Based on the glowing accolades about the Optimus 111T that have been posted on this site, I took the plunge and decided to purchase one from an on-line bidding source. After having “lost” a few times, I finally “won” what appeared to me as an 111T in fairly decent shape. I will add that I have never paid so much for a stove! In any event, when the stove arrived, following the protocols and precautions learned from all of you, I prepped the stove accordingly. Satisfied that the stove’s jet was a 2509, I put kerosene in the tank, primed the spirit cup with alcohol, pumped the tank about 10 times, and set a match to the prime to heat the burner. When the prime burned out, I gently opened the fuel line and put a match to the burner head. When the fuel lit I honestly can say that I was bewitched by this stove. I simply stood there watching this absolutely mesmerizing burner and thought to myself, “These guys are right; this is a truly amazing stove.” And bewitched I was as I soon found myself in possession of another 111T. Did the same prep work for this one and found that it burns even better than the first. Like all of us, the stoves have some hairs and warts that need addressing. While both stoves burn well at full throttle both also struggle when simmering. They burn rich at a low throttle with the flame quickly turning yellow even though the burner is hot and even with a pot on the stove. I’ve tuned the cleaning needle at 4 clicks for both as they seem to burn best overall at that setting. I do wonder if it would be worth while to see whether the fuel strainer is gummed up. Would a dirty strainer cause a too rich fuel flow? Like so many others here [I assume] I can quit this stove thing at anytime. I say this because I now possess a third 111T. Three 111’s in six weeks: that’s not a problem, right? In my haste to buy the third 111T – a “buy it now” special, I missed the point that it lacked a windscreen. No problem I thought, I’ll run it on meths using the restricting tube. Although the stove runs nicely on meths, I think it’s well settled that using meths for fuel in a pressure stove is not the most efficient or cost effective way to go about heating a meal. I have an engineer friend who says that he can replicate and build an 111T windscreen using stainless steel instead of brass. Does anyone see a problem using stainless instead of brass for this purpose? I intend to use these stoves now as my summer canoe trip stoves and having a windscreen on each of them would be a good thing. Thanks for any advice. Now, about those Enders 9061’s that I see from time to time . . . . PWW
Yup, the 111T is a great stove. I don't run meths in mine but it does well on kero and even better on hardware store paint thinner which may have an even higher flash point. The windscreen may not be necessary, and either brass or SS should suffice. In fact, galvanized flashing would do, and if you burn off the tin you should have no trouble at all. I smoked up the office a couple of times starting mine and learned to let ALL THE PRIMING fuel burn off, till there is no flame left any place, then use a new light to start the stove. and 4-5 pumps seems best, overpumping led mine to flame-jumping. My 111T was apparently part of some coalition force in the first Gulf War and was very beat up, with a bent tank, at all fitting points, leaking filler neck, bent flame assy, missing outer cap, bent case, etc. I messed around and straightened things till they all fit pretty well, re-soldered the filler neck, fit a new cap gasket, pulled the strainer and clipped off the end that someone had crushed, and washed it in a high solvent, got the outer cap back from a previous owner, hammered the case back straight, fit a new pump 0-ring, fit a new NRV pip.......and , yes, as you say, the ring of blue dots is intoxicating. My 111T is now my coffee stove at work. Runs easy, starts well and does not smell bad. piper
Three? I'm jealous, although I have one and a few other 111's of differing years. And a few 8's/8R's. And...................... Duane
Early in my addiction a wise Doctor (Mark) told me not to buy every stove that came by...perhaps best to pick and choose, and buy just the interesting or unusual. Good advice, probably saved me a couple of house payments already. I've tended to just buy the cripples and partials and fixers and ugly dogs. If another 111T popped up in front of me I may have to buy it and make it fit one of the classifications above....on the promise to give it to my son (some time ). Piper
I found the best way to get a good burn is to just run a few tanks of new clean fuel thru it. Who knows how it was treated before you got it. I have a couple of these 111's but I found them a bit heavy for canoe tripping, I have been going to the BWCA a couple times a year since the 80's. A couple flame shots would be nice!
