Help with burner for Stuart boiler

The original "Stuart" burner were definatly made from brass. The wick was a bundle of loosely made cords, probably of an asbestos nature, encased in a woven tube that kept them nice and cylindrical to push into the tube. At the tank end, the case was removed, and the cords splayed out to be immersed in the meths.

Maurice

As Maurice intimated and the fact that your flames go out shows that the flame is not hot enough.

The copper tube is taking heat from the flame due to a lack of fuel supply. Open up the slots, I wouldvsiggest trying on a practice piece first.

Thanks to everyone who's tried to help, I think one of the fundamental problems I have is the construction materials, I used brass for the tank, but, being the cheapskate that I am, I used a piece of 15mm copper pipe for the burner tube, which as Maurice and Brian said is taking away heat from the burner, I also think its creating a condensation problem. In my defence I only have my meagre pension coming in so I use what I have, I improvise, and sometimes, I cut corners I should have bought some thin wall brass tube !

We all get something different from our hobbies, for me its the satisfaction of creating something from nothing or salvaging something that everyone gave up on and turning it into something that makes people smile. I got interested in steam a few months back and decided to make an engine similar to the tubalcain twin cylinder/double action/oscillating engine, yes, its a mouthful haha. I bought absolutely nothing for this engine, everything came from my scrap box and what was lying around. I made a few changes to the design and appearance, I think it turned out well and it runs a treat ! here's a pic........

Copper is not a good idea for one of these (or most) burners, it conducts the heat away too fast. Probably the best metal to use is thin walled stainless, but thin wall brass would be not too bad. You could make it from mild steel, and it will last a few years, but won't look quite as nice. One of these burners is almost immune from burnt wicks, you could probable just use cotton wool. don't pack it too tight.

Ian S C

Thanks Ian, I'm going to rig something up with a thin wall steel tube and try variations of wick etc.

OK......I took a piece of thin wall steel tube and cut my slots, junior hacksaw width as recommended by a friend online who checked his own burner, cut a nice size vent at one end, pushed in a wick, not too tight, filled with meths, ends plugged......it refused to light, even when I played my torch on it.

I dribbled some meths from a syringe along the steel tube.......it refused to light.

I found an old 1/2 brass blank cap and filled it halfway with meths......it refused to light.

I had already tried a piece of wick in a short length of brass tube and it did light but was pretty weak now that I compare it to things I've seen online.

So I think I'm back to the meths being the problem.

Is your wick too tight?

Nope, I tried it all ways, tight, and to the point where meths runs out the slots, nothing I do will make this thing burn.

I've changed everything now, slack wick, tight wick, different wicks, vented, unvented, slots of every size, even a trough, and now a different burner tube made of steel .....it wont light

The only thing left is to try a different brand of meths.

how old is your meths? Meths absorbs water over time, reducing it's ability to burn, and the the way some of it burns(yellow flame), I think it has a high water content fron new. when you light it there should be an almost invisable blue flame.

Ian S C

last time I tried my ST burner it refused to burn properly , The menths was't more that a year old . I gave up and use a gas burner . Maybe the problem is the meths , I will buy some new and try it again

Silly question - Really silly. You have got meths and not surgical spirit ?
BobH

I read in another thread that meths in UK is diluted 10% with water, and it is recommended that you get industrial 99% meths.

Ian S C

Mon 26/06/2017, Experiment No 37....present are Professor numpty, ably assisted by Bonzo the dog (looking a little concerned).

Ok, I went out and bought a new bottle of meths, different brand (Diall), filled one of my trial wick holders, short piece of wick, lit it, instantly better ! nice blue flame around twice the size of the last try.

"Eureka" I thought.....cracked it

My original burner tube is completely wrecked so I filled up the steel tube I had slotted with cotton wool (which actually burnt the best out of all the wicks and stuff I had tried). Poured in my new meths till it soaked the cotton, ran my gas lighter along it.....nothing.

By this time I was getting just a teeny weeny bit frustrated so I fired up my propane torch and played it along the tube, the slots burst into flame, my joy lasted about 2 seconds as the meths boiled over and ran down the front of the bench, which happens to be a set of wooden drawers, it was also running inside the drawers.

Being well prepared I didn't panic and calmly went to dab out the flames with my trusty oil soaked rag, which burst into flames, meths then ran down my arm from my fireball burner tube, honestly, I just had to laugh, I havn't had this much excitement since my case got caught it the escalator steps at the airport.

Bonzo was last seen heading down the garden for cover.

When I got things calmed down all the slots were burning away merrily, nice and cleanly, so, almost there, and its only taken me a week, lol.

Maybe the other meths was a bad batch or they changed it or it was really old stock, I dont know. I do know that I'll be getting some thin wall brass tube and probably starting from scratch. Who would have thought such a simple thing could be such a nightmare, oh well, I now have loads of meths and a bottle of Blackcurrant mixer in the fridge......cheers !