Greetings. Just bought my first stove restoration project. Formally a plant stand in a greenhouse. It's a Nickel Plated Model 53 (under the lick of Hammerite !). Obvious to me at the moment is it needs a patch on a rust hole underneath, along with new washers etc. Hopefully by summer it will be boiling tea in the Dales. Am I right in assuming there is a burner cap missing from the top of the burner and should there be anything else under the cap ? Is it a special cap or will any fit ? I'll keep you all posted on progress..... Albert Crackleport
Well really Albert, I didn't realise our Park Rash run had been so traumatic. Beware, this is an addictive hobby. Don't even think of getting a SVEA 123 because those little babbies breed! Have a look through the action gallery if you've a mind. ATB Lea Thermallet.
Unbelievable ! Fancy meeting you here ! Yes, it's all your fault. Your brew up in Grassington was the catalyst ! Just had to have a vintage stove ! Albert.
Interesting burner. Though a silent type (yes, it'll need inner and outer caps) it's construction is similar to this roarer burner version of mine, with the absence of a hexagon joint component at the burner base and a non-captive primer cup mounted on a tube that simply slips over the riser tube Primus 51 (SE) burner Steel tank, nickel plated, date letter stamp likely to be on the tank beneath the model identification disc at the base of the riser tube. John
Hi cp, welcome to CCS. Have a look at this thread: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/17067 If you lift the detachable collar under the riser tube you should find a date code. Best Regards, Kerophile.
Thanks for the info regarding the date stamp. How do I remove the name plate on the top of the tank to expose this historic information ? Does it just unscrew ?. There appears to be a retaining collar....Is it this collar that unscrews and what seals it when I re-assemble ?- Albert.
Hi Cp, the "collar" is a press fit onto the steel tank. It just acts as a "label" on the stove as it is outside the tank and its riser tube. Look at the photos in this post: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/11800 Best Regards, Kerophile.
Thanks for the tech-tip on the collar removal Kerophile, I didn't want to force anything and damage beyond repair.......! Which is maybe what I have done to the rest of the stove.........no, only joking. The chunks of rust rattling about inside surely meant endless jet blockages even if I could have patched the huge hole in the base from the outside. The decision was as good as made....intensive surgery required. I softened the solder and teased the base flange back bit by bit. No going back now....Last seen 50 years ago? The inside of my Model 53. Not a pretty sight.... Stripped of hammerite the outside was not pretty either. Will my old No 53 ever hold paraffin again ? What will be left after a thorough dose of rust removing ? Stay tuned.....Albert
Hi Albert Your a braver man than I & no mistake 8) , but i wish you good luck with your rebuild & if i can be of help don't hesitate to ask me. Please keep us all updated at regular intervals with the rebuild 8) Best regards Stu
Dayam! I thought removing the pump tube was pretty daring! This looks like doing open heart surgery with a rusty beer opener! Yes, please keep us informed of the progress. You will provide no end of inspiration and courage to the rest of us!
I Very impressed with your restoration so far cracklepot,unsoldering of a base plate is a tricky piece of work on a brass stove but on a rusty steel stove can only be more trickier as a higher heat will be needed to desolder and resolder it back to gether again and all the steel surfaces will have to be completly free of rust and clean for the re spolder work to be a sucsess i agree with your decision to remove all the rust from the inside of the tank as you say particles of rust will be foever being sucked up into the burner and jet blocking it i am realy looking forward to seeing more of this restoration i am sure you will do a superb job of this restoration
Thanks for the tip on the heat requirements when soldering steel mr optimus. I guess I'm in for a challenge when re-assembling. However here's a progress report - In my armoury for attacking rust I have a variety of wire-wheels and phosphoric acid (traded under the name of 'ph down' and sold to adjust the ph of garden ponds. sshh don't tell Health and Safety.)Much elbow grease saw the rust disappear and the hole get larger. As advised by mr optimus the tinning of the steel was not easy.....much heating and wiping with bakers fluid saw the base of my old No 53 eventually accepting solder. A suitable patch was cut from an old road sign (handy things are road signs!) One side of the patch was tinned and further fluxing and melting of solder followed until the two became one. Turning over and further loading with solder followed, taking care not to apply too much heat that the patch dropped off. Rub with emery until smooth. Dah..Dah ! A lovely round and smooth bottom. Who could ask for more.
