old fondue pot

[muscat]

I have a fondue pot that my grandma gave me, a-hand-me-down, that has been sitting forgotten in a kitchen cupboard for.....years. I have never used it, but sort of always meant to.....

I pulled it out, and realized that the bottom part does not have a reservoir for a sterno can. Rather, it is a shallow metal dish with about a 1.5" hole on top, what appears to be a dense mesh material inside, and a rotating top that allows for controlling air supply. I assume that it is supposed to be filled with something, sort of like an oil lamp, but what? Alcohol? Oil? Is there supposed to be a "wick"? There was string-like back charred stuff in there that I shook out (probably from the last time it was used a LONG time ago), and scraping around in there, I may have damaged the mesh a little before I realized it was not supposed to come out.

I'd like to put this thing to use, or get rid of it if it is just not going to work. I know I could buy an electric one for $30, but this was my grandma's, so I'd rather keep it, as long as its not just taking up space. Any ideas or suggestions? thanks!

[greyeaglem]

I'm not sure, but it sounds like it is similar to the old Coleman lanterns that were around about the time your fondue pot would have been manufactured. I'm not sure what kind of fuel those lanterns ran on, but any good outdoor and camping supply store should know. The meshy thing is a wick. They also used to have these in ornamental gas lamps that people had in their yards. A hardware store might be able to help you with this also. Take the part in with you so they can look at it. They can probably tell by the type of wick what fuel it requires. I had a pot something like that and it took some kind of lantern fuel. I put in slow burning lantern fuel thinking it was the same thing. It worked for awhile and then started blazing out of control. **** near had a fire out of it, so don't use just anything. If nothing else, maybe you can remove the cup and just stand a sterno can on something non-flammable under the pot. Hope this helps.

[KYHeirloomer]

I've no idea what the fondue pot ran on. Sounds like some sort of catalytic heater, though.

Wicked lanterns usually ran on kerosene, although there were some fancy ones that used a more refined liquid wax---which is essentially what lamp oil is.

Coleman lanterns didn't have wicks, per se. Instead they used (still do, in fact) white gas which is vaporized by passing it through a regulator under pressure. The vaporized gas is pushed through a mantle (an ash made by burning off a silk bag), which produces an incredibly bright light as it burns.

[MikeLM]

Muscat- What you've got is like a fondue skillet set I bought at Marshall Field's some 30-odd years ago, and it's an alcohol burner.
Get a gallon can of denatured alcohol at Home Depot or the hardware store of your choice, fill the burner untiil to top is damp, and light it up.

But, don't drink it.

Mike

[Luc_H]

Muscat, MikeLm is right. Don't put lamp oil in the burner you will ruin it!! What you described is a classic fondue alcohol burner. Here in Montreal you can buy -Fondue Fuel- at the supermarket. The liquid is blue. The fuel is actually methanol (poison - don't drink). To make a fondue, make up your broth in the pot and bring to a boil on your stove first then place above the burner. Luc H