Sourcing / Creating Optimus/Primus flame spreaders

What do you mean 'not pretty'? - the flame pattern is wonderful!

 

@igh371
Thank you . However on reading the whole thread I think I have posted pictures of a part that is not under discussion . Ho hum will read the whole thread before I post next time

 

Very old thread:

Repro rare flame plates

 

I agree

 

@Mcbhaine

I agree with you, it is a lot of money for such a simple piece. Occasionally they will pop up on 'bay for less -- but I'd say the main reasons they cost as much as they do is (a) they do seem to get lost (as judged by the number of such stoves that are listed on that auction site that are missing that part ), and (b) someone is apparently willing to pay that much for them.

 

Bugger, I needed one for a stove, tool a piece of sheet brass and a Adel nibbling tool, had one made watching the telly, took under a hour!

The Original Adel Nibbling Tool

You can find these on eBay for $20 or less, beats a set of tin snips hands down! I've got a used Roper Whitney #5 punch, sheet metal quivers in fear when I walk into the shop!!!

No. 5 Jr. Hand Punch Kit - Roper Whitney

Murph

 

The nibbler, eh? Intriguing. Thanks.

 

I am afraid I did not get across the ol’ punta. An Indian burner, fashioned in a much more intricate fashion,using way more material, some of it cast, is $7. An almost flat, small, stamped disc, with a couple of fingers is $20. Neither more rare than the other. Simpler one triple the price. Go figure.

 

Kerosene stove are still in use in many parts of Asia (and maybe also in Africa and South America). India is one producer of stove for those areas. I think that in India they make few tens of thousand or at least several thousands of those burners every year. Mass production price is very low especially when labor cost is minimal. That adds up to make final product price is low.

Flame spreader manufacturing is very small scale business and quantities are very small, so production cost is much more. So final product price is higher.

I assume that making there flame plates:

Have involved 1-2 week full day work from two persons to make small batch of flame plates. (They seemed to get "infra" from local foundry, so there was no need to get or own that). To even get some money for spend time price of flame plates should have been quite high (price what you pay for stoves nowadays?). I think that price has been quite low when they were sold; more like charity and to learn casting process.

 

Hi @Afterburner

here is an extract from the old thread I referenced earlier. I was asked about the practicality of making reproduction cast iron trivets for sale


“Hi Peter, It would be a labour of love rather than an economic proposition.

Stu and I were involved in preparing masters and having "Primus" flame plates cast in SG cast iron. As well as the practical hands-on work which Stu had to do, there were high up-front costs to get the pieces cast, then Stu's further work to hand-finish them and make them available for sale.

So in principle Primus trivets could be made but:

1. The original design is not very robust and if the trivet doesn't crack in use due to differential expansion/contraction stresses, it can easily break if dropped.
None of the Original stove manufacturers persisted with cast-iron trivets except for their very largest stoves.

2. I suspect the market is not there for replica trivets at a price which would cover tooling and production costs. People are always looking for a "deal" and have been spoiled by items mass-produced in India and China and then supplied to more developed Nations below local cost of production.

3. These C-I trivets are really heavy, so shipping costs will be high.”

Best Regards,
Kerophile.

 

Hi @kerophile ,

Yes, no change to make cast iron trivets for sale if you are not 'charity worker'. Price would be so high that sales would be very minimal if all costs should be covered with selling price.

I was thinking to make simple trivet from 8-10 mm aluminum sheet/plate. Just cut it round, make hole into middle and run grooves on bottom side with milling machine that it would fit into stoves legs. That would take 3-4 hours to make. Not yet done, but some day... Even making that kind of simple trivet for sale would work since price would be too high compared to trivets that are coming from India.

 

Hi @Afterburner The problem with Alumimium, whether using it for stove legs or trivets is that it is such a wonderful conductor of heat that the legs or trivet quickly become branding “irons” and burn anyone they touch.

Best Regards,
Kerophile.

 

Enders 100, Turkish Coffee and Trivets.

 

Far off, but most certainly 'on' my list of things to do, is to cast some replica pan rings/trivets in bronze... I'm pretty sure one stove manufacturer offered a bronze pan ring option at extra cost for one of their stoves for a brief period, can't remember which...

 

Hi @kerophile

Thank's for "aluminum alert"! I was thinking that aluminum could work some how as MSR has used it in their stoves as 'simmering plate'. If some day I find suitable piece on aluminum from recycling center / junk yard I'll buy it and just for fun test it how it works.

Some years ago I bought Omnia baking/oven rack: Oven rack - Omnia to be used as that Enders trivet. It is quite good, but not as good as original ones with notches that keep trivet firmly on top of the stove.

 

Hi,

in topic with aluminum trivets:

Primus cast aluminum trivet?

Nicola

 

As far as reproduction cast trivets go there has been one South Korean specialist who has been offering a small selection for a few years. Originally they were available in 3 different sizes and 3 different metals, one of which was brass. Now there are only 2 sizes remaining on his adverts, and only in "graphite cast iron". Including postage they both work out at just short of £50 each.

I did buy a couple when they first appeared, mainly out of curiosity. I was impressed at both the quality of the castings and the malleable nature of the iron employed. Clearly these were made to be far more stress and shock resistant than the originals! The fact that stocks don't seem to be getting replaced as they sell out might indicate that the economics of production are not proving justifiable?

 

I think you have nailed it.

 

Interesting about the reproduction trivets, cast ones being a particular joy of mine.

I presume they are generic, whereas most collectors would want one branded to match their stove?

 

I have been planning to draw up a trivet and have it printed in bronze-infused stainless or aluminium, but its low on that neverending to-do list.
The only snag is it will be expensive, definitely not economical but I'd like to have a bash at it once just to scratch the itch.

Alec.