A Swedish Workhorse, Well, a Pony
Written: Jan 09 '04 (Updated Aug 09 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Utterly reliable; almost maintenance free, no plastic to melt or wear out; minimum moving parts.
Cons: A smaller fuel tank, heavier overall weight, less heat output than modern canister stoves.
The Bottom Line: Though older in design and age, hardly anything in its class--even more advanced models in the market--will beat 8R for its utter reliability and simplicity.
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| bark2much's Full Review: Optimus 8R Hunter |
Optimus 8R is a time-proven stove. Along with M99 (with aluminium housing) that is a variation of 8R and 123 that share the same burner, 8R deserves the respect of the user who understands its working.
The usual complaints directed towards 8R are: 1) takes too long to boil a liter/quart of water; 2) does not produce a strong flame; 3) too heavy; 4) fuel tank too small, etc.
In the first place, 8R is designed to meet the needs of a single hiker. A single hiker rarely needs to boil a quart for himself--perhaps a pint at most. With the mini or midi pump, the stove puts out more than sufficient heat to boil a pint in less than 4 min. That is just enough for one person. The fuel tank will last about 45 min. at full blast. With a small MSR fuel bottle (11 oz.) and a full tank of gas, you have about 3 hours of total burning time at your disposal. That is almost 4 days' worth of fuel for one person in a warm season. A tankful of gas (4 oz.) will last for a day.
(UPDATE) A large BTU stove is useful, if you need to melt snow quickly, or boil a soupy meal that involves boiling a quantity of water. For regular cooking, such as frying hamburger patties, making omelettes and overeasies, or boiling rice, lower heat setting is required. Let me assure you: 8R (and 123) has a plenty of firepower to burn your food. You may even need the heat diffuser, in order to get your food done correctly. This is so, especially if you are using thin pots and pans. In order to assure the ability to control flame output, do stick with white gas only. If you use automobile gasoline, its higher octane makes 8R and 123 an on-off stove, not to mention the toxic fumes from the additives. It would be impossible to have a range of control for the flame output that is necessary to simmer (8/9/04).
Compared to the modern canister stoves, 8R surely is heavy, but throw in a canister or two, and weigh the whole setup, and there won't be too much difference. Those who carry 8R carry it not just because it is small, but it also gives a certain degree of emotional satisfaction besides its proven reliability.
While regular fuel canisters will have difficulty going in a very cold weather or at a high altitude, the humble 8R will perform with indifference. In order to make sure that your first 8R live up to its reputation, the user needs to understand the following points.
8R operates on self-pressurization generated by the burner heat. In order to get the maximum performance out of it, 1) make sure the fuel cap has supple and smooth seals (one large, one small). If the seals are not at optimum condition, your stove will lose the air pressure, and not put out a strong flame. Either replace the cap or make your own seals. Or, go to a hardware store's plumbing section, and get a few 3/4 inch outside diameter rubber washers. They can be also found in the individual bins section, as well. Some rubber items are susceptible to fuel, but get a few, and replace it as needed. They are lot cheaper than buying the new cap.
2) before each time you start 8R (123 or 99, or any stove operating on self-pressurization, for that matter), open the fuel cap to introduce air, so the fuel tank will have enough air to build up the pressure.
3) If the stove is exposed to the cold, windy weather, be aware that the cold wind does rob the heat from the fuel tank. The lowered temperature of the fuel tank would lower the internal pressure, and the size of the flame would diminish. This happens, when it operates without the help of the pump. This would not happen to Svea 123, because its burner sits right on top of the fuel tank, and the brass windshield, in full contact with the fuel tank, supplies the heat conduction from the burner directly to the fuel tank. 8R's fuel tank sits sideways to the burner, in comparison, connected by the fuel tube. It receives relatively less heat from the burner than Svea 123's fuel tank does. Just turn the stove, until you find the happy medium between the burner heat and cold wind that keeps the fuel tank hot. Or, remove the heat shield for added exposure to the burner heat.
4) For pre-owned 8Rs and 123s, often there is whitish deposit within the fuel tank and around the wick, and carbon deposit in the fuel passage that leads to the burner and burner stem. These serve as obstructions, and they need to be cleaned out. The most painless way to clean the brass is to put it in a plastic tub of household vinegar. It losens all carbon deposit and tarnish. Immerse the whole brass assembly for a few hours, and rinse with water and clean with a plastic brush. Then you might want to apply Brasso for the warm shine of the brass. Once you do this, you will be hooked to the stoves made with brass.
You've been forewarned.
5) Remove the fuel tank from the cradle, and remove the burner assembly from the fuel tank, along with the wick. Fill it 1/2 full with fuel, cap it, cover the hole left by now removed burner assembly with the thumb, and shake it vigorously. Drain out the fuel into a cup and see if there is any debris. Using a clean, filtered funnel, refill, shake, and drain. Repeat the process, until you see nothing in the cup. If you are at this point of disassembly, why not clean the inside of the fuel tank as well? Put the fuel tank in the tub of vinegar for a few hours. Let it fill completely with vinegar and let vinegar clean the inside of the fuel tank. A clean fuel tank produces pure blue flames, and clean fuel keeps the stove running unclogged. Reassemble the parts after you are sure the tank is devoid of any debris or water.
6) The wick's condition is critical to the operation of the stove, as with the fuel cap. Inspect, soak, and wash it in the fuel or mineral spirit. If badly worn, replace it with a new original, or fashion yourself a new one with cotton twine and wire. Just copy the format of the original. Soak the wick with fuel, and insert the head as far as it will go. A wet wick enters the tube easier than the dry one. Don't make it too thick, so it has trouble entering the tube. If you force it in, overly tight wick will interfere with the fuel flow. It will also overpressurize the fuel tank, and blow the gasket later. Make sure the inside the tube where the the wick is inserted is clean and shiny.
