Hello,

I've acquired a used Sheen Flamegun, model X300 for 20 pounds at a car
boot.
No instructions of course, hence my posting.

Firstly,
How to Start it.
Here's my guess, please correct as needed.

1. Ensure vavle closed
2. 3/4 tank of paraffin
3. Heat the end near the coiled pipe on a gas barbecue (how hot, how
long, necessary ?).
4. Pump up pressure to 3/4 scale, that's a guess (scale is 0-60 psi).
5. Open valve fully and ignite.
6. Adjust valve for best flame.

Any other tips on maintaining and using this device.

After Googling, I see they are still available at 150 pounds. Little
information on using though. Somebody was selling instructions.

Thanks in advance.

Jim

On Sun, 11 May 2008 06:48:05 GMT, Jim wrote:

1. Ensure vavle closed
2. 3/4 tank of paraffin

Yep.

3. Heat the end near the coiled pipe on a gas barbecue (how hot, how
long, necessary ?).
4. Pump up pressure to 3/4 scale, that's a guess (scale is 0-60 psi).

Swap these two around, it'll cool while you pump. Don't know about the
pressure. I might go for 50% to start with then adjust once I've gained
experience.

Not sure that the bits will get hot enough hot over a barbie. I'd expect
to find a little indentation or spoon to hold about a table spoon full of
meths some where near the jet/coiled pipe.

5. Open valve fully and ignite.

Light the meths and when it's almost all burnt turn on the valve slowly,
the burning meths should ignite the vapour.

You way runs the very real risk of either have a jet of hot(ish) liquid
parafin or clouds of vapour (whumpf!) or something inbetween (20' flame
thrower).

6. Adjust valve for best flame.

Yep, and keep it pumped up.

Any other tips on maintaining and using this device.

Check the jet is clear. You really need a proper pricker for that.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Thanks Dave and Martin for responses.
UPDATE

Not sure that the bits will get hot enough hot over a barbie. I'd expect
to find a little indentation or spoon to hold about a table spoon full of
meths some where near the jet/coiled pipe.

Light the meths and when it's almost all burnt turn on the valve slowly,
the burning meths should ignite the vapour.

You way runs the very real risk of either have a jet of hot(ish) liquid
parafin or clouds of vapour (whumpf!) or something inbetween (20' flame
thrower).


I've just taken it apart and cleaned it.
Not in bad nick.
I find a wick laying around the coil and jet.
As such, I guess the technique is to soak the wick in meths, ignite
the wick, then proceed after the meths is about gone.

Cleanliness points noted re jet and paraffin quality.
I've just poked around in the jet with a paper clip.

I'll give it a go tomorrow.
If OK, it's a good 20 pounds worth - they sell for ~145 online !

Cheers,
Jim

"Jim" wrote in message
...
Thanks Dave and Martin for responses.
UPDATE

Not sure that the bits will get hot enough hot over a barbie. I'd expect
to find a little indentation or spoon to hold about a table spoon full of
meths some where near the jet/coiled pipe.

Light the meths and when it's almost all burnt turn on the valve slowly,
the burning meths should ignite the vapour.

You way runs the very real risk of either have a jet of hot(ish) liquid
parafin or clouds of vapour (whumpf!) or something inbetween (20' flame
thrower).


I've just taken it apart and cleaned it.
Not in bad nick.
I find a wick laying around the coil and jet.
As such, I guess the technique is to soak the wick in meths, ignite
the wick, then proceed after the meths is about gone.

Cleanliness points noted re jet and paraffin quality.
I've just poked around in the jet with a paper clip.

I'll give it a go tomorrow.
If OK, it's a good 20 pounds worth - they sell for ~145 online !

Cheers,
Jim

Unless methodology has changed since the days of pressure blowtorches you
should soak the wick in paraffin not meths a slow burn is needed to heat the
coil to raise the temperature of the paraffin beyond its flash point meths
tends to burn too quickly heating the surrounding air and does not need a
wick this is the type which uses meths poured into the dish below.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=P7tmQH9KtWM

Derek

On Sun, 11 May 2008 12:25:15 GMT, Jim wrote:

I find a wick laying around the coil and jet. As such, I guess the
technique is to soak the wick in meths, ignite the wick, then proceed
after the meths is about gone.

Yep, that's what I would do.

Cleanliness points noted re jet and paraffin quality.

I'd not worry to much about using a "refined" parafin with a nice bit of
perfume added and a hefty markup on price. I'd take a few litres out of
the heating oil tank...

I wonder how much a gallon of paraffin is from a shed these days? Heating
oil is 50p/l now.

If OK, it's a good 20 pounds worth - they sell for ~145 online !

Even if it needs a new jet £20 is a bargin.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Jim" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I've acquired a used Sheen Flamegun, model X300 for 20 pounds at a car
boot.
No instructions of course, hence my posting.

I run mine on diesel, fill tank, pour a bit of the diesel onto the wick in
the burner, pump up whilst burner is pre-heating, open valve a tad to
release more diesel, after a couple of trial valve openings it starts up a
treat.

Tip.

Make sure you keep a lighter handy, if it goes out you have to be quick at
re-lighting. I use a long fire lighting gas lighter.

