I am unfortunate enough to live in the People's Republic of Massachusetts, and it seem that Kerosene is outlawed here. Use of Kerosene heaters inside buildings is prohibited, and although I occasionally see the heaters in stores (marked For Outdoor Use Only), I cannot find kerosene.

I want 1 gallon K-1 grade rectangle metal cans. I know they exist, but I may have to drive to New Hampshire of Connecticut to get them. Some gas stations here have a kero pump, but I guess I am afraid that it is closer to diesel fuel than clean burning K-1. Also I like the idea of sealed metal cans for storage, rather than storing vented plastic gas jugs.

So where do you buy yours? Any chance I can get it online?

-- semper paratus (always@ready.now), September 19, 1999

Answers

Probably best to forget "online", cuz shipping would kill you. This kero heater stuff may be a bit overhyped, cuz it is neither cheap nor readily available in many areas. But a good product it is. Ask your local service station kero pumping outlet - several of them - it may be just the ticket. Also, ask the people who use it: All weather construction workers, who use it in their heaters. Another source of info is marine supply stores, and boaters in your area who use it in stoves. Worst case situation? Drive elsewhere.

-- A. Hambley (a.hambley@usa.net), September 19, 1999.

Have you tried calling people that sell heating oil? They usually sell kerosene as well. You may have to provide your own containers.

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), September 19, 1999.

Got mine at Home Depot.

-- tc (trashcan-man@webtv.net), September 19, 1999.

Both Ace and True Value Hardware has it in our town.

-- Homeschooling Grandma (mlaymon@glenn-co.k12.ca.us), September 19, 1999.

Home heating oil works JUST FINE in mine.

Here in OHIO (Northeast) you can get it through ULMAN OIL (in the phone book).

chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 20, 1999.

ACE has it here...but it is expensive!

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), September 20, 1999.

You might try your local "Beehive" strore. It is a trade name used by many of the Morman preperation stores. You can contact the Mormans, they are in the phone book. These stores often will sell K1 in 1 to 5 gal containers. I get 5gal every winter for my heater from such a store.

Good Luck hunting!

-- helium (heliumavid@yahoo.com), September 20, 1999.

You might try using a 55 gal steel drum for your kero. Then go to a bulk supplier. I believe that #1 fuel oil (not diesel) is the same as kerosene, but best to confirm that with the dealer. You can leave the drum sealed up for years, if necessary.

gene

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), September 20, 1999.

I have a kerosene question or two, and rather than starting another thread, thought to pop it in here.

My husband acquired a 55 gallon drum, with a pump, thrown away from a construction site (can you believe it!) Anyways, the drum previously stored diesal fuel for running on site construction equipment.

My questions then are these:

If the drum is sound, how should we go about cleaning it for use with kerosene for heaters/lamps?

If the drum is not sound such as having holes, which may be why it was tossed in the first place, can it "safely" be repaired? Haven't seen it yet, have to drive about 100 miles to pick it up.

Well, even if we need to get a new drum, the pump is the bonus of the deal either way.

Also, a few years back, my son found an old drum pump in a junk pile in the woods and drug it home. I gave him a lecture about taking things w/o permission, even in a junk pile, and made him return it (he just thought it was an interesting "thing"). But this got me to thinking, with permission to salvage it, can there be anything wrong with the pump or are they pretty simple or at least fixable? It was used to pump sealer/treatment for log construction, and just abandoned with alot of other stuff according to son.

I know, I know, I could take the hike and see for myself, but thought I would take the easy way out and ask here before fighting the briars and copperheads to dig the thing out! :-)

Thanks.

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), September 22, 1999.

Lilly > 55 gal drums are plentiful, and cheap. Best to buy your kero from a distributor, already installed in professionally cleaned, solid drum. Check local sources for outfit to rebuild pump, perhaps even the kero supplier. Any leak would be catastrophic to your surroundings, and you also wish to ensure the pump gaskets will not leak, and that it is certified to pump fuel products. Never know, you might wish to pump gas sometime. Do it right, do it once.

-- A. Hambley (a.hambley@usa.net), September 22, 1999.