Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Builds, Repairs, Show Your Machines! => Technical Tips, Builds, and Help => Topic started by: Jim on April 28, 2021, 12:22:59 am

Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: classixs on May 03, 2021, 12:16:29 pm
...I have this old empty can (came empty) that I got with and engine in 2013...
Looks like the ones that came originally with the Marx/Line-Mar engines, which engine did yours arrive with Jim?
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Stoker on May 03, 2021, 01:10:33 am
I've never used sterno yet Daniel. How does it compare for pros and cons?
I would say the only advantage over hand sanitizer is what Daniel mentioned, that you can heap the burner full and it stays put. It does burn down to a very light residue that needs to be scraped out of the burner.

One other advantage is that the burner need not be airtight around the bottom or corners. It actually works well in the Wilesco burners with all the holes along the sides. It doesn't "melt" and get liquid like when it burns, but rather develops a sort of leathery skin.

That light residue can easily be scraped out, or even more easily be washed out with plain soap and water. I just use dish soap and warm water after a run and the burner cleans up just fine. I have loaded Sterno into a something of plunger device with a large diameter nozzle, and it can be squirted into a burner that way, but really doesn't flow together at all, so doesn't fill the burn as completely as when I sort of trowel it in with a knife or spoon.

Never seen it in a can that looks like that Jim .... perhaps that is just the Japanese version of it, either authorized or not, but likely performs the same function.
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Jim on May 02, 2021, 11:21:23 pm
Yes, Sterno is just a brand name

Just noticed your ebay link is liquid and has wicks, that is not Sterno/gel fuel

Thanks Nick, not sure if I ever remember any thread with an Aussie using Sterno?

I have this old empty can (came empty) that I got with and engine in 2013 -

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Nick on May 02, 2021, 10:53:20 pm
See how these have the bigger cap that pops off:

https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313&_nkw=chafing+gel&_sacat=0
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Nick on May 02, 2021, 10:50:12 pm
Yes, Sterno is just a brand name

Just noticed your ebay link is liquid and has wicks, that is not Sterno/gel fuel
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Jim on May 02, 2021, 10:44:52 pm
I've never used sterno yet Daniel. How does it compare for pros and cons?
I would say the only advantage over hand sanitizer is what Daniel mentioned, that you can heap the burner full and it stays put. It does burn down to a very light residue that needs to be scraped out of the burner.

Is chafing gel the same thing as sterno?

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/383735358256?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item595868e330:g:vOwAAOSw6bRfavHE&amdata=enc%3AAQAFAAACcBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%252Fn%252BzU5L90Z278x5ickkxFtV7J5P58ubuVigtBH%252Fewg8XqObr%252FlPHewEOSgZGvFhxBBbHlb6t1yvDVoEvB2BUh9g2PDOoduaG274HUBdfrtmjYCwUKa6E0R%252Fg7gzHhCvpxT%252FiXF7nr2pN4QPd%252B0VU%252FaJQOZelgNizzc1PssPC%252FSqSmeEji%252Bm8iCD2pNVlzXYLIRuJ3xuhQqHHFdtKI3gLSbDZs3V0lEjMTF3JRDstAAOml9Ar3MK6eZr52LLtcoH4rZZ3%252BcmKTMskDTVi3D8gXMJ4M%252FMQxCNH9ssVBvFnLBqtXujtgS%252FkxbfpUn7lHbyn2y0AItDRPBRUKCvVqZydoNUyDxXr4LZEPKeNC%252BE7SjHay1iydc4vOeuNXdbAkR%252Fi69Uy%252BgzlDE3HZ9L9DIo7RMBfMcnnKIdBnzp5ElO9%252FUZebZsjOA%252Bs6QWQZe%252FFU5JMP5LghcnIaYvjgR00C5zRRywR3kz%252FbHKJzd6pySaCjyU468iAmCYidldE1lyENO3xPxEfOONvPfBNiV66%252FAHuPqRg9eYI%252F84TOugjX9hp8d%252BWDRT%252F5E%252FR2b6B9OzCQjyJpNXrw8ISXcJ7H2UsYD5OFUUmb2kFea%252F8WQ2DLq3KLVZFiZKBvkrQKp9%252F0ivebDXoUFeJV2JrAxMENkLYIux49GM333BZr1PSwLwiKw6lBKt%252BzFA0pPI%252BbKJCnClxfVEgIMphz3RNX8s%252F5o6bGNYJsHBvR0Qg%252F8U3TastGb6Cr2fUZrX0MsbRf%252BeJ0RpX6anUM3rAZFE9v0zkZ4jo5ID3xciZqgWh8sDhJlnp4QUEA%253D%253D%7Ccksum%3A3837353582561836fe8d52614859b694f2ed2914ad1a%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2334524&frcectupt=true
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Nick on May 02, 2021, 09:55:34 pm
I've never used sterno yet Daniel. How does it compare for pros and cons?
I would say the only advantage over hand sanitizer is what Daniel mentioned, that you can heap the burner full and it stays put. It does burn down to a very light residue that needs to be scraped out of the burner.
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Jim on May 02, 2021, 09:34:42 pm
I've never used sterno yet Daniel. How does it compare for pros and cons?
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Stoker on May 02, 2021, 08:51:16 pm
I guess one advantage to Sterno is that it doesn't flow at all, so I can stack it in a burner over heaping and get more burn time that way.

