On Sat, 16 Jun 2012 12:09:16 +0100, Janet wrote:

I bought one dirt cheap ex-hire and have used it for 30 years; but the
price of paraffin is now so high that it's no longer the cheap way it
once was to control weeds on drives etc.

That probably depends where you get it from. I see that B&Q have 4l
for £6.98 - £1.74/l. 40p more per litre than petrol!

28sec heating oil, aka kerosene, paraffin etc is about 56p/l ATM,
falling like petrol/diesel prices. Find some one with oil heating and
cross their palms with cash for a few litres or the church may have
oil heating anyway, just make sure it's 28sec not 35sec (diesel) oil
or a bunker oil of some sort.

For economy, he would be better with professional-strength glyphosate
(try a farm supplier, not, the versions sold in sheds and GC's). Per
season, a burner will need several applications; weedkiller just one.

It's less overall effort but you don't get the satisfaction of
fiddling with a flame thrower and zapping the things. B-)

--
Cheers
Dave.