Just received stove in mail. Bottom of tank:AB OPTIMUS-Made in Sweden-Stockholm-XX would like to begin cleaning tank and burner. Able to build pressure in tank. Are their step by step by step instructions available for those cleaning crystals members talk about. Also, it appears that burner is seized to lipstick vaporizer. Can I immerse the lot into acetone?
All, FYI this is Punch's second Opti 100. This one being an older version. Hey Punch, Congrats. Riser seized as you describe has been covered on CCS. I have used thermal approach more lately. Might be worth a try, freeze it in plastic cup, base immersed in ice up to, including spirit cup. Once frozen, flip it, dip burner head in boiling water, every 2-3 seconds attempt to separate. If that doesn't work, re-freeze it, retry with applying gentle heat, waiving burner head over a torch set on table, while pulling apart 2 pieces (w/an oven mitt). I have not done it with this exact problem but that's 2 things I'd consider if it were me. Anyone is welcome to please correct me if I'm wrong. I consider the ice vs boiling water a mild approach (vs IE torch it cherry red or torch-heat & quench). thx omc
oops you could try above w/o immersing it / freezing it in water, just freeze the part. -I DO- I suggest HOLD OFF on water freezing suggestion, for now. As mentioned "I have not done it with this exact problem" Had an afterthought, may need to stick popsicle sticks / pencil bits... or something inside vaporizer before freezing. ? maybe not? Concern of freeze/cracking the tube as water contained/trapped inside freezes ??? -------------------- Another thermal approach: heat whole piece in oven to 475 ish, dip tube into ice water and every 2-3 seconds pull apart (or if a brass-friendly jig of sort might come to mind to carefully apply force to separate) . BTW again your problem has been covered on CCS, I can't link fix at the mo I'm afraid. Hikerduane has serviced a lipstick burner or two, maybe . thx omc tag @hikerduane
Hi @Punch you look to have a nice Op.100. Check how it compares to this one: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/optimus-100-from-1920s-30s.4774/ Do not be in a hurry to separate the burner bell from the lipstick. Many people quite happily use the burner in this way....less parts to fall off and get lost. Once you get a flame plate and the stove operating you can likely release the burner bell after the first high temperature run. If you decide to take the stove back to bare metal here is a worked example: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/1911-primus-no-100-resurrection.28205/#post-287827 Best Regards, Kerophile.
Hi @OMC Perhaps this is the thread on removing a stuck burner bell from its lipstick: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/96-burner-head-removal.2610/ Best Regards, Kerophile.
Gentleman: What is the purpose of that wire mesh inserted into the vaporizer?And if it is cleaned up, can it be used again? As well what is that convex piece of leather I see after removing burner from tank? It sits inside tank?
The wire mesh is the main vapourising agent in a lipstick burner and can help filtering to prevent stops in the jet. If needed, you can clean it but avoid excessive heat that can burn the metal, at refit you need to take care that the mesh has a good thermal contact with the burner tube. It use to be a lead washer between tank and burner but oxides with kerosene residues can cause it to look like old dirty leather, you can clean it with some carbon solvent and a semi-soft brush - a hard brush can ruin the sealing surface - the washer is ok as long as it seals towards the burner and the transport lid.
All good and thanks. Did all Opt. 100's come w/ transportation cap? So it was assumed that you would breakdown the stove to go hiking etc. I believe I'm missing the cap. In reality I will be using stove w/o the requirement to dismantle so I may not worry to much about freeing up the bell burner from Lipstick burner. Cheers Punch
Once again a big thanks to all who offered advice to bring back this early model Optimus 100 back to life. After reading old posts on flame spreader's, I did some experiments with slightly raising the spreader to different heights and couldn't believe how much better the flame pattern was.
