This arrived yesterday. It is reminiscent of the marvelous Clayton Lambert stove that is the subject of another post. This one is a Detroit #57 from the Detroit Torch and Manufacturing Co. The pictures show it with Break-Free already applied. Both valves move. The generator appears to be complete - though I'm not sure about the orifice. I'm also not sure about it's fuel. I'm inclined to say gasoline but the size and shape of the preheating coil make me think maybe kero. We shall see. It is 300mm tall and 200mm wide. Pete
thats what barrabruce down under needs to put that cast iron cook pot on--- this is another really different stove to me..the coil looks like something from a cheap Ranger Stove...only really pumped up--
I'm reluctant to call these stoves. They're plumber's lead melting furnaces from when cast iron soil stack joints were sealed with plumber's oakum then filled with molten lead. I would bet money it runs on white gasoline, aka Coleman Fuel. Gerru
Pete,that's a fine looking "fur-stove" you have there .I'll bet with a bit of time and toil it will be blazing like new.Are those some kind of locking lugs on the tank?Good luck with the fettle. Ernie
Yeah, it really is a furnace. I'll bet it'll boil a quart of water quickly if I can get it running. Pete No locking lugs. There are three heavy rods that support the pot base - I've gotten two of them loosened. There is the control valve, the filler cap, and the pump (which I've gotten to work). The tank is steel and appears to be rust free.
Liberal application of penetrants allowed me to disassemble the furnace. Here are the bits after pickling in Citric acid. Pete
Hello, Yikes that looks like a water valve control on he side. You have to post pictures of it burning. Chuck
Pete, You have it looking good. I am thinking that it is a lead melter that a pmuber would use. Anyone else have thoughts ?? Chuck
I would think so, I have an Empire Furnace which carries a Sievert burner, shown next to a 210 for scale. Note the top plate has vertical "lugs" which I believe are designed to safely hold a crucible of molten lead which you wouldn't want to be knocked off the furnace easily.
For sure this was/is a lead melter. I did get it working and left a picture of such on the Fettling forum -" Burner? Plug? Detroit 57". What I find fascinating is that all of these "burners" (camping stoves, blowtorches, furnaces) - regardless of size - operate in pretty much the same way; just the scale is different. I wonder how that Empire furnace sounds when its stoked up and burning. And now we return to the real world of camp stoves. Pete
What i find interesting is that all these furnaces have four (4) such lugs not three. I should think three would be a better number due to the ease of keeping a round pot vertical on three not four. Of coarse if the pot were shaped to fit in the depression properly then four would be the better number. But most of the pots i have seen are just round bowls, and in such a case three is a better number, especially if the furnace is on an uneven surface. lance
Good point Lance, but perhaps that's why they are so designed. Pretty well forcing you to ensure that all is vertical and secure before the furnace is put into use. I have no real evidence for this contention though.
Hey, Ian, Is that an actual "simmering plate", on the extension arm that's folded back away from the top of that melter??!! Sure looks like one to me. Neat "stove"!! Take care, and god Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
I've had it suggested to me that these sort of furnaces were regularly used to melt lead to fill up the sockets when cast iron railings were fitted into cap stones, around buildings, parks and the like. I also understand that there is a photo somewhere on the internet showing such a use in Glasgow (?) in the early 20th Century, but I haven't managed to find it. My informant unfortunately didn't keep a note of the source
