I got it cleaned up and it looks great! I soaked the stove in a solution of one tablespoon of citric acid to about a pint-and-a-half of hot water for about eight minutes while watching it carefully. Initially, I was concerned that I had taken a coating of brass off leaving copper but when I shined it up, it was perfect. I can't figure out how to post photos so I didn't include a picture of the finished product. Thanks to all of you for the guidance. Best regards,
AWWWWW! We want pics!!!! It's really easy. Take the pics with your camera. Load them to a folder on your computer that you can find. Then when creating a post, to find the pic and upload it, you click on the "manage files" link. A box will open up which allows you to browse to the pic in your folder on your computer. Click on it (the pic in the folder in your computer) to choose it for upload, click on the add button and then click on the full icon once it appears. When you have loaded the pics you want, click on "finished"! Best, Randy
OK, here are two photos of the stove. Be kind...it's my first time restoring a stove. I didn't clean the burner because the first time that it's used it'll become blackened anyway. I'll pull the jet and clean it with a small wire drill.
Hi Doug, I think you forgot to click on the "full" icon after loading the pics. That may be why they are showing as attachments. That or it's the "finished" button that wasn't clicked. Now, I'm going to look at your stove! :-) Edit- Looks great!
Hey Ken, I see that you're on-line and maybe you know the answer to this question. I have some older Coleman Campstove Fuel. What's the shelf life on it. Does it go bad. The reason that I ask is that it's about five years old... It's been in a sealed Sigg bottle for it's entire life so, what do you think?
Gotta jump in here- Coleman says five to seven years- http://www.coleman.com/coleman/faq/faqreturn.asp?question=38 Truth is, as long as it's sealed up well and remains uncontaminated, it may well last many, many years. I have Coleman fuel that's 30 years old or so and although I haven't made a point of checking it...( yet...) I would bet it will work just fine. Edit- Uh, Doug, my name is Randy, if you meant me when you referred to "Ken"... That bit in my signature is a quote from a character in a Monty Python skit... about 30 years ago... LMAO! Best, Randy 2nd edit-As a matter of fact- Ken Shabby
Wow...after viewing the YouTube video I want to express my embarrasement for calling you Ken [Shabby]
No offense taken Doug!! I am, however greatly amused! My employment situation has been so bad for so long that I found the reference to a "promotion" to be very funny... "After 5 years they give me a brush" Sounds about right, even now...
Hobby textile dyeing suppliers also sell citric acid at a good price. They also are a great source for soda ash should someone be interested in doing some electrolysis. Such as Chemicals So an ideal citric acid solution is 1 tbs: 1pint of water? And brief soaks with scrubbing in between is better than a long soak? Oooppss... Will the brass be hurt if it is soaked for 12 hrs in a much stronger citric acid solution? What about this dreaded pink coloration I hear about? Can pitting occur? I'm freaking a bit because I have my new to me SVEA with a bit of citric acid solution sitting in its spirit dish and can't get back to it till I return from work. I hope it doesnt evaporate and leave a patch of green oxidation. I know the green oxide can polish off but it worries me nonetheless.
Hey, HF, 20-30 minutes, MAX, for soaking in either vinegar, or citric acid. The reason, as I remember it, is that, more time allows the zinc in the brass to leach out to the surface, turning your stove PINK!! Getting off the pink is a real PITA, as far as I'm concerned. So, don't go there, unless you have no other choice. Just my thoughts, and your mileage may vary, or course. But, as others have posted, shorter soaks, followed by rinsing, and more short soaks, is the proper method for removing the tarnish and such from brass. Best of luck, if you DO happen to "go pink" on us!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc (who, by the way, has trod the "pink path" before.... and scrubbed, and scrubbed, and scrubbed in penance!!!)
Durn. Ok, only one more hour to go then Im off work. I think my palms are sweating... At least its only the spirit dish thats soaking, it was fouled and pitted from who knows what all as it was. So, I thought I can't hurt it any worse than it is. I thought I read up on this. Apparently I didnt. Live and learn.
Hi All Some years ago, when buying small quantities of citric acid, I found it quite expensive. I decided to find a bulk supplier here in the UK and eventually found one who would sell me a kilogramme of the crystals. I duly ordered it online and waited, and waited, and waited . . . . I contacted the company a number of times but never got a reply. I decided to try another way of purchasing some citric acid. I remembered that years ago when I used to make home-fermented wine, that citric acid was used to speed up the fermentation process. So I found a local supplier of home-made wine kits and went along to a market stall in Durham City where I live. I looked at the various things on sale, which included a number of different acids but could not see any citric acid. I asked the stallholder if she had any citric acid. She looked startled and looked me up and down. Than she did a quick 360 degree look around her. She looked rather panicked. She eventually opened a locked drawer and brought out a small tub holding 55 grammes. I asked her why the citric acid was in a locked drawer. She said that drug users often stole it or tried to buy it because it was used to 'cut' drugs and make their effect more intense. She then asked me why I wanted the citric acid. My explanation made her laugh and she said that my explanation was so outrageous that it must be true. She then said that she could get me any quantities I wanted - for a quite high price. I then started to feel rather worried about the company I tried to buy a kilo from. As a 'Joe-public', they probably thought that I was a drug dealer. My name was probably passed on to the Police. For some weeks I expected a visit from the drugs squad, but fortunately that did not happen. But I suspect that I am on some list somewhere as a possible drugs dealer.
Yep, tried the same thing at Boots in Bishop Auckland - no dice - citric acid was used by druggies for whatever, so they didn't sell it. Not even to me, a veritable bastion of society. So as far as our largest High Street chemist is concerned, 0.1% of the population determines what the other 99.9% can do - talk about the tail wagging the dog. Consequently Boots can sing for my business - f*** 'em...
I found a UK supplier who was quite happy to provide me with a large enough quantity for several years worth of stove fettling. I don't recall that it was that expensive. IIRC the supplier provided kits and materials for arty farty crafty candle making. Only a woman can give someone a scented candle as a gift and think it will be really appreciated (I don't like you enough to think of a proper gift so please have this scented candle that someone palmed off on me)! Or is that just me? Anyway, apparently citric acid crystals are one of the ingredients. I explained up front what I wanted and why and the lady was quite happy to supply. If anyone in the UK is interested I probably have the paperwork filed away in my general stove papers and can dig out the details. Actually "filed" is probably an overstatement - please substitute "stuffed". Cheers, Graham.
I just bought a 500g bag from a home brewing supplier on eBay UK - no fuss. Here's a link to the item: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Citric-Acid-f...24bba72&_trksid=p4634.m351.l1262#ht_500wt_956 I later found out my mum had also bought a bag of the stuff for making "bath bombs," whatever they are.
Hi Alex, Your post and reference to your mother's purchase has jogged my memory. The supplier I bought the citric acid crystals from was selling stuff for arty farty crafty soap making, not arty farty crafty candle making. Close, but no cigar Cheers, Graham.
