Restoring a 1932-1933 Primus 1014 which sadly had been electrified!! I've decided to restore it to working order, it's a pain to see the pics, really. After having it cleaned up, I started to work on the hole in the tank, and now I'm stuck. I need to know it the part pointed at in the image below is soldered to the tank or if it has a screwed thread with a heatresisting washer? I'd be pleased to know that, before I continue. In this thread I'll keep me updated as I progress on the lamp. First thing is to get the hole soldered back, then I can work on the other parts. Thanks a lot in advance. /Frank/
Hehe, good point there! Since I can't edit my post anymore, I wanted to ask if this also removes the fuel pickup tube, since that's the item that must out of the tank. Thanks yet again, /Frank/
Hello Frank, the link below shows Neil's example of this lamp and the control cock does appear to be soldered into the tank, Jeff. http://0flo.com/index.php?threads/503
Frank, this part comes off pretty easy. The best way is to put the hex part in a vice and then just turn the tank counter clockwise. I´m not sure how they are sealed. It might have been a very thin lead washer, but I don't think so. I think it's sealed by the fact that the thread is tapered. And yes! The fuel pick-up tube will come along when you remove this part: Typical that they made the hole in the bottom just were the date stamp is on your lamp!
They might have used some graphite or lead in the threads, because there are something greyish inside there.
Good luck! By the way, why do you need to remove this part? Are the threads for the vaporizer damaged by that lamp bulb holder? The holes will be pretty easy to fix. Then you just need to find the burner parts, but there are many scrap lamps out there, so eventually I'm sure you will have it running. As suggested at FF, you might also use lantern parts for most of the burner details. If you're picky, you shall also try to fix a burner that is correct for the year, and not settle with a version from another period.
Hi there Christer, I need to remove this part as the pick-up tube is pushing against the inside of the tank which makes it impossible for me to get the tank airtight. Soldering won't do the job either cuz the pick-up tube might actually get clugged so I am gonna remove the tube, so I can push out the dents via the inside, then I can fix the hole, and then I just put the tube with the hex nut in place again. I have tried to solder the hole but I ended up clogging up the tube, so I had to remove it all again. The threads for the vapourizer isn't damaged btw, but I can see no other way to do it. /Frank/
Ah, I see. If you want to do a good job, you should cut out a round hole to clean away that hideous cable passage which will allow a snug brass piece in, and then solder it into place. But frankly, I'd just put a patch over the present hole and solder it into place. You can generally accept that kind of rough mending on the bottom of a tank. Atleast when you still will use non-original parts for the rest of the lamp. Just keep us updated here. The 1014 is a pretty rare lamp, so it's good to see it resurrected .
Hello Christer, Instead of removing the part I decided to bent the hex nut slightly so the fuel tube would not be visible when soldering the hole. Now, I have tried numerous tries to solder the hole, it just doesn't seal. I have put a small patch over the hole, but when I apply solder and try to get it into place it just will not seal properly... I have numerous leaks... What should I do? I am not giving up, but to me, it seems as if it will not seal the way I'm doing it now. Thanks in advance, Frank
You need of course to have clean surfaces, and it requires quite a lot of heat to make the solder run out and not just form "lumps" around the piece. This is a problem, because you don't want to desolder the entire bottomplate. This happens surprisingly fast the instance the temperature gets too high. And the patch must contact the bottomplate all around it's circumference because you are not supposed to use the solder as a filling material. The only way to get a good capillary effect for the solder is when the two parts are practically in contact with eachother everywhere. One way is to use a good flux and tin both surfaces before you put the parts together. After that you only should need to hold a large soldering iron hard against the patch until the tin on both surfaces melts and the patch so to speak sinks in position. Wet cloths tucked in along the rim will help avoiding the solder for the bottom plate itself to melt during the process. Best thing on a pressure tank like this would of course be to have the patch on the inside. Perhaps you could hold a small brass piece in place through the filling hole?
Ok, after being in the workshop for another 30 minutes I came to think that, if I just solder the patch in place, and then finish off by pouring some epoxy rapid (which is basically a 2 components glue) it would seal? It's worth try - it does clearly say "glues metal, rock, wood, porcelain, ivory etc". Should this work? Frank, once again. Edit: thank you Christer. At least I know where to send it to if I do not succeed. On a more serious note, the problem is that the tank it dented and beaten up so it's very difficult to find a part that will connect to it completely. Just as you say, I've tried heating with a machine which puts out 650 degrees and I was afraid of overheating the tank...
I wouldn't rely on that method. If the patch isn't thoroughly soldered in place, it might give in as you apply pressure. (Unless you didn't place it inside the tank as suggested above.) The epoxy will seal, but it won't help to keep the piece in place as the pressure increases if the soldering is bad.
If all else fails and you can't do a decent solder patch then in this application a simple Tinkers patch will do the job. A bolt with a metal washer and a ruber seal can be inserted through the filler cap and teased into the hole by tying a cotton thread to the end of the bolt and pulling it through. Tricky but possible. Then you just fit another metal washer and a nut and screw it up tight. Helps to have a longer bolt so you can grip the end of the bolt whilst tightening and then cut off the excess afterwards. This gives a mechanical seal and being underneath won't be visible. ::Neil::
This method also has the advantage of being non destructive so if at a later date you want to have a try at a better job it is a simple matter of unscrewing the nut and removing the patch back through the filler. ::Neil::
