Good Kero
Submitted: Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 21:28
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Billy
This will be sure to bring a smile to the old timers, but does anyone know where I can buy decent Kero in
Sydney's North, preferably
Shell?
I've decided to resurrect a Tilley and Austramax for the winter tirip which provide far more heat on the dinner table than the Versalite. Unfortunately the first batch of dark blue stuff I got from B$%^ings would not even fire either of the old girls up. I got some other "Diggers" brand stuff which seems to get the job done but the lamps don't seem to be as
bright as I remember.
Brandts tell me some of it is now cheaply imported and may even be recycled (not sure how you do that by the way) and give trouble.
I've checked a couple of servo's and they only seem to have the no-name stuff.
Any ideas?
Bill
Reply By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 21:38
Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 21:38
Try coleman dual fuel as it will give a lot cleaner burn or better still buy a dual fuel light and use unleaded petrol, brilliant light and good warmth.
AnswerID:
64745
Reply By: Magnus - Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 22:09
Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 22:09
Ahhhh,
You did pre warm the light enough with a good metho fire did you not??
Just in case you had forgotten how.
Cheers
Magnus
AnswerID:
64749
Reply By: Magnus - Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 22:10
Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 22:10
Almost forgot,
If you think getting good Kero is hard, just try to buy Carbide for a carbide lamp.
Magnus
AnswerID:
64750
Follow Up By: Member - Ken - Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 22:43
Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 22:43
Maaaaaaaaaaaate!
I thought I was the only Dinosaur left on the planet who new what Carbide was used for.
When I was kid they used the filthy crap in the gold mines of W.A. for lights and acetylene in Oxy/Acet setups.
Caused untold burns on the hands etc etc etc.
Can only thank the march of technologuy with the invention of the battery electric hard hat lamp and bottled gas.
I'll never loose a second of sleep if I never see it again.
By the way, who would stock that stuff these days.
I can remember when I was on 'vacation' in South Vietnam in 1970, I saw a rudimentary panel beaters
shop using the Oxy/carbide setup. They adjusted the gas flow with a piece of 4 x 2 'tap' every now and again. Just made sure I kept a safe distance, never know what could have happened.
Ken Robinson
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Magnus - Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 23:23
Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 23:23
Ken,
Used to be able to get it from tasmania where the stuff was made. I still have a carbide lamp that works. Great light.
Used to have a carbide lamp on my pushbike. It was teriffic. Got a few hours out of a tank of water. Wish I still had it. Be a collectable by now.
Cheers
Magnus
FollowupID:
325776
Follow Up By: Billy - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 07:46
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 07:46
Magnus,
You can get Carbide from Brandt Bros. in Devonshire St Surry Hills, I'm sure Sands in
Melbourne would have it too as they have the same owner.
I have fond memories of the rather rudimentary Carbide light our family used to have, like a galv quart pot with a Y nozzle on top. Whack in a chunck of carbide, a pannackin of water, lid on and hey presto, ice white light - pretty loud and exposed though.
...and yes, I'm sure I've lit them correctly, it's definitely the quality of the Kero, the Diggers stuff has got me going in the right direction but I would really like to know how to get some
Shell, call them I guess. Could be fun showing up at Mascot with a Jerry looking for 20L of Jet A-1!!
Regds
Bill
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Magnus - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 08:22
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 08:22
Billy,
Thanx for the info on where you can get carbide. Reading some of the other posts, you do need to be careful in switching fuels. It is all in the jetting. Everything else seems to be the same.
Coleman sell their current stoves to take either fuel, Unleaded or Shellite. So, the design is the same, just the jetting and pre-heating.
Hope you get it sorted.
Just for interest,
check out Ebay and see the whole range of vintage Coleman fuel lights for sale. Very interesting!!
Boy, you must have a death wish even thinking about showing up at Mascot, Jerry can in tow!!! LOL It would be fun .......... for a short while!
Cheers
Magnus
FollowupID:
325809
Follow Up By: Patrol22 (Queanbeyan - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 08:31
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 08:31
Also great stuff for force ripening bananas, and using as an expanding bait for fishing
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Magnus - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 08:35
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 08:35
Expanding Bait ???
I'm from Qld. Please Explain!!
Magnus
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Patrol22 (Queanbeyan - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 19:34
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 19:34
Magnus - former North Queenslander myself - from
Mossman. The old grandfather used to use carbide as an explosive particularly in the mid to late 1950s. Don't know the recipe myself but seem to remember that it was very effective catching fish in the Baron and other rivers.
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Follow Up By: Magnus - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 23:00
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 23:00
Patrol22 - now its coming back.. Wasn't the trick to put a small piece of carbide in a container, bottle with screw top perhaps, and some water. Seal quickly and throw in water, It needs to sink of course. Gas builds up and container explodes. Result, stunned fish that float to the top.
Also used as a
bright light on a flat bottom punt and the
mullet jump in the punt as you cruise down the creek bank. My cousin was still doing that here in
Brisbane not more than 10 years ago. Getting more
mullet than he could possibly eat as
well.
I have had lamps go into orbit with gas build up. They make an awful racket if they go off in a tin shed and hit the roof.!!
Magnus
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Follow Up By: Patrol22 (Queanbeyan - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 23:07
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 23:07
Yep - that's the trick. Can be pretty damn dangerous though. New a bloke who lost his right hand from delaying the throw too long.
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Reply By: Baz (NSW) - Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 22:12
Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 22:12
Another thing you could try is unleaded, or go to the airport and get, Jet A, BEST kero ya can get.
Baz.
