This post is mainly a direct response to topic about a Lilor radiator, but it applies to the making of any metal mantle for most radiant heaters. Originally I think those were made out of a special alloy, but I have made all mine in stainless steel with good results. This is only made as a quick demonstration for the Lilor heater mentioned above, so I don't have any actual measurements. Since it's cylindrical in shape, it's a very simple thing to manufacture. It will also work for e.g. Bialaddin or Primus radiators. Firstly I take a sheet of suitable grid stainless steel, in this case acid-proof. Since this particular mantle was cylindrical, I just shaped it up roughly to the correct diametre: Then I pull three or four wires out from one of the longitudinal sides of the square-shaped piece, giving me some loose ends sticking out: Then I roll the mantle to become, so that every loose wire end sticks out through a "hole" of their own at the grid on the opposing side of the sheet, just making sure that it will get the correct inner diametre. Then I just twist each pair of threads tight, and as such locking them firm to the other side and the roll will be stiff and rigid: After that you can trim the ends of the seam and hammer them down on a suitable die, just for good looks: This will make you end up with a nice and durable cylindrical roll to shape up further if desired. Here with the seam lined up to show that it doesn't look to bad: In the case of the Lilor, you would want a closed end at the very top, so I just put it back on the die after clipping a few triangular sections out of the end, and then hammered it to shape: Since the Lilor in this particular case seems to have the old mantles base still left, I would just simply use that one, and attach this newly made mantle to it with the aid of a wire to bind it firm with the aid of a pair of pliers: This is the principles of how I make them. Your own imagination will decide how to get the desired shape. I don't say it's the best method, or the correct way, But it works for me. I have made some round ones for Tilley heaters by forming two semi-spherical halfs with this SS-mesh, and then tied them together in the same way as mentioned here, and as far as I can tell, they have worked just as well as the later made metal-replicas that's being sold. It's all about getting the blues flame to transform to a hot red-glowing source of radiant heat. The looks doesn't really matter. For Primus or Bialaddin, there's really nothing to it since they are of pure cylindrical shapes.
Christer, you ought to do teaching instead of volts and ampere. This is a very instructive and tutorial guide for making a radiator hard mantle . I will try it later and also fettle my Lilor radiator, needs new cleaning needle among other things. Thanks! /Conny
Thanks guys! And Conny, I think I'll stick to the high voltage. That's all I really know anything about...
Hi Christer. Looking very good ! Welcome to the demonstrator's class, we are still down on numbers in this section but I guess thinks will pick up after Jan 2011 . Nils mentioned Volts and Amps. What do you have to do with volts and amps on a daily basis ? ...mick
Thanks a bunch Mick! I can assure you that this section will be well filled up after the launch. Maybe not at once, but just give it a couple of months... My connection with the volts and amps are just as simple as working as an electrician. Well... OK, not entirely as simple as that. I'm not on the wiring side on a daily basis. That's only something that can give you an income without the taxation authorities meddling. No, I'm rather on the heavy industrial side, and as such working on anything from tiny 4-20mA or 2-10V steering signals to the 40kV distribution side.
Here's one with the "Lilor-mantle" burning. The downside of it all is that I just very briefly made this mantle out of a hunch to show how I make them, so I don't really have any suitable radiator to test this particular mantle on... The upside is that I got to start one of those smaller blow lamps just to see how the mantle glows. I just simply tucked it on a Primus No. 854 (that's a small petrol torch) and gave it a bit of heat. The blow torch, though small, does of course give a much bigger flame than a radiator - hence the concentration of heat at the top of the mantle - but still... it gives a little hunch.
Hi Christer ! Just interesting to understand some thing about collectors who I'll obviously or hopefully be talking to you for years to come. I'm a technician for the art and design department and teaching silversmithing ,hollow ware. Long before this I used to make induction coils out of copper for industry in Sheffield ,high Amps and arc eye common place. .....mick
Mick, thanks for telling! Hollow ware and silver smithing is surely things that can be applicable in "our field" of hobby. I realized that there was something like that in the background when I saw the post of your excellent restoration of that Tilley do-nut lamp a while ago. It's good to have you here.
Hi Christer ! Thanks for note ,you may have seen a stove I rebuilt along time ago for Ross. I can't put it up here as its a stove and besides I never photographed what I was doing to it . Its in CCS " cut away Primus 96 " it goes to various shows Ross ,Peter ,myself and other collectors attend !! Are you in a position to attend the Newark gathering next year ? ...mick
Well it was actually Conny that mentioned it, but I'm glad you asked. I was curious as well. Actually I have no idea what most of you all do for a living and being a curious type (I think that is pretty common for collectors) would love to know. I suppose that's part of introductions in the open forum. To give a summary, I'm an electronics engineer and until recently worked with design of mobile phones. Mainly the RF part. I've just started a new job and am now working with medical equipment. I do have a background as an instrument fitter and the fine mechanics part of that is very useful.
Nice work Christer... And a facinated picture, makes me wonder what happends if you put a lantern mantle outside of this cage :-) Will it shine bright white or have the steel mantle already taken all energy out of the kerosene.... SL! Jukka
Now there's an idea. I wonder if you stretched a cloth mantle over that steel one you would get a streel reinforced incandescing mantle? It might get hot enought to give a good light. If it did then you have a recipe for a seriously tough mantle. ::Neil::
No, Mick. I don't even attend the Swedish meeting. But I always see what was going on by all the photos being posted afterwards.
Nice to see the photos i know Christer but not like being there and meeting the people being these posts. I remember once at newark few years back looking at all the stuff lit in the field reminded me of a fairground you could smell parrafin fumes in the air as well it is worth the effort to attend pete
Hi Christer, Wow...I read this post this afternoon and said to myself..."Been there, Done that" A couple years ago I found an American Gas Machine READY-GLO radiant Bowl heater on ebay. It was incomplete. It was originally fitted with a ceramic burner radiant, similar to a Coleman HOT RAY. One day I decided to see if I could make my own burner. I had an old Coleman propane 45,000 BTU Burner that was trashed....I went for it. The actual name of the screen that Coleman used and also patented, is (INCONEL). The process that you show and describe is exactly like I had done. It works quite well. There is a fellow here in the US (Ohio), Ed Erb who makes some to fit Coleman out of stainless steel.. Pics of mine>> Enjoy! Glenn
Once again that expression, necessity being the mother of invention; proves itself! Excellent stuff!!!!
Hi @Carlsson Which size for the stainless grid ? I've a Lilor to bring back to life. Thank you for your reply Best regards Gilles
Hi Gilles! I think the gauze size was pretty small. I think it was 1 mm., but I'll have a look when I'm back home tomorrow to confirm.
Hi Gilles, I made a mesh mantle for my Lilor 4062 radiator in 2011. I think it was Christer sending me some of his mesh. It is fairly easy to do but it takes a lot of patience! /Conny
Hi Conny & Carlsson, Thank's for yours replys I've bought 1 mm ss steel mesh I will post the rest of the work I also have the protective grid to make (the third Conny pict). I have all the dimensions, just to do now
Well, good luck! They aren't hard to make, so I'm sure you will get a good result, and we hope to see it posted here in full action.
