Hi Stovies, as we all know using clean fuel in our stoves lanterns and if collected or used blowlamps, is important to maintain a good running stove lantern with out the jet needing constant cleaning etc. Here is my very cheap yet effective method of filtering Paraffin - white gas/Coleman fuel, I use a Coleman funnel with their special filter. But paraffin I fill up one of those fuel bottles as in the pic below, and fill the appliance from that and not from a container either the fuel comes in. Here in the above is the standard fuel bottle we all know and use, I fill my appliances up from one of these, but first I filter the fuel by placing a standard funnel in to the opening with a paper disposable coffee filter inserted in to the funnel, this is a very cheap yet very effective method of filtering any dirt or grit that has got in to the fuel, OK it can not filter paraffin that has got contaminated with water, unlike the Mr Funnel which I have seen on here. Here in the above is the funnel and paper filter I use. Today I emptied out a paraffin blowlamp and several stoves into one of those old Valor paraffin cans, I will fill up the above fuel bottle with this method so there will be clean filtered fuel in the bottle, I will then pour the fuel from this bottle in to the stoves or lamps using a little Tilley funnel with a brass mesh filter.
I have tried this once before "Only Kero" the paper filter seem to be a great idea but the kero was very very slow to filter through the paper filter. Causing this to be a long and time consuming to stand and poor 1/4 cup of fuel and wait for it to pass thru. Was I doing this the wrong way? or do I need to use a large funnel so I can pour a 1/2 cup and be able to walk away and come back to do it again? How do you do this set up with Kero?
I have a few old Coleman filters with the blue felt. The one I use for kero/paraffin I've had to wash it in soapy water a few times when it flows slow. I do have a Mr. Filter for any bigger issues as it's a little big for stoves. Duane
Viscara, The trick to getting faster flow rates is to maximize the area of the filter that can "filter". A tight fitting cone filter in a cone funnel will result in only a small circle of filter at the opening though which fluid can transit. Folding the filter many times to create flutes that radiate out from the center will increase the flow rate. Also some funnels have raised ridges that radiate and will accomplish the same thing. I use one of the cheap plastic filters that is mostly cylindrical and has a 3.5 to 4 cm screen in the bottom, and I poke a cheap coffee filler into that. It looks like a mess but it flows pretty well.
I recycle old nylon net curtains from charity shops. Folded three of four times and just laid in the funnel works pretty good . I then just chuck them away and fit a new bit when they have crud trapped in them. Steve,
Hi fellows some great ideas there, Steve good idea using net curtains folded a few time s would make a great filter and if wanted be washed and reused. Hi Viscara I find that it starts out flowing fast then slows down, as the paper filter gets blocked with debris, just now I filtered a bottle full and it was clean and it flowed quick with little slowing.
An idea for larger quantities... We use what are called milk filter socks to filter liquid product from our machinery. These filters are what they sound like, filters for milk used by dairies etc. They look like tubular heavy paper or fiber filters. They are about 24 inches long and about 2 wide when flat. They fit around hoses such as you might use to remove fuel from a drum or small keg. they work very well for particulates. You can buy them at local famr and especially dairy equipment supply stores and I believe from Grainger and Mc Master Carr. I even think they have them at some big box hardware stores. We never have trouble finding some in a pinch. here is a web page chosen at random from google for reference. http://hambydairysupply.com/xcart/home.php?cat=27 Usually you can find them in the paint department at hardware stores. For smaller stuff, the coffee filters work well in a pinch. Good Luck, Jim Henderson
At least in the states, anyplace that sells gear has a funnel/screen filter combo for just a couple bucks. Don't know why I bother-- I've filtered gallons over the years and never caught anything that shouldn't be there.
My Dad used to buy "used stove oil" from people who updated to gas or electric heat. He would filter the oil through a piece of chamois, the real kind made from goatskin. Chamois will exclude water, not allowing it to pass and oil, be it gasoline, stove, diesel or kerosene flows freely. I'd hold the chamois in a cup shape of sorts in the fill opening of 5 gallon kerosine cans while Dad operated the spigot on the oil tank. We got our heating oil a lot cheaper this way. And this was when #1 stove oil cost $0.18 per gallon. I didn't enjoy it all that much, but doing anything with my dad was a treat. He worked nights and slept days, don't you know? I liked working with my dad, he had the patience of Job. And with me he needed it. When we got done, there was nearly always a candy bar or an ice cream cone in it for me. Gerry
Hi, Filtering fuel through chamois is a method which has stood the test of time & is mostly used among pilots of light aircraft especially when fuel is obtained from uncertain sources, bearing in mind that a lot of vintage aircraft can run on automotive fuels. best wishes=John.
Greetings all, New to the forum but i have checked it several times and gleaned some really handy hints. A trick i have used in the past to filter fuel is run it through a panty liner/pad. May take some explaining to your better half though.
i use paper coffee filters and i have never had a problem with bad fuel. but my coffee is terrible regards BLAZE
