Primus #5 1912 Burner Cap Question

Discussion in 'Stove Forum' started by Landshark, Apr 29, 2020.

  1. Landshark

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    Hi, like many, cleaning out workshop and decided to downsize my brass stove collection. My oldest stove is this old but in very good condition 1912 (B) Primus #5 with silent burner, (no PO solder here!) but it is missing it's very different burner cap. These older Model 5's have an inner burner but the outer is just a cap sits on the permanent part (with the holes).

    As I have been about 8 years hoping to find another old 5 to get this one working and not had any luck I am asking if anyone has a spare (this is like asking for hen's teeth I know!) or could someone fabricate me one? I read where Berniedog? has done this before but cannot find the thread.

    I have a bunch of Valour 55 silent burners and see that a inner 4554 fits well, (I have a second inner from a Valor 55 that has holes along the bottom, be interesting to see which one works best) see photo, the 2nd inner is hanging off one of the leg supports. If I could get the top burner cap then it should work. If no one has one or can make me one, can someone send me the diamentions from a Primus 5 silent burner from 19111-1912.

    When I picked up this #5 it came with a silent cap squished on top (photo hanging off other leg support). It's has seen a major melt of the dome. Don't think this came with the stove, any idea which stove it was for?

    If I cannot get this burner working, I see a nut under the burner, I might try and remove this burner and see if one of my other burners will fit depending on height etc.

    Thanks for any replies.
     

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    Last edited: Apr 29, 2020
  2. Landshark

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    Missed the 10 minute edit function, so FYI found I had misspelled BernieDawg. Found his web site will see about getting a replica made.
     
  3. Nicola Francesco Elia

    Nicola Francesco Elia Italy SotM Winner SotY Winner Subscriber

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    Hello, I would be interested too in some of these caps, please let me know if you get good news from BD, I will also buy from him a Juwel 6 flame plate.

    Cheers,

    Nicola
     
  4. Ray123

    Ray123 Subscriber

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    I have a similar burner on a Primus1. Playing around with it the whole cage of holes with inner cap came off. I don't know if I broke it or it's just pressed on. It came off easy enough. In the last shot I have a conventional cap set on the burner and it seems to fit well enough for a test.

    100_1236.JPG 100_1237.JPG 100_1239.JPG

    Ray
     
  5. igh371

    igh371 SotM Winner Subscriber

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    @Landshark, I had the same problem, needing a cap for an identical burner, and managed to make a perfectly functional top cap from a deep skirted 46mm engine core plug. The details, and the result, can all be found in this thread here. As a stop-gap measure it is also possible to get away with simply encasing a damaged fixed sleeve, or one missing it's top cap, with a 'next-size-up' modern outer cap eg here.

    @Ray123, I believe that the form of silent burner outer cap that is now ubiquitous was originally introduced as a repair part for the older fixed sleeve type!
     
  6. Tony Press

    Tony Press Australia Subscriber

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    1. Quite some time ago someone here manufactured a replacement cap for these burners, but they would be long gone.

    2. I’ve used a welch plug to make a cap for these, like @igh371.

    3. On one with a badly damaged skirt, I’ve cleaned the skirt off the burner, smoothed the burner bell, and fitted an ordinary outer cap, as @Ray123.

    I read here quite some time ago that, as Ian has said, the repair instructions for these burners were to remove the skirt

    Cheers

    Tony
     
  7. Landshark

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    Hey, thanks guys for the ideas. I been thinking about what could I use to make my own burner cap. Yes, and engine plug would work. Or a complete removal of the skirt (I have a Dremel) and just use regular inner and cap. I'll first try and find an engine plug or oversized cap before I remove the skirt. Cheers

    Bob
     
  8. Ray123

    Ray123 Subscriber

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    Rainy day in New Hampshire and day 100 in lockdown. Actually it only seems like 100 days. It's really only around day 30.
    My 1910 Primus 1 has a buggered nrv so I set up the burner with spirit dish and riser to run on a Svea 106. I haven't yet smoothed the burner bell as @Tony Press suggested but a standard inner cap fits well and I have an outer cap marked Original no 5 which seems to fit well. It produces a bit of an orange halo which the new caps seem to do but it fits tight and there doesn't appear to be any leaking from the bottom.
    Today is the first time firing up this burner and although there aren't air holes in the bell it seems to work good. Here's a couple flame pics so you all can see the first lighting in maybe 50 to 100 years.

    100_1242.JPG 100_1244.JPG

    Ray
     
  9. Tony Press

    Tony Press Australia Subscriber

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    Good result. My rule is: If you boil water on it and there’s no soot that’s easy to wipe off on the bottom of the pot, the job’s done.

    Cheers

    Tony

    @Ray123
     
  10. igh371

    igh371 SotM Winner Subscriber

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    Aagh no, don't do that :shock: The fixed flame tube on your photos looks to be in very good condition for an original burner of that age. And decent original burners like that aren't exactly 2 a penny! If you really can't get it fixed up in the short term I'd simply swap in a complete more recent date silent burner, which would be easy to source, and put that one into safe keeping for the future to preserve originality[-o<
    Ian:thumbup: