Thanks for the suggestions for clearing the tube with acid. I liked the radiator option. But, and real big BUT after all the fiddling and digging I have fatigued the metal. All was well then, it turned to jelly (almost, maybe a little over stated) Now the road forward, cut out the rotted tube and replace. First learn how to do it, next what materials, next practice on scrap, and practice again. Here is the damage, first hint I had of pending trouble was a few very small flakes of brass, next thing the probing tool's impression was showing on the surface. Just another thing to learn about old metal. If I do decide to bail out and send it off to be fixed, any suggestions of what trades I should be considering. I thought gunsmith as a start? I had hoped my next post would be the bearer of better fettling news. The pictures are real quick ones taken on top of the rubbish bin, hopefully the burner will think twice before it misbehaves again. Cheers, Sooty B Finger "over the tears and on with the job"
Some copper tubing is seam welded. The seam could have corroded over years of use so don't be hard on yourself. Learning how to solder on a splice OR A WRAP AROUND SLEEVE will be an adventure! Or if not, take it to a good plumber!
I offered to repair Pineappleroses's burner and it took a trip over to the UK. I'd P/R's harrowing account of just how immovable the filter/wick was in the tube, which was clear from the left end in this photo up to the burnished brass area just to the left of the burner rose then blocked from there on That burnished area was of course where P/R's determined effort with a drill to get the blockage out had gone off course and though not actually breaking through the tube had left its mark as the drill went off-centre First thing I did was to measure the length of the tube, so that if I needed to cut a section out I'd know what length exactly to replace after trimming cut ends square. It was obvious where the blockage began so that's where I cut the tube. Sure enough, there was the end of the filter/wick stuck fast Snipe-nosed pliers (long tapering jaws) proved useful to inch out the filter/wick, which was enclosed in a steel sleeve The meths could never have been coaxed to flow through it. Meths is hygroscopic (attracts water) and over the years the small amount of water in the meths remaining in the tube after each firing had got to work on the interior of the steel sheath and rust and filter fibre had combined to block the burner tube completely Here's the repair in progress. Cut ends cleaned up, tube in the vicinity of the repair cleaned up for silbrazing and a brass sleeve to go inside the butt joint to align the two pieces, drilled through from the fuel tank end of the tube after the repair to leave the interior of the tube smooth Assembly before silbrazing After brazing, the repair before cleaning off the flux and excess silbraze Pretty much undetectable, although when the burner's had a few firings and the brass tube has tarnished, the silver content in the brazing metal will most likely reveal where the repair was with a thin line of metal that's taken on a slightly lighter tone to the brass tube Pineapplerose had taken the burner to a local motorcycle shop initially to remove the sheared-off stub of the steel burner fixing screw in the base. The technician had done a pretty good job of cutting out the remains of the screw and silbrazing a repair to take a new tapped hole, which I make to be 3mm Metric I cleaned up the repair a bit in the burner base and made up a brass screw (not steel this time) to fit I'll make a new filter/wick - brass core to be on the safe side and not leave a legacy for someone else to have to get a stuck filter/wick out in another eighty years or so - before I ship the burner back to Pineapplerose. Incidentally, I've used the term filter/wick throughout, but I believe the purpose of these components on meths stoves like this Barthel are more to slow the fuel flow down in the vicinity of the burner to aid vapourisation. I guess it would trap any stray particles from the fuel too, but a secondary function I'd say, since the jet orifice on these stoves is pretty massive and easy enough to clean out. John
Very nice job John. I think you might need a Magnifying Glass to find that joint, Sooty should be well pleased.
Absolutely superb work on that repair , i'm glad you got the job , well done John , another classic for the fettling forum 8) Sooty will be really chuffed Best regards Stu
Thanks fellas. Always satisfying to contribute to getting a classic such as the Barthel back on its legs I'm supposing Sooty's stove is nearer this vintage and design rather than one of the newer ones (1930's) such as I have Norma spirit stove, Stove Ref Gallery That snaking fuel feed pipe from the tank, scorpion tail like, is the giveaway. John
Hi All, John and I have been chatting about the problem I had with the tube. You can see the offending relic that was stuck. I had been trying to remove it when disaster struck. Trust me Sooty is over the moon with news that the burner has had a very fine fettler fettle the flute. A great big public THANK YOU to John for his fine work and let's not forget his consultant fellow Fettler Stu, THANK YOU. Happy to say that two more Meth burners followed me home today, all they needed was a dust and a drink and they where up and at 'em I will share photos later in the week. Cheers to all and thanks for your support Sooty
I made a new filter/wick for Sooty's stove tonight, so the burner's ready to pack off back to Oz. Materials for the wick were a brass rod core, some strands of fibreglass yarn taken from a soldering mat and fine brass wire to bind the yarn to the core The core is a rough length of brass (with a high copper content judging by the colour) that I had in a box of found materials - I think it had been a chime rod in a clockwork mantel clock. I hammered a flat on one end and cut a slot in it to enable it to be hooked out of the burner tube at will At the other end I drilled a diametrical hole to anchor the brass wire binding of the filter yarn The rod was obviously cut to a length appropriate for the burner tube. Here's the completed filter alongside the burner Partially fed into the tube - it's a close but not so tight a fit that it can't easily be removed In position, but easily removed as I say by hooking it out by the piercing in the end, or just gripping it with fine-nosed pliers Incidentally, Sooty, Barthel have evidently followed the same useful practice on this Norma as they later did on mine which is to make the thread on that end of the burner tube tapered. Consequently, the cap will make a seal without the need for any sealing material or packing, simply by tightening it down reasonably securely. A drip of meths and it just means it needs tightening a bit more. John
Hi John Thats a superb fix on the filter arrangement 8) & the soldering matt for the fibre replacement is a stroke of genius & so much better than the original 8) I bet sooty is really looking forward to the re-built parts comming home Well done again John Stu
Thanks Stu I first used one of those soldering mats for this sort of job when I refurbished a Turm Touring stove a while ago Turm Touring refurb There's loads of material for filters or priming pads in one of those. John
John, the DESCA meths burner I have here also has the same taper threaded cap and tube fittings. Murph
WOW!! I see, John, that you and Sooty already know each other, and you have been doing some stellar work for her, my friend!! Excellent fettle, and done in style, too!! You have a perfect fettler's mind, Presscall, and I thank you for sharing your creative fix of Sooty's Meths stove burner. Brilliant! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
