Anyone else interested in oil heaters?


 
Joe Anshien

Joe Anshien

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We are getting a home built in a development with no natural gas. I like to have backup plans in case power goes out and no heat pump. I thought I would look into small kerosene or oil heaters and came across this Perfection oil heater that is probably about 100 years old for $35. Now that flipping grill season is over here in VA, I thought these look like fun and still involve fire;-) I also came across this Smudge Pot Outdoor Orchard Heater that looks like a blast and can burn my old engine oil or basically anything you put in it (outdoor use only). If anyone has played with these or are interested please feel free to chime in.
The Perfection 630 seems to have been painted and has an enamel finish. I had to use a lot of PB-Blaster to get the old wick out and have a new one on order. I started cleaning it up. I will probably try the pot burner out Wednesday night when a friend comes over. We went out to Goochland to pick up the heater from a lady that has chickens, turkeys, small horses. Pic of Turkey. When we got home I got out the griddle and made some grass fed kielbasa with squash, onions, peppers, and a little cauliflower. We eat it over some fine grain kasha (buckwheat). The last pic of the Pot heater that is lit up is just a stock photo I found.20211107_105138.jpg20211107_174258.jpg20211107_174528.jpg20211107_182855.jpg244172318_4369267853168705_3839618316360342916_n.jpg244379069_4385280508258995_2134755943348736110_n.jpg244417297_6555987827759584_6992881372551850141_n.jpg20211108_184329.jpg20211108_184318.jpg248806546_4439157482838308_9217726547089406086_n.png248823865_6304499329625036_3581298500670968159_n.jpgs-l1600.jpg
 
8EE45057-D856-4D05-AA0E-462652FCADA8.pngE8B0F9C9-7A0D-4DCC-A4D0-8B3099F9AFAD.png92E65748-3190-4332-AD76-CED9B5B1D0BF.pngCEA9A29A-B012-4DAB-B43D-F44F55228A93.pngBFB86F35-FA61-415A-A4B7-EECAF66B7FF2.pngI have a few Perfection heaters, they are great! I use them all the time, but they need to be lit outside till the smoke stops when you close the chimney. After that they burn very clean. Obviously, kids and animals need to be kept away, no safety features if they get knocked over. They’re beautiful and put out a lot of heat and light, just make sure there’s a little fresh air coming into the space. They’ll definitely suck the oxygen out of a room, houses are a lot tighter than they were in the 1920’s.
 
I have something similar to your “Perfection” in about the same condition(pre cleaning) out in my garage. It was in my back room until I did some restoration work, then it got moved out for the post construction cleanup. I keep thinking that it would be good as something to keep the deck a little warmer if I needed it but then I got a propane heater which does well. The smudge pot heaters are usually used for orchards aren’t they? Kind of cool. Not sure about the ecological impact but, I won’t say any more about that.
 
DuaneMac said:
View attachment 40303View attachment 40304View attachment 40305View attachment 40306View attachment 40307I have a few Perfection heaters, they are great! I use them all the time, but they need to be lit outside till the smoke stops when you close the chimney. After that they burn very clean. Obviously, kids and animals need to be kept away, no safety features if they get knocked over. They’re beautiful and put out a lot of heat and light, just make sure there’s a little fresh air coming into the space. They’ll definitely suck the oxygen out of a room, houses are a lot tighter than they were in the 1920’s.
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Mine is more like the one you have in picture 3, but lots of surface rust. I don’t have BOO for shop space and cold weather is headed in so, this won’t happen until spring but, I’m interested in just where to start. I’d kind of like to have the “frame” pieced restored in nickel plate but, I fear the expense for a novelty item. Blackening with stove black seems like a reasonable start or ultra high heat rustoleum as another option. Just blue skying on this. It’s not huge so, it might be a fun week or month or of replating is involved, year?
 
They made stoves as well. I have a single burner I use and a double that I’m still working on. Sometimes I’ll throw a Dutch oven with chili or stew on it. The flames on this one were before I trimmed the wick, should be burning blue.