If you make it too thin, so that the wick slides in and out too easily, the air within the fuel tank will leak out through the air pockets within the wick strands, and the fuel tank will never develop the pressure. If you did not know this, you would think the stove is defective. Make the wick nice and tight, so that air stays in the tank and do the job of pressurizing the fuel, so that only the fuel travels through the fuel line.
If you want to make sure your home-made wick is not leaking air, follow the procedure below; you will need the Optimus' proprietary midi or mini pump: a)fill the fuel tank below the wick level, b) put the pump cap on, c) pump up with midi pump, e) open the valve. If the air leaks, you will hear intermittent bubbling sound from the jet. You will also see the air bubble coming out with fuel.
7) The spindle is tightened by a "stuffing box." It is the 10mm nut that keeps the spindle fixed to the burner control. Inside is the metal and graphite packing that keep the vaporized gas from leaking out. If it leaks, it will show the tiny flame. Tighten the nut a little with a wrench. If the nut is bottomed out, it needs a new graphite packing. The graphite packing comes within the maintenance kit that costs at least $10 plus shipping and handling. There is an alternative remedy to this. Check out the plumbing section at a hardware store, and get a packet of graphite packing. They come in two types: thin spaghetti shape and thicker rope form. The two together cost less than half the price of one maintenance kit. Get both kinds, and they will last almost a lifetime. These will also work for Optimus 111, 123, 99, and other stoves that require the heat resistant seal. After all, a stove is basically a system of hot gas plumbing, right?
8) Sometimes the previous owners tamper with the cleaning needle and do not put it in correctly in relation to the spindle. If this is the case, you will not be able to shut off the stove, once you started it. Do not close the lid on the burner in panic: it will only ruin the paint job. Do not fling it away, for it will only put a dent on the case. Pour a pot full of water over the burner, instead, and when the flame is out, quickly open the fuel cap. It will depressurize, and the fuel will not come out of the jet. All you need to do is to wipe it dry and reset the spindle and the cleaning needle.
Here is how: a) remove the burner; b) remove the jet, using the key provided; c) loosen the spindle nut (takes 10mm wrench); d) turn the spindle counterclockwise--you will see the needle rise out of the hole; e) remove the needle and turn the spindle clockwise as far as it will go; drop in the needle with its gear teeth facing the fuel tank; f) while adding a gentle pressure on the needle with a finger, slowly turn the spindle counterclockwise and count 4 teeth slipping the gear; then turn the spindle all the way clockwise; g) reinstall the jet, the burner, and tighten the nut: now the stove is ready to go.
If you want to speed up your 8R to reach the top performance pressure, remove the heat shield temporarily. That exposes the fuel tank to the greater heat absorption. Once the flame is well established, reinstall the heat shield, in order to avoid overheating.
In cold weather, in order to speed up the pressurization, squirt not more than 1/2 medicine dropper full of alcohol (use ONLY alcohol, nothing else!) at the bottom of the fuel tank on the side of the burner. Make sure the spindle is shut tightly. Then prime the burner as usual. This will heat and pressurize the tank. Then open up the spindle halfway (which is max. throttle) and observe the satisfying blue flame roar into life.
All this can be eliminated if you invest in a mini or midi pump. It is worth buying, though overpriced. As a matter of fact, I would recommend a pump for all 8R users. Just attach the pump to the post on the fuel cap, pump a few times, prime it with either alcohol or with white gas from the fuel tank (make sure to tighten back the fuel cap). Just before the flame dies down, open the spindle: Roar! Pump a few more times as needed (Because of this need for an extra item for a bigger flame, 8R gets only 4 stars in the overall rating). As with any other stoves, a wind shield is always a good thing to have.
If carrying extra bulk of windshield is too much, one may cut out a strip of aluminium flashing, 1 1/4 in. wide and 13 in. long. Bend it along the perimeter of the lower shell, opposite the fuel tank. Cut out a tiny slot for the key chain. It will now serve as a windblock a la mode of Enders 9061 stove. Only make sure the wind does not blow the flame over the fuel tank, and do not use it when it is not windy. The tank will overheat.
Another useful modification is to get a length of fiberglass rope gasket for the woodstove door and make wicks for priming. First measure the proper length, and tie the ends of the rope with metal wire, so that it will not unravel, when cut. Make two of about 2 1/2 in. Put one in the priming cup and bend it in a circle; put the other one under the fuel tank between it and the burner. Whenever you prime the stove, squirt 1/2 medicine dropper full of alcohol (use ONLY alcohol!) into the wick under the tank, and one full dropper full into the doughnut of the wick in the cup. The wick under the tank will enhance the priming action by heating the fuel and air quickly in a cold weather--alcohol burns longer with a wick. The stove reaches the full pressure almost immediately, and puts out the full flame.
I have equipped all of my 8Rs, 123s, and 111s with these modifications, by the way. Once you have tuned or modified it this way, 8R requires very little maintenance. 8R will serve you reliably, as long as you know its character.
The new 8R performs as well as the older ones, but if I may, I would recommend that you get the older 8Rs. Ebay seems to be the best source, besides your local garage sale. They were made better than the new ones sold by Brunton. As the inflation shaved the profit, Optimus had to simplify the process, and a few corners were cut. The older ones have more aesthetic appeal with better quality components. But I must add that the new ones' performance has not diminished in any sense. You decide.
Whutcha waitin' fur? Get out thar!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
bark2much
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Location: Bay Area, CA
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 1 member
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