Blow lamps

[John Rudd]

Those were the days Rich, I remember the "Esso Blue" adverts on TV (or was it Radio?!) when I was a kid!

Vic.

'singing' bum, bum, bum, Esso blue....'singing' on the telly was in colour too iirc..

 

[Ken I]

Fired up up the blowlamp just for the hell of it.

Series of photos attatched.

At full tilt it looks lke the rear end of an F16 in afterburner.

Ken

 

[Mainer]

Photo #2 illustrates why startup is best done outside.....

 

[Ken I]

Mainer, I did that deliberately for illustrative purposes - it doesn't have to happen (I'm sure you know this) but its always wise to assume it will.

Anyone who remembers "bum bum bum Esso Blue" was around in the 50's - what a giveaway.

By the way the heat output from this is way more than my propane burner of about the same flame size - I think the calorific value of the fuel and specific heat of the flame is higher (I'm guessing here).

Ken

 

[lordedmond]

we used to use a one gallon size when I was an apprentice burner was about two inches dia.

My grand farther had a weed killer that was an over grown blow lamp ( paraffin fired ) the burner was about five inches dia.


if you think that one was roaring think about the above monsters

 

[Omnimill]

We had a couple of heaters, something like this when I was a kid:

http://solargreenways.tripod.com/my_paraffin_collection/Aladdin_Series_15_Blue_Flame_Heater.JPG

;D


Vic.

 

[IronHorse]

Stick with propane, These blow torch's are a disaster waiting to happen! I have one on my shelf for display, and that is where it will stay!

If you do use it, never pump it up while it is lighted. And make sure your house insurance is paid up.


IronHorse

 

[Ken I]

Yeah - so its an anachronism. I like old stuff.

As for a disaster waiting to happen - with my propane rig I've had flames shoot out the base of the nozzle, the control valve and most other places its chosen to leak at the most inconsiderate times.

I can't recall any problems with the blow lamp other than its temperamental start up routine. The noise and fearsomeness of the beast also tends to keep the inquisitive at bay (a safety feature) or maybe they have a better sense of self-preservation than I do.

But yes I use the propane burner most of the time.

Ken

 

[Mainer]

I'd assumed you staged photo #2 for "effect," and of course you're right, it doesn't have to happen if you're experienced in lighting the things. But it is indeed what CAN happen to somebody at the beginning of the learning curve...or if one just has a really bad day.

Despite that drawback, they are certainly a cheap way to get a lot of heat.

 

[John Rudd]

Anyone who remembers "bum bum bum Esso Blue" was around in the 50's - what a giveaway.

By the way the heat output from this is way more than my propane burner of about the same flame size - I think the calorific value of the fuel and specific heat of the flame is higher (I'm guessing here).

Ken

Ken,
Yes I was....I'm not as young as I look...

CV of paraffin is quite high but is on a par with propane and butane at around 50 Mj/kg

 

[Stan]

By the way the heat output from this is way more than my propane burner of about the same flame size - I think the calorific value of the fuel and specific heat of the flame is higher (I'm guessing here).

Without looking up any charts, kerosene, diesel fuel etc have about 50% more BTUs per gallon than propane. Roughly 150,000 versus 100,000/gallon