10 litre Thermette/Volcano kettle

[tombear]

Well, its finally on its way. My mate in New Zealand has sourced me one of these

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Camping-outdoors/Cooking-food/Cookers/auction-143643001.htm

as a alternative to the 10 litre copper job I was saving up for. I actually prefer the look of this one and the fact it's stainless steel. OK because of the weight it will come by sea but at least its on the way! :-{D)

I've wanted one for when the familly come camping with me in the car but may also lend it to lads scout troop as well. The price seams incredibly good, compare it to a Standard 2 quart copper thermette or big Kelly Kettle. My mate lives in Christchurch so had a good look at one before he bought and he says its well made (from him thats high praise).

When its arrived I'll see if it needs some sort of handle rigging and will custom make a filler filter/funnel for it. I like the fact its made in NZ, not quite by a guy in his shed but near enough. Also available in 6 litre version and bigger than 10.

ATB

Tom

 

[Schwert]

I will be very interested in seeing this Thermette. 10L would be a super handy one for a big group or as I am always thinking of emergency use.

I bought a copper Thermette sold over here.....unfortunately it is now made in China. It looks OK if somewhat amateurishly soldered. I have not fired it up yet.

This large NZ version.....I want to see it in action if you can.

 

[tombear]

No worries, as soon as it gets here I'll do a review of it unless someone beats me to it. It may be a while as to minimise costs it is coming by sea. He's sent me a pic of mine next to a Coke can and stubbie of beer for scale which I'll put up when a mates shrunk it to fit.

Price wise it was less than a standard 2 quart copper job and not much more than I have seen 2 litre Kellys going for.

ATB

Tom

 

[Schwert]

Stainless sounds perfect for this and the price is very good for something that large.

Hopefully it will enjoy its slow boat North.

 

[tombear]

just wasted 90 minutes of my life trying to upload a pic of my new toy onto BT "Digital vault" to share and had no joy so have given up in disgust.

Mine varies from the one in the advert that my mate sent only in that the top of the chimney is smooth and not fluted and the colour of the tap is red not blue, which is somehow more fitting... It looks to be a standard screw in fitting so that will make any future repairs a doddle. Surface postage from NZ to the UK is NZ$75 which doesn't seam so bad, especially since most of what I owe him will be covered by one of my over elaborate swaps of kit I was given or proff'ed. ;-{D)

Now for the long wait for it to arrive, at least it's not Christmass!

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

If my mates prediction is right I should be scalding myself on the Big thermette in under 3 weeks now.

In the end it has only cost me 3KGs of surplus tools and the postage to send them to NZ (small packet surface was only £17, with it devided in to two parcels).

Not knowing if it will arrive squashed is the worst bit, but saying that the 2 quart copper job arrived in perfect nick also by surface).

Oh, the real reason for my post, does anyone know the BTU s for seasoned ash? When I test it I'm going to be vaguely scientific about it, weigh the fuel, take air and water temps etc.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Much to my pleasant suprise the 2.5 gallon boiler arrived today, almost exactly a month after it was sent from NZ which isn't bad at all.

I must admit to being chuffed to little mintballs by it. Unfortunately it's too wet to fire it up outside today (well for a nesher like me) so a proper report will have to wait.

It seems solidly made, no frills and because they used a slightly dished base and parallel sided chimney is smaller than I thought it would be for a 2.5 gallon design. It is more like a WWII Bengarzi Boiler than the tapering chimney Thermette/Kelly. I can't see it making a lot of differance for camp use apart from being slightly slower to initially heat up.

Pics to follow when they have been shrunk to fit.

ATB

Tom

Hieght 21 inches when assembled
Hieght of tank 14 inches
Diameter of tank 9 inches
Diameter of chimney 3.5 inches
Empty weight about 7.25 lb

 

[tombear]

Here it is, I included a few other stoves for scale. From left to right 4 pint copper (NZ made) Thermette, 2.5 Gallon "Bengarzi Boiler", ECO Stove (OK but the lack of a fixed lifting point is a pain) abd finally a 1 pint Kelly Kettle which I find a bit of a waste of space as I never seem to want just a single pint, even when I'm on my own.

