This is a preliminary post as I'll post up in the reference area once it's been fettled and questions answered, as I'm sure I'll clutter this thread up plenty. As you can see, it's Primus 51 from 1948. It has the optional tank lid and top burner plate. The plate looks hardly used (I did not clean anything upon arrival). It comes with an orignal Primus tool....unfortunately it doesn't seem to go with this stove...oh well, still a cool bonus. The leather cup is completely shredded/disintegrated and will need to be replaced. The brass tank, or fount I think it's called, is near perfect along with all the lettering on it. There is a very minor ding on the fount, but no worry for me. The burner assembly also seems to be very straight which is also nice to see of a stove of it's vintage. Now on to business. I need to know where to get a pump leather (or three, hehe) and what size. Is the NRV servicable without the removal of the pump tube (of course I don't know if this needs it yet, but info would be terribly helpful). I saw the date code and looked it up, but am also wondering what the letter AM stand for...maybe which factory it was made? I would love ANY and all info you can toss at me; especially since this is my very first brassie kero burner. I have already found the operating instructions here on the site along with many descriptions of this "budget" model. Budget or not, this is easily my most elegant stove to date....maybe not worth as much as the others (like I'd sell, haha), but it's just so neat. Thanks for any help/info and sorry for rambling so much...@ 90 words per minute, it happens more oft then not.....and I'm just so excited!!!!!!! FYI, it will end up polished as, well, I just like shiny things!!
Also, when cleaning out the tank, would it be ok to use BB's (like shotgun shot) with fuel and shake it real good to take out any stuff that might be in there? And oh yeah, there are ZERO fixes done on it, so it's still all original.
Nice Score Vooduu! Heck, I ramble at half that speed! I won't presume to advise you, just a congratulation!
Thanks brother! As you can tell, I'm really quite stoked! There's only one problem now present...I WANT MORE BRASSIES!!!!!!!!
What you have there is a nice discus collapsable where you can remove the burner and riser tube with a spanner under the spirit dish, then put the tank blanking cap into the burner stem hole to seal the tank for leak proof transporting. A nice stove. Cheers
Oops, initially I asked about the AM, but meant 18....as AM is the year....sorry....derr. hahaha Also, the flame spreader just kinda sits in there, should it be loose, or attached somehow?
Lol, one of the things I like about this site is how often one gets to witness the birth of obsession! Nice stove, it'll be the perfect #1. And the concepts you learn off this will be used over and over on later additions. You'll see
VooDuu, Sorry to hear that you got "the bug". They say there is no cure... that any of us will take anyway. AM date code is 1948. check this link. Primus Data Codes from the CCS Ref Library. If you are handy w/ wood working you may consider a project to make a custom travel case. Seeing that this is not exactly a pocket rig a person may be inclined make a case on "field kitchen" scale. AR
VDC, Nice first stove, finding one with the travel plug still attached is a bonus. I'll venture a couple of answers to your questions. The best pump leathers are those made by a fellow member in Turkey, Sefa (Sefaudi). He sells on Ebay or you can contact him through this site. He will know which size you need. Unlike Coleman stoves, there should be no rust in the tank so I don't think the BB's/shaking method is necessary. Usually I just rinse the tank until the solvent comes out clean (if you don't use kerosene for this, give it a final rinse with kero). The flame ring is not attached and will fall off easily, so just leave it off while you work on the stove.
There is a seal in the NRV and in the tank filler cap. Both of these will need replacing with either very good nitrile rubber (needs to be fuelproof or it swells up and disintegrates) or Viton (expensive, but its a trademarked product by DuPont so you know what you are getting). To get at the NRV you will need to make a tool that reaches the valve and engages the flats. You will find many threads on the subject by searching for 'NRV tool': https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/6860 https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/15171 Sefa pump leathers are great, I got a set from him via eBay.
Oh trust me, when you've got over twenty lanterns, and just as many, if not more Coleman, Prentiss-Wabers and American Gas Machine stoves....I'm pretty sure having the bug is putting it lightly...These are great since they're so small...especially since when you've got five or so three burners, some being in the twenty plus pound range, hahaha. On a side note, the wrench I've been informed is for a Primus 41 and will soon be finding a good new home with BernieDawg.
If you aren't up to making a NRV tool there are some on Evilbay. I got one, good quality. The kit you see on Evilbay has a short tool, I think that is for jets, swivels too much for my liking. More competition for stoves I guess? Watch out for me, when I bid, I put the hammer down!
Luckily, I won't have to fidget with making an NRV tool or buying one that "kind of" works. I'm trading the tool that came with it for an NOS Primus one, so it'll be perfect! Thanks to BernieDawg.
Oh I'm soooo gonna polish it up. I just couldn't let that beautiful glow be hidden beneath oxidation. To me, patina is just the brass suffocating a slow death by oxidation. Rebuild Revive Restore Revitalise Re-Light Rejoice
VDC Good to see you lad, how have you been? When did you move up to Seattle? Your list of stoves is quite impressive now, you must have landed a house or apartment there. lance
Yo Lance! We're still livin up in Arlington; I just use Seattle as it's easily identified by just about anyone and it's the closest big city only bein thirty minutes away. Yeah, stoves keep on multiplying around here. Our SVEA lives in the tent trailer for brewing serious drinks....like hot cocoa; the optimus stoves are for here and everything else, well dang, it's just a toss up on what to use, hahaha. All I gotta do is get ahold of Sefa and the rebuild/restore can begin
