Anyone really LIKE Taylors cookers?

[Richard_Blake]

There must be people out there cooking happily by pumping paraffin. We've got a Taylors ready to install and use, in good nick. It works well outside the back door so far. I read negative things about them but not enough positive tips or feedback from the enthusiasts. Details about using blow torch instead of meths, for example? I've seen comments like "I wouldn't have a Taylors near my boat." Why? We wouldn't have gas bottles anywhere near ours!
Help and advice lapped gratefully up!

LowTech

 

[petery]

I have a Taylors Cooker Model 30 - it came with the boat. It lights in 30 seconds with a gas blow torch on it and it cooks and boils fast! It's worth buying a maintenance kit for each burner if your cooker isn't new. Once you have been through the process of refurbishing a burner it works well for months. It is important to make sure that all the fibre washers are seated correctly - but at least you can see and smell a leak of paraffin and it won't explode.

One pump of the tank seems to last for ages - 10 boiled kettles. There's no smell that I can notice. Mind you, if you don't wait 30 seconds for it to heat up it does flare up in an alarming way.

 

[ianwright]

Like? I love mine.

I have a Talors 030 three burner cooker and a cabin heater. Used them for more than 12 happy years.
Yes, use a blowtorch to pre-heat, the burners last longer if you do (bonus!), keep a new burner in the spares kit, it saves having to strip a blocked one at sea, do that in a good light in calm conditions. Filter your fuel,,,,,,,,,I like to filter mine ashore before I put it in the tank.
Enjoy!

IanW.

Vertue 203, Patience

 

[extravert]

I have never used a paraffin cooker on a boat, but have used them many times in a tent on mountaineering expeditions including to the Arctic. This is what I found...

They give out much more heat than gas;
They don't smell to an extent that is annoying;
They work well in cold conditions when gas won't evaporate (which is the reason not to use gas high up mountains);
The fuel is cheap but not always easy to find. However, appropriate gas cylinders are not easy to find in far away places either;
They need more maintenance and spares than gas, but it isn't difficult;
Starting is less convenient but doesn't take long;
They each tend to have a bit of their own 'character'. You get to know them.

Another pre-heating alternative to a blowtorch or meths is a gel form of meths which comes in a toothpaste like tube. You can't spill it when it's bouncy and one tube lasts for ages.

 

[vyv_cox]

I have used a Taylor's two-burner in a succession of VW campers for years and years. I endorse most of what has been said in this thread. I must say that the main reason that I stayed with it was a prejudice against gas before I began cruising. Now that I have been able to compare the two I shall probably dump the Taylor's and use gas in future, simply because of the convenience.

We find very little difference in thermal output of the Taylor's and a Plastimo Atlantic.

One problem we had, also suffered by a friend, but possibly not a problem on current models. Both of these stoves had an additional jet in the fuel supply line to the burner. This is not obvious, it looks like some sort of compression fitting in the line. Over time the stove performed increasingly badly, despite changing burners. My friend had this problem mid-Atlantic and had to strip the whole thing in a F8 when it ceased to burn at all. He cleaned this jet, quite difficult in the circumstances. After I had cleaned mine a couple of times I began to wonder why it was there, so removed it. The stove has been fine ever since, although the burner life seems less than it was. We suffer from coking in the pre-heat tubes, Taylor's were consulted and could not explain it. So we now reckon to change burners every two years or so, but this was with very heavy use.

 

[Guest]

Post deleted by danfoley

 

[Guest]

We have a Taylors 30 on-board. Removed a gas cooker after friends of ours suffered a gas explosion which nearly ended their lives.

Its perfectly possible to pre-heat the burners using the prescribed meths or indeed a small cyclinder blow-torch.

The main problem with gas is that its colourless, odourless, and.....it sinks to the bottomof your bilges, where it lies waiting for the unsuspecting to turn a switch and ignite the lot.

A short time ago, the Lord Trenchard was effectively "blown up" as a result of a problem with a gas fitting.

Do we like our Taylors? - in a word Yes! Whilst it certainly wasn't an inexpensive buy, nonetheless, it is extremely cheap to run, spares are easily obtained, and it cooks very well indeed. In a small cabin, it doubles as a heater.