Anybody who wants more precise dimensions for the BB or close ups showing construction details drop me a e

ATB

Tom

 

[scanker]

Cheers for the pics - it's a beast isn't it?

 

[tombear]

Oh yes indeedy, when you turn the tap theres a great cloud of steam like someones shot up Ivor the Engine and it just keeps going!

 

[Schwert]

Well that is one nice one. It looks very well made and should keep even the most thirsty well hydrated.

The ECO really is flawed eh? No handle at all what were they thinking?

Thanks for the comparison shot...that really makes the new Bengarzi Boiler shine.

 

[tombear]

Yup, I got the ECO before I ever saw a proper Kelly. It works but it is awkward.

Oh and I've been corrected it should be Benghazi, not Bengarzi, that was just me not being able to spell rather than political correctness ;-{D)

I've bought a couple of 10 litre plastic jerricans and a funnel to go with it.

It occurs to me that if anyone is building their own sticking a feeder pipe down from the filler hole to the bottom and putting the tap up near the top would make for the most bushy tea urn ever! In fact why bother with the tap? a simple spout would work, pour in more cold when you want hot out.

ATB

Tom

 

[Schwert]

It seems that this Benghazi would make a near perfect emergency boiler for work sites. I primarily have my Thermette and large Kelly for hot water production while serving in volunteer emergency response groups. Cold wet weather, sandbagging a river, a cup of tea, coffee or chocolate goes a long long way towards keeping the group going.

I may have to think seriously about getting one of these sometime. I am very glad you got it and posted it up.

Have a great boilup.

 

[tombear]

Hi Schwert
I must admit I did have half a eye on emergency use when I arranged for it to be shipped over.

I'm currently waiting on the weather forecast to see if it will be fit to take the kids and herself over to the west coast this week end for the first family camping trip of this year. If we go I'll drag it along to the beach to make hot drinks and rehydrate some snap.

I can see my lads scout groups borrowing it once I admit to its existance, (after the novelty has worn and i've dented it a bit ;-{D).

ATB

Tom

 

[VonNoelio]

Hi Tombear,
I'm a relatively new member so apologies if this is answered elsewhere but I been desperately trying to find a copper thermette, and the only place I have found that I can purchase them is a website based in the states and the thermettes, I believe, are made in China.
I really am after a copper one as I like the conductive and anti-bacterialogical properties of copper and they just look a bit cooler when beaten and battered!
I was wondering if you ordered over the net or if you picked it up in NZ?

Cheers
Noel.

 

[tombear]

Hi Noel
a mate who lives in Christchurch picked up and sent me mine when they still made them there a few years back I'm afraid.

The Kiwis have their own version of ebay and I've seen copper thermettes on that including some really old ones with big coffee pot handles. If you don't mind one with a bit of character that may be the way to go?

Tom

 

[VonNoelio]

Hi Tombear,

I think the auction site your refering to is called trademe, have come across it and will continue to scour it and the horizons for that special thermette.

Thanks for the advice, if anybody else comes across one I would be more than interested to find out where.

cheers
Noel

 

[FGYT]

opps............................

 

[Oblio13]

I bought a ten-liter and a thirty-liter, and just posted pics and a review here (Tombear, I hope you don't mind that I posted your pics as well as mine):

http://oblio13.blogspot.com/2008/12/gear-that-works-wood-burning-outdoor.html

 

[tombear]

No worries! You've done a great write up on them. I love my 22 pinter to bits and now I know they do the trivet thing I'll have to grovel to my mate in Christchurch to source me one.

Yup a funnel is a must have with them, I'm going to rig a mesh filter (something like you get in Coleman fuel funnel) in the cheep plaki' job I use.

They really deserve to be popular and apart from the cost of postage to the rest of the word are dirt cheep compared to the the diddy little jobs.

ATB

Tom