Sorry they are a bit fuzzy. I turned off the flash to see the flame, and then the shutter stays open longer....and I shake. piper
Ya those are nice stoves (displaced Minnesotan here). If you like burning kerosene, you might consider the 111 for a little change of pace, especially if you like the audio turned up sometimes. Those are a bit harder to find in the US, but they are around.
Hi, You can make a windscreen in a couple of minutes for your stove - all you need is an appropriately sized tin can and a pair of snips. This tin can windscreen (idea originally from Kerophile) is on a Shinabro 440C Royal but the same principle will apply to any model Optimus 11/111: Err...actually no. It is addictive, strongly addictive. And three in six weeks....well they are going to be around for a long time yet - they appear weekly ...far better to take your time and get a good one - unless you like to fettle...and fettle...and fettle....addictive?
He's got it bad me thinks. I started with 111Tangos and then discovered The Enders. The 9061 is the only stove I still actively seek anymore. I've built up to 16 in just over 2 years. Will still flash the money for a Borde if I like it. As far as being "terminal", it is far too easy to grab up every stove you see. Just take some time and decide what you want to keep and and stick with it. The difficulty comes when your interest wains for a stove or type of stoves and you are stuck with the floatsam of your collection. One man's cast offs are not always another mans treasure. I' ll admit the bewitching and mesmerizing effects of stoves are a hard thing to resist but it keeps me out of the tt bars 8-[ .
Thanks all. I am inspired by the photos from Snowgoose to try the soup can approach. Incidentally I suspect we're all inspired by all the photos that Snowgoose posts on this site. I appreciated the Piper's photos of his 111 burning as they give me a good reference point for a burn comparison. I will heed the good counsel given and get this new stove squared away. I also have a Coleman 400 in need of some work for which which I will need some advice which I'll seek in a future post. I purchased this 400 in 1984 when I managed to woo an unsuspecting young lady into going to the BWCA for her first canoe trip. I knew that I would need to cook real food as opposed to boiling water for freeze dried food if I hoped to make a favorable impression on her. I doubt that my cooking skills impressed at that time but she's still willing to do the occasional canoe trip although she insists on doing the cooking. We've been married now for 25 years. She's a pretty darn good backcountry cook. I remain stuck at the boiling water stage. Being a tea drinker, I'm OK with that. I intend to provide some flame shots once I get the the triplets tuned to my satisfaction. Have a good weekend everyone. PWW
This sounds strange to me. I have two 111 Ts and love them especially for their perfect simmering abilities. I can run both on extremely low output, but still burning perfectly blue (both with paraffin/kero and "Coleman fuel"). Just like a good gas canister stove. Perhaps yours need a good clean and a new jet? Regards, Philipp
Pillepalle: You raise a good point. I will swap the jet from the stove that simmers nicely any put it into the stove that refuses to simmer. Hopefully that will work. Now, a dumb question: when you suggest that a thorough cleaning might be in order, how thorough should I be? Would running a couple of tanks of clean fuel mixed with a bit of carb cleaner qualify or do you have in mind something along the lines of pulling the burner from the tank,taking it apart, soaking the bits in carb cleaner or some other solvent to see what gunk might be flushed out of the burner? I found a video on youtube from BernieDawg showing a 111T burner that he had rebuilt in action. If I could only get my burner to simmer like that I would be happy indeed. I suspect that won't be the case: BDawg [Master Fetteler] v. NP4-8-4 [Rank Amateur] Oh well, out to the garage to give it the old college try [and hoping to be able to post triumphant flame shots]. PWW
PWW, how do your 111 Ts perform when using Coleman Fuel instead of kero? Same bad simmering behaviour? I found that priming is done best when you put a glassfibre wick into the spirit cup. Thus, the priming procedure takes longer and not so much energy is wasted by very high flames passing along the burner. Maybe you would like to try that out? Regards, Philipp