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Follow Up By: Nudenut - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 07:41
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 07:41
DONT TELL THEM TO DO DANGEROUS THINGS you dont use petrol in kero appliances
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Follow Up By: Baz (NSW) - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 08:33
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 08:33
OK OK, not thinking clearly no need to yell.
Baz.
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Follow Up By: Patrol22 (Queanbeyan - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 19:37
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 19:37
Yep - AVTUR or AVCAT are great subs - high quality kero that is. Also good to blend with diesel to prevent waxing in the alpine areas.
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Reply By: Member - Bernie. (Vic) - Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 22:36
Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 22:36
Hi Bill Sounds like they need a service ???
Sands in
Melbourne do it so must be some one in
Sydney also,
the other thing is only use clear kero, thats what Sands suggested although I think the last lot I used was blue.
I have a copy of the set up if it helps.
Tilley are a great light but noisy in comparison to a versalite.
Cheers
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Bernie. (Vic) - Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 22:39
Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 22:39
There not duel fuel so forget the unleaded unless you want a BANG.
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Follow Up By: Billy - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 07:56
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 07:56
Thanks Bernie, it's definitely the Kero, Brandt's (Sands sister store here in
Sydney) have already checked over the Austramax and its OK, definitely the fuel. Brants reckon in general, the blue'r the worse it is. As for the sound, nothing like the hissssss of a Tilley!! ..or the BANG if I put unleaded or shellite in it.
Regds
Bill
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Reply By: Mad Dog (Victoria) - Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 23:45
Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004 at 23:45
Don't know how it would go with the burner in your lamp but the modern lamps use Shellite or you can pay more and get the coleman branded stuff....same stuff
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Bernie. (Vic) - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 00:15
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 00:15
Ray Shellite & the coleman stuff is like Petrol
where as Kero is like Diesel - different as chalk & cheese
like the stoves there is DUEL fuel & then there is Kero.
Cheers
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Bonz (Vic) - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 00:05
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 00:05
Good Kero?...doesnt have an after-taste.........
Rays on the ball with the shellite
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Reply By: Rosco - Bris. - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 06:50
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 06:50
Bill
A word of caution here. Take note of Bernie's comments. I remember we had kero pressure lamps when I was a large tad younger. My dear old Dad decided to convert to Shellite, but as I recall it he had to make some adjustments to the units for the more volatile fuel.
It may have been as simple as different jets, I don't remember. But I do remember you can't put Shellite in a Kero unit.
Cheers
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Nudenut - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 07:46
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 07:46
your dead right of course Rosco..
my dad also knew how to covert them something which he passed on but i aint telling....dementia...your also on the right path with the jets
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Reply By: Biggus - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 20:19
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 20:19
Billy
Some time ago you were enquiring about joining a 4WD club in
Sydney's north, did you find one that suited you ?
Biggus
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Follow Up By: Billy - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 21:29
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 21:29
Yes Biggus, I joined the AWDC of
Sydney. We did the (mandatory) intro
driver training a couple of weeks ago. Some lurkers here may have been on it (James?). Could have used the Tilley that Saturday night!
Regds
Bill
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Reply By: Biggus - Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 23:51
Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 at 23:51
Billy
Good choice ! Will try and catch up with you at the next AWDC club meeting.
Biggus
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Billy - Friday, Jun 25, 2004 at 14:26
Friday, Jun 25, 2004 at 14:26
No worries. I was the guy who did the trip report for the
driver training last month. We will still be on the road for the next one, but should be there Aug.
Seems to be a top club.
Regds
Bill
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Reply By: Des Lexic - Friday, Jun 25, 2004 at 14:40
Friday, Jun 25, 2004 at 14:40
Hey Bill, maybe the old lights not as
bright as you can remember cos your eyes aren't as
bright as they used to be. No offence implied. Just joking
AnswerID:
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Reply By: G.T. - Monday, Jun 28, 2004 at 15:18
Monday, Jun 28, 2004 at 15:18
I used a circa 1955 model for a few years. During this time I didn`t have a problem with the quality of the kero. I found they could be hard to get going if it wasn`t properly preheated first using the metho wick ( which came with the lamp ). If the preheating wasn`t sufficient it was a `no go` situation. Once you have preheated properly ( you could see the mantle glowing a bit ) then it was time to screw up the pump plunger into the bottom tank and pump only a couple of times at first -- AFTER turning on the valve on the lamp shaft. If you pump up first and then open the valve usually you will get a flare up. The more pressure the bigger the flare up. When you pump the first couple of times the mantle will start to get it`s white glow , and then continue to pump only at once or twice every time until the mantle is glowing white and you have the hiss you love to hear. After that I would pump the lamp up fully until it was at full pressure as shown on the tank indicator.
If you are following ths method please ignore all that I have posted , but I am suprised to think that the kero is the culprit as the light up proceedure can cause the problem if not done correctly. Happy
camping. Regards G.T.
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Reply By: G.T. - Monday, Jun 28, 2004 at 15:28
Monday, Jun 28, 2004 at 15:28
P.S. I forgot to mention to leave the metho wick going under the mantle when you first start to pump up. Only remove once it`s going properly. The wick should starting to show showing signs of going out when you start to pump up. Regards G.T.
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Follow Up By: Billy - Monday, Jul 19, 2004 at 16:15
Monday, Jul 19, 2004 at 16:15
GT, thanks for your response, I just got back from the trip, nopt on line for a couple of weeks. It was definitely the Kero. I may have your old lamp, its an original X246 from around the 50's era!!
Regds
Bill
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