Hello. I found this site when I started looking for parts for an Optimus 111. Great find. I have had one stove for almost 30 years. Bought it at a garage sale for $2 at that time. Using it last week and the white gas came out the end of the pump and flared. When I removed the pump and tilted the full gas tank the fuel ran out the pump tube. From searching on this site I understand that I have a NRV problem. I removed the NRV and the lead seal. (Tool had come with the stove). I assume that the NRV comes apart by holding the 5 mm nut and using a flat head screwdriver in the slot at the other end? How mush force is needed to turn the tube? I will order a service kit when Fettlebox is back on line. While searching the internet for parts and before I found this site I came across a 111 for sale only 20 km from me. I paid $65 cdn for it, seemed like a lot but I wanted to continue using a 111. Both came with the silent burners but the older one also had the single fuel burner with it so I assume it was changed out in the 70’s or early 80’s. Photos of both below. The newer one has a pump with the O ring seal and the older one has the leather. Is silicone the appropriate lubricate for the 0 ring seal? The time has come “fettle” the old stove. The newer one has the heat shield and the older one has always been missing. Are these available or should I plan on making one from brass shim stock or other suitable material? The case of the old stove is also missing its spring clip to hold it closed. Are these available? How do I tell which nozzle tip is for alcohol. I have an extra nozzle with the new stove but neither has a part number. There is an advisement in the Hiker write-up to not use the alcohol nozzle with the other fuels. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Tks Bob
Its the windshield that you are missing. You certainly can make them. Once you see what they go for on that auction site...you may want to make your own. I dont think you will find the spring clip, but a strap like what is used on the Optimus 99/199 works a treat. I think the alcohol nipple is a different size opening than the kero/white gas. The right sized pricker will let you know ( those with more smart than me will most likely clarify ) ps. 65.00 for a 111T is stupid cheap! If I could find them for that price I would have more 111s than I have 8Rs....
Hi, welcome to CCS. Base camp has these: 2061 Heat shield for 111, GB £11.95 This old post describes repair of case clip: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/optimus-111t-rebuild.27004/ Another restoration: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/optimus-111-embossed-rescued-from-the-dead.36207/#post-372973 Do NOT use the slot on the base of an NRV as a scewdriver slot to open it: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/optimus-111t-problem.35885/#post-369177 Best Regards, Kerophile
@Kayaker70 Do you mean “heat shield” or “windscreen”? I see a heatshield for the tank in each photo. Silicone should be ok for the O-ring. Use a drill chuck to hold the cylindrical end of your NRV. As @kerophile link demonstrates, a screw driver can break the NRV. Cheers Tony
Detonator/fuse cap pliers are almost perfect to hold NRV: I bought few of those pliers from local army surplus store. Some Leatherman models have that fuse cap crimper: I haven't tried how Leatherman multitools work for NRV holding. Cap crimper seems to be more elliptic that in those old style fuse wire&cap pliers.
Dimensions, and even a pattern, for long-type Op.111 windshield and given in this thread: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/optimus-111-long-windshield.27101/ Best Regards, Kerophile.
@Kayaker70 , Hi, Bob, Welcome to CCS! The 111T stoves are amongst my most favorite, and fettled properly, they work a treat, and are a joy to use!! As to the o-ring on the later version, I would suggest you swap that out with a conversion setup, which is made and sold by several of our CCS Mates. The stove will work better with a leather pump bucket, rather than the o-ring that came with it originally. I've swapped mine out, and MUCH prefer them that way!! I also note that Optimus seem to have gone back to the leather pump bucket in their latest incarnation of this stove, the Optimus Hiker +. They did well to dump the o-ring, as it simply doesn't work as positively as has the leather version, which is tried and true in it's long history of use. Check here, for a good replacement for your o-ring setup: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/leather-pump-cups.27930/ @kerry460 , Kerry does a good job, and I've got his excellent kits in several of my stoves in which I swapped out the o-ring setup. You won't regret it, should you choose do this neat upgrade!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Thanks for all the advice. I surely would have tried a screwdriver in the NRV and wrecked it. I will make a wind shield. I’ll be looking for sheet or pipe brass. I’ll contact the fellow about his kit to convert the 0 ring pump to a leather one. A friend has located a 111B that the hinges have seized and been broken. Other wise complete. I will try and get it and make it well. Again thanks Bob
Hi @Kayaker70 . So you are going to have three Op. No.111 stoves being fettled at the same time! Here is a link to hinge repairs: If you use the CCS search function there is a hill of Optimus 111 help and information available. These stoves are true classics and rightfully popular. Best Regards, Kerophile.
@kerry460 , Kerry, I'm very sorry to hear of your health problems, my friend! SB and I wish you a complete and speedy recovery from whatever is ailing you!! Thanks for letting us all know, and get well soon! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
I did get the 111 with the broken hinges. Other than that a complete 111b. No cash but had a good barter. So I will be spending some time reviewing the links that have been attached to this thread. I should know what I am doing by the time I get to the third one! Does anyone know whether the kerosene/white gas fuel uses the larger or smaller diameter nozzle? The note on the page that came with the Hiker International states that the cooking time can be reduced by half by using the alcohol nozzle matched to the fuel but that this nozzle must not be used the white gas or kerosene. Tks Bob
@kerry460 I, too, wish to say that I am sorry to hear that and I wish you a speedy recovery. Ken in NC
@Kayaker70 The large jet (that is, the hole in the brass nipple) is the one for alcohol (methylated spirits). Tony
Hello Gentlemen I am learning by doing but I want to check a few things. I received my 111 seal package from the fettlebox. Took a while with the rotating mail strikes we have been going through in Canada. My pip in the NRV of the old dirty stove in the picture above, with the bright NRV tube, was hard as rock. So I replaced the pip with the brass nipple in the package and reinstalled it with a new seal. Leaked like a son-of-a-gun. Back out again and found another lead gasket in the bottom of the pump tube. Got it out and cleaned the bottom of the tube to bright and shiny. Re-installed the NRV and still leaked. Appeared to be coming out the hole on the top. Out it comes again. This time I put the additonal black pip on top of the pip in the brass nipple, I noticed that the pip in the nipple was quite a ways below the edges of the brass housing. Re-installed and pressurized. No leaks. Fired up the stove and it ran great. Now for the clean up. Question 1. Is the correct procedure for this kit to have a second pip on top of the one in the brass housing? Question 2. I took the newer Hiker stove that leaked and removed the NRV. The stove is bright and shiny. The NRV tube was green and scally. Tank looks clean and nothing washed out. I removed the head of the NRV and replaced the black pip with the brass pip from the second kit and put the additional black pip between the brass housing and the head of the NRV. Tightened it up gently and it opened up at the threads! Now I need a new housing. Where can I source a new NRV complete or in pieces? Haven’t found one on the internet yet. If you enlarge the photo you can see that the pip inside the brass housing is recessed below the edge of the casing and provides no contact with the head of the NRV? Tks Bob