Hey, PWW, Sorry you're having trouble with your 111T. I have more than several of them, and they all work as designed, which is outstanding. Full roar, or delicate simmer: They can do it all! I know you've probably messed with the cleaning needle, but have you actually reset the height of it? If your cleaning needle is set too high, the simmer will be very hard to obtain. So, I usually set my needles at least 4 clicks down, and sometimes more, depending on the stove. That way, you have good "throw" in the adjustment spindle, and more responsive simmering. In case you don't know how to do this, here goes: - remove your outer and inner burner caps, - remove the jet - turn the spindle slowly counter-clockwise, and when the needle is at the top of it's throw, gently remove it with a pair of needle nose pliers, noting the direction of the teeth on the needle. - turn the spindle fully clockwise as far as it will go. - Now, the next step can be done two ways. In method #1, use a regular pencil, with eraser, and gently stick your cleaning needle into the tip/top of the eraser. Then, carefully lower the jet and pencil through the top opening of your silent burner, and making sure that the teeth are oriented properly, make contact with the closed spindle on your burner. Now, keeping a gentle but firm downward pressure on your cleaning needle, slowly begin to turn your spindle counter-clockwise, and then count the "clicks" as the teeth on the cleaning needle begin to mesh with the teeth on the spindle. I'd recommend starting at 4 clicks, and then if needed, try 5, or 6 clicks, starting over each time you attempt to set the needle lower. Method #2 is basically the same drill as Method #1, except you just use the needle nose pliers to insert and keep pressure on your needle. I find using the pencil easier, but have certainly done it both ways with total success. - Once you arrive at the number of clicks you wanted, slowly turn your spindle clockwise again to full stop, and gently remove the pencil eraser from the needle, itself. You should now be ready to do some testing. If needed, go back to square one, and reset the needle to 5 clicks, then if that doesn't work, try 6 clicks. That's about as far as I'd recommend. Hopefully, that will give you the best simmering position, and at the same time still offer a very powerful flame at full throttle. I hope that helps you, and keep the faith, it WILL work out for you if you keep at it!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Pillepalle: When I performed the jet switch, I also drained out the kero and used Coleman fuel thinking that the lighter fuel would might do the trick. Alas, no. Large yellow flames still erupted when I put the stove on simmer. I am now wondering if perhaps the fuel strainer is missing so that the stove burner is getting more fuel than it can handle when set to simmer. Another thing I have noticed, even though the burner is good and hot, the stove will start to underburn when reduced to simmer. When the underburn starts, I promptly open the fuel and the stove immediately begins to burn properly. On the other hand, when the cleaning needle is moved up through the jet and the fuel flow is thus reduced, the stove does not underburn. I really don't know if this means anything but it does make me think that the good Doctor's suggestion to experiment with the cleaning needle's setting is the proper agenda item for this evening's entertainment. Progress notes to follow. PWW
Jet switch? Why? The 111 T burns well both with paraffin and Coleman fuel with on and the same jet (part no 2509). That reminds me of my issue with my Optimus 123 R: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/23094 Despite it has a completely different burner than the 111 T I don't get it to simmer by simply turning the spindle to the right. There is no real underburn, but a candle-like flame below the flame plate. By pushing the cleaning needle into the jet, the stove simmers well and with a blue flame. Two very different stoves that share the same problem leave me clueless . Regards, Philipp
P: Sorry for the confusion viz. jet switching. I switched the jet from the 111T that simmered well to the 111T with the problematic simmer. My hope was that the switch would reveal a "good" jet and "bad" jet. No such luck but at least I'm now reasonably confident that the simmer issue won't be easily resolved by switching jets. I meant to try DocMark's suggested fix yesterday evening but real world duties intruded on plans and this evening's plans are now disrupted by a friend's request for help. This is not a bad thing because helping him will require the use of power tools on a garage he is building. Once the work is done a couple of good beers to toast a job "well done" will round out the evening. Beer, stoves, it would seem that there isn't a bad choice. Thanks for your continued interest. Your 123R is interesting. I have two 123's that I use mostly on day trips. They date from the 70's and I get a kick when "twenty-something's" ask me whether that horrible sounding stove is about to blow up. I've an old MSR Rapidfire and I picked up a Snowpeak Giga last year because the price was too good to pass on but liquid fueled stoves are always preferred. Off to my buddy's house for a little fun! PWW
