Topic: Flame weeder

[Robert_Brenchley]

I don't know quite which is the right board for this, but I have an ancient flame weeder which more or less works. the nozzle keeps getting partly blocked, and I can't get a really hot flame as a result. I probably need to strip it down, if I can just get the bolts to come apart. Does anyone know anything about these?

[ACE]

Dangerous things, I had one years ago, basically a very large paint stripping flame gun and works the same, you need plenty of pressure and a little pricker to clear the nozzle. If you have been using a needle to unblock it you have enlarged the nozzle too much and it will not work properly.

Warm the nozzle up with some lighted meths before you let the pressurised parrafin through. I expect the local authorities will have something to say if you use it on your allotment.

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's unlikely to cause any trouble as several people on the site have been using them for years. It's definitley not mentioned in the rules. I use a bent wire to clean the nozzle, same as I do with a primus, so I can't see that that will have done any harm. I'm using a blowtorch to pre-heat the business end as it needs a lot of heat before it gets hot enough to vapourise the paraffin. I run it up to 60lb/square inch which should be enough! I could probably get it to 100 without too much trouble if the reservior's full.

[tim]

The perfect tool for a 'stale seed bed'.

But I don't go much on the 'toy' gas 'Flame Wands'.

[ACE]

Try putting less parafin in, you might not be getting enough air\fuel mixture  through it if the tank is full up.

[Robert_Brenchley]

That shouldn't make any difference as the air doewsn't come from the tank, it mixes with the paraffin vapour in the burner. I know from long experience that I can fill a primus, which works on the same principle, to overflowing and it burns perfectly. the fuller the restervoir the easier it is to get a really big flame as not so much air has to be pumped in to get the pressure.