Coleman Liquid Fuel

[Shran]

Grate situation resolved. I found this piece of junk propane stove at the thrift store today for $2.50 and harvested the grate off of it. Needed to be modified a bit but it fits OK and probably nobody but me will ever know the difference. The poor donor stove is missing the propane dingle tube, both knobs are broke off and it's filthy... probably end up being patch panels for something and a small amount of scrap metal.

Fueled up the 425 and it runs great as expected!

 

[sgtsandman]

The little single burner wasn't running at full chooch when we were at Carlisle for Ford Nationals. I took apart the vaporizing tube to take a gander at the internals. The cleaning rod had quite a bit of carbon on it. After I go it cleaned and ran a pipe cleaner with some paint thinnner and then denatured alcohol, it was able to get a perculator coffee pot perkulating again. Not as fast as the dual burner stove, but it was able to do it. So, good enough.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Was at an auction today and couldn't help myself... there were two Coleman stoves that I got for $2 each so $4.40 total with fees... One is a 425F and a 413F, the 425 is cleaner and is dated 2/82 and the 413 doesn't have a stamp. The 413 is missing the carry handle but still has the drop down legs. Both have liquid in the tanks but haven't tried pumping them up...

I'll post pics later tonight after it's dark and I stop doing stuff... just came in to wash my hands and got sidetracked...

 

[scotts90ranger]

Looks like I got lucky and both of them work perfect! The 425 was already pressurized so it is apparently in great shape, the 413 I had to oil and stretch the piston thing but then it worked great. For not knowing what I was doing it apparently worked out! The pliers are there because the fuel tube on the 413 was loose.

 

[scotts90ranger]

On those, how old is that 413F? I'm sure they're worth more than the $4.40 I have in them but are they anything good? I'd never started a white gas stove before, the 413 had some fuel in the trumpet thing so it was a little exciting for a minute until that burnt off and worked normal. I get the preference now kinda, it's neat and they're just so simple... if white gas was just $4 like it was 20 years ago instead of $12or so per gallon, haven't looked in a while... naptha isn't cheap either...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

413 is my favorite stove, IIRC mine was made in 1973.

Yours is much older. Look on the bottom of the tabs on the fount for a date. The older ones were not dated, yours may be that old.

It is worth what someone will pay

 

[scotts90ranger]

Thanks for that, the 425 has the big bold date stamp on the bottom so that's what I looked for, was hoping for 4 of 82 but only 2 months off!

I think the other stove I have is a 413 too as it has the same drop down leg things but I think this one is cleaner... I'd have to go back a dozen or so pages in this thread to find that out

As for worth, I'm sure you are 100% correct... when I bought them I didn't anticipate them having fuel in them let alone working so it's a win in my books... for now they'll go in the stack with the other for rainy day projects...

 

[Shran]

Supposedly the 413F was made between 1961-64. Those and previous 413 models are my favorite stoves. They kinda got cheap feeling after that I think but still work great.

Not sure what they're worth, not much in that condition in any case. Probably more to you as a working stove than one to flip... I noticed that I'm really struggling to sell Coleman stuff lately, even good condition stoves that I cleaned up and tested are just sitting on Marketplace for months at $30 apiece. I don't want to give them away but dang I think the market hit its peak about a year ago and just crashed after that.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Supposedly the 413F was made between 1961-64. Those and previous 413 models are my favorite stoves. They kinda got cheap feeling after that I think but still work great.

Not sure what they're worth, not much in that condition in any case. Probably more to you as a working stove than one to flip... I noticed that I'm really struggling to sell Coleman stuff lately, even good condition stoves that I cleaned up and tested are just sitting on Marketplace for months at $30 apiece. I don't want to give them away but dang I think the market hit its peak about a year ago and just crashed after that.

Multiburner stoves never really had much of a bubble here, especially the smaller ones. They never really worth a whole lot unless they were NIB and even then I don't know if they ever actually sold.

 

[Shran]

I used to be able to sell 425's of any model for $30-40 if they were in good shape and working. I have had two of them posted for months at $30 and only got two messages - "do they run on propane?" and "do you want to trade for a propane stove?"

I guess if that's the end of my Coleman flipping, then it is what it is, it was fun though.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I tried not to buy many of the things, but I was swimming in them at garage sales for $2-10 there for awhile.

My last one was in half a box with a really nice 288 (now my main lantern) and half a can of fuel for $5 lol.

 

[sgtsandman]

I guess it's because people are lazy and impatient. It's easier to screw in a propane bottle than fill a tank and cycle the pump to pressurize it. Then they have to wait a full minute for the atomizer to heat up...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I guess it's because people are lazy and impatient. It's easier to screw in a propane bottle than fill a tank and cycle the pump to pressurize it. Then they have to wait a full minute for the atomizer to heat up...

The price of white gas has totally gone nuts lately.

Coleman also isn't Blackstone...

 

[sgtsandman]

The price of white gas has totally gone nuts lately.

Coleman also isn't Blackstone...

I haven't compared the price of one vs the other, but a pound bottle of propane isn't exactly cheap either. Though, it probably is cheaper than white gas. I'm not sure there is a good way to do an apples to apples comparison between the two in order to see which is actually the cheaper one.

EDIT: This is what search engine AI has to say on the subject concerning camp stoves:

Propane generally has lower upfront equipment costs and higher fuel availability, while white gas is typically cheaper per unit of energy and more efficient for extended use.

• Fuel Efficiency: A gallon of white gas provides approximately 100,000 BTU, whereas a standard 16-ounce propane cartridge delivers roughly 35,000 BTU, meaning one gallon of white gas replaces about three propane canisters.
• Cost Per Use: White gas is often cheaper per cooking hour for frequent campers, with fuel costs around $8–12 per gallon, whereas propane cartridges range from $3–8 per unit and are single-use, creating more waste.
• Equipment Investment: Propane stoves are generally less expensive and easier to operate, while white gas stoves require a higher initial investment and more maintenance but offer better long-term value for serious outdoor enthusiasts.
• Availability: Propane is widely available at most gas stations and stores, while white gas may require a trip to an outdoor retailer or specific fuel supplier, though it is often found at major retailers like Walmart.