Hi folks, This is my first HGP. I just got this last week. Once again, I failed to get before pics and tore into it like a kid in a candy store. It was missing the generator knob. I had to file down the pressed tabs on the spindle and threaded it to fit the new knob and applied epoxy to the threads to keep it from unscrewing. I stripped it down to parts, derusted everything, primed, and painted the fount. I used graphite spray on the shield, frame, burner, and grate. The cleaning needle broke off in the process and I had to braze it back on. I took the pressure guage apart, cleaned and painted it. The brass was rough and got the vinegar treatment. Someone had used it to melt lead and the burner slits were full of it. What a PITA that was to clean. The generator was packed solid with carbon. The worst I've ever seen. Heated, quenched about 20 times and soaked overnight in vinegar repeated the heat/quench until it finally released the coil. The tank is solid and after the paint, I put automotive door ding guard strip on the bottom rim. Just needs a new decal and direction disc now. Runs great at 10 to 12 PSI. I haven't gone higher since I don't see a need to. I'll post a video HERE tonight. Mike
Beautiful work Mike! The burner grate looks very well done. 12 psi is where I run mine. At that pressure, thermal feedback seems able to maintain the pressure and won't drop below 12. Time to cook up a steak! sam
35,000 BTU's per hour, or about 10 1/4 kilowatts. Great restoration, Mike. I guess it's of the era of the yellow shaped decal, and not the blue rectangular one? Burner slits filled with lead eh? Lots of fun. Quality work. John
Thanks for the kind words gents. Yes, this one had the remnants/outline of the red and yellow decal. John's got it right, of course 35,000 BTUs on the 457s 5inch burner, and 55,000 on the 460s 7inch burner. The 458's burner is more like a Coleman suitcase burner and puts out 18,000. John I remember discussing the very subject of burner slit cleaning some time ago, and I used the exact procedure you used. Utility knife using the blunt side and NO it was NOT a lot of fun. Right of wrong, I made the decision to work on it cold rather than heat the cast iron. It was the most time consuming procedure of the project. Mike
I use THIS (best price I've found and they ship FAST) I use it for lots of things, but on burners and grates, it gives a freshly cast look and can take the heat. It's not paint, just graphite and a carrier solvent. Dries almost instantly. The lock ease kind is nowhere near as good as this stuff. It also keeps parts from rusting from humidity. The graphite "film" is micro thin and won't build up like paint. Mike
I know the blue label 458, 457,& 460 gas plants are older but are the yellow label ones rarer? Cheers.
