Brian,
Mamod mobiles are so much fun to drive around. The steam wagon is a really model that very much resembles a Foden.
One thing though, Esbit tables are stinky and for me causes a sore throat. A spirit burner is so much better. The Mamod spirit burners (or new ones that are replacements) are very safe in my opinion. You fill them up over the sink, then turn them upside down to remove excess. Mount in the scuttle and then light with a Bic grill lighter. You can tip the model over and no fire falls out. Stays in the burner.
If you burn Ethanol, then zero stink. If hard to find Ethanol, then you could burn rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) but it is sooty but it doesn't stink.
Assuming you are in the UK, I would highly recommend finding an older Mamod meths burner like this one
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273877260767
Meths is also very easy to find over there. I would not use Isopropyl/rubbing alcohol, very sooty...
Thanks, I thought that Mamod almost went out of business due to people having accidents with meths burners. Yes, meths are very easy to find in chemists etc. I will try taking the tablets first (LOL) then think about meths.
99.9% pure Methyl Hydrate can be found in paint stores, it is used to disolve shellac crystals.
As a matter of interest, what oil should be used? Is 3 in 1 oil OK?
Brian
Howdy Brian ... looks like you have some fun ahead of you. Love the Mamod steam wagon myself. I also recommend using meths in these engines. Yes, meths used improperly, in overfilled burners does pose a safety problem, but done correctly is quite safe, clean and almost odor free. Using 3 in 1 oil for all the mechanical bits is fine, but steam oil should really be used in the cylinder and on the port faces. Wouldn't really worry too much about it though, as 3 in 1 has been used in place of steam oil on Mamods for years now, and for that matter, no oil has been used on them for years as well!
Fact is that at the low temperatures and pressures that these engines typically run at, the condensate water actually acts as a lubricant to a certain degree, though using proper oils for all moving parts really is a better idea!
Hope you have a ton of fun with that great acquisition ... I know mine provides me with joy!!!
To be honest, 3 in 1 oil isn't that great as it dries out and gets sticky. Basically, any stinky oil isn't great since it is outgassing and drying out.
Dritz sewing machine oil is thin, colorless, odorless and never dries out. Perfect for your nose and line shafts.
For thicker oil, engine shafts, I use heavy mineral oil. Odorless, colorless, never dries out. Also safe to get on your hands, etc.
For your cylinder, I recommend steam oil. If you look at what's left behind, it's tallow. (From what I read it's the active ingredient in steam oil.)
Thanks everyone. I can get the meths burner for £15.99 from Forest Classics. So will have to wait until I can afford it. Meths are very cheap in UK.