Happy Sunday, Mates, Today, I am hoping you can shed some light on something that has perplexed me for a few years, now. I have owned several Optimus 99's, over the years, and even after giving a few away, and trading a few, I still have, I think, three or four left. One of them needs a lot of work, and it's that one about which I am seeking your help. Here is a photo of a regular Optimus 99, on the right, and this other 99, that is different, on the left. See if you can note the differences. Those with sharp eyes probably noted that the heat shield had been changed to the same setup as is used on the 8R, 199, and #10. But, note that when the heat shield was changed, Optimus had to change the way the pot supports were, themselves, supported, too. The next two photos show the "normal" way the pot supports were supported by the original heat shield, and what I assume might be a later way of doing the same thing, in a different manner. First, the "normal" 99. Then, the later (I think) 99. Here are two more photos, these taken from the sides, to give you a different perspective. "Normal", first. Then, the changes, which seem to me to have been a way of saving money, and cutting costs. So, now that you've seen the tale of two 99's, can anyone shed any light on my theory that the "normal" 99 was the original version, and that the changes were later made to save money? I would think that the changed version must have been made just before the stove was discontinued. Of course, I could be all wet, too. That's why I'm asking for your thoughts and knowledge. Thanks, very much, for any help you can offer. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Hi Doc, This difference has been noticed before vide (the end of) http//www. My 99 is the 'normal' type and probably (deduced from the '79' in small print on the lower margin of the instruction sheet) from the late 70's/early 80's. So I guess you're right that the 'abnormal' one is a later version. I couldn't say though if it's a change for the worse. Even though finally fettled OK, my normal type still requires a kind of balancing act when cooking. Jur
Hi, Jur, Thanks, very much, for tossing in your thoughts about this! In fact, due to your clues, I believe I have finally figured it out, and that I have had it wrong all this time!!! I note in Colin Fletcher's book, "The Complete Walker", 1976 printing of the 1974 Edition, that the drawing of the Optimus 99 is, as you so rightly pointed out, of the version that uses the 8R windscreen and has the little posts holding the pot supports. Then, I dug out all my Optimus catalogs and parts lists, and spent a bit of time pouring over them. Guess what? In the "Optimus Maintenance Manual For Liquid Fueled Camping and Yachting Stoves", published in 1982, the windscreen has been changed, and is now shown and listed as what I've considered the "normal" one, which is made of aluminum!! Part #2097, the one made of aluminum, is the NEWER version, and part #2060, which is the steel windscreen, as used in the 8R, is the OLDER version!!! Supporting that view is my 1981 Optimus catalog, which shows the 99 with what must have been considered an improved windscreen, the aluminum one!! So, given this little bit of fact, I have to conclude that the Optimus 99 with the steel, 8R windscreen, is the older version of that stove, and the 99's with the aluminum windscreens must be the new and, supposed to be, improved models!! At last! I've pondered over this dilemma for years, and now, with your very sage advice, have finally solved the puzzle! Thank you, very much, Jur!!! I must also note, that last night, I fettled the older one a bit, and took both versions outside and fired them up. My older version is without it's cleaning needle, and I had to mess with the only extra flame spreader I have on hand, which is a factory snafu, to make it fit. But, both stoves fired up quite well. As you found and noted in the thread you sent to me, the 99 with the aluminum windscreen is not as steady as the older version, with the little posts supporting the pot supports! Though I had never noticed the difference before, now that I can see both stoves, side by side, I think the older one is more stable!! I will now completely rebuild the older version, and see how it does after a complete fettle. I just happen to have ONE brand new parts kit for that stove, left in my parts stash!! Cool! Thanks for giving me just the nudge I needed to solve this riddle, Jur!!! I really appreciate your taking the time to post your thoughts. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Hi Doc I suppose there is a logic to the evolution that you describe. If Optimus wanted to test the water for the 99 it would make sense to use the basic innards of an 8R as they were available without any retooling. I presume that the initial sales were encouraging so they looked to lighten it further by replacing the steel heat shield with an alloy one, not that I would have thought it would make much difference. Perhaps they felt they just needed to make it look a bit more different from the standard 8R. Interesting thread, thanks for raising it. Regards Keith
Hey, Keith, Your thoughts on th evolution of the 99 may be very near the mark. I mentioned that, in my experiment last night, it seemed that the newer version of the 99 was a bit less stable than the original version. That was true. However, this morning, I went up into the "stove room", and checked out a near mint 99, that's been used little, if at all. It is just as stable as the original stove, which should be much older. So, with that in mind, I would imagine it would be a simple matter of some judicious bending and squeezing to get the loosy-goosy 99 back to being tight and stable, once again. I'll compare the one I used last night, to the mint one, and see if I can detect whether some work might make a worthwhile improvement. Once again, the CCS University has come through for me, and pointed me in the right direction. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Yesterday, just after I sent my first post, I started thinking how can the 'abnormal' 99 actually be younger than my '79-ish 'normal' 99 if it (the abnormal one) was already published in Colin Fletchers's mid '70's 3rd edition? Now you Doc have cleverly solved this riddle it's just the other way round! So the 'abnormal' 99 is actually just the 'old type' and the normal one the 'new type'. Btw, less than ever I think the latter was truly an improvement, as Doc's trouble with the pansupports shows once again - the old type would be immune to that. I more or less solved the same problem by closing up the slot in the windscreen just a bit with a small tab of copper plate bent upwards on both sides of the screen, just so that it - together with the pan supports - rests against the 'tankpipe' when the supports are horizontal in that direction, preventing them tilting further towards the tank. On the other (back) side the pan supports tabs on either side should be carefully bent out- and backwards, just so that they stop against the corners of the stove's bottompan, keeping the supports horizontal in that direction. But is I think inherently impossible to stabilise this lot completely, so there you have a major drawback. Why did Optimus do it? Indeed just a sales gimmick? Jur
Good Morning, Jur, This has been fun, hasn't it?!!! After we'd discussed the stability problems with the newer 99, I got out my screwdriver and checked the tightness of the two screws which hold the windscreen/pot support/supports together. Interestingly, my screws were loose (NOW, you Lot, don't you even think it......!! ) Once I tightened them up again, the stability was almost as good as with the older version of the 99. The older one is still more stable, but by not near as much, now. Food for thought... I like this little stove, but I think that I might like the 8R a shade better. Guess I have to play with them, side by side, and then decide. Or, maybe I won't decide at all, but just continue to enjoy both of them for what they are: neat little stoves!! 8) Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
