Svea123R, fettled and roaring (Pic heavy)

[Mesquite]

Years ago I used to have a Svea123R which I used when I did a couple long walks. I really liked the stove but sadly it got misplaced during various house moves

Anyway I was on Ebay at the right time and with sufficient funds to bid on one which I was lucky enough to win

It needed some work cleaning it up but with my trusty dremel clone, some buffing mops, Brasso and some hard polishing it came up pretty nicely.

I didn't take any before pics but the seller did and I've used them to give you an idea of what it was like on arrival. Pretty corroded in places with verdigris which proved pretty hard to remove

Well after a lot of work on it it now looks like this

The first time I fired it up was rather interesting as I discovered it had a leak from the filler cap and during the pre warm this started spurting fuel out resulting in some rather spectacular flames and me dashing around looking for something to cover it with to put it out

This was the seal on the filler cap when I removed it so you can see why there were problems

Thanks to the kindness of Charlie Brookes who sent me a couple replacement seals the next firing ended with this and me very happy

Here's a video of it in action.

 

[bopdude]

Nice job restoring it, often look at them

 

[MartinK9]

Nicely done Steve, have one on my wish list.

 

[Mesquite]

Thanks guys, I'm really pleased with how it polished up and I'm happy I've got one now

 

[crosslandkelly]

Nice. Are you bringing it next weekend?

 

[chas brookes]

Hi Steve
the Verdigris around the burner is often caused by people using the scented alcohol hand cleaning gels for pre heating. I tend to use a small amount of petrol using a pipette or meths. If the gel residue is cleaned of after use before stove is stored it may not be a problem

 

[Mesquite]

Nice. Are you bringing it next weekend?

Oh yes, It's going to be my main user

Hi Steve
the Verdigris around the burner is often caused by people using the scented alcohol hand cleaning gels for pre heating. I tend to use a small amount of petrol using a pipette or meths. If the gel residue is cleaned of after use before stove is stored it may not be a problem

Hi Charlie, the vedrgris I was referring to is actually on the top and side of the tank and on windshield. It had actually caused pitting in the metal which was a bugger to polish up.

The gunk in the tank cup I'm not worried about as that burnt out pretty quickly as you can see in the seal pic

 

[Stew]

Phwoar! Looks great!

 

[chas brookes]

I can see that now looking at the picture, grand job on restoration

Oh yes, It's going to be my main user



Hi Charlie, the vedrgris I was referring to is actually on the top and side of the tank and on windshield. It had actually caused pitting in the metal which was a bugger to polish up.

The gunk in the tank cup I'm not worried about as that burnt out pretty quickly as you can see in the seal pic

 

[sunndog]

Damn dude that cleaned up well you must be chuffed

 

[Nice65]

Lovely restoration, it looks (and sounds) superb. I searched the Bay high and low for ages but could only find good condition models selling at near new, some were even more than new price. So I caved and bought new for £92. Expensive, but a one time life purchase, and I love the little powerhouse. The incoming doodlebug noise on lighting is wonderful.

I’ve had a few hairy moments myself with lighting. It’s quite awkward to fill the preheat with liquid Coleman fuel, light it, then screw the top on without some sort of mishap and exciting flame out.

I tried barbecue gel, but without a bit of charcoal to sink into, it doesn’t stay alight and becomes an oily liquid. So I bought some Dragon Fuel, expensive stuff but burns much hotter and doesn’t liquify. I keep it in an old eliquid bottle, but recently 5 x30mm squirty bottles turned up from China and look to be a brilliant solution. I have some spares if you’d want a couple.

 

[sunndog]

Do these burn petrol?

 

[Mesquite]

Do these burn petrol?

They can burn unleaded but it's not really recommended.

They're designed for Colmans or Aspen type fuel which burns cleaner. A lot of folks on the Retro Outdoor Kit FB group use Brake and Clutch cleaner which is virtually the same but a helluva lot cheaper. I picked up 5 ltrs for £12 off of ebay but I'm lead to believe there's a couple motor factors who sell it even cheaper than that. I just worked it out and that 5ltrs should give me about 30 hours of burn time which at the rate I use it that's going to keep me going for years.

Lovely restoration, it looks (and sounds) superb. I searched the Bay high and low for ages but could only find good condition models selling at near new, some were even more than new price. So I caved and bought new for £92. Expensive, but a one time life purchase, and I love the little powerhouse. The incoming doodlebug noise on lighting is wonderful.

I’ve had a few hairy moments myself with lighting. It’s quite awkward to fill the preheat with liquid Coleman fuel, light it, then screw the top on without some sort of mishap and exciting flame out.

I tried barbecue gel, but without a bit of charcoal to sink into, it doesn’t stay alight and becomes an oily liquid. So I bought some Dragon Fuel, expensive stuff but burns much hotter and doesn’t liquify. I keep it in an old eliquid bottle, but recently 5 x30mm squirty bottles turned up from China and look to be a brilliant solution. I have some spares if you’d want a couple.

Thanks, I really love it as well and I'm so pleased to have been able to get one.

I use Dragon fuel as well but I've got the small 250ml bottle of it so that's ideal, it's similar to the primus pre-heat gel that came in a toothpaste like tube. Your suggestion of the squirty bottle is great though and I'll take you up on your kind offer thank you

 

[Nice65]

They can burn unleaded but it's not really recommended.

They're designed for Colmans or Aspen type fuel which burns cleaner. A lot of folks on the Retro Outdoor Kit FB group use Brake and Clutch cleaner which is virtually the same but a helluva lot cheaper. I picked up 5 ltrs for £12 off of ebay but I'm lead to believe there's a couple motor factors who sell it even cheaper than that. I just worked it out and that 5ltrs should give me about 30 hours of burn time which at the rate I use it that's going to keep me going for years.




Thanks, I really love it as well and I'm so pleased to have been able to get one.

I use Dragon fuel as well but I've got the small 250ml bottle of it so that's ideal, it's similar to the primus pre-heat gel that came in a toothpaste like tube. Your suggestion of the squirty bottle is great though and I'll take you up on your kind offer thank you

According to the crazy husband and wife that own The Base Camp in Littlehampton, Aspen Blue is idenentical to Coleman fuel. He was adamant not to run anything other than these two in any pressure lamp or stove designed for it. Scurrying off to the back he reappeared with several burner jet nozzles to show what running panel wipe etc can do over time, even slightly higher temps can cause damage either to the brass, or due to gunking up. As he’s crazy as a loon and totally obsessed with everything from lamps to clothes irons (running on petrol!), I have to take him at his word.

I got my Dragon Fuel for £10.45 posted from Amazon. That’ll last me years even using a squirt for firelighting when the tinder’s a bit damp.

PM me an address and I’ll drop a couple in the post. Bear with me over posting time, I’ve just had a hip done so I’ll get someone to run to the PO sometime this week.

 

[Tiley]

Great work on the restoration. They are superb little stoves. I still use mine regularly and it has never let me down.

 

[Madriverrob]

Great job , lovely stove