@Sdarmstrong Look here first: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/tyers-carrington-nott-no-5-lead-melter.32777/#post-334878 The search function is pretty good here. Cheers Tony
So I now have this stripped . The steel base is completely rotten . Is there a reason it was not originally copper ? What did the pre heater look like ? Mine is missing but I don't know what it should look like to source a replacement. Ordered some new pump washers this evening. Hopefully I can get the new base I and sealed shortly .
You’re referring to the base of the fuel tank presumably. Presumably the better resistance to getting dented of steel rather than cost, given these furnaces would take a battering from the tradesmen who used them - chucked into a hand or horse-drawn cart and the hammering they’d take used on site. My Tyers Nos.2 and 3 have heavy-gauge steel fuel tanks. Pre-heating on those pattern Tyers furnaces is done by pouring a 1/4 cup-full of meths into the base of the windshield that surrounds the burner coil. The photo of your stove doesn’t show how the equivalent arrangement but I doubt there’d be a separate primer cup, much less a Tilley lamp type of lighting torch - there’s a lot of metal to heat up and consequently a need for a lot of priming alcohol. John
I've got a thing for plumber's furnaces and have about a half dozen, all American made. To me the UK made ones above have a very exotic look, especially that gorgeous copper fount and brass base. I'm curious about the pot shown. All of my lead pots are legless. Legged versions wouldn't sit well on the pot-holder portion of the furnaces. I do have a 1946 dated W/|\D marked pot very much like the one pictured in @Sdarmstrong 's picture. Is it usual for UK lead pots to have legs or not? I can see how a legged pot would sit on @presscall John's furnace. Not all of mine have such a large flat surface on the burner.
@cottage hill bill I’ve a couple of contemporary furnace and pots advertisements in the post to me inlcuding the Tyer’s product @Sdarmstrong has featured. I’ll post them in the Reference Library soon. The Tyers pot I have certainly has legs. I don’t know whether that’s a general rule for UK lead melting pots. John
@cottage hill bill asked, The Reference Library entry is HERE. The illustrations in those advertisements certainly suggest that Tyers lead pots had legs. John
Good to see that these plumbers furnaces are still found and can be restored to their former glory. (John) Presscall is an expert on these items. I used to use one when I was an apprentice plumber back in the early 50's !!!! It was my job to get it running ready for the journeyman plumber to use. It was filled 3/4 full of 70% lead-30% tin plumbers solder and a piece of brown paper was used to test for correct temperature.When dipped into the molten solder if the paper charred it was ready for use,If the paper caught fire it was too hot!! The pot was then removed from the furnace and placed on a bench or on the ground(hence the 3 legs) and the solder was then splashed round prepared lead pipes using a ladle and a splash stick made of wood. A solder joint between the 2 pieces of lead pipe was then made using mole skin jointing cloths to mould the solder around the pipes. Plumbers paraffin and petrol blowlamps later replaced this practice The other job for the furnace was to melt scrap lead and then pour the contents into steel trays to make ingots ready for the scrap yard. Electricians also used these furnaces to melt pitch for making watertight electrical cable connections underground. A large steel bucket with a pouring spout was used. Hard work and labour intensive but happy memories nevertheless
Don’t know about that Ted, but whatever I’ve discovered from tinkering with them, it’s incomparable to the priceless first-hand experience of one in use that you’ve just treated us to. Such as this one alongside the liquid refreshment maybe? John
Hi John, Thats the correct complete pitch bucket I mentioned. Lovely nostalgic tarry smell when in use.!! Hope to see you at Newark. Ted.
