Repairing a Badly Damaged Optimus No. 199 Burner

Discussion in 'Fettling Forum' started by Tony Press, Sep 13, 2018.

  1. Tony Press

    Tony Press Australia Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2013
    Messages:
    9,295
    Location:
    Stinkpot Bay, Howden, Tasmania, Australia
    A couple of months ago I bought an Optimus No. 199 from a Member here at CCS.

    When it arrived I was somewhat surprised when I took off the windshield, to discover this:

    P1020548.jpg

    Four pieces of the burner skirt were cut out.


    Further investigation revealed more carnage:

    P1020549.jpg

    Evidence of rough brazing.
    P1020551.jpg

    P1020553.jpg

    P1020557.jpg

    P1020560.jpg

    P1020561.jpg


    After cleaning up the burner.
    IMG_E9405.jpg


    I contacted the seller to ask whether he knew what had happened to the burner. He said he did not know that the burner had beed damaged and contacted the relatives that used the stove.

    It appears that the stove had been "repaired" in some form many years ago. It had been used since being repaired, but it must have been a beast to use. It was operated with the windshield lifted by 4 bolts that sat in the cuts that were removed from the burner skirt.

    P1020573.jpg



    Being somewhat of a stubborn b@st@rd, and having paid the going rate for a 199*, I decided to see if I could get the burner operating.


    First I lit the stove to see what was going on:

    Note how the outer burner cap is not sitting on the burner properly.
    IMG_9378.jpg

    See the flame emerging under the burner cap.
    IMG_9380.jpg

    IMG_9383.jpg


    With the burner caps off it provided quite a light show:
    IMG_9389.jpg

    IMG_9391.jpg




    So I now set off on a long journey to see if I could get this thing to work.


    First the bite marks in the burner skirt:

    I cut some fillets out of a wrecked Svea burner to fill the holes in the 199 burner.
    IMG_9492.jpg

    IMG_9493.jpg


    I cleaned each of the bite marks and the fillets.

    IMG_9495.jpg



    I applied flux and clipped the fillet to the burner.

    IMG_9497.jpg

    I used a MAPP torch and a silver brazing rod to braze the fillets into the bite marks.
    IMG_9498.jpg



    After having cleaned up the big lumps of the ancient brazing on the rest of the burner with a Dremel fitted with a fine grinding wheel, I applied flux and the MAPP torch to the remaining brazing just enough to get it to flow somewhat. The idea here was to see if I could get it to flow into the holes identified above.

    The end result looked like this:
    IMG_9503.jpg

    After cleaning again
    IMG_9504.jpg

    IMG_9505.jpg



    Time to re-light the stove; take the caps off; and discover:

    This leak.
    IMG_9516.jpg

    IMG_9518.jpg

    IMG_9532.jpg


    Back to applying flux to the area of the leak, using the MAPP torch and adding some more braze.


    Then retrying the stove:

    I thought I may have got it fixed.
    IMG_9648.jpg


    But closer inspection revealed this:
    IMG_9650.jpg

    IMG_9651.jpg

    Now it was a bit of a fiddle to braze that leak (three separate attempts), but eventually I succeeded.


    Light the stove again:

    IMG_9660.jpg

    IMG_9718.jpg


    But, then...
    IMG_9727.jpg


    So, one more piece of brazing yesterday.
    IMG_9751.jpg

    IMG_9754.jpg



    I ran it for a full tank, and could find no more problems.

    The burner now has more silver than the Australian Reserve Bank. I'm cleaning the burner up again and will take the final photos for when I post this in the Reference Gallery.

    Cheers

    Tony

    *The seller did refund me some $$.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 3, 2019
  2. Aleks-S

    Offline
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2016
    Messages:
    80
    Terrific!:thumbup:
    Last one leak brazing is almost... hm-m... :-k "medical case" ;)
    Fillet part brazing and not unbrazing near by other!:thumbup:
    No words to say - "Mission impossible"! :clap:
     
  3. Sellig33

    Sellig33 France SotM Winner Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2018
    Messages:
    212
    Location:
    Gujan-Mestras - Gironde - France
    :clap: Tony, amazing restoration :thumbup:
     
  4. Wim

    Wim Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    May 12, 2009
    Messages:
    4,743
    Location:
    Dendermonde, Belgium
    :shock: WOW! What determination! Congratulations @Tony Press , many others (including myself I'm afraid) would not have achieved such a result! :clap::clap::clap:

    All the best,

    Wim
     
  5. Rangie

    Rangie Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2012
    Messages:
    1,989
    Location:
    Caithness, Far North of Scotland
    Great work and perseverance there! A credit to fettlers :thumbup:

    Alec.
     
