I got an Optimus 96 yesterday (and some old tools, and a .17 and .23 pricker). I replaced the pip, lead gaskets, leather in the pump. It fired up easily but it is burning very hard (and yellow). Top of the burner and burner plate are red-hot. I tested the hole and could fit a .32 mm pricker in it. I read all about peening and searched for more detailed procedures but couldn't find it. I have a good peening hammer, but not sure how to do it. How hard do you hammer? Just light taps, or medium size hits, like for a small nail or furious hammering? (probably not the last one) Do you hammer only on top of the hole, or to the sides - going around the full top of the lipstick burner? Do you need to make something to put the burner onto, or can I just clamp the bottom in a vice? I read some threads about making a base to slide the burner over but that looks like a lot of work and don't know if it is required. Before I can do the hammering, I need to remove the burner head. I'll freeze the burner in ice tonight and heat up the head to see if it will come loose. I tried it yesterday evening by holding the burner in water and heating up the head but that didn't work. Thanks, Ted
Vapourising tube restoration On page 2, Jur recommends the blunt end of a suitable drill as a former. Or you can use a ball bearing on the end of a dowel but check the size carefully first - too big and it will be there for ever! ( see here ) Good luck.
Thanks - so I guess a former of some sort is required then. Still need to remove the burner head though. Had the burner sit in the freezer in a piece of ice, heated up the head but still no go. Pretty difficult to apply some leverage either without damaging the head, or the spirit cup, or the burner itself ... I guess there is no way to peen with the burner head still in place? Perhaps with a rounded piece of steel gently tapping it with a hammer around the orifice?
Soaked the head in household vinegar for a few hours - that cleaned it up nicely but still stuck. Then started to peen with the head attached but that was not really working. So clamped the burner in a vice and, much to my surprise, was able to remove the head quite easily with some pliers without damaging anything. After that, started peening till a .23 still fitted, and a .27 not. Fired it up and it is much better now. One odd thing, if the tank is filled up good (2/3) and I pump it up to full burn, some kerosene is leaking back into the pump pipe. I already replaced the pip in the NRV, the spring was still good and I also replaced the lead washer. If I pump it up, and fill some water in the pump tube I don't see any bubbles. Any suggestions? Will post flame pics later....
Turned out the NRV was leaking. I emptied the tank, closed the filler cap and burner hole with the cap. Pumped it up, put a few drops of water in the tube and looked with a flashlight. Saw small bubbles coming out of center of the NRV. Got the NRV out again, stretched the spring up, put it back in and gone was the leak. Last thing I need to fix now is an uneven flame pattern. Could that be because of the lipstick burner looking slightly off center, probably as a result of the peening?
I'm not sure if you mean that the vapourising tube (lipstick) is lopsided mounted on the tank. That wouldn't affect the flame pattern if it were. Most probably it's because the peening has reduced the jet orifice size effectively but has left an irregular, jagged hole (microscopically speaking). Something you might have to live with as a result of peening being a hit-or-miss solution to the problem, which is why I developed an alternative approach with brazed inserts Optimus 100 lipstick burner repair John
