STEAM HEATED KNIFE BOILER ASSEMBLY
Steam heated knife boiler kit contained within a petrol or kerosene tin.
a)Rounded edge rectangular tin with two pieces of timber (pine?) nailed to and partially sealing the top. A piece of wire is attached to the top end at one side only through a hole drilled in the tin (wire is 360mm long but looped several times at one end). Tin is blackened and scratched. (It is believed that this container was possibly used to rest a steam heated knife in in between the uncapping operation)
b) A cylindrical tin with a screwcap hole and lid. Top of tin has a hole with metal tube welded in and a length of poly tubing attached (1760mm).
c) A square metal open topped tin with slots cut low in all sides to allow air to be drawn in to a kerosene heater which is placed inside. The item (b) is placed on top of the kerosene heater to raise steam for use in a steam heated knife. ( See 2001-881)
d) A kerosene powered stove type unit made by the Companion stove co to provide heat for the assembly. As noted the stove would be placed inside the tin (c) with tin (b) placed on top.
Associated with the Cook family, who had established an apiary at Coondle in the Toodyay district by 1902.
Note. Description of these items have been updated July 2021 with some assumptions made from investigating similar "home made" bee keeping equipment and the fact that the four items have been numbered by the owner from 1-4.
Details
Details
For use with a steam-heated uncapping knife during the production of honey.
Steam is generated in a small boiler (such as a one-gallon honey can similar to this container), which then passes through a hose into a hollow space in the knife blade, escaping through a small hole in the tip.
