Page 104 - It's a Rum Life Book 3 "Ivy House Tales 1970 to 1984"

Need I say more? For those in the know,
I think ‘Salamanders’ have been banned
in the UK now because they do not
conform to modern UK safety standards
to say the least!

Before using one, you need to know how
they work and really if one sticks strictly
to the prescribed formula they are quite
safe. Michael had made a few
adjustments of his own!

Before I move on to Michael, I have
found this picture of a 'Salamander' on
an Australian website. Evidently now, in
2017 they are still a very popular heater.
Their basic simplicity is the secret and
following the instructions, you will have
one of the most efficient heaters
available in the World today. Their heat
output is simply colossal and for little
cost; however, we move onto Michael's
methods which are definitely NOT to be
followed!

‘SALAMANDER’
The stove is designed for large open
spaces like workshops, there is a wide
round reservoir at the base, about three feet across and two feet deep, to hold clean
paraffin.
There are two vents in the top of this to control air intake and in the centre is a tall louvred
chimney about five feet tall, narrow at the bottom getting about twice as large at the top.
There is a close fitting cap to go on the top of the chimney to shut off the fire once all air
intakes are closed. The paraffin is lit through one of the air intake slots and the air control
dedicates the burn and heat given out. The whole thing is a mass of flame inside so quite
warm!

Michael’s first problem was that he did not have sufficient paraffin, so raided the waste oil
drums and poured used engine oil in with what paraffin he had. He did not realise until the
whole thing got out of control that in with the waste engine oil was a quantity of water as a
result of condensation in the storage drums.
The ‘salamander’ was placed some 15 feet from the lorry he was working on and when I
left him having delivered the extinguishers, the stove was working normally giving off a
large quantity of heat together with a throaty roaring growl!
Give him his due, Michael was only 18 or so and very innovative!
But before long he was hammering on the house door asking for help, as I ran outside I
could see the stove was visibly jumping off the ground, its noise was now a positive violent
roar and Michael explained that he had shut all the air intakes because it was ‘going mad’.

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