Hi Team. Success on auction day, a rather nice if well used Model 404 Bushman Folding Stove (says so on the label) for the princely sum of NZ$10. Original paint well scuffed or gone, but the case was in good shape, I'm picking it was someone's pet at some point. What tweeked my interest was the cast burner bar and manifold. I've always thought the later pressed steel plate ones looked cheap and nasty even if they do work ok. By happy coincidence the tank and generator are a dead fit for the 421 I just tarted up, it of the rusted fuel tank. My 1st thought was rob the tank for nice one, but I like the burners better in this one. Decisions decisions....The filler cap seal was diamond hard as you'd expect, that was removed and I discovered the O ring I use for 8R caps will fit nicely. Pump seemed to work but got a dribble of oil anyhow. Fresh white gas and........................... ....neat as you please. 8) The pattern is lopsided, there is some rust in the burner rings and the screw is rust welded in place, that'll need special attention some time later. Still damn hot tho. Left side started right up as well and mooched along as usual MMmmfry up in the works One coronary special. Looks better than the pix suggest, I SOO need a new camera! The case isnt embossed with info, this has natty but ephemeral water transfers, a ride in the zap tank before repainting would be the end of them. This one I'm going to leave as a user apart from the usual tlc. The way the legs double as lid locks are a nice touch, too, as well as being stable set up. All in all I'm well pleased
From what I can see in your pics, it's a dead ringer for a Coleman 425C except for the cylindrical tank. When you get that burner apart and clean the rust and evict the homesteaders in it, I'll wager you'll have a stove to hand down to your grandkids. And does that brace running along the stove's bottom say "Coleman?" What in the world have you fried up to go with the cackle berries? Are there any birds indigenous to NZ that have eggs that are good to eat? Not just edible, but good? Here in the US we've got grouse, partridge, goose, ducks, and quail to name a few. At least those are some I've actually tried. I tried to gather some robin's eggs when I was a sprog, but my dad gave me a fatherly thump on the noggin to discourage further endeavors along those lines. Gerry
Indigenous? Well, not really, natives are limited to the native wood pigeon (Koraro, I think the Maori name is ) is great eating but very illegal since the numbers took a major hammering. Thats about the size of a small to medium chicken. Then there are muttonbirds, the preserved chicks of one of the Tern family, also about the size of a bantam chook. Tastes like stunningly salty sardine oilly chook that died of fright. An acquired taste, much depends on their preparation. ON the Introduced list we have pheasants, several types of goose, salmon, the usual english type ducks, turkeys, several strains and colours of trout, 3 or 4 kinds of deer, chammy, waskilly wabbits, hares, pigs and goats. Several of those are near me The bar between burners does indeed say Coleman, bar and manifold is delightfully cast from what looks like cast iron. Quite stylee. The cacklers are next to a couple of rissoles I made earlier, again, better than they look.
Coleman suitcase stove tank tabs were sometimes stamped with the month and year of manufacture. Have a look. As for getting the burner(s) apart, I've had some luck turning the screw in a tiny fraction of a turn while it's hot. An old fart I worked with called that "Wakin' 'em up." all that's required is to break it loose, not move it. Another trick is to use a well fitted punch in the slot and give it a good whack with a medium size hammer to jar things loose. He called that "Hitting the S.O.B." Silver tongued old devil, he was. Gerry
Another old trick for loosening a stuck screw, bolt, or nut.......after a suitable "tap" ,is to attempt to tighten it, before attempting to loosen. I've seen three guys on a cheater bar that couldn't budge a frozen nut, tried it the other way with only one and it broke free. May work for burned or rusted screws on a stove. Best, Bob
Well, carefully applying the above techniques plus a few of my own I most carefully twisted the heads off both. Not to worry, drill out stubs, ease through a tap and insert new bolts with a liberal smear of hi temp copper-slip, job done 8) Took a little longer than that, but it was a pleasant sunday afternoon project. The burner rings were little more than metal lace in some places and had to be handled with care but it must be my day, everything went back together smoothly and it fired up a treat The gallerys got a major blow out with compressed air but only some dust came out, no roaches or spiders or anything. Only job now is to swish out the fuel tank. Nice stove, I could get to like it. Or if not actually like, at least respect it I guess..... No dating marks anyplace obvious, the inside transfer says patent applied for in 1936 so I guess late '30's would close.
Does it sound like a lpg gas bbq burner going?? One of them long ones. Just curious as mine is the same as yours. Will the other vapouriser fit this one or are they different. Thanks Barra
A full speed the right burner makes steady hissssssss, but at about half speed it has a quite loud whistle I suspect is jet noise reverberating in the manifold. Not bad, just noticeable. The tank and generator is the same shape for the 421-D and Bushman, the genny replacement # is the same for both. The Bushman has a tubular brass (?) tank, the 421-D has the pressed steel item, but the mounting tags and valve placement is the same.
Thanks Mike I certain which gennie to look for if I ever need one. Lance and co was right about it then...Just conferming as the numbers don't apear on any coleman gen I could find. Yep mine sounds about the same!! Seems rust proof tank. mine is good as new after all these years. Least it won't rust out like the steel ones even if they don't hold all that much. Plenty for the cooking job I done anyway. Well it should outlast me. can say that for 'um. Does work. Barra
NZmike - we have Chatam Island turkeys (albatross!) but they may be a bit hard to cook on that twin burner. Our native pigeons are called Kereru.
