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Hi Murph, That's a lot of gas to burn at a high temperature. In my garage fire, which the firefighters estimated a temperature at it's peak of 8 - 900°C (the main roof support beam, a 200 mm deep I beam joist, bent under the temperature) there were two Butane cylinders one 7kg Calor Gas and...

Hi Steamchick, talking about gas freezing I have a couple of anecdotes. I used to crew a sailing boat on the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads/river complex for a friend who owned the boat, a lovely ex hire boat of the Leading Lady class of Herbert Woods, Potter Hiegham, 32 ft long, 12ft beam and 400...

Hi Murph, One reason I'm buggering about with paraffin petrol and propane is that they are efficient, convenient relatively safe and have worked for all my needs large and small for almost 60 years, having said that I admit that a good level of skills are needed to get the best from these...

👍;) Stay safe and healthy TerryD

Hi Jack, I thought that the original MAPP - methylacetylene-propadiene propane - gas was phased out in 2008. Most so called MAPP gasses here in the UK are called MAP-Pro, (hence MAP-P or MAPP) a substitute for the true MAPP gas and has a different composition e.g. - Propane, propene, dimethyl...

Hi Steamchick, Mine are both Monitor, a No 126 (1 pint) and a No 32 (1/2 pint) both paraffin only models. I've never tried a petrol one but will keep an eye open for when one comes up. Thanks for the advice. As for washers, I may go proprietary as I'm fed up of my feet getting wet in the...

A bit on the large size compared with Eric's 10.6cc engine. TerryD

Hi Tim (I assume), I agree entirely with your sentiments, Here is an amusing and interesting read concerning education and skills which illustrates your point exactly, written in 1939- but still relevant, it's worth the 10 minutes or so it takes to read the essay...

Hi Chris, glad to be of assistance. I made the hole in mine all the way through as it means that I can heat a section of bar at a distance from the end if I need to bend it ,which is what I did when making some holddowns for my woodworking bench. They were made from 15 mm steel bar, bent at...

Hi Chris, I think that you would be better off with the larger size like mine. If you know anyone who works in say a school, pub or cafe etc (our local pub in the village is still open for takeaway meals for example) where they prepare meals you could scrounge a can. I asked the ladies in...

Hi Chris, I'm and old timer and still use a flint striker which I've used for years, originally for lighting oxy acetylene torches. Hi Chris, The standard burner supplied with the kit would easily manage the brass bar I think, but with sheet annealing it may be difficult to get an overall...

Hi Steamchick, What a nice pair you have. I like the one on the left, I presume it's an American one, with it's offset handle for right handed workers to hold in the left I suppose, what make is the other one? I also like to use paraffin blowlamps occasionally. Here are a couple I bought...

Hi Chris, It will burn no hotter than your small torch, however it supplies more heat energy. There is a difference between temperature and heat. for Example a single spark of metal at about 1300°C from a grinder may sting a little but will cause litle damage to the skin because it contains...

Hi Chris, The screw fitting for the screw fit propane cylinders is standard as far as I know (21 mm LH), but there are also 'clip on' regulators used for leisure purposes (caravans, barbies etc). You need the 0.5 to 4 bar adjustable regulator not the 37 mb fixed one - most burners are...

Hi, Yes I'm sure they were but originally he had them published in EIM starting in June 1993 onwards, which was his favourite magazine at the time and it was those articles he showed me, I'm unsure as to how ME got the rights as there was a lot of rivalry between the two publishers before EIM...

Hi Neal, I agree about the 3488 handle, it is very useful to be able to just let the pilot burn between soldering/heating tasks. I haven't really found that a problem though but I may add the 3488 to my setup and possible move the 3486 on to a new owner. At the time I bought my kit I was a...

Hi, As an appetiser here are a few images of Eric's engine which he gave me before he died - click for a larger version: I have more pictures of Erics other engines if anyone is interested, Stay safe and Healthy, TerryD

Hi, Eric originally published his drawings and build description of his Vee 8 in the British magazine Engineering In Miniature published by TEE. I'm not sure of the date as I never asked him but he showed me a couple of his personal copies of the magazine in the late '90s/early 00s...

Hi, I knew Eric Whittle quite well before he died and considered him a good friend. We used to drink together in our village pub here in South Leicestershire. He used to bring along a few of his engines to show me and I handled the vee 8 regularly and can confirm that it was a beautiful piece...

Hi Neal, I agree with you, cad bearing silver solder is not necessary (I like to keep heavy metals out of my body as much as I can), If it will flow on a copper 3" boiler it is only a matter of scale with larger work - you just need more heat. I also agree with the need to not necessarily...