Mike

On Sun, 11 May 2008 19:21:58 +0200, Martin wrote:

I'd not worry to much about using a "refined" parafin with a nice bit
of perfume added

removed!!!

Naw parsene has parfum so the fumes are "nice", heating oil doesn't and
pongs...

I wonder how much a gallon of paraffin is from a shed these days?
Heating oil is 50p/l now.

Have you seen how much a new burner costs?

Why would you need a new burner? A new jet is £5.99 inc VAT from Mower
Magic... These things are *very* simple there is very little to go wrong
that poke with a proper pricker (not a paper clip) won't sort out. Your
more likely to get muck in the tank from around the filler when filling up
than from the fuel itself.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Sun, 11 May 2008 18:43:00 +0100, Muddymike wrote:

I run mine on diesel,

Must have money to burn at the current price for road diesel... Even red
is expensive, about 10p/l duty and VAT at 17.5%. Domestic heating oil has
no duty and VAT at 5%. The base cost of the oil is roughly the same.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Sun, 11 May 2008 18:08:08 +0200, Martin wrote:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Br1ZPJ8oQxY&NR=1

Got it lit nicely but you don't need to charcoal the plants like he did
just waft it over. The blast of heat will do enough damage to the plant
cells for them to wilt and die back in a day or two. Even our tiddly gas
powered flame gun just needs a waft over let alone a brute like an X300.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Mon, 12 May 2008 01:21:48 +0200, Martin wrote:

They are no good as a weed killer anyway.

No plant can survive without top growth. The dandelions in our french
drains don't like being scorched twice a year, everything else disappears.
Which reminds me I need zap the french drains for the first time this
year.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On May 12, 12:23 am, Martin wrote:
On Sun, 11 May 2008 23:32:47 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"

wrote:
On Sun, 11 May 2008 18:08:08 +0200, Martin wrote:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Br1ZPJ8oQxY&NR=1

Got it lit nicely but you don't need to charcoal the plants like he did
just waft it over. The blast of heat will do enough damage to the plant
cells for them to wilt and die back in a day or two. Even our tiddly gas
powered flame gun just needs a waft over let alone a brute like an X300.

It looked like he was in EXTERMINATE mode.
--

Martin

LOL I have heard from someone who used to have one in England, that
the weeds whose roots were under, say, a patio, came back as only the
top layer was burnt.

Judith

On May 12, 11:46 am, Martin wrote:
On Mon, 12 May 2008 03:36:52 -0700 (PDT), Judith in France



wrote:
On May 12, 12:23 am, Martin wrote:
On Sun, 11 May 2008 23:32:47 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"

wrote:
On Sun, 11 May 2008 18:08:08 +0200, Martin wrote:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Br1ZPJ8oQxY&NR=1

Got it lit nicely but you don't need to charcoal the plants like he did
just waft it over. The blast of heat will do enough damage to the plant
cells for them to wilt and die back in a day or two. Even our tiddly gas
powered flame gun just needs a waft over let alone a brute like an X300.

It looked like he was in EXTERMINATE mode.
--

Martin

LOL I have heard from someone who used to have one in England, that
the weeds whose roots were under, say, a patio, came back as only the
top layer was burnt.

I've read the same thing here. I have no personal experience of using a flame
gun. I did look up the mix for making napalm but thought urg was an
inappropriate place to post it )

The gardener of the household found horses tails at the allotment, that had
survived more than a year of having the ground where they grew covered with
dense black plastic.
--

Martin

Your gardener will find, as I did in England, it takes napalm to get
rid of it. I took up the plants in the affected bed, which adjoined a
field, trampled it with hob nailed boots, actually gold ones, and
broke the tough outer covering of the "tail". I mixed a little
detergent with the glycostuff, most were killed but I had to do second
and third applications on others bits. Unfortunately the field was
covered in it so it was only a matter of time before it encroached
again. I wanted, before Contracts were exchanged, to dig up a young
shrub that Sacha gave me to bring it to France. I dare not in case
the dreaded weed came with it. I will buy one in France to replace
the one that Sacha gave me.

Judith

On May 12, 1:19 pm, Martin wrote:
On Mon, 12 May 2008 05:00:27 -0700 (PDT), Judith in France



wrote:
On May 12, 11:46 am, Martin wrote:
On Mon, 12 May 2008 03:36:52 -0700 (PDT), Judith in France

wrote:
On May 12, 12:23 am, Martin wrote:
On Sun, 11 May 2008 23:32:47 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"

wrote:
On Sun, 11 May 2008 18:08:08 +0200, Martin wrote:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Br1ZPJ8oQxY&NR=1

Got it lit nicely but you don't need to charcoal the plants like he did
just waft it over. The blast of heat will do enough damage to the plant
cells for them to wilt and die back in a day or two. Even our tiddly gas
powered flame gun just needs a waft over let alone a brute like an X300.

It looked like he was in EXTERMINATE mode.
--

Martin

LOL I have heard from someone who used to have one in England, that
the weeds whose roots were under, say, a patio, came back as only the
top layer was burnt.

