a Zigg meths stove but its a bit bulky for cycle touring.
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while we are talking stoves and fuel, I thought this might be useful for anyone planing foreign holidays http://fuel.papo-art.com/ (http://fuel.papo-art.com/)
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Hi All!
There's three stoves I find myself coming back to over and over for my touring...
1) I've been very pleased with a recent acquisition, a Esbit Alcohol Burner with Trekking Cookset E-CS985HA. Retail usually runs about USD$45 here in the States. Sales link here: http://www.amazon.com/Esbit-CS985H-EX-Cookset-Alcohol-Exchanger/dp/B00B49U1DW
Company link here: http://www.esbit.de/en/products/10/cookset-cs985ha
Powered by what is basically a Trangia clone, I prefer the simmer/snuffer lid on this one as it has a nice, cool little handle for placement that avoids the ring-toss I commonly had to use when capping a hot Trangia in a similar cookset. The parts are interchangeable and I have used the simmer/snuffer lid on my Trangia. The Esbit burner differs in having alternating larger/smaller holes and a few more of them than the Trangia. Burn and boil times are comparable and it stores fuel under its gasketed storage cap as well as the Trangia does. I get a solid 40 minutes unthrottled burning, 2 hours 40 minutes at 50% simmer from a 2.5oz/74ml fill. I like how it includes a little stand to use heat tabs instead of the spirit stove; it adds versatility but at the cost of leaving some sticky residue on the bottom of the pots. One pot serves as a lid for the other, and both locate into the stand so the lot is very stable. It is much smaller than it appears, totaling about 120 x 145mm. When
This little stove kit is made entirely of hard-anodized aluminum, and I augmented with the stand's windscreen with wraparound one I made from annealed sheet aluminum for really windy days. Everything in the photo below stores inside so I have a grab-and-go solution with dish soap, scraper, dish towel, swiss army knife (Classic) with P-38 can opener, two Primus folding spoon/forks, and an Optimus Sparky piezoelectric igniter.
2) For day rides, I prefer my "Pocket Kitchen" that fits in a rear jersey pocket and is built around a Heineken beer can penny stove and stand I made and two anodized cups with lid. See: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=3850.msg16915#msg16915
As much as I love my alcohol stoves (I also own a Mini-Trangia and a whole slew of homemade/assembled ones) and mjuch prefer them for day rides and shorter tours, I've found alcohol's lower heat density means they are less economical for me the longer I am away from civilization.
3) For long solo tours away from resupply here in America, I prefer one of my Coleman Peak1/eXponent multi-fuel stoves, the kind with the wider, more squat base/fuel tank. I've never had a failure in the field or clogged jets, and with just a change of generator pipe, the same stove has burned Coleman fuel/white gas/naphtha, unleaded automotive petrol, No.2 heating oil, kerosene, diesel, and JP-4 jet fuel (used in rancher's helicopters in the Great Basin). Often, I find the only fuel readily available in America's Great Basin is automotive unleaded petrol, so this is the stove of choice there if I run out of carried Coleman fuel. It also has a pump for pressurization at altitude and will simmer nicely and the burner design is nearly windproof, making it a favorite of American troops in Afghanistan for their own kits. The heaviest of my stoves especially when full, it becomes the lightest for longer trips simply because it has proven to be the most efficient user of fuel for me -- especially in extreme cold and/or at altitude/wind.
These are my three touring favorites and the ones I go to most often.
= = = = = =
I deplore cannister/cartridge stoves because of the fuel packaging -- it takes up the same space full or empty and must be disposed of responsibly. Still, there are times when they can be handy and I have one in a kit assembled for less than USD$20 from Chinese imports bought on eBay -- a hard-anodized 2-pot set like the Esbit's and Optimus cold-weather iso-butane cartridge an "orange box" piezo-ignited burner: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4637.msg22737#msg22737
There's also my father's ancient Primus 71L (same basic innards as a Svea 123) and my own Primus/Optimus 8R, which runs nicely but has horrible fuel economy compounded by a tiny tank and the need for manual priming if the accessory pump isn't used. A blowtorch stove, it doesn't simmer well and is way heavy in its clever little blue case with the slide-out drawer for operation and stay-cool phenolic handle and integrated cleaning needle...but I got it from my father, and so it remains precious and I can't imagine selling it. Like any good tool, for me it is a touchstone for precious memories.
