Wicks for
Kerosene Stoves
The Swastik,
Premier and Butterfly model #2457 and #2628 multi-wick stoves can use thick cotton
mop strands as wicks (commercial wicks are available at my
Wick Shop), and raising the
wicks increases the flame height and therefore temperature. The Butterfly
saturated wick stoves (#2413, #2418, etc. - see images in
Photo Index) use a proprietary wick standing on its side
in a slot, with heat output controlled by the
flow of fuel into the wick - they are available only from
St. Paul Mercantile.
With the Premier or other multiple wick stoves,
simply pull up the wicks 1/8" and then snip off the top using the raised lip
for uniform height. The Premier comes with two sets of wicks, and for about $5
you can purchase a medium O Cedar mop head, remove the stitching in the
middle, and you have 64 wicks, each 23 inches long -- a lifetime supply even
with everyday use! If you want commercial wicks, I have them at my
Wick Shop.
INSTALLING
WICKS IN MULTI-WICK STOVES - PREMIER & SWASTIK
First,
remove all fuel from the stove. This can be accomplished by simply by removing
the top of the stove and catalytic converter cylinders, removing the fuel cap
and pouring out any kerosene. Second, remove the wing nuts on the top
of the tank. Third, lift off the wick riser assembly...carefully, as
the wicks will still be very wet, so perform steps 1, 2 and 3 over a gravel
driveway, preferably over weeds the kerosene can kill. Fourth, pull the
old wicks out from the bottom.
Now you are ready to
install new wicks
First,
examine the new wicks. The wicks are wrapped with a heavy, waxed linen string
or a metal wire. Save the thread...it is not tied in a knot. Second,
fold the wicks in half, then put the linen string (or wire) through the loop
of the fold until the string itself can be folded with the ends even. Third,
push the waxed string (or wire) up through a wick tube from the bottom, then
pull the wick up through the wick tube. Fourth, remove the waxed string
(or wire) and do the same steps with all the other wick tubes. You will notice
that the ends of the wicks that go into the fuel are frayed. That is just
fine, as they must absorb the kerosene and wick it up to the top using
capillary action.
The wicks must reach from the top of the
wick tube to the bottom of the tank, so the few inches of frayed wick at the
bottom cannot be used in any case. (Note: It is possible to find some cotton
mop heads with very thick strands; these should not be folded in half for use.
Wrap the linen thread around one end and pull them through in as a single wick
strand. Wal Mart cotton mop heads are thinner and ideal for folding in half
for use as wicks.)
When all the wick tubes have new wicks
installed, raise the wicks to their highest setting using the wick rising
lever. Pull the wicks up or down until they are all approximately level with
the outside lip on the top of the wick riser assembly. Lower the wicks
completely, and check to be sure they are all retracted down inside the wick
tubes. Then reassemble the stove. Be careful to make sure all the wicks go
into the bottom of the tank before reattaching the wing nuts. Refuel the
stove, then wait at least 20 minutes for the
wicks to become saturated with fuel before use!
After the first use, you will have to adjust the wicks to
the proper height, as the first burning of new wicks hardens the wicks and
makes the tips easy to snip at a slight angle down, using the guide rails
visible when the catalytic converter cylinders are removed.