So far so good Albert and a handy tip for a source of phosphoric acid. For now, I've still a gallon of Jenolite in the shed. I meant to ask when I chipped in further up the thread but what's "I'll kee" mean? John
Thanks for looking in Presscall. The heading on the thread was unfortunately an error on my part. I didn't set a title when posting and the clever computor somehow generated its own from some of the text...Can it be changed ? Albert
And I thought it might have been a Yorkshire dialect term ... Crackleport said: I think you might have discovered a new entertainment there, though Spiritburner and the Moderators (hits of the 60's) might object. So, I'm intending to post something in the Stove Ref Gallery on a Primus something-or-other, leave the title box empty and the computer generates some random title, such as 'Mine's a pint'. No, I'd best not. John
Greetings to all Paraffin fanatics. Albert here with the weekly update on my No53. What's been 'appening Alb ? Well, I've been down my shed...and pretty peaceful it was too. Yes, shed life is a happy life. While 'er indoors was hoovering and ironing I was fettling my primus. What's to do this weekend Alb? Paint stripper out and lets remove some more of that Hammerite blue to see what lurks below. Mostly rust and discoloured brass. Fear not. While Johnny Walker blasted out 'Sounds of the Seventies' on the radio I rubbed and buffed and then rubbed and buffed some more. Then,I wired up the old plating bath and dipped my pan supports in for a coating of Nickel. The deep pitting didn't lend itself to show winning standard but, hey this is going to be an all action No53. What a weekend. Stay tuned. Albert over and out.
Albert here - Reporting in on weekly shed happenings. It was with much excitement that I ventured down the garden path to my little shed this weekend. For a small parcel had arrived during the previous week, and I was eager to open and test it's contents. It was a tub of solder paint. A fellow stovie had been in contact and wondered if I may find the product useful when assembling No 53. Well I am always eager to listen to any tech tips...and of course try them out so here goes....Hopefully this was going to be just the job for tinning the joints during the rebuild. Paint on, heat up till molten and smooth out with a clean cloth were the instructions.... and that's exactly what I did.....and it worked ! Once both halves of No 53 were tinned I applied more solder paint, peened the flange back over the base, took a deep breath and applied heat.. and a goodly amount of electrical solder. A hot iron was then run around the seam to smooth out any unsightly runs. Now, for what could be the biggest battle, attaching the legs without destroying the newly soldered seam.... In the end it was no big deal....solder paint both surfaces. Same technique - Heat 'n' wipe. Position and hold with wire. Apply a hot iron loaded with solder. Bob's your uncle ! Crikey, the stress......Even 'Mrs Crackleport' couldn't believe it was back together! So, that was Saturday, wait while I show you what happened down my shed on Sunday !
Inspiring work Albert. Really well done. I've been in that position myself of having to take a dramatic/scary step to launch a fettling job but seeing you prise the base off that stove was a heart-stopping moment, even for me as an observer. Looking forward to the next instalment. That burner's a belter. John
Albert here again. I know you are all wondering what happened Sunday 29th January 2012 in my shed. Well indeed there was quite a big happening. In fact due to the stunning progress I had made the previous day Mrs Crackleport allowed me special favours - another half day off to work on my lovely No 53. The previous evening I had spent de-rusting the afore mentioned No 53 rather than participate in a few beers and a curry in front of the T.V. Sacrifices had to be made....(It wasn't a difficult choice.) The final act before bed on Saturday was to apply a thick coat of 'ph down' phosphoric acid to the aged and deeply scared body of No 53 and wrap in a plastic bag to stop it drying. The acid slowly destroying any rust spots and leaving an ideal surface for the next operation. Sunday morning - Whilst Mrs Crackleport was having a lie in I took the opportunity to get 2 gallon of Nickel Plating solution up to temperature on the kitchen hob before pouring into a bucket. (Can't get into trouble if you don't get caught !!!) Dangling in the bucket and already wired to 12volt (via an old Hornby transformer)was a nickel anode. No 53 would be connected to negative after a final de-greasing. Cillit Bang. Probably not recommended as a de-greaser by City and Guilds Electroplaters but seems to work for me. Crikey, heres where things happen quickly....as soon as the de-greasing is complete you can see the rust forming on the steel........Quick.....GANGWAY !!!! Run down the garden path.....dunk No 53 deep into the Nickel solution before connecting the wiring and turning on the power..Phew ! Now a Hornby transformer doesn't kick out a lot of power so the plating process now takes a more leisurely pace as I wait for the little nickel ions to stick firmly to No 53..... Fast forward 4 hours.... Dull nickel, ready for a light buffing. Buffed enough - (The evening sun adds a warm glow to the days labours.) The nickel plating allowing the scars of time to show through.....Proper Vintage stuff! That's all for now. Stay tuned. Albert over and out.