Best,
Dan.
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There is a fourth stove I take touring, a Mini-Trangia modified with an Esbit burner ('cos I love the simmer/snuffer cap and it works as well as the Trangia otherwise), Mojo stand for greater stability/access to the burner, and a folding windscreen instead of the standard "cup-type" combo stand/windscreen that has never been too effective for me because it blocked high winds poorly and made it hard to access the simmer lid. I still have the original Mini-Trangia stand and have modified it to nest inside a cup, using a desktop computer tower fan finger guard as a grille to support smaller vessels.
The Mojo pot stand is sold on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mojo-Pot-Stand-for-Trangia-Alcohol-Stove-/141388863916?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20eb6ed9ac
I like how the Mini-Trangia pot lid is also works as a non-stick frypan and dish and the set includes a surprisingly effective pot gripper. This is the alcohol set I take if I want to fry spam and eggs; otherwise it is the Esbit for mostly boiling water and soups. Each has its strengths.
As with all my stove kits, everything you see stows inside...but in this case, the windscreen and Mojo stand go in the sack that holds the stove and prevents any soot from getting on my panniers. The little transluscent fuel bottle holds another 3oz/89ml for a full burner refill with a little to spare, giving me about 80 minutes total cooking time at full throttle.
Best,
Dan.
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Thanks, Dan, for these reviews. I'll look for the Esbit flame adjuster/snuffer to add to my Trangia.
One point to add for the Mojo stand, for the benefit of readers: these are available on eBay, but the maker mails them only within the US. (Not uncommon on eBay.) So, if you're not resident in the States, you'll need a postal address there. (A friend in Manhattan is my boîte à terre for such items.) The Mojo is excellent--light, compact, effective, & inexpensive.
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hi Dan
interesting mix of stoves, the trangia (liberty mountain) westwind is what your mojo stand was based on, but the mojo looks much nicer with it's drillium styling, nice touch by the maker
tried buying one in the past but UK so he wouldn't send
john if your only after the simmer ring esbit is no longer a real brand, it was bought out by someone as it's an established name, just like wolf power tools were, they used to be english now just rebadged chinese stuff
you can buy the complete burner and stand with simmer ring http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Outdoor-Camping-Survival-Alcohol-Burner-Cook-Stove-Camp-Furnace-With-Stand-/350883409793?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item51b247ef81 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Outdoor-Camping-Survival-Alcohol-Burner-Cook-Stove-Camp-Furnace-With-Stand-/350883409793?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item51b247ef81)
Dan you use alcohol on your tours? as it isn't a very good choice for more than a few days, (calorific value of fuel, after 6/7 days my lump of an army No7 works out lighter than a 100g burner and stand combo) i'll explain if your interested, don't want to type loads just to come a cross as a boring ahole
EDIT just reread your post and spotted the bit about fuel economy and your coleman. lol
btw your optimus 8 sounds poorly and in need of tlc, they have a reputation as good controllable little stoves and are normally quiet miserly with fuel,
1st thing i'd check is make sure the wick is attached, if you take the tank lid off in bright light you should see what looks like a load of cotton mop strands in there, the wick can come loose from the fuel pick up tube from tank to burner (rare) if it's slopping around from side to side you might hear rattling as the wick has wire around it
the wick not only soaks up fuel for the burner but it also acts as a restrictor,too loose and the stove will eat fuel/run to hot, too tight and it won't run well as it won't be able to build enough pressure to overcome the restriction and will tend to huff and puff till it's hot
hopefully the wick will be ok the 2nd thing to look at is replacing the jet with a new one as once worn they allow too much fuel out and start getting a bit blowlampy
google a&h packstoves for spares your side of the pond
if your wondering why i said look in the tank first before replacing a jet,no point in buying a jet if the wick isn't fitted, but it's very rare that a wick comes loose
get the 8r serviced and you might rethink your stove strategy, it's a good few years old and will probably see out your great grandson if serviced, bit of an heirloom is the old family stove ;D
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Thanks, Bill, for that tip on the "Esbit" simmer ring. I manage all right with my Trangia, it's just a bit fiddly & I'm always on the lookout for a better mousetrap/labour-saving device -- not so much so that I need a whole new stove, tho' :-)
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Hi Bill!
