Hello happy stovekeepers ! I'm going to fire up a Juwel 34 (Benzine) next saturday. I'm comfotable with alcohol and kero , but a little anxious with gasoline . Did you ever heard about explosions, injuries, fires caused by the use of gasoline ? The only topic I saw about that was about a coilburner, if I remember...
Evening, Catogan, I've used Coleman fuel for many, many years, with very few problems. BUT, from the beginning, I've viewed camp stoves, and camp stove fuel, just like I do firearms. I NEVER forget that those things need your complete attention, and never forget that they can be lethal, if misused. The worst close call I had was many years ago, when I was using several stoves at once, in a camp spot outside San Diego. One stove ran out of fuel, and to check, I took the fuel cap off. Yep, it was almost completely empty. I left the tank cap off, and went to the truck to get my gallon of Coleman fuel. Just as I returned to the table, there was a loud WHOOOMPP!!!! The stoves that were still running had set off the fumes coming out of the near empty stove!!! By the grace of God, I had not opened the can of Coleman fuel, or the problems might have become a real disaster!! That was the one and only real problem I've ever had using Coleman fuel. I once caught some grass on fire when using meths in an Optimus Trapper 81. But, that wasn't a big problem. So, there you have it. I'm using kerosene more, and more these days, and like it alot. But, Coleman fuel is cheap (in the US), clean, and easy to use, IF you respect it's low flash point. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
IT'S COLEMAN-- across the pond in Minnesota Coleman fuel is cheaper than bottled water-- i never had seen a kero burner untill i fell in with this crowd-- I 'm extra careful about how i handle stove fuel--i use Sigg or MSR bottles that are wraped in closed cell foam and put inside zip lock bags..in camp they are set aside in an safe place away from the tent and shelter--i take a small burner and a GAZ canister and if i run out of stove gas while i'm cooking i whip that out and finish cooking on GAZ rather than try and re-fuel a hot stove-- there are a few storys in this forum about fuel fires that will scare the wits out of you.. be careful--good luck--
Hi Cat, I'm 61 now and have been using gasoline stoves since I was about 15 with no problems. When I got my first Coleman stove "white gas" was sold in almost every gasoline station in America, usually from a 55 Gallon drum on a rack alongside the building. I bought my first gallon that way (it cost fifteen cents) and took it home in an old glass bleach jug. Due to nanny state regulations that's a thing of the past. Now we buy Coleman Fuel, (the same thing) in gallon cans in every kind of store you can think of, at prices running from $5.00/Gallon out in the boonies to $2.99 in the "big box" stores like Costco, Sam's Club and Wal-Mart. The best safety rules I can tell you are: Outdoors only ! Close the container after fueling your stove. Outdoors only ! Light the match before opening the valve. And most imnportantly, OUTDOORS ONLY ! ! Gerry
If your stove is in good order, you are aware of the correct procedure for operating it, and you observe sensible safety preacutions there is no reason why you should be any more concerned about the use of gasoline/petrol than any other fuel.
I use a bit of each. Traditionally I've used white gas, as Dave said, it's everywhere here. This forum has gotten me into kero and meths. The worst thing I've done is to singe my eyebrows, more than once, but you live and learn.
Hello Catogan, Gerry rule's are very good: The best safety rules I can tell you are: Outdoors only ! Close the container after fueling your stove. Outdoors only ! Light the match before opening the valve. And most imnportantly, OUTDOORS ONLY ! ! I would add that explosions are very rare but very high flames are common among newcomers. Remember to have open sky above the stove and be very concerned about fumes. Benzine/Gasoline vapourizes very easily so any spills near where your lighting could be exciting. The best route is to fuel at least 3 metres or 10 feet away from where you are using your stove/lantern. I teach Scouts to light stoves and I actually have them leave the burning match on the burner then open the valve. No singed fingers etc. Enjoy, Iain May the Spirits be smiling on you.
Currently running at 42% kero and 42% gasoline (never thought I would type that word). I suspect that it divides up roughly on lines of UK/Oz and probably Europe using kero, and USA being Coleman country. Metho etc probably evenly spread. Fr Laurence
White gas for the kid here. Very cheap, easy to find and very flammable. I only use kero in the tilley's. I love the volatility of WG especially in higher altitudes and cold climate, not that I have had much of either lately. Kero is good and safe but it is dirty and it stinks. In my kero only stoves I still ad about 10% WG. As of yet, nothing to report. Evil
Don't know what you're talking about Iain, I dont own any Gasoline stoves or lamps Well maybe 6 or 7, but I'm not counting those
I admit to voting for meths as my most used fuel, because it is these days. If you look back at the old forum postings of a couple of years back, the classic Primus kero stove was king on this forum, but more members seem have started using No8's, 123's, Trangia's etc since then and I would guess we have more active members from across the pond where white gas rules; so a swing toward petrol had to happen
Hey Rik, I'd say that the sheer admiration for the Trangia cooksets and that collective would drive anyone of us to try it and the fact that the 123 will work in some of them is icing on the cake. It's not what you use most sometimes but what you can get the fuel for. Meths from anywhere other than a Yacht supply is expensive ($10 for 500ml) so I'm inclined to drift to what is easiest to buy, White Gas. One of my favourites is a propane stove whose fuels bottles are a 1 hour drive, plus parking etc to buy if they are in stock. Iain
Lain, you are paying the same for meths as we in the UK pay for Coleman fuel I have a couple of good propane stoves which are great for short hot cooking (use one in a Trangia myself sometimes) and the 123 in the SIGG Tourist Cookset is fantastic (there are a couple on eBay now, just search and BUY) Standard screw type propane/butane mix canisters are very easy to find here as are the Camping Gaz type and in real terms are cheaper now than 20 years ago but these propane stoves just lack that certain 'style', while the Trangia and the SIGG are, to my mind, design classics, icons that when seen transport your mind to some far off camp, peace and tranquility and all that (as do some classic kero stoves).
I did what you said: outdoors. Finally, not as fun as the Taykit ! Hard to ignite. The pre-heating is not so easy because the little "cup" under the burner is very small and can't hold enough meth'. I prefer the Taykit... no pre-heating necessary, it seems. |imgRemoved|[/img] |imgRemoved|[/img] Thank you, all of you, for your kind advices !!
Number 1 preheater if you're too small in the cups: jellied Alcohol. I use it on Coleman suitcases in cold weather and no more flooding anymore. Works on my 123 and 8R real nice. I gave the bootle I had to my last Scout group and they really appreciated it. Iain May your Spirits help you see the light/flame.
For my stoves I've been using kero more and more, but I think I still use Coleman fuel more than kero. I don't think I've used a petrol lantern in a year or so, my kero lanterns are always in use. Scary moment for me with petrol. Well I was working on a recently acquired M1950. After oiling the pump leather and checking for leaks (including an underwater dunk) I fired it up. It was working well until a jet of flames erupted from the tank lid. Thankfully not in my direction! I quickly reached in (I was wearing a leather glove) and gave the tank lid a crank down. That quelled the flames. I quickly shut off the stove and counted my blessings. a) no one got hurt b) my wife didn't see that......[/list:u] -franco
