Mamod Fuel

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

One of the long term ‘When I get a round tuit’ jobs in the workshop is the restoration of a Mamod racing car.

Now that solid fuel tablets are banned would firelighters be a possible alternative?

And before anyone suggests I just go and try it out, one part of the restoration will need to be the buying or making of a tray to hold the tablets. If they won’t work I might not waste the time or money.

Because of the ban meths burners are silly expensive second hand.

Nick

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

See the thread of teh same title a week or two ago.

 

Gel fuel seems to be selling well

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

I don’t understand why Meta fuel (metaldehyde) should be banned, it’s mildly toxic, but still used in slug bait. Hexamine fuel tablets have come under gubernatorial scrutiny because they can be used as a precursor to RDX explosive. Why one would want to blow up a model steam boiler escapes me! gurgle lists a number of sellers of solid fuel tablets, so they’re still available.

Meths burners are easy to make if you are up to some tin bashing and silver soldering.

 

Retail firelighters will probably work quite well if you can control their burning speed and any possibility of melting/spreading of petroleum based ones.

[Matt TParticipant @mattt]

I can’t see how they are going to enforce the restriction on the sale of hexamine tablets when they’re so widely used unless they’re beginning at the production end and allowing retailers to clear their stock. As an indicator though, I am also a scout leader and these same tablets are used routinely in solid fuel stoves. We haven’t received any communication from higher ups regarding them although at our group we have amended our programme in advance.

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

See the thread of teh same title a week or two ago.

 

Gel fuel seems to be selling well

I am sorry but I still can’t get to grips with the search since it’s relaunch

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Metaldehyde is banned for massacring molluscs – anyway the RHS now says we ought treat them with a little more consideration!

I believe that previous thread explained the fuel form is not banned as such but has to be held under licence – for a fee, of course.

Domestic firelighters seem to be of a paraffin-rich wax burning with a thick yellow flame, so very likely to create a good deal of soot.

I don’t know the model racing-car design but other Mamods used methylated spirits. The burner comprises a pressed-steel tray filled with what looked like cotton-wool below a cover of thin, perforated sheet-steel.

Some years ago there was a rather bizarre fad for indoor, open-flame room-heaters that were basically big Home & Gardens versions, but using I think Isopropyl Alcohol which burns more cleanly than meths so ought be ideal for small steam models. I bought a 5-litre bottle from B&Q, noting they kept it in a bonded store, having been recommended to use it in my Trangia camping-stove.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Previous thread

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

The gel fuel is much more cost effective when bought as chafing dish fuel
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224711632979?
That’s 1.6p per gram compared to 11.2p for “steam fuel”.

The ban on hexamine will be enforced like all these new laws, badly. But having it without an EPP is a prima facie offence. Only exception is business or professional use.
Things like Scouts are interesting. It could be considered business or professional use but if a scout takes a tablet home they have committed an offence. I’m surprised Soucting are still using them due to the toxic emmissions.

Lots of places still selling “hexamine” fuel  but it might be alternatives. There is at least one “solid” alcohol based alternative Fire Dragon. Available from B&Q
https://www.diy.com/departments/firedragon-firelighters-pack-of-6/5016549983464_BQ.prd
I’ve not tried them. Apparent the UK militayr cookers now use them.

Robert.

 

[mgnbukParticipant @mgnbuk]

The fuel sold by B&Q for the “bizzare living flame domestic heaters” mentioned by Nigel Graham 2 above is bio-ethanol – I bought a 2 litre bottle last week for a Chinese Trangia clone stove. At £8 for 2 litres it was cheaper than I could find meths locally. It is a clear, slightly sweet smelling & lightly oily liquid that burns cleanly with a blue flame in the stove with little odour (I had a trial run of the stove in the kitchen – while Mrs B was out ! ).

A less expensive source of gel fuel on Ebay is here. £7.99 post paid for 3 x 50ml pouches.

I have a pack of the Momod solid fuel tablets somewhere, bought to try running a Mamod steam lorry I inherited many years ago. Guess that makes me a criminal now !

Nigel B.

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

I would think that stuffing your newly formed oil tin based and silver soldered Mamod or wilesco burner with ceramic fibre would work. Or plan B, get a short length of 22 or 28mm copper tube, slit and flatten, anneal and reshape, followed by silver soldering, then lightly stuff with ceramic fibre. The top of the burner could be a fine mesh. Just some thoughts, before filling with meths. Noel.

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