Hi @Benzin . Your stove is a different colour to mine but I wonder if they came from the same factory? https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/primus-touristy-optimus-8r-clone.6856/ I too rate these stoves as good, poweful and controllable. Thank you for the photographs, and good luck with your stove. Best Regards, Kerophile.
@kerophile About the color, original one is that aluminium grey. I took this case, knob and burner cup from another Primus so now this one is some kind of Franken Primus. I tightened the knob quite well and got much better regulation possibility. Also i found that original metal key shape is more convenient to use than this knob, but of course if you don't forget removing after setting the fire.
Today I had a funny thing. I got acquainted with one member of Croatian Outdoors forum and he asked me to bring the stove. I brought Optimus 8R and shown him ease of use, power and burning capabilities and the guy was completely amazed when about 700 ml of water boiled in about 11-12 minutes on outside temperature of -4°C . First I thought to put the Primus on eBay and similar sites. And then I think to myself. Would I feel better with some money that I don't actually need or if I make someone happy with something I made to work and it will serve him well for many years. So we arranged a hiking these days on a mountain close by and I told him that I'll take both stoves so we make some lunch in woods and have fun. If he keeps a half of that amazed look on hiking I will give him Primus as a present.
About colours of clones https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/8rs-and-8r-like-stoves.19218/ its mean - too much colour light...
It is maybe on the pictures but it is a nice blue flame. I'll do another review these days and compare the stoves.
Just yesterday I tried to fettle my Prymus Tourist stove... I had same problem as you had with the spindle. I didn't got it out. How you finally got the spindle out from your stove? I am thinking that maybe graphite seal was/is missing and me on someone else has tighten the packing nut so tight that graphite gasket washer is deformed and that prevents spindle to come out.
I thought the same but it wasn't like that. After disassembling the stove I soaked all parts in WD40. Cleaned and dried, put everything together and fired it. After about 5 uses again I tried to disassemble and spindle went out without any problem. Use cotton sticks to clean and dry threads and after few days and firings for 15-20 minutes WD40 film will dissolve impurities and spindle will go out easily with minimum force. I tried to pull it out again and everything goes easily. Bigger problem i had with disassembling broken fuel line from great shape tank. The nut was completely crumbed and it was impossible to find adequate wrench. I used small vice, gas torch to heat the connection and disconnect it. I really didn't expect success but there it was. After connection was heated enough one squeeze with pliers deform the connection and pulled it out easily. Good thing on Prymus Tourist stove in this case is tank made of steel and line and connection are made from brass so no fear for box thread on tank. Changed the wick, connected burner assembly from second Tourist and that's it. Works really good.
Thank's for the info! One of my plan was to heat the burner and valve assembly with a propane torch. So looks that it might work, I'll try how it works... For spindle threads I think that I might have a thread tap that I can use for cleaning the threads. I need to check if I remember correctly...
I don't have all those nice liquids... just basic things water, vodka, rum, whiskey, cognac, kerosene, bensin/gasoline and motor oil. First I put some bensin from the tank to the packing and turned the spindle, no luck. Then I put some motor oil to the packing and turned the spindle, a slight move but no luck. Then I heated the whole valve assembly carefully with a propane torch and spindle started to come out. There was no graphite packing. Someone had used a plastic or rubber gasket that was very hard now. There were washers on both side of the gasket, so maybe they have been there also when there has been a graphite packing in control valve. Valve assembly was very nice to clear and fettle. All threads were metric threads and I had taps&dies to them. I cleaned all threads with taps&dies. These are the sizes: -control spindle M8x1,25 -packing nut M10x1 -jet M8x0,5 They all are different that in Optimus 8R. Cleaning needle "hole" I cleaned with "cotton pud" that was made of steel wool instead of cotton. I thought that was more efficient version. Optimus graphite packing fitted nicely to the spindle. I used those original washers for the both side of the packing. On test stove worked ok and no leak from packing nut anymore.
Got a new unfired PT-1 just yesterday. Proceeded with complete teardown and inspection prior to fueling etc. Issues found normally with a NOS stove made in 1993. 1. Pip and fuel cap gasket. Abnormal issues: 1. Jet seat and jet flange not square. Remedied both with hand file and lathe work for the jets flange. (it was overtightened from factory and distorted or someone replaced it. It was almost unusable. Throttle packing rubber wouldn't seal unless packing nut was really tight. (if sealed was very hard to turn). Remedy graphite packing highly recommended. Now turns easily and sealed. 2. Wick was really minimal amount of cotton bandage gauze. Stove acted like it wasn't getting enough fuel. Replaced with proper cotton mop. 3. Pan supports needed adjustment. (high in center). 4. Typical Soviet era just good enough manufacturing. Alignment issues abound. From the way the stoves sits in case to pan supports being perpendicular etc. Overall now serviceable but will never be an 8R built by a swede.
hello I have a primus pt-1 and I lost the needle and I can not get it. Will the 8R needle work for the pt-1?
Hello @Yeison I do not know if the teeth on the rack are the same however the needle should be very close to the same size and may work if the size is close. With a little filing you may be successful in using 8R needle rack. I do not want to disassemble a stove to check. Maybe someone else here will know for sure. Good luck.
