Primus 8R - an oldie but goodie

[TACAIR]

To begin - I am an OF (old fart) which means I saw a lot of camping gear show up as new....

Fast forward a few decades to today. 

Over the weekend , my DW spotted a "Estate sale" sign, so you know the rest. 

I told her, "I'm looking for a single burner Coleman, a Grswald 8 In cast iron skillet or a Zenith TransOceanic Royal 7000"  (in my dreams) - got to have a goal to win, right?

After walking thru the garage - my DW say - "Hey, what about this?"  Points to badly spray painted box.

like this


a MID-60S Primus 8R gas stove.   $25 later, it was in Das Van and on the way home.

This one came with the little pressure pump - as often sold for the Svea 123 series stoves.


I flushed out the tank as it smelled like auto gas of unknown age.   Put in about 100ml of Coleman white gas, swished it around, dumped it out.

Added 250ml of the Coleman fuel, lit it off and it purred like it should.
****
I do light mine a bit differently.

Most folks pump the tank, let fuel dribble out in the 'Spirit cup" and light it off - complaining all the time about the sooty flame and how long it take before the stove settles in to working.  The two foot high flame is just a bonus.   .   .No thanks.

I use a small syringe and put about 20ml of HEET (yellow bottle) in the "spirit cup"   I then squirt a bit over the tank.  Light that off.  After the flames die down, add a bit more to the SC and light that -  then cracking open the valve.

Generally, this starts the stove purring right away with no nasty soot or flame column to the moon...  Using the  pump is asking for trouble IMO.

I've cleaned up the tank and burner,  next to is to strip off all the old spray paint, hopefully to bare metal.

I have a pair of Svea 123s - this was picked up for for a loaner.

manual w/pics here - https://www.trailspace.com/gear/optimus/8r/

[Tony D Tiger]

Nice find. This plus CG's aeropress comment ...I might just dig out the Coleman Peak stove for independence week camping. 

[Blast]

So beautiful!! 
-Blast

[Nyte]

That is a gorgeous piece of equipment.

[NapalmMan67]

Very cool.  I love old equipment like this and bonus when it works as it should!