Progressing with fettle on my 111B. New pip and cap gasket. Did dunk test. Persistent slow leak at the flared fitting to the tank. There is a nick at the mating surface on the flare. I have polished up a few times but there is still a bit of a defect there. I have tightened the nut firmly but don’t want to overdo it for fear of cracking something. I don’t have the ability to add material on there via brazing. A dab of pipe sealer a bad idea? Anti-seize compound? Something else I can smear on there for reassembly to fill the void that won’t burn out? I don’t want to get too aggressive reshaping the flare for fear of ruining it. I do have JB Weld and Permatex form-a-gasket as well as anti-seize compound handy, pipe sealer and possibly copper spray gasket. Thanks!
I’ve examined the tank side with a magnifying glass. I don’t see any issue there and the surface that the tube mates to is even and in good shape.
Just me. I would sand as a last resort. One cannot add material as easy as removing material. I would heat the bass just beyond warm to be more malleable. I would push the fitting together and spin to try to form it better. Then tighten - loosen - tighten multiple times. Dunk test, repeat. Brass is soft.
All, thanks for the input. I did a little more sanding on the flare and polished it up. A tiny touch of hi-temp copper gasket spray applied with a match stick to the questionable area just because. Another dunk test. Success. I’ll do another dunk test after I run it a few times for a while. This is the biggest “little” stove that I have and it really rips.
@snwcmpr a curiosity I have and nobody to ask around: can brass be TIG "welded"? I know copper is TIG weldable! @hikerduane well, valves in an engine have 3 angles to seal polished with that "thing". and have to seal metal on metal hot gases under pressure many times a minut... (when redline is 6000 rpm...) I haven't tried it but am a fan.of metal on metal sealing with flared nuts! Even car hydraulic brakes use metal on metal sealing in the main system ,responsable with the all safety of all cars... Brass is soft and is polishable but takes a lot of work and many 400/600/800/1000/2000 grit paper. But is do-able! A good measuring electronic caliper is good to use and a high magnification microscope! To see what you're actually doing. Good thing TSPORT got away easy/cheap! Optimus 111 is a nice stove!
If you want to, you can. But it isn’t remotely necessary. Let’s not scare anyone into thinking these brass articles can’t be renewed with some emery paper, and holding our tongue in just the right spot.
Engines only need to hold pressure for less than a split second, whereas our stoves and lanterns need to hold pressure much longer with no leakage. I had to solder a “union” fitting on a lead melter because some valve lapping compound made the surfaces worse. Duane
