Ten years ago, I posted about wanting a British no 12 diesel cooker. 10 years later, I have a different Toyota diesel zombie apocalypse camping/shooting/trail running rig, and the time for a no. 12 has come. First attempt was unsuccessful due to the vagaries of eBay's International Shipping Program. Second attempt was successful entirely due to the kindness of a CCS member from across the pond. You didn't want to be thanked publicly, but you know who you are, and thank you yet again. First fire up after receiving. 1999 date code. Interesting markings on the outside. Spent some time googling meanings but came up with nothing. If anyone knows what the symbol and label mean, I'd welcome any help. Knew these were heavy, knew these were built solid, but didn't realize just how solid. The wind screen is stainless steel, and is as heavy as the steel that makes up the font on many other stoves. The clips holding the wind screen arms are stamped stainless steel and machined(?)! The font is tig welded stainless steel. Since I had it out, it would have been rude to not put a kettle on it. Found the stove needed a double prime with alcohol to get burning initially, then careful ramp-up to full power as the burner heated and was able to vaporize fuel more readily. This might have been caused by using R99 renewable diesel, which is what happened to be in the first fuel can I grabbed. Flash and boiling points of R99 are ~40c higher than normal dino diesel. I wanted to try burning the stove on diesel, and will definitely take it to the woods and make a bacon butty on diesel, but will likely revert to kerosene for continued use. Less likely to coke up the burner, likely better manners in use, and the diesel had a bit of an odor of unburnt fuel when in operation that can't be healthy. Hoping that odor is gone with kerosene use. Thanks folks. Land Cruiser is in the shop at the moment, but once it comes back it'll be bacon butty in the woods time. Stay tuned.
@Marc At last eh?!! You’re probably right to use kero instead of diesel. I’m not sure if you have the multi-tool that stows in clips in the lid, but no big deal if not. It’s possible to fabricate one using a ‘long’ 10mm socket and NRV wrench. John
@Marc , Good things come to good folks, and especially those with patience! Thanks, too, to our CCS Mate who helped to facilitate this deal! As you are not mentioning him by name, nor shall I! But, his kindness is so noted, and much appreciated! Congrats on scoring the stove you have wanted for all these years! I'm quite impressed by how it looks, and functions! I'll just keep telling myself, "I don't need one....I don't need one....I don't need one! (Yeah, as if that will help!). Again very well done, and hearty congrats on your good fortune! Have fun with it, and God Bless! - Doc
@Marc Right???!!! I was super surprised at the construction of mine as well. Built like nothing I own...Something to try...when you need to pour the fuel out it will all come out like a bottle would pour out. Nothing left inside. BTW a surplus Czech gas mask bag fits it perfectly and is really cheap. Learned that one from @Pharael. Ill DM you a link for one. regarding the lid markings from google: UK (MT) DIESO is the official British Military specification for general-purpose Mechanical Transport (MT) diesel. Also known as F-54 (NATO code), it is fundamentally the same ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) used by civilians and meets the standard BS EN 590 specification
@Remus1956 Thank you for the notes on a bag, and on the markings. That's fantastic. Bag seems mostly to protect other items from the stove, surely the stove doesn't need it? Maybe to contain soot from a smokey start. Being able to empty the font entirely of fuel is an interesting wrinkle. I know Coleman and others have their tanks and fillers shaped in such a way to allow an air space even when full, and that usually prevents full emptying as well. Can imagine for safe transport emptying the stove completely would be important. Maybe also in a dire situation getting every last ounce of fuel out of the stove, for use in a vehicle, would be important. Great stuff, thank you for the thoughts.
@presscall Yes "finally" might have been a bit of an overstatement. I was thinking of the post from a decade ago, not just the last few weeks endeavors.