  6. Harder D. Soerensen

    Harder D. Soerensen United States Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2017
    Messages:
    2,092
    Location:
    Denmark
  7. MrAlexxx SotM Winner

    Offline
    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2015
    Messages:
    1,345
    @Tony Press

    You get an A+ for that bit of work! Amazing. Well done.

    Alex
     
  8. presscall

    presscall United Kingdom SotM Winner SotY Winner Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2009
    Messages:
    13,057
    Location:
    Lancashire, United Kingdom
    @Tony Press
    Admirable tenacity Tony!

    That sinking feeling of a repair not quite achieved is bleak indeed. Faced with a sieve, you did great.

    John
     
  9. hikerduane

    hikerduane Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2010
    Messages:
    9,742
    Location:
    Plumas County, CA
    Great feeling after numerous let downs, nice fix. Too bad such a expensive lesson.
    Duane
     
  10. Doc Mark

    Doc Mark SotM Winner Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2004
    Messages:
    19,157
    Location:
    So. California Mountains
    @Tony Press ,

    Tony, I'm shocked that a member here would actually sell a stove in the condition that your 199 was received by you!!! Thankfully, you were fully up to the Herculean task of repairing the horrible damage, and returning this neat little stove to service once again!! WELL DONE, my Friend!!! A lesser man, me-self definitely included, would have returned the stove, or simply written it off as a bad deal. I am amazed by your skills, Tony, and also your dogged persistence!! Thanks for sharing this "Sow's Ear to Silk Purse" saga with us, and thanks, also, for the excellent photo documentation of the entire thing!!! Brilliant!! Take care, and God Bless!

    Every Good Wish,
    Doc
     
  11. teckguy_58

    teckguy_58 United States Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2011
    Messages:
    902
    Location:
    Washington USA
    @Tony Press

    Well done, Tony, well done indeed.
    Thank you for sharing.

    Cheers,

    Norman
     
  12. Tony Press

    Tony Press Australia Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2013
    Messages:
    9,295
    Location:
    Stinkpot Bay, Howden, Tasmania, Australia
    Thanks for the comments.

    I can assure you the burner will receive no marks for “neatness” - more along the lines of “the story gets there in the end, but your writing looks like flies have crawled across the ink”.

    @Doc Mark

    I can only assume the Member had not ever used this stove, nor taken it apart. Apparently it was the property of close relatives.

    Cheers

    Tony
     
  13. ROBBO55

    ROBBO55 Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2014
    Messages:
    2,212
    Location:
    Somersby, New South Wales, Australia
    Congratulations Tony. Impressive rebuild. :clap:
     
  14. snwcmpr

    snwcmpr SotM Winner Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2011
    Messages:
    20,086
    Location:
    North Carolina
  15. kerry460

    kerry460 Australia R.I.P.

    Offline
    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2010
    Messages:
    2,357
  16. Robert Bruce

    Robert Bruce SotM Winner Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2007
    Messages:
    1,732
    Location:
    Springrange NSW Australia
    Oh what a job Tony, better you than me. The end result seems to be worth the effort, looks and works well. Well done.

    Cheers
    Rob
     
  17. Go Scout

    Offline
    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2016
    Messages:
    448
    Location:
    England
    @Tony Press awesome and inspiring! Master Fettler 1st class.

    Baz
     
  18. cottage hill bill

    cottage hill bill SotM Winner Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2011
    Messages:
    1,474
    Very nicely done, indeed.
     
  19. Tony Press

    Tony Press Australia Subscriber

    Offline
    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2013
    Messages:
    9,295
    Location:
    Stinkpot Bay, Howden, Tasmania, Australia
    I ran three tanks of fuel through the burner, and took it apart again for one last clean.

    I am now completely satisfied that the burner is operating properly without leaks.


    Before last cleaning of the burner.
    IMG_9796.jpg


    The cleaned burner.
    P1030027.jpg

    P1030031.jpg


    Re-assembled after the burner was dismantled and given a bath in Marine Clean; then citric acid; then acetone.
    P1030032.jpg

    IMG_9811.jpg

    IMG_9816.jpg


    Cheers

    Tony
     
  20. kerry460

    kerry460 Australia R.I.P.

    Offline
    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2010
    Messages:
    2,357
    Tony well done mate .
    you should be pleased and proud of the result .

    kerry