I made up one working stove from two incomplete examples - the one on the left with a fuel tank riddled with stress cracks. I'm missing the container with stylish fifties graphics (as on THIS example of Motoshi Makino's) and the control key - I'm using an Optimus one for the time being. The distribution of parts at the start of the project - two pot rests on one, one on the other. The stress cracks in one of the fuel tanks. The other has not so much as a hint of one. That seems to be how it goes - same factory, same production line, maybe a missed annealing step on the dud one? The fuel pickup tube/vapouriser/burner arrangement. The pickup tube is exactly that, there's no wick installed, just a strait passage through to the burner jet, narrowing down to a fine bore in the vicinity of the control needle valve. The threads to screw into the fuel tank boss aren't tapered and locking of the threads and a fuel-tight joint is achieved by an octagonal (!!!) washer and beneath that, a heat-proof washer. The (!!!) indicates the frustration of having wrenches to fit hexagon flats, but an octagon? I got by with a jury-rigged arrangement of long-nosed pliers and an adjustable wrench. The stubby pump and the slot-headed non-return valve. With no wick in the fuel train there has to be pressure in the fuel tank at the outset to deliver fuel to the burner and the pump provides sufficient. Once underway, heat conducted down the burner riser stem and brass pickup tube causes the tank to self-pressurise. The burner stem mounting boss on the fuel tank. The cage to support the pot rest goes on next and the burner stem is screwed into that, the locknut on the stem tightening everything up - but access is pretty bad to get that done! The pot rests stow in the 'cage', much like those on an M 1942 do, a likeness which Motoshi pointed out in his write-up on his stove. Same-era kettle. Flame is powerful but controllable down to an excellent simmer. John
In that post of Motoshi's, Ian contributed this comparison photo, so yes they're about the same size Enrique. John
You're very kind Enrique. In THIS post, Ben presented this postcard view of a Selus in action. I say 'in action' but the picture looks posed, the Selus probably isn't even lit and that's surely a painted backdrop.
I like how in nearly all these posed ads for campstove use its nearly always the young girl cooking unless its a family in which case its the father. In this case its even more so as you have the backpack suggesting a hiking camp and the girl perfectly dressed right down to the perfectly folded hanky. As for that bag of onions?
@geeves in the old days people hiked with style! @presscall yes, the picture uses the late 1800's/early 1900's esthetics with that painted backward. Very romantic... The wine bota... But, uh... A bag of onions for dinner? Let's suppose its a bag of potato, unless they have two tents Enrique
Good morning John, as all ways excellent work from two incomplete and a stressed tank, done wonders bringing back to life a stunning performing Selus stove. The flame shots from fantastic high power to a great simmer, i am impressed with this great stove well done as all ways John another fantastic addition to your collection
Great writeup as usual John. I was wondering if there is anything you could use the stress cracked tank for? Presumably its not good for actial use as a tank now? Alan
No use as a tank Alan. I've counted three obvious stress cracks distributed around the whole of the circumference and there's not likely to be any sound metal left. I compare that with my findings on THIS Optimus 9 where just one large and gaping stress crack had opened up but it seemed to have relieved the residual stress from manufacture in the rest of the tank, where the metal was fine. So, that one crack repaired and the tanks was usable again and would remain so. John
I remember reading about that repair John. A class piece of work. Just seems a shame the brass cant be reused. But if its so 'fractured', prob only thing that could be done it melt it down and reuse the brass. Shame though. Alan
Another metallury fault! It's not one of those stoves (Optimus Nova of the modern crop of stoves springs to mind) on which the control spindle locks up if left shut when the stove cools down. Nor is the control stiff in use and I've not been heavy-handed shutting it down. It came as a surprise then to have the spindle shear off when the stove was in use and I was about to adjust the flame. There was no drama, no loss of fuel but with a two-thirds full tank of fuel and no means of shutting the stove down I didn't want to hang about until it ran out of fuel and a bucket of water filled from the garden tap nearby dowsed the flame effectively and cooled the stove down to enable me to explore the damage. The tip was immovable inside the vapouriser stem and I took a Dremel wheel to carefully cut around the base of the stem ... ... and unscrewed the stub. I had the repair of THIS Primus 71E in mind, though the spindle hadn't sheared on that. A Primus 71 or Optimus 80 spindle might fit - I'm reluctant to rely on the Selus spindle again even if silbrazed up and re-threaded. Another day. For now I resorted to installing the spare vapouriser and control spindle. Before installing it I took a photo I omitted before, showing a variation between the two Selus vapourisers (ignoring the bit I'd just cut off!) at the jet nipple end No more drama so far. ... I trusted it to brew up on. While about it, demonstrating the folding pot rests. A lug on each pot rest engages with a slot in the windshied to hold them in place when extended.
@presscall Hi John, Well done on getting your Selus up and going. If you have access to a lathe you could make a new spindle out of some brass round stock. I have one just like yours with the burner being in very good shape but the fuel tank/fount is riddled with stress cracks. Since it runs on Coleman fuel or auto fuel I wouldn't trust any type of fix on the tank/fount. If you come across a Selus with a sound fuel tank/fount please let me know. I will be happy to reimburse you for the cost of the fuel tank/found or stove and shipping. Cheers, Norman
My Selus is also an ornament, I stopped counting at 20 cracks.... The cracks do appear, however to be along the sides of the fount. The top and bottom being OK (on mine). If the top and bottom were trepanned , I wonder if a piece of rolled brass sheet and a silver-soldering exercise is worthwhile.....? Alec.
Hi Alexander @Rangie , have a read through this thread, https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/dented-tank-repair.11428/#post-109053 and the failure modes in pressurised, thin-walled cylindrical vessels. Best Regardsm , George.
@presscall, got to finally bring mine camping, did very well, boiling some cut turnips as part of a evening meal and coffee and hot cereal the last morning out camping. Performed very well. Duane