Many thanks for your kind and detailed reply; much appreciated, but I am a veteran stove mechanic, having overhauled many for others over the last three decades. My little 8R is simply less economical compared to my other white gas stoves in the past, but is itself working well and the wick is in good nick and well attached, as is the cleaning needle and elevator mechanism. The simmer problem is more one of my hasty writing than a stove failure -- it can be throttled down nicely, but I meant the "roarer" burner concentrates heat in a smaller area and so requires more minding and stirring than other burner designs that spread the flame over a wider area.
I wish the 8R had a larger tank so I could avoid longer the need to carry spare fuel in a dedicated bottle. It is convenient and ultimately less heavy if I can carry more in the stove's own fuel reservoir so I can avoid the space and weight of a separate bottle. The little blue-painted steel case is a gem, but heavy to carry as I did for many years while touring. I always liked the compact form-factor and pot stability and stay-cool handle. No rust on mine thanks to careful use. It still works fantastically for picnics and car-camping but has just become less ideal over the years for my touring. It'll stay in the family for "passing down". Can one ever really consider *parting* with a stove? ;)
Yep! Alcohol is fine for day rides and short tours in my use as the stoves are generally lighter/smaller than other types, but the lower heat density indeed makes them heaviest (in terms of fuel carried and used) the longer I'm Away. The breakover point for me comes at about the 3-day mark, if I'm cooking regularly and not just boiling a cup of water at a time. Still, it sure has been nice to have a complete cook kit that fits in one of my rear jersey pockets for the odd cup of hot tea on a long day ride.
All the best,
Dan.
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Hi Dan
teaching grandmother to suck eggs springs to mind, lol ::) 30 years is longer than i've been a stovie
Can one ever really consider *parting* with a stove? ;)
it took a shiny new Sherpa frame to make me part with any last time,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,thank God Thorn no longer do the city slicker ;)
atb Bill
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Hey since we have a nice thread going with some real stove experts....
I have an old Svea 123 tucked away, I think from my first bicycle camping trip in 1970. Somewhere along the way stupid me decided to try leaded gasoline in the thing. Which did not do it any good at all.
Is there a standard sort of way to clean out whatever needs to be cleaned out from that? The gunk has been stuck in there for 40 years now so that probably won't help or maybe it will. Or am I utterly out of luck? It is a nice stove after all so it would be great to get it back into service!
Then there was the time I tried putting steel strings on my nylon string guitar. That didn't work very well either. Ooops.
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Hi Jim
i take it you have pricked the jet? just asking lol eliminate the obvious first
if it's working but running rough just keep running it on clean pukka fuel make sure you let it burn good n hot and put a few tanks of fuel through it, they like to be used and have a habit of sorting themselves out with a good burn
if it's working but under powered it's more than likely the fuel cap gasket, they age and don't seal well over time
"remove the Gunk"
if the Svea isn't completely blocked , to see if it is remove the fuel cap blow in the tank hard to see if you can get air or fuel out of the jet (or screw down fuel cap open valve and dunk tank in hot water to pressurise it) if you have a mini/midi pump use that obviously
if you can feel air or see a drop of fuel at the jet I'd buy some good carburettor cleaner
1/ rinse the tank with fresh Coleman's/panel wipe a few times and ditch the fuel that comes out
2/ mix some carb cleaner and fuel and half fill the tank with the mix
3/ take it outside put the stove in a washing up bowl screw down the fuel cap, open the fuel control valve then pour hot/boiling water into the washing up bowl, and as the tank heats up it should force the mix out through the jet
after a good few minutes or so shut off the valve and just let it sit over night
it might take a few cycles to dissolve the crud but people on ccs have said it works
if it's completely blocked then it's probably a strip down, but I'd still try carb cleaner first
atb Bill
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Thanks Bill! That stove is pretty deeply buried at the moment and I haven't tried using it in decades. But as I recall the last time I tried it was running but just very roughly. So I will just try the proper white gas, a couple tanks worth. Make a big pot of tea for a bunch of friends or something!