I've read the same thing here. I have no personal experience of using a flame
gun. I did look up the mix for making napalm but thought urg was an
inappropriate place to post it )

The gardener of the household found horses tails at the allotment, that had
survived more than a year of having the ground where they grew covered with
dense black plastic.
--

Martin

Your gardener will find, as I did in England, it takes napalm to get
rid of it. I took up the plants in the affected bed, which adjoined a
field, trampled it with hob nailed boots, actually gold ones,

photos? )

and
broke the tough outer covering of the "tail". I mixed a little
detergent with the glycostuff, most were killed but I had to do second
and third applications on others bits. Unfortunately the field was
covered in it so it was only a matter of time before it encroached
again. I wanted, before Contracts were exchanged, to dig up a young
shrub that Sacha gave me to bring it to France. I dare not in case
the dreaded weed came with it. I will buy one in France to replace
the one that Sacha gave me.

The horses tails will be free )
--

Martin

Photos of me in my hob nailed gold boots lol!!! I think not -
although some were taken of me last night dancing - they will be
destroyed a.s.a.p.; I didn't know I could look so daft!!!

Now on topic - what a storm we had here last night, did you get it
your way? I planted a melange of salad seeds, I wonder if they will
come up in straight lines as they must have been bounced out of the
soil with the force of the rain and hailstones.

Judith

UPDATE TIME !

Problem no1: The tank would not hold pressure.
The rubber O ring in the filler cap hard gone very hard.
I sprayed it with WD40 and "worked" it with my fingers to try to
soften. It then held pressure.

I used paraffin on the wick. Worked OK, but probably so would have
meths.

Paid a totally outrageous 7.99 for 5ltr paraffin at our local rip-off
garden centre.

Problem no.2: In use.
The "Tap" must be leaking. Looked very liquidy up the long pipe to the
tap. (I'm pretty sure the fuel). As a result I tended to have flames
running up the pipe. It didn't make me feel very safe. (Hot, but not
"warm and cosy" if you see what I mean. I suspect a similar problem to
no.1, as pipe, tap and brazing look OK.
I'll check into it.

Problem no.3: In use.
Not really a nice, small pointed flame.
Due to insecurity feelings, I didn't mess too much at the time. I
don't really know whether amount of tap opening, or pressure, or
combination is supposed to control the flame.

On May 12, 5:17 pm, Martin wrote:
On Mon, 12 May 2008 05:25:32 -0700 (PDT), Judith in France



wrote:
On May 12, 1:19 pm, Martin wrote:
On Mon, 12 May 2008 05:00:27 -0700 (PDT), Judith in France

wrote:
On May 12, 11:46 am, Martin wrote:
On Mon, 12 May 2008 03:36:52 -0700 (PDT), Judith in France

wrote:
On May 12, 12:23 am, Martin wrote:
On Sun, 11 May 2008 23:32:47 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"

wrote:
On Sun, 11 May 2008 18:08:08 +0200, Martin wrote:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Br1ZPJ8oQxY&NR=1

Got it lit nicely but you don't need to charcoal the plants like he did
just waft it over. The blast of heat will do enough damage to the plant
cells for them to wilt and die back in a day or two. Even our tiddly gas
powered flame gun just needs a waft over let alone a brute like an X300.

It looked like he was in EXTERMINATE mode.
--

Martin

LOL I have heard from someone who used to have one in England, that
the weeds whose roots were under, say, a patio, came back as only the
top layer was burnt.

I've read the same thing here. I have no personal experience of using a flame
gun. I did look up the mix for making napalm but thought urg was an
inappropriate place to post it )

The gardener of the household found horses tails at the allotment, that had
survived more than a year of having the ground where they grew covered with
dense black plastic.
--

Martin

Your gardener will find, as I did in England, it takes napalm to get
rid of it. I took up the plants in the affected bed, which adjoined a
field, trampled it with hob nailed boots, actually gold ones,

photos? )

and
broke the tough outer covering of the "tail". I mixed a little
detergent with the glycostuff, most were killed but I had to do second
and third applications on others bits. Unfortunately the field was
covered in it so it was only a matter of time before it encroached
again. I wanted, before Contracts were exchanged, to dig up a young
shrub that Sacha gave me to bring it to France. I dare not in case
the dreaded weed came with it. I will buy one in France to replace
the one that Sacha gave me.

The horses tails will be free )
--

Martin

Photos of me in my hob nailed gold boots lol!!! I think not -
although some were taken of me last night dancing - they will be
destroyed a.s.a.p.; I didn't know I could look so daft!!!

no video on youtube.com?



Now on topic - what a storm we had here last night, did you get it
your way? I planted a melange of salad seeds, I wonder if they will
come up in straight lines as they must have been bounced out of the
soil with the force of the rain and hailstones.

It started to cloud over this afternoon, but the cloud has gone since,
It feels a bit thundery.http://www.meteox.com/h.aspx?r=&jaar=-3&soort=loop1uur
--

Martin

Look you, I have only just learned from Sacha how to post a pic and
now I want to post another one and can't find the instructions!!!
UTube is a mystery to me, the only time I have ever looked at it is
when people post links, what is the purpose of UTube?

Judith