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DuaneMac said:
View attachment 40303View attachment 40304View attachment 40305View attachment 40306View attachment 40307I have a few Perfection heaters, they are great! I use them all the time, but they need to be lit outside till the smoke stops when you close the chimney. After that they burn very clean. Obviously, kids and animals need to be kept away, no safety features if they get knocked over. They’re beautiful and put out a lot of heat and light, just make sure there’s a little fresh air coming into the space. They’ll definitely suck the oxygen out of a room, houses are a lot tighter than they were in the 1920’s.
Click to expand...
Those are beautiful. Did you get them like that or restore them? I really like the one with the large glass. I used to have a newer 10,000 btu one in our boat to keep it warm and it worked really well. I did light and put it out, outside the cabin for the smell. Was fine when it was burning.
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
I have something similar to your “Perfection” in about the same condition(pre cleaning) out in my garage. It was in my back room until I did some restoration work, then it got moved out for the post construction cleanup. I keep thinking that it would be good as something to keep the deck a little warmer if I needed it but then I got a propane heater which does well. The smudge pot heaters are usually used for orchards aren’t they? Kind of cool. Not sure about the ecological impact but, I won’t say any more about that.
Click to expand...
The smudge pots are for orchards and burn smoke free quite quickly so I doubt there is much more impact than starting the charcoal grill or wood stove. When I saw that they were going for $200-300 online I figured $20 to play with one would not be bad.
 
Joe Anshien said:
Those are beautiful. Did you get them like that or restore them? I really like the one with the large glass. I used to have a newer 10,000 btu one in our boat to keep it warm and it worked really well. I did light and put it out, outside the cabin for the smell. Was fine when it was burning.
Click to expand...
I just gave them all a good cleaning. Two are porcelain coated, the others are painted. The one in the 4th picture has original paint, Because of dirt, the silver pinstripe was not visible when I bought it. The others were repainted by previous owners.
 
Once I get it cleaned up and working I haven't decided what to do about refinishing it. The light blue percaline finish has at least 3 very large chips. If I were to paint it how would I fill those areas so the finish would be smooth after painting? I read the website you posted but it did not address that.
 
I don’t know how well paint would hold up over porcelain, kind of like painting over a Weber kettle. Maybe try something like this? It says it fills gaps in ceramic and can be sanded.
If you do Facebook, there’s a few Perfection groups on there that are helpful.
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I use this guy occasionally.
Nowhere near as sexy as those Perfections, but it pumps out the heat.


Seeing those photos, I definitely want to score a Perfection. I've been on-line browsing since seeing your photos. :) (y)

I really enjoy my Aladdin lamp though. Maybe not so much for heat, but there is something about the glow from an oil lamp.
 
MikeB said:
I use this guy occasionally.
Nowhere near as sexy as those Perfections, but it pumps out the heat.


Seeing those photos, I definitely want to score a Perfection. I've been on-line browsing since seeing your photos. :) (y)

I really enjoy my Aladdin lamp though. Maybe not so much for heat, but there is something about the glow from an oil lamp.
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That is a nice looking oil lamp. We have a few around also. Mostly use them during power outages.
 
This house does not mind burning a dyna glo kerosene heater overnight when it gets cold out. Keeps the heat pump from working too hard.
I also keep about a (2) week supply of kerosene on hand in case of extended power outage. I keep a kerosene stove for the same reason (but I burn diesel in it, since it's outside).


These are the best resources I am aware of on heating oil and stoves:

ST.PAUL MERCANTILE | Cool & Unusual Products

ST.PAUL MERCANTILE : - Stainless Water Filter Bodies Ceramic and Carbon Block Filters Kerosene Cook Stoves and Oven ==> Wicks for Kerosene Stoves Pressure Lantern and Parts Brass Pressure Stove and Parts
www.stpaulmercantile.com
 
No oil furnace in the house or little oil perfection heaters for me please.
You have not really lived until an oil furnace has filled your home with smoke
in the middle of the night!
 
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