Hi has anyone got a reliable source of carbide in the UK ? The usual places seem to have dried up and one chancer is asking £126 per KG on fleabay.
@Fireexit1 Not in the UK, though ten years or so ago there was a caving shop in Buxton that wouldn’t deliver, cash on collection only. Can’t remember the shop name at this juncture. Last batch I got, still working through it, was pre-Brexit from THIS Italian source. 5kg then was priced way under that ridiculous figure you quoted. Still is evidently at €28.27. I haven’t investigated postal charges and whatever gets heaped on post-Brexit, but again, it must be a lot less than that daft figure. The only issue was the large size of some of the lumps and it’s hard stuff to break into smaller. Not a problem for most of my carbide stuff but a small carbide chamber like your Lucas Calcia might be a tight squeeze. John
Alas, thinking I’d get another 5kg I got as far as ‘checkout’ and see that they no longer ship to the UK. EU and Scandi countries no problem, the UK Brexit export/import red tape seems to have defeated them.
I always bought from a caving shop in Germany. Karbid Versand. S&h here: Karbid Versand Do not know if they will ship to the UK. At least they do not say they don't. Shipping cost will be quite unfriendly as they declare the contents correctly and mark the parcel as "dangerous goods". HMC will hold their hands open, too. Erik
Any luck? My friend and I have Primus 1031s and we've been investigating suppliers as well. There's a French supplier who appears will ship but the french paperwork involved seems endless! We've been exploring industrial suppliers who can supply kilo-sized amounts, albeit in largeish chunks. One supplier is approx £50/kilo but with £36 postage. We may just take the hit and go for it. Alec.
I am afraid a negative reply just recieved. Hello, no we do not ship to UK. Kind regards Your Restoration-Online team
UPDATE: Now on Ebay UK £28/Kg or £105 for 5Kg. Postage included. 7-15mm for Lamps. Not cheap but not ridiculous. I have ordered a 5Kg plastic bucket.
Mine arrived today well packed and hermes/evri managed to not destroy it - so pretty fast delivery. I will try some out tonight.
Aah - you know me too well. I am awaiting delivery of a Swedish army Primus 1031 (the version with the round opaque globe)
@Fireexit1 Ah, the spherical globe version. Nice one Chris. I’ve the one with the glazed square globe. You mght find a need for your nitrile sheet. Gas leaks smell and ignite from the burner! New seal cut from nitrile, left. Old one hard and brittle, effect is just the same as with a hardened paraffi lamp filler cap seal. Installed. John
Yet another newbie question.. if you had loaded up a lamp with a full amount of carbide but turned off the water halfway, would you still be able to use any more of that carbide or would the water present dampen it too much?? thanks pb
It often work if it's just a day, or so, later that you light it again, but the remaining stones will react even by the humidity in the air. It's not an optimal way to use the lamp. You are supposed to use up all carbide you load in one session. Better to just put in the amount you estimate you will use each time. You will get a good idea about the amount needed to run the lamp for a certain time after some use. But mind you! Regardless how little carbide you put in the container, you shall always fill the water to the maximum. There should be a line/indication in the water container, and that is the level you always shall fill up a carbide lamp to.
Ah, yes! That's a common misconception. I see that a lot even here where people should know better. The three crowns are in this case the sign of approvment by the state controller for explosives.
@Carlsson Thanks Christer! I thought as much but always better to ask i think.. also i have read about the colour being an indicator of the amount of moisture present the only carbide related fuel I have is a small bottle of acetylene My old boss still had the tank where they made the acetylene for the welding.. all low pressure stuff comparatively Sorry, getting off topic :/
It has arrived. Just cleaning the burner and pleased to report the seal looks OK. In fact it seems to have had little use. I hope to post pics of it running later.
Great stuff. You will get it going in no time! I posted the instructions for these a while ago, but unfortunately only in Swedish. Seen here. These are often sold in never used condition since people seems to have bought them just in case when the paraffin/kerosene rationing was announced at the beginning of the war. And the others has often not seen much use.
It is not unused. But the tank is clean and the only signs of use is a little residue on the burner. The chain on the filler cap is broken and the glass has some small nibbles on the base.
