>I have an old 'Valor' stove--kind of a cross between a kerosene lantern
>and a pot-bellied stove. It has a cylindrical wick and a complicated burner
>with various air holes. Was probably used for heating rural outbuildings.
>Does anyone know how these things work? Preferred fuel? How do you light
>the damn things?

These stoves were common in Britain throughout the 50s and 60s - and not
just in outbuildings. The fuel is kerosene (known as paraffin in the UK).
The circular wick must be carefullly trimmed before use so that it is level
with its metal support all round and any seriously charred bits are
removed. There is a special tool for this job - a plastic disc with small
blades in it - that makes the job easy, but it can be done with a kife if
you are careful.

Fill the tank with kerosene, replace the cap securely and wait a while
until the wick is soaked. Then wind it up using the knob provided until it
is standing proud of the support by about 1/16 inch. Apply a lighted match
and close the stove. If all is well you should see a ring of blue flame. If
the flame is mostly yellow, you haven't trimmed the wick propoerly or you
have wound it up too high.

The wick will need retrimming every few days' of continuous use. A tank of
fuel lasts all day. Don't burn the stove in a completely closed room - you
may risk carbon monoxide poisoning and you will certainly experience
condensation from the large amount of water produced by the stove.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Roger Bridgman

Wellcome Wing Exhibition Development Team
Science Museum, London SW7 2DD, UK

Phone  +44 (0)171 938 8132
Fax    +44 (0)171 938 8079
Web    http://www.nmsi.ac.uk/
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