Still, being able to easily pump the gel fuel (hand sanitizer) into the burner, may well be an advantage all its own!
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Jim on May 02, 2021, 06:25:38 pm
mighty fine mod there Jim ,I've never tried gel fuel , must do that sometime.

Try it out sometime Bruce, I was pleasantly surprised.
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: St Paul Steam on May 02, 2021, 06:32:55 am
mighty fine mod there Jim ,I've never tried gel fuel , must do that sometime.
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Nick on May 01, 2021, 08:15:56 pm
😂 😂 🔥 🔥 😂 😂
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Jim on May 01, 2021, 07:33:34 pm
I took the easy way out and ordered a gel fuel burner from Andreas  :D

Nick I must say I'm pretty impressed with using gel fuel for these types of engines.

Have you experimented at all yet with adding fuel on the go with a syringe?

https://youtu.be/D9DkciMTsLI
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Nick on May 01, 2021, 06:56:04 pm
I took the easy way out and ordered a gel fuel burner from Andreas  :D

Nick I must say I'm pretty impressed with using gel fuel for these types of engines.

Have you experimented at all yet with adding fuel on the go with a syringe?
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Jim on May 01, 2021, 06:44:14 pm
I took the easy way out and ordered a gel fuel burner from Andreas  :D

Nick I must say I'm pretty impressed with using gel fuel for these types of engines.
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Jim on May 01, 2021, 06:43:31 pm
Interesting experiment Jim.

The modified burner gives you 20 minutes of run time vs. 7 minutes.  That definitely makes it worth the effort to modify the burner.  I just make a little Well out of Aluminum Foil.

Charlie, if your only using kitchen foil get yourself one of those heavy duty aluminium cooking trays for turkeys etc that you use once and throwaway from a BBQ outlet or supermarket the aluminium is a whole lot thicker.
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Nick on May 01, 2021, 06:39:20 pm
I took the easy way out and ordered a gel fuel burner from Andreas  :D
Title: Re: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: txlabman on May 01, 2021, 06:37:48 pm
Interesting experiment Jim.

The modified burner gives you 20 minutes of run time vs. 7 minutes.  That definitely makes it worth the effort to modify the burner.  I just make a little Well out of Aluminum Foil.
Title: KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel
Post by: Jim on April 28, 2021, 12:22:59 am
KMV Steam Engine Burner Modification for Gel Fuel

https://youtu.be/tvPWV_FjfVY