Can this be peened? One of many projects, I have an Optimus 96 with a few lipstick and bell issues. It has not been used too much and I suspect the previous owner had issues with it as well. The lipstick and bell both has marks from violence, the bell has no lip to hang on the top of the lipstick and is easily stuck. And the fuel used was not straight paraffin. But that’s not all; the lipstick has a perfect .32 orifice, and that is quite a bit too much. Looking in a magnifier it is perfect, but I have never seen this size on a lipstick. I have actually fired it. Needed a new filler cap seal, lead washer for the lipstick and lubricated the pump leather. The NRV had the pip stuck to the sealing surface, but came lose with a paraffin soak overnight. It seals but I guess I will change it before the fettle is completed. It wouldn’t light in the first run priming with alcohol. After cleaning up the paraffin mess I fired up a pre heater and got the 96 good and hot. Yellow yellow yellow, as can be expected, almost smoking black. The picture is very flattering. But first, the orifice; can .32 be peened back to .23? My plan is to peen it almost shut and drill it to .23, but this much is a first for me. Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks and all the best, e
Yes, no probs, I successfully peened a Radius 20 with an orifice of nearly 1.0mm down to the correct size with a couple of annealing sessions (took a couple of attempts to get a centralised spray with that much shrinking!) I wouldn't attempt to drill, too much of a headache, just gently gently and it will come down in size. Only once have I seen a lipstick crazed with stress-cracks so that it couldn't be repaired. Loco7Stove Stu modified it for me to use jets in that instance. Have fun and happy peening.... Alec.
Have a read of the recent topic by Hikerduane Micro twist drill bits in USA? Discussion in 'Stove Forum' started by hikerduane, Sep 11, 2015. There is quite a bit of info in there that I wish I had known before I tried to fix mine (see the link from Duane's post). Using a hand held Archimedes drill and / or pin vice for the very small bit seems to be the way to go. Regards John
Thank you Gentlemen I will give it a go, currently working on a new inside piece (to hang the lipstick on and) to hold against the taps from the hammer. The one I have used for old Primus lipsticks, is not fitting quite right. Yes, I saw the drilling topic, very interesting, I have been messing with those micro bits myself and have a secured couple of #89s. Thanks and all the best, e
Hi @tofta. Have a look at this old post regarding fixing old vaporisers: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/primus-no-96-fettling.10800/ Best Regards, Kerophile.
I've peened most of my 96's, using a mic'd pricker to check progress. With some micro twist drill bits waiting in my Post Office, I won't have to worry any more about closing the orifice. The worst problem I have with stoves that size is a stuck NRV that I can't unscrew the valve. Duane
Hi Tony, that will be a pricker that has been measured to confirm the diameter using a micrometer. Best done at least twice rotating the needle by 90º to make sure it's not oval. I've found them to be slightly oversized when for example they had started to rust and oval at the tip depending on how they were cut in the first place. regards John
Thanks @kerophile – I have seen some of that but when you start following new tread after new thread ….. there is always something new. Now I have gotten so far I have started to find stuff I forgot reading - over again. Not sure about the fettling links though – need to check those again. I actually learnt this type of peening from an older Gentleman in Sweden some 25 years ago. He was also peening bells so they would hang correctly on the lipstick; a bit like @hikerduane showed in a post recently. Except this fellow was peening carefully all the way around, so you wouldn’t see without looking really carefully. And yes, stuck NRVs are the worst problem. I have two at the moment – that is one stuck and one I can move a little. The last one I fastened the key in a vise and turned the tank with almost all I had - really surprising how strong these things are. Oh well, thanks again, and all the best, e
@tofta I don't know whether your skills include silbrazing, but just to be thorough on this topic, here are a couple of techniques that don't rely on peening of the vapouriser or micro-drilling. Easy 'drilling' of 0.23mm holes Anglo-American co-operation John
Holy mackerel – that’s impressive, kudos. No, I have soldered a bit but no silbrazing. It would be fun to try though, I have a few burners with holes in them. My plan is to get my soldering up to speed first, and then ... who knows. Thanks so much, really appreciate reading those, bookmarked them. All the best, e
Hi @tofta, if you want to try silver soldering/brazing these are worth a read: http://www.astronomiainumbria.org/a...ca/easyweb.easynet.co.uk/_chrish/t-solder.htm http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bryan.rozier/silver_soldering/Silver_Soldering.html Stove Handy Hints. Best Regards, Kerophile.
It is those practical techniques and tips that is the most interesting, just the theory only gets you so far. Great stuff, thanks, e
About gave up on my burner for my "D" dated Primus 96. That was the hardest I've ever had, trying to peen the orifice. It has a slight factory dimple on the top, unlike my others. Musta worked and reworked it for a couple hours, finally realized I'll have to live with a fairly blue with yellow flames, fair flame pattern. At least the plate and bell get red. I guess for being over 100, may not get perfect. On the other hand, another I have runs great. Pics to follow on another topic. Duane
twist drills always tend to grab and break in yellow metals watchmakers spade drills are a better bet
Just a thought, but is it possible that the .32 hole was intentional? Could it have been a unique model designed for a different fuel? If that was true, or might be worth doing a bit of investigating.
Hi Colin The only fuels that might result in the correct fuel/air ratio with a larger-than-stock vapouriser jet hole are gasoline and alcohol. Particularly in the case of gasoline, opening the air screw to halt combustion would be potentially very dangerous as the greater volatility of the fuels compared to kerosene would create a cloud of flammable fuel-rich vapour. John
@presscall (and everyone else with 'critters') The needles for the inserts are readily available from your local vet. I've soft soldered with high temp solder but yet to fire, so unsure at this point if the insert doesn"t drop out in use. John, did any of your thermographic checks give a lipstick point temperature, my gut feeling is it would be relatively low compared to lower down for conducted heat via a burner bell.
Just the burner plate and burner basket Simon. You may well get away with it. Worth a try, but silbraze offers a wider margin of thermal security and a physically stronger joint. John
Can you explain that more? Also, if it fails to work I imagine the needle, with hot solder, will fall down and solder itself in the vaporizer or tank.
