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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Dandenong
    Posts
    13

    Default Otto Benz blow lamp

    Put this on thw WWF then thought this might be better.

    "Not sure were to ask this question, but I have a Otto Benz blowlamp (old)

    and have been trying to find what fuel to use. I've tried kero but it doesn't get up
    to a proper flame. A lot of info on the net says petrol (gasoline as they say over there)
    Now I'm a bit of a coward so want to know if anyone has any knowledge of
    these lamps.
    I remember as a wee fella (many moons ago) Mum had an iron heated by petrol
    so they must have used petrol in some things, and these lamps seem reasonably
    common in the USA.
    The company of old Otto became Benzomatic.
    Would put up a photo if I knew how to get it off the phone.
    Any info would be appreciated,
    Cheers
    Robb41"

    ps I'm Robbo37 on the WWF

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    54
    Posts
    825

    Default

    G'day Robb,
    I would have thought kero would be fine but another option would be shellite.
    Fuel options with these is set by the size of the jet, petrol versions have much smaller jets so you need to be a bit careful or you'll end up with a fireball.
    Are you getting the vaporizer tube hot enough before you turn the fuel on?
    A tip with these is pre-heat the vaporizer tube with metho rather than kero which avoids the buildup of carbon and keeps them cleaner.
    Cheers,
    Greg.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Dandenong
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kwijibo99 View Post
    G'day Robb,
    I would have thought kero would be fine but another option would be shellite.
    Fuel options with these is set by the size of the jet, petrol versions have much smaller jets so you need to be a bit careful or you'll end up with a fireball.
    Are you getting the vaporizer tube hot enough before you turn the fuel on?
    A tip with these is pre-heat the vaporizer tube with metho rather than kero which avoids the buildup of carbon and keeps them cleaner.
    Cheers,
    Greg.
    Thanks Greg,
    I use metho for heating, but will try more heat and check out the jet size. It is quite a beast.
    Cheers

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Cairns, Q
    Posts
    666

    Default

    Does it have a cup below the vaporiser for metho to burn and preheat the vaporiser? If not it was probably designed to run on Shellite as Greg suggested. Back in the day Shellite was commonly used in petrol irons, petrol pressure lamps and stoves. I was surprised to see that it is still available:

    https://www.bunnings.com.au/diggers-...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

    Frank.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Dandenong
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by franco View Post
    Does it have a cup below the vaporiser for metho to burn and preheat the vaporiser? If not it was probably designed to run on Shellite as Greg suggested. Back in the day Shellite was commonly used in petrol irons, petrol pressure lamps and stoves. I was surprised to see that it is still available:

    https://www.bunnings.com.au/diggers-...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

    Frank.
    Yes Frank it does have the cup for pre heating so I'll give the kero more time.
    Cheers

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Alexandra Vic
    Age
    69
    Posts
    654

    Default

    I still have a couple of my father's Tilley blowlamps that were in use through my childhood and teen years. Primary fuel was Kerosene, and they have the cup under the vaporiser for preheating. The cup is filled with metho and lit. The metho should burn for a couple of minutes, heating the vaporiser. The kero tank is pressurised before the metho is placed in the cup and lit, and when the metho is about exhausted, the control valve is opened and the kero vapor flows and is ignited by the metho flame, and the control valve is adjusted to suit the task.

    Always allow the burner to fully cool before replenishing the kero or metho to relight, there is a danger of explosion if metho meets a hot burner.
    I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Dandenong
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by malb View Post
    I still have a couple of my father's Tilley blowlamps that were in use through my childhood and teen years. Primary fuel was Kerosene, and they have the cup under the vaporiser for preheating. The cup is filled with metho and lit. The metho should burn for a couple of minutes, heating the vaporiser. The kero tank is pressurised before the metho is placed in the cup and lit, and when the metho is about exhausted, the control valve is opened and the kero vapor flows and is ignited by the metho flame, and the control valve is adjusted to suit the task.

    Always allow the burner to fully cool before replenishing the kero or metho to relight, there is a danger of explosion if metho meets a hot burner.
    Thanks, I have a couple of the Sievert kero blowlamps but from what I can glean from the WWW these use petrol.
    Someone else said to try Shellite and that is basically petrol before all the additives are put in, same flashpoint etc.
    Having worked in the oil industry for quite a few years, I'm pretty wary of the stuff.
    Cheers

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Dandenong
    Posts
    13

    Default Otto Bernz Blowlamp

    I bit the bullet and took the lamp outside, put some petrol in (extinguisher at hand) and warmed it up
    with metho then slowly brought in the petrol....all good with a nice blue flame.
    Can't work out how to attach a video, sorry.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Athelstone, SA 5076
    Posts
    4,255

    Default

    dad just used kero. He put a small piece of rag in the cup and filled with kero..this got the temperature up to get the kero warm enough so that atomized fully when leaving the jet.

    I used Shellite in my camping lanterns and cooker as it burned cleaner

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