Roger I do believe your stove is similar to a type of building commonly found in the western part of the US back in the day. Back before indoor plumbing was common. From the looks of it the proper name is a ONEHOLER. Generally found out back, behind many a house, especially in Alaska. There are still some locations here in the lower 48 where they can be found in abundance. Somehow, Stumpys, seems a right proper location to fettle this fine old bit of brass. Thanks for sharing. ATB Lance
It’s been a while and I’ve “found” a few… This one in the half-price closing down sale in Yarragon VIC cost me $17.50… It appealed to me. It had indications of a good past life. There were a few “imperfections” too. This is not the first time that I’ve encountered the “up-turned” legs although I’m not entirely sure as to the reason. The burner looked to be OK: So I found a flame ring, replaced what appears to be a Companion air-bleed screw, found a suitable pump-rod assembly/cap and performed some gentle peening of the pump tube end. Replaced the relevant seals and test fired: I had noticed a spot of what appeared to be silver solder on one of the burner tubes as it wasn’t easy to place the flame ring in position. Whilst at Cockle Creek I unsuccessfully attempted a repair: Today I had access to my Dremel and successfully attempted another silver solder repair (my first): Time to re-fire and test my repair: Put the kettle on: and admire the flame: No “sooting” (I’d only “pricked” the jet/nipple that came on the burner): From what I’ve been able to ascertain I think that I’ve just resuscitated a Primus PATENT No 1 circa 1896 This is my oldest so far! Thanks! Rodger
There is something wonderful about a well weathered stove with cherry red flame ring and perfect flame! What a great example. I believe the area of the burner casting you had to repair was where cores were used to create the passageways in the casting, the holes were blanked off with plugs brazed in place when the burner was assembled. It seems one of the brazes joints finally gave up. I wonder if this was done to compensate for a missing pan ring, to regain proper clearance between vessels and the burner? Certainly easy to bend those legs, thinned out from years of use!
Good first silbraze repair, @Rodger Willows. This stove should go in the Reference Gallery… Cheers Tony
Hi @Knee at the beginning of 2024 you posted images of the restoration of a classic brass stove. One of the things you described was the most unusual “blind” NRV, which would obviously have been unable to pass air and pressurise the fuel tank. I too have reported a near “half-blind” NRV, where one of the two exit holes still retained the circular punching from manufacture: 1911 Primus No.100 Resurrection. Best Regards, Kerophile.
Hi @kerophile . I've read this post of yours in the past ( great job!) , but only now have I noticed the NRV bushing with one "closed eye". As you can see, faulty parts hit, even in these solid stoves. Ironically, the stove I was describing at the time is called Perfektus.... I think that thanks to such curiosities, our hobby has more flavor. Greetings Stanisław
@Blackdog @Tony Press @Knee Thank you for your all for your comments! My conclusion that this was c. 1896 was based on the discussion for the stove of @Scott B: Primus no 1 Patent fixed pump tube. @Tony Press I wasn’t sure that it warranted inclusion in the Reference Gallery? Maybe the Moderators could decide?
The Reference Gallery is not an exclusive museum. Any example of any stove is perfectly welcome there, I believe.
@Rodger Willows My view is that it’s always good to have these early stoves in the Reference Gallery to help keep track of changes to stampings etc, and original fittings. I’ll go through your stove in detail today to see its features. Cheers Tony
All classic stoves have a place in the reference gallery. Some get the added distinction of belonging here too
SVEA No 8 (c. a lifetime ago) My next resurrection was acquired in Londonderry (Sydney) from “The Junkyard” which is flood prone and this had spent some time underwater. It certainly displays a long and useful history. Fettling presented a few challenges. The tank (when I could get in) was full of “sludge” like none that I’ve ever encountered before. After multiple rinse outs with Kerosene and “nut-slurry” it was still full of a “sludgey” debris and I had to fill it with degreaser and boil it twice before subsequent Kerosene/nut slurry rinse outs to clear the tank inner: This is my first encounter with an external NRV - it had water logging evidence, but was salvageable. The pump cup/rod were seized at the bottom of the pump tube, but “tincture-of-time, “Penetrene” and gentle persuasion prevailed. I had to replace the pump rod and plunger assembly, but was able to retain the cap and rod-end. The non-original (Primus) burner went through the ultrasonic several times and the original nipple/jet was “pricked” and retained. The dunk test was favourable except for leaking from the (very worn) air release screw. Very firm tightening overcame that. Last night was spent at another of my favoured locations in TAS and I thought that I might attempt a firing-up - which was unsuccessful because I’d neglected to carry a pricker to the (very windy) beach with me: This morning I re-attempted a firing-up: Put the kettle on: and it performed well! The graphics: That was a bit of fun! Thanks! Rodger
Great to see a stove which has suffered heavy use, repair, abandonment the flooding come back to life after no more than a cleanout and service! It must be very stable in use given all that extra lead ballast on those leg repairs! Very fortunate that despite the oxidation the wonderful 'starbust' and bubble lettering are so clearly visible, that's really what these old Sveas are about. I do like the proportions too, the filler cap and riser wing nut are pure style.
Next - todays effort: PRE-1911 PRIMUS No: 5 This one came from Churchill (Gippsland) VIC @ $40. Graphics: “Primus” on one side (nothing on the other): It’s sporting some extra lead: And has had some “gripping” problems in the past: Which made for an “interesting” first attempted fire-up when the burner/riser gasket went off with a bang: I’d hand tightened it after applying high temperature anti-seize (as I usually do). I replaced it and wrench-tightened it for my next attempt! I installed a rusty inner cap to see how it performed: The usual green oxides type of flame: Kettle on: You may see a little flame extending below the burner through the eroded air orifices: I’m presuming that the impressive orange colour is the burning-off of iron oxides from the rusty inner cap: Despite the additional flame colouration there is no “sooting”: Additional time meant transition to a beautiful blue flame: A very pleasing result: Thanks! Now on to the next…
Today I caught the ferry to Bruny Island and headed on down to another of my favoured campsites in TAS - Jetty Beach: Needless to say I brought a few stoves with me for fettling. There are suitable fettling benches available nearby too: First up was another pre-1911 Primus No: 5 that I’d picked up in Traralgon, VIC for $20. It would appear to have belonged to a disabled person in its past life: I neglected to take any images before boiling it up, but the previous owner had attempted some polishing (with what, I’m not sure) and whatever had been used meant that all the patina boiled away! It was fitted with a bent Radius silent burner: Graphics: The filler cap that makes me think disabled (perhaps arthritis): It’s sporting extra lead features: I fitted it with a Companion inner and unknown outer cap as well as a nickel-plated pump assembly. It took multiple/multiple nut-slurry washouts to clean the tank before attempting a firing up: I put the kettle on: and there was no “sooting”: Thanks! Rodger
All the more remarkable that the often-damaged riser to tank joint appears unscathed! It's stoves like this which really tell a story... Somebody really needed to get the burner off at some point. They really needed to!
Fantastic, these old workhorses just keep coming! What a place do do some stoverhauling too! A great user modification, not unattractive either! Manufacturers of domestic stoves eventually thought the same way and decided caps with a raised grip were worth the extra material required... Talking of extra material, that's an impressive amount of extra lead. This old campaigner must have had a rough life.