I am slowly selling off boxes of books. That stove ought to reemerge before too long!
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If the flushing does not work, find out if a new wick and generator are available. If so, you might need a new packing and maybe a new needle too. I have never bought anything from these folks but that might be an option.
http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/fpage.php?page/links/
On one of my Phoebus stoves, the gasket on the filler cap split, getting a new one of those might be a good idea too.
If I recall, the generator on the Svea is threaded onto the tank really tightly. I think I put a big adjustable wrench in a vice and then used some good gloves that gave my hands a better grip on the tank. I then put the generator into the wrench and I turned the tank with my hands to unthread it. I only replaced the wick, I did not need to unclog a generator. You might be able to forget the wrench, just put the generator in the vice, but I think I used a wrench. Do not tighten down on the generator any more than necessary to keep it in place if you use a vice.
Assuming you use the brass windscreen, the generator needs to be threaded on to the tank at the right angle, you might want to mark it first with that angle or take a photo so when you thread the generator back onto the tank, you get that right.
Or - if the parts are not available and if flushing as suggested above does not work, I have no clue if carburetor cleaner is a good option or not. But I would only put the generator in carburetor cleaner, not any other parts. And I would do this as a last resort.
You did not say if you have the newer or older style, teh graphic is of the new style with built in cleaning needle. On reassembly, you have to get the right number of teeth in the cleaning needle engaged for it to work right. Take good notes on disassembly.
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http://spiritburner.com/fusion/google_results.php?cx=001565880568859406926%3A-ov9qpgk-_g&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&q=carb+cleaner&sa=Search&siteurl=www.spiritburner.com%2Ffusion%2Ffpage.php%3Fpage%2Fgoogle%2F&ref=www.spiritburner.com%2Ffusion%2Findex.php&ss=16175j45447779j16&siteurl=www.spiritburner.com%2Ffusion%2Ffpage.php%3Fpage%2Fgoogle%2F&ref=www.spiritburner.com%2Ffusion%2Findex.php&ss=16175j45447779j16 (http://spiritburner.com/fusion/google_results.php?cx=001565880568859406926%3A-ov9qpgk-_g&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&q=carb+cleaner&sa=Search&siteurl=www.spiritburner.com%2Ffusion%2Ffpage.php%3Fpage%2Fgoogle%2F&ref=www.spiritburner.com%2Ffusion%2Findex.php&ss=16175j45447779j16&siteurl=www.spiritburner.com%2Ffusion%2Ffpage.php%3Fpage%2Fgoogle%2F&ref=www.spiritburner.com%2Ffusion%2Findex.php&ss=16175j45447779j16)
i suppose i better show you some of mine just so you know i'm kosher
optimus 199http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/showtopic.php?tid/10870/tp/1/ (http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/showtopic.php?tid/10870/tp/1/)
Primus 96 http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/showtopicforreply.php?tid/16121/tp/1/ (http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/showtopicforreply.php?tid/16121/tp/1/)
i like optimus 111's http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/showtopic.php?tid/18983/tp/1/ (http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/showtopic.php?tid/18983/tp/1/)
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A good alternative (less toxic/polluting/accesses blocked passages) to carb cleaner: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrasonic_cleaning
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If I recall, the generator on the Svea is threaded onto the tank really tightly. I think I put a big adjustable wrench in a vice and then used some good gloves that gave my hands a better grip on the tank. I then put the generator into the wrench and I turned the tank with my hands to unthread it.
Rubber strap wrenches (sometimes sold for removing jar lids) used in opposition work a treat for disassembling stove components without marking or distorting the brass.
Best,
Dan.
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Stove pox? Tent whore? My head is spinning!
I had no idea there were so many stoves, and collectables at that! I'll never catch up, especially since I prefer a wood fire campsite if at all possible. That's why I bought a Honey Stove a few months back, which I am yet to use.
And I have 5 tents, only 2 of which are bike-portable. Am I a whore, or just a tart? ???