an old Primus stove question for stovies

I ordered a similar one from McMaster-Carr. It won't be perfect since it is for a larger shaft and has a set screw. It is plastic good for 400 degrees F. That is semi-OK, but not impressive.

–B.G.–

Depends on how much you want to pay. You have options:
Get one off a similar Chinese camp stove (buy?)
Buy a potentiometer control knob from an electronics supplier
Make one yourself – probably with a set screw. I suggest plastic: metal would get hot.

Cheers

I don't have any similar Chinese camp stoves, and that knob might not fit mine. I can buy a whole new Primus for about $20-25, but that seems silly for just the knob. I suppose that nobody sells Primus parts these days.

Buy a potentiometer control knob. That's what I did with McMaster-Carr.

Make yourself one? Metal would get hot. Plastic might melt. Bakelite is probably good. But I don't know how I would get it tapped for a set screw, which I don't have anyway. I could probably use Bakelite held on by high-temp epoxy.

–B.G.–

Your stoves a mere pup in the historical context of Primus!

I'd contact Brunton. The Classic Trail is still current – or was the Trail Classic different?

Either way they may be able to get the part. However they may be of the opinion this isn't something they want a user messing with & not hold stock. In that case a donor knob of some description is probably the best way forward.

How about a short length of hardwood dowel? Drill a 3/16" hole in the end of a longer dowel. Then cut off 3/4" or so. Jam it onto the shaft. Maybe with a little epoxy. JB Weld says it's good to 550F. Wood (like paper in books) is good to 451F.

But if the shaft has a flat spot, I'd lean towards something, anything with a set screw. And JB Weld if the fit is at all loose.

David's idea of wood and JBWeld is not a bad one. It would take a higher temp than plastics. Polish it up!

Sorry – I don't have any Bakelite.

Cheers

"Wood (like paper in books) is good to 451F."

Yes, somebody ought to write a book about that.

The hard plastic part that I ordered is rated to 400 degrees F. Maybe wood is good to 451 F. Hi-temp epoxy might help, either on the inside or on the outside. I think the hard plastic part is supposed to have a set screw.

–B.G.–

Check with Hikin Jim (aka HJ, Jim Barbour). He has a blog called Adventures in Stoving – just google it. Jim may have some insight…

All things old stoves.

http://spiritburner.com/fusion/index.php?

Nyet.

I may have to count on McMaster-Carr.

–B.G.–

Maybe A & H Enterprises has what you need —

http://packstoves.net/cart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=79&zenid=0ef78a63ad51c217e21b0fdd586484ab

A&H Nada.

–B.G.–

I had ordered two knobs from McMaster-Carr. One had a brass insert, and one did not. The brass insert worked best, even though both of them were too large for the stem. You know how a round stem has a flat on one side, and that is what the set screw tightens against? I put the set screw to the opposite side from the flat.

It remains to be seen how this will work when it gets warmed up underneath a butane burner.

–B.G.–