I've been working on a Primus No.4, you might have seen my post on the burner tube replacement. Apologies, this is a bit of a large post. Well it's finished, and it was a bit of a job. This was my first real stove restoration. Prior to this one the most I'd had to do was pull the pump tube on my Campingo. On this No. 4, if it was soldered, it leaked, if braised it was broken and if it was supposed to move it was seized. Dinged: Squashed: Broken: Seized: Uh-oh, this looks serious: And this is bad too: Fix the easy stuff first, a nice controlled dent pull by soldering on a screw and then winding it out. Repeat several times as the solder lets go as the dent comes out: No going back now... You might be able to see that the inner U has pinholes right next to the jet too. Patched rather than replaced. The finished tube work: I wanted to retain the original fixed outer burner ring with the removable top cap. I got a removable No. 4 outer cap from Base Camp and parted off the top. And the shiny finished portrait photo: It lives! And the formal dress photo: Epic. Cheers Colin
Pretty amazing work there, Colin! What sort of braze filler are you using? Do please tell us more how you accomplished the restoration of the ring above, please? Interesting that you upgraded to a five-hole pattern from the original four-hole pattern of the melted ring. Thoughts there? Thanks in advance for more info. Spectacular work. Cheers, Gary
Morning, Colin, EXCELLENT job, Sir! Well done, and well done, again!! Thanks for sharing your success in turning that sow's ear into a nice silk purse!! 8) Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Fantastic workmanship. I never cease to be amazed by the number of incredible artisans on the CCS that restore neglected and abused classic stoves to equal if not better than their original excellence. Cheers, Rob
Hi Colin congratulations on a outstanding and amazing restoration job you have brought back to life a stove that would in many cases would have been scrapped or used for spare parts out side CCS. the finished result looks as though it had just been manufactured and left the factory once again well done Colin and mant thanks for shareing it all with us
Hi Colin, A most impressive fettle of one of my favourite stoves. Your "dent-puller" is worthy of a post on its own. Best Regards, Kerophile.
Fine work, very fine indeed. Brilliant! It's a more sophisticated (controllable) version of this technique demonstrated by Gunsoo Mr.Sun Jongwhan's dent removal technique John
Hi All, Thank you all for your kind words, they are much appreciated. To Gary, the tube work filler is Unitor AG-60, a flux coated 55% silver rod with a 650ºC working temperature. Very nice to use. The burner ring isn't brazed in place . It has a brass strip formed around the evaporating chamber and tapped into place making a friction fit with the burner ring. This way the ring can be replaced without too much effort. You can see it in the ring photo on the inside right top quarter. As for going to the five hole (well spotted!), I had some observations and assumptions: 1. All No.4 burners would be jetted the same? 2. The 5 row probably had finer holes (it was hard to tell) 3. I have an aversion to drilling that many holes. 4. It couldn't be any worse, could it? 5. By using the replaceable fitting method I could always put a 4 hole pattern in later if it didn't work out. The old one was removed by pulling out what I could with vise grips, then using a high speed cutter in a Dremel removed the rest. I'd be interested in comments anyone has on the 4 vs 5 hole pattern. Cheers Colin
Simply stunning! Incredible! I can get stoves working by tinkering but am not capable of something like this. I've got one hell of a lot to learn..... Simon
After using the stove for a while and sorting out the jet I've now brazed the burner ring in place to finish it off. On simmer it doesn't overheat and maintains a nice consistent flame: And has a good full power: It burns with a really clean blue flame: That about wraps it up. Cheers Colin
