Garage Sale Find

[Westwindmike]

Was shopping a few garage sales this weekend and ran across this:
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j203/westwindmike/image0005-2.jpg

It seems to be some sort of plumbers furnace. It came with a cast iron pot, ladle, and about 23 pounds of lead. All for $10! The problem with is after lighting it, in about 10 minutes, flames from an apparent gas leak start coming out of the base. There are no obvious holes in the supply line, but I guess I need to leak check it and find the leak before I blow myself up.

All in all, not bad for $10.

[jh45gun]

I would consider the pot and the ladle worth the ten bucks since it leaks I would just dump it and buy a turkey fryer gas set up for around 30 bucks and use the pot and ladle with that. I bought one of them old plumbers furncaces too at rummage sale a friend said from the looks of it he did not think it was safe for the same reason evidently yours is in. You cannot see any apparent leaks with mine either but I threw it. Figured it may not be worth it fireing it up. I live at an apt complex so I would not want to fire it up and start a fire outside of where I live. I think the propane gas set ups are safer.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

You got your $10 bucks worth, no doubt. Gives me the itch to go yard sailing....

[Buckshot]

................I'd be a bit leery of it if it's leaking. Probably takes the 10 minutes to heat up and then it's a bit pressurized. Once that happens it begins leaking. But if it's gasoline fired it would seem to me that it would leak from the git go, as gas will leak from almost invisible cracks. That wind jacket and stuff wold be beneficial with a propane unit if the burner proves non repairable.

................Buckshot

[Bret4207]

I can't tell from the pic, but is that propane? If it's leaking it's probably a loose connection or some dried out sealer. Same thing is it's gasoline. If it's propane your gas company can probably go through it and service it. If gasoline...those of us that have them learn how to fix them.

[mtgrs737]

$10 is a steal for that thing, I have a old huge single burner thing made by the Coleman company that burns gas. My dad used it to steam wallpaper off the walls in houses. Mind is really old looking and I am not messing with it as the guy at the Coleman repair store said there are few parts available for it. Turkey fryers are cheap.

[Westwindmike]

Yes, it is propane powered. Has about a 8 foot hose from tank to unit. After the on/off valve, the pipe goes beneath the base and makes a 90 degree turn to vertical. The leak has to be between the valve and the burner. I'm hoping to be able to put it in some water, turn on the gas and find the leak.

[Jaybird62]

A lot of times the hose gets dry-rotted, and that's where you will find the leak. It will be up under the brass squeeze fitting where it's probably crimped to the orifice tube. You may be able to just trash the old hose and replace it. A couple of hose clamps should provide a tight seal on a new hose.

[Westwindmike]

A lot of times the hose gets dry-rotted, and that's where you will find the leak. It will be up under the brass squeeze fitting where it's probably crimped to the orifice tube. You may be able to just trash the old hose and replace it. A couple of hose clamps should provide a tight seal on a new hose.

Thanks. I'll check that first.
Mike

[mikenbarb]

They have flared and pipe thread fittings and most of the time a leak can be taken care of by snugging up the fittings. It may also have a graphite packing assembly which your local plumbing store should have. If not I have a few if you need one.
Just remember if its a flare fitting to use nothing to seal it like pipe dope because it will create a leak eventually. Just snug em up.

[captain-03]

You did good!!

[montana_charlie]

I liked that furnace when I thought it was gasoline powered. Now that you say it runs on propane, I like it even better.

Douse the whole thing with WD-40 and let it soak. Then disassemble the entire apparatus so you can actually look at each part.

When you put her back together, replace anything that doesn't look perfect.

The damn thing will probably last longer than you...!

CM

[Hiaboo]

Get that thing going? I'm curious.

[Westwindmike]

Get that thing going? I'm curious.

No, not yet. Haven't had time to fool with it. I just borrowed a friends turkey fryer/lead melter and used it. I may re-yard sale this thing rather than put a lot of work into it.

[Bad Water Bill]

If you look on the bottom of the stove there should be a name and model plus date of mfgr stamped there. With this information you can contact lanternking or use Item number: 380125032884 on flee bate to contact one of the most helpful people on Coleman products. Do not ask me how I know but I now have a 1946 single burner stove working like new smelting again. :drinks:

[WHITETAIL]

Great find![smilie=2:

[TAWILDCATT]

AGRI SUPPLY HAS NEW HOSES WITH NEW REGULATER FOR $15 OR THE HOSE WITH FITTINGS FOR ABOUT $6:coffeecom[smilie=1:

[Westwindmike]

It's not the hose that's bad, it is leaking in the metal pipe underneath.