with all the things i read about the optimus 88 hiker i thought that it might be a better idea to get an older model 111T. its in good fettle and runs very well on kero. but. i cant put my finger on it, but this stove just aint doin it for me. kez
Hi Kez, so far I haven't found myself a silent 111 but have a 11 and a 111 roarer. I like these a lot, but I can understand your feelings as I have the same with an Enders stove of mine. I do love the Baby Enders but simply don't feel "the love" for its bigger brother. Can't really explain why . Regards, Wim
chaps i have got the windsheild. i dont like the o ring pump it just, dont feel right, if you know what i mean ? it seems as if optimus run out of leather pump cups and fitted a cheap and nasty o ring instead to cut costs. to me it has no soul unlike my old banger 210, now that is what i call a classic stove. it could also be my coleman fetish. last weekend i took the 111 away for a few days in snowdonia, i also took a backup stove just in case. the backup stove ? a battered old 576 coleman that always brings a big smile to my face, and that was the stove i used the most. i aint knocking the 111, how could i ? it just dont do it for me. what floats one persons boat may sink someone else"s. never mind eh ? kez
Kerry, I think we all understand you. I've got a few I love and many that sit on a shelf more often than not. My favorites are not the rarest either.
Kerry, yep, I can identify with your feelings. I still love my 123 and 8R but the 111 will put tea on the table faster. I do have a couple of Colemans that are pretty quick too but, like you, they just don't have the appeal somehow.
I enjoy both of my running 111T's, one of each, have to go thru an older B acquisition now, disregarding advise not to get one, but heck, it has an emossed case.
The best bet is to get another pump rod/leather cup entirely. Base Camp probably has what you need, or find a donor stove...
When it is all said and done, the stove you tell stories about most; the stove that saved my arse when the storm blew in, the stove I used to brew up a cup-o-joe while waiting for the family by the car at the county fair, the stove left out all night that got a fresh dusting of snow, that fired right up the next morning.
morning chaps the pump thing. before i got it i did a CCS search just to be sure that i was getting it right and was a bit put off by the pump but thought if i lube it up like ric uk3 says all would be well so a nice dollop of petrolium jelly was smeared around the o ring after the NRV pip was checked over. i then knew that something was ,not quite right. imagine a pump tube thats bent a little. thats what it feels like. it was then that i got that sinking feeling. i fully understand that there could be a few little niggles when buying an old, ish stove but this looked like it had never been lit let alone used. i will get onto base camp a bit later on and see if they can get me a proper pump for it. thank you all for understanding my issues with it. living in hope. kez
I love the 111, but not so keen on Colemans, that's why you had the 442 off me. I'm happy I got rid of it and you're happy you had it, win win situation. But I still have an old battered 442 I had from new, that was my first real camping stove. not used in years, just keeping for posterity Neil
a complete leather pump assembly is now on its way from base camp. mike recons that should sort it. kez
Good news!! Coleman did a similar thing with their pump cups and went to a rubber cup. I believe the idea was better performance in cold temperatures. The o-ring design can work but I believe isn't as tried and tested like the old leather cups. Jeff
Mmmm.... Coleman 425E and 111T - they are my current love in stoves. My 111T is ex US Marine Corp and I think it may have been on a few "missions" as it is beaten up a bit. I hope it gave the users some decent hot food out there. I can't seem to find a wind sheild for it - the one it came with has about 15 splits and is more of a frill than a windsheild.
