Hello, I'm pretty new to the world of stoves, but they hold a certain fascination for me. Recently I bought my first ever old stove from ebay - an RM "Wickless Picnic Stove", pic attached to this post. I paid the princely sum of £15 but no idea if that is a bargain or not. I chose it on the basis it was a Birmingham company and me being from the part of the world! I've tried to have a reasonably good read around the forum before posting, but wanted to ask for any additional thoughts before I embark to make sure I've at least grasped a few of the basics!! Cleaning brass work - I've acquired a box of citric acid crystals from Wilko's cleaning aisle (couple of quid) to make up solution. Not 100% on how strong to mix it, was thinking of starting with 1 tbsp/ litre (or 1.5 pints) of warm water. If I've gathered correctly, the citric acid is intended for only external cleaning? Fuel tank - don't use citric acid solution inside? Opt for carb cleaner or similar? Steel work - e.g. pan supports - citric acid solution then wire wool if necessary? Burner - bit nervous on this, is any cleaning necessary? Washers - replace as a matter of course? They look alright but if going to the trouble of dis-assembly it might not be a bad idea. Pump/pump cup - remove before cleaning, inspect pump cup, leave if looks reasonable? Otherwise replace. Out a matter of interest, is there any (synthetic) alternative to leather in use for pump cups. Stove box - remove rust / respray with enamel paint? Any thoughts much appreciated. I'm looking forward to getting stuck in!
Hi, welcome to CCS. Have a look at these posts if you have not already read them: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/3963 https://classiccampstoves.com/posts/83257 RM made good stoves. Good Luck with the fettle. Best Regards, Kerophile.
I wouldn't be putting steel and brass together into citric acid - you'll get all sorts of discolouration. Instead, use GSR (George's Stove Restorer which is wallpaper paste granules made up with citric acid solution or cheap vinegar. The advantage is that you can paint it on the brass bits without getting it on the steel. It also stays put on vertical surfaces. However, your stove has removable legs so you shouldn't have a problem. Clean the inside of the fuel tank with paraffin and small nuts, thin chain or similar. Gently rattle or swirl it about and rinse out. Repeat this process until no more junk comes out. Your burner might need cleaning but then it may not. I'd change the seals and pump cup - click on The Fettlebox pic at the top right. Pump cups are sometimes plastic or an O-ring. I prefer leather and these need soaking in, say, olive oil to soften them. Edit: Crossed with George and also, you need to click on 'Thumbnail' or 'Full Size' when you post pics to add them into your post - please follow the instructions in red...
HS You have still got a lot of lacquer on the tank. Go back to Wilco's, get yourself some of their paint stripper. Its a good alround stuff for using on the tanks, even when there is a lot of old oil crud on the outside, shifts that as well. If you want to keep your decal on the tank, mask a mm or so all round the outside, and lacquer it. When cured, carefully apply the paint stripper on the tank, avoiding the area of the decal. Dont try to tape over the decal once the lacquer has dried as there is every chance of ripping the decal of completely or at least damaging it. My method for cleaning the inside of the tank, steel shot as pictured, you can buy it off Ebay, different sizes. Put 2 or 3 ounces inside the tank, I never use paraffin, such a waste, and you still dont get all the smaller particles out. I put a cup full of water in the tank with the shot, squirt of Fairy Liquid, give it all a good shake. This may have to be repeated several times, depending upon the crap inside the tank. Pour the water and shot into a very fine mesh sieve, you can see how much crud is or is not inside the tank. Place the tank under running water, until it comes out clear. Leave to dry out for several days - patience is a virtue. Dont use water in steel tanks, for the obvious reason - rust. Most British tanks are ok removing the shot, as the filler neck is flush with the inside of the tank. Some tanks such as the Op 8R, the filler neck goes quite a way in the tank, thats where the telecopic magnet comes in useful. Sometimes depending upon the condition of the tank, I immerse the whole thing in a Citric acid solution, doing away with the necessity of using the shot. If you intend to get into stoves regularly, you will find your own way, and what suits you.
Hello everyone, many thanks for the replies, greatly appreciated Kerophile - I hadn't read the topic on heat resistant washers, but have now! The first one was really useful too when I read it. David Shouksmith - noted on not mixing steel and brass in citric acid. Will have a think about making up some "GSR", though as you say the steel bits do detach. Changing seals and pump cup was my initial thought, so I'll look at what's needed there. Thanks for advice on fuel tank, no idea what that's like! Iani - thanks for advice too, I hadn't contemplated the lacquer on there, and I had been thinking it would be ashame to lose the decal off there. Thanks for advice on fuel tank as well! The magnetic gizmo looks useful too.
Check what the pot legs are made of before you start trying to clean them. The ones with the embossed / engraved founts had aluminium pot supports so you'd need to be careful with the chemicals you chose to clean them with. Regards John
Only if you throw it away. You can pour it into a jar, let it settle and then decant off the clear paraffin. Otherwise simply filter it before use. I prefer something with edges and corners to remove the crud from inside the tank - force, pressure, simple Physics...
G,,day mate . lovely stove . as to pump cups . leather is the best , it rarely suffers a total failure , apart from neglect and extreme old age . and even then it can often be saved by a soak in oil and give it a slight stretch and its working again . I prefer neatsfoot oil . but any oil will do . some people are changing the synthetic cups in their Colemans to leather to get reliability in very cold weather . cheers, kerry
nice stove and all the help in the world here on this forum! might want to read up on the fettling hints....have been priceless for me cook every day on beaters that have revived thanks to the advice and kindness of this forums members.......also has helped me as an adviser to a group of boy scouts trying to teach them safety and food preparation while camping or on the trail/woods................cheers Lou
HS When you are ready to polish, old cotton t-shirt, plastic plant label. Use the t-shirt to wrap around the plant label, applied physics doesn't come in a tin, just a dab of autosol, and common sense.