Our on-board Aga is without a doubt one of the "best buys" we have made. Use it like an aga - ie oven whereever possible, and you won't go far wrong.

 

[ianwright]

Yes you are,,,,,,,,,,

Leaving aside the fact that I light the blow torch with a cheap plastic chuck away lighter when I can't find my Zippo, the one another source of gas ,the other needing yet another type of fuel,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The danger of leaking gas is via pipe work joints and leaking stove taps. The cylinder of a small blowtorch is turned off when not in use. If owners of gas cookers did the same much of the problem would go away.

IanW


Vertue 203, Patience

 

[petery]

Never heard of a boat exploding...

because a forgotten gas blow torch corroded and leaked - but I accept there is a risk. It does the job and IMHO poses less of an explosion risk than a gas system - so I'll stick with it. I use a blow torch that has auto ignition and a small gas cylinder.

My cooker came with the boat and I didn't fancy the alternative of constructing a compliant gas locker.

 

[Richard_Blake]

Re: Never heard of a boat exploding...

Brian's got a good point I'd wondered about. Someone once told me the gas in the little torches is lighter than air which would at least eliminate the bomb in the bilges effect if there was a leak. Can anyone confirm that? Less gas to worry about anyway, and fewer joints. I like the idea of your auto-ignition job, Peter. What make is it? I've heard that there are snazzy Delia Smith type torches with click-clik ignition for making Brulés. Are you a secret chef?

Thanks to everyone for boosting my confidence and determination to fit the thing. Good tips all round.
Nice to think of it as a 'Pocket Aga'.




LowTech

 

[petery]

Re: Never heard of a boat exploding...

Focus sell a spark ignition blow lamp at about £22 - probably £66 at your local chandlers!

As its uses a mix of Butane and Propane, I think it will still sink to the bilges - just like the gas from the blue or red bottles.

I doubt if you can be a 'secret' anything on this forum!!

 

[Mirelle]

Me too.

029 model, because it was secondhand and cheap; might get an 030 if our ship comes in but would never consider anything else. Still using meths for lighting, but having seen Ian's pocket blowtorch we may be converted!

the jet between the burners is the balancing jet to prevent surging - ours is missing too!

 

[Richard_Blake]

Re: Forgot to ask...

When using a blow torch, does one aim it mainly at the burner/flame spreader on top, or the elegant curved pipes underneath, or both? Presumably meths flames would envelope everything, but maybe there's a key bit! Am at present busily cleaning ancient gunk off a burner to heat it more effectively, as my results over the last hour have been good but variable. I'll be checking out jets next....

Cheers to all...
Richard

LowTech

 

[wpsalm]

Re Taylors cookers, not very good

poorly designed hard to work on ,removing and replacing burners requires special spanners held in aukward positions usually resulting in kinked copper tube and spilt blood..making a cup of tea should not require this much effort but they are nice to look at for at least a day or so after they,ve been cleaned and polished.

 

[ianwright]

Underneath, mostly,,,,,,,,nm



Vertue 203, Patience

 

[petery]

Re: Forgot to ask...

As someone else has suggested, it's worth paying Blakes about £30 for a fully tested new burner; fit that - then refurbish all the others in turn. At some stage you soak the whole old burner in ammonia mixed with wing of bat and eye of toad when Mars is in conjunction with Venus....

 

[ianwright]

And were do you buy ammonia?nmRe: Forgot to ask...

?

Vertue 203, Patience

 

[Gunfleet]

Re: Forgot to ask...

I'm pretty sure Taylors will refurbish it for you if you want.

 

[Richard_Blake]

I\'ll stick with it.

Now we're on page three, I suppose it's time to say many thanks to all for very useful thread. Plus the 'con' views - which are clearly written from experience! I suspect the pro and con discussion is as endless as gaff v marconi - depends on purposes, (early) experiences, what drives you up the wall and what turns you on.... And the con views keep one thinking straight (and safely).
As this was my first visit to any forum of any kind, I'm pleased and grateful.

Best to all
Richard

LowTech

 

[petery]

And were do you buy ammonia?nmRe: Forgot to ask...

Most old fashioned hardware shops sell it - I think its called 880 ammonia in solution. Blakes recommend it's use in their refurbishment instrictiosn