kerosene blowlamps

xlchainsaw · kerosene blowlamps

although not a steam subject i hope to detail their use for heating soldering irons ect. ive had one on and off for years that is sold them and bought them with years apart. i dont have one at present but have just bought 4 of them. the kero ones are different from the petrol ones (way too dangerous even for me and warn all members to stay away from the old gasoline blow torches:D ). i have a special project in mind which will use the four lamps.i think its sad that the younger generation have no knowledge of this once common workshop tool. as a painter we used them to burn paint off houses till the insurance companies banned their use. propane gas torches largely replaced them. ebay lists plenty with them going for $10-20 aud. in 1976 they sold for $67 aud brand new!when they arrive later this week i will be making a large blowlamp forge! this will be used to melt scrap aluminium for casting new wheels for my mamods.

there is much to know about safely using these torches and warn that many people over the yrs have learnt the hard way.!!!!!! it surprises me that no-one has tried to use one to heat the larger steam boilers instead of expensive gas burners.perhaps never thought to do so

tmuir

There is a great website out there all about the use and maintainence of those old Kero blow lamps but I've lost it at the moment but it wouldn't take too much to find again.
I know a shop that I can still buy the leather seals from for the pump and the prickers to clean the jets.

Brandt

I have 2 kero blow lamps that I got off my grandfather.
He use to use them for all his work, from stripping he house every 3 years and reaping it to brazing heis own broken band saw blades together.

I was only a kid when he use to show me how it work, so was not paying attention and so have forgotten the fine details and now my dad and I are to scared of blowing our heads off to get them going again LOL.

They still look nice on my shelf in the shed ever if I dont use them.

xlchainsaw

xlchainsaw

xlchainsaw

being never too old to learn it has amazed me where this subject has led me! firstly i stated that it was strange that one used these lamps to heat boilers. well boilers maybe not but stirling engines yes! side tracking for a moment. till now ive thought stirling engines was a mechanical principal demonstated by the use of models. i had no idea that it had an industrial application. a mystery for me was the upright flare design blowtorch listed as a stationary engine torch and have always wondered about its name and use.
http://www.steamengine.com.au/stirling/engines/heinrici/index.html

tmuir

Haven't found the website all about the blow lamps yet but here is a shop that sells parts.
http://www.oillamps.com.au/

xlchainsaw

thanks for the link tony. ive been out at the petrie steam shed organising next weeks steamup and checking their blowlamps out. a leather belt seller there said he can soon punch me out new leather pump washers.

the website i listed earlier showed some youtube vids of original stirling type engines. i asked the old fellow at the shed if they had any??? he looked stunned. a fair question as the shed is full of lathes,tools,motors both steam and internal combustion engines."now that a funny thing ive been here over twenty yrs and never been asked about these engines before but he had seen them working in his youth.but you are the SECOND person to inquire this morning!"

someone you have seen before i asked?? thinking it might have been a forum member.no none of you guys but then they asked when the mamods were going to be shown again.???????

one thing he did say was that kero blowlamps were commonly used to preheat the inlet manifolds on the old kero engines and old oil burners (motors) you just used them for everything he said (he is aged 77+)

steamyman

my uncle has some shellite blowlamps, I went round his place. he showed me one- Whooooooooooooooooooooosh!!! what a flame on those things!

Luckily I stood well back.