Yep, breather hole in filler cap is fine, I even loosened the cap off but it made no difference.

I tried getting some wick up into the slits with a pin but it didnt help, on the original burner the slits look quite narrow with no wick poking through so I dont think its a problem, its the vapour that burns not the wick.

Yes the meths is getting right along the tube, I've even tipped it so meths is coming out of the slits.

This has me baffled, I'm starting to think the meths is crap, I must admit I wasnt to impressed when I lit some on a short piece of wick, it wasnt the nice clean blue flame you would expect, it was more yellow in colour, yet its the same brand I've seen used many times for the same purpose.

Edited By John Horne 2 on 21/06/2017 19:32:08

First I bought flat wick from ebay for use in oil lamps, then I bought some round wick from Germany stated as used for lamps, stoves etc, I also tried pyjama chord which was suggested by a friend, all are cotton.

The last one that came from Germany is exactly like that, multi strand, soft and fluffy when opened up, and made of cotton.

I just found the receipt, it says…. round spirit paraffin or oil lamp wick 100% cotton petroleum wax burners

Edited By John Horne 2 on 22/06/2017 16:30:52

Thanks dave, maybe the flame goes yellow when the wick gets burnt to much ? which would explain my yellow flame but not why its happening the wick in your link is a little too small and looks like the only one they sell, mine needs to be around 12" and 14mm dia to fit snug in the tube, the one I bought from Germany should be perfect, I'm pretty sure other people use that company for burner wicks.

Maybe I'm cursed….or my wicks are cursed…..or both me and my wicks are cursed !

I have some very close up photos of the original burner that I copied and photos of a copied burner, I honestly dont think it can be that far out that it wouldn't light, even if it was it wouldn't explain why I cant get a wick to burn properly in a piece of copper tube ! I might have just found another use for the meths ………….……hic !

That's quite a list of wicks Dave ! I'm sure that will be useful to other people as well, especially the imperial sizes.

I might order one up and get a different brand of meths, got to do something, by the time I'm finished I could have bought a copy burner from Ebay complete with wick.

Been looking at photos of burners again on google images, most of them look to burn nice and clean without burning the wick to ash.

Edited By John Horne 2 on 22/06/2017 18:25:16

Interesting ! I did open up the slots, in the end I used a file so their wider than the wall thickness, but I did wonder if using copper tube was the right thing to do.

Just did a search for the book and it looks like the copyright is over so its available for free download……..

http://www.appropedia.org/Model_Boilers_and_Boilermaking

There's a link on that page to the download and its legit.

Thanks to everyone who's tried to help, I think one of the fundamental problems I have is the construction materials, I used brass for the tank, but, being the cheapskate that I am, I used a piece of 15mm copper pipe for the burner tube, which as Maurice and Brian said is taking away heat from the burner, I also think its creating a condensation problem. In my defence I only have my meagre pension coming in so I use what I have, I improvise, and sometimes, I cut corners I should have bought some thin wall brass tube !

We all get something different from our hobbies, for me its the satisfaction of creating something from nothing or salvaging something that everyone gave up on and turning it into something that makes people smile. I got interested in steam a few months back and decided to make an engine similar to the tubalcain twin cylinder/double action/oscillating engine, yes, its a mouthful haha. I bought absolutely nothing for this engine, everything came from my scrap box and what was lying around. I made a few changes to the design and appearance, I think it turned out well and it runs a treat ! here's a pic……..