Hello- How common is it to find stress cracks in the fount of a Tilley X246? Are any versions more susceptible than others? Thanks for any input.
Welcome aboard! The more modern the version then the more liable it is to have problems, photographs of the lantern in question will help us to assist you.
@poncho Welcome from Queensland Australia. Although it’s entirely possible, I have yet to see stress cracks in a Tilley fount. Then again, I’ve been collecting lamps for only a short while, approx 4 years. I’ve seen stress cracks in other lamp breeds though. Cheers Pete
I have come across three later PL53 tanks with stress cracks (the first ones i had which put me off buying them online somewhat but have had two good ones since) and a few red X246B tanks but only the red ones for some reason, i have seen other red ones for sale with cracks but not bought them because of it.
I have been very lucky, I guess. Not one of my Tilleys have stress cracks! I've been collecting for almost 40 years and I guess luck's been on my side. I had one stress crack in a Vapalux 300 lantern, steel tank. One minor crack in a Coleman slant L220, one Col-max 555, an AGM, and an early Akron 103 lantern. Like I said, very lucky! I use POR15 to fix them. The stuff isn't cheap but it is effective. I don't have a Tilley 246B, so can't comment directly about them. I do know they can be hell when it comes to a dished bottom. That seems to be the number one problem with the 246B. AGM lanterns can be real bad when it comes to stress cracks. Perhaps you could let us see a picture or two of the 246B and exactly where the stress cracks are located.
@poncho Hi and welcome to the forum. To date I have yet to see a stress cracked Tilley, Bialaddin on the other hand..... Regards Jeremy
@george The X246B's are long gone but the cracks are easy to see, a section of the tank actually protrudes from the rest unlike the thin, flush cracks on other lamps, i've just remembered i have also got a Nulite table lamp with quite a few cracks, that is a definite contender for some POR15 but i would need to line up a few more lamps so that i could seal those at the same time, i've got an Akron wall and table lamp which look fine but i'll know for sure if they are ok or not when/if i get round to fettling them!
Hi- Thank you for all the information and the welcomes. I am waiting for some requested photos from the seller. It is not the X246B, it is a Speculum(?) plated X246. The seller says there is a 1" vertical mark that he cannot tell if is a scratch or a crack, but it does not appear to leak at this point. Based on your remarks I think I will take a chance on it. Thank you all again for your input. Jeremy (Broadlander)- I really like your Youtube videos. Very well done and informative. I wish you would make more! Thank you.
This was a TL10 and has a stress crack. For the life of me I can not see it. I know it's there because it very slightly leaks under pressure. This is the only stress crack I have seen in a Tilley.
@poncho Many thanks for the kind words. Family circumstances over the last couple of years have prevented the making of further efforts videos, however I can see light at the end of the tunnel. Please keep us updated with your progress and we always love a picture or two. Regards Jeremy
@poncho Possibly a 1950's Tilley Guardsman then, once you have replaced all the seals and pressurised the lantern (without fuel) if it has a large stress crack the leak will be fairly obvious, as a precaution i test all my lamps under pressure under water which will show the majority of air leaks.
Yes Jeremy? Do tell please, as you seem to have some information there. Or is there a thread dealing with the Bialaddin stresses? Mike
Jeremy, I was too quick with posting this question, as I have found ample threads on the subject. Mike
In my 50 years of playing with Tilleys I have only ever found stress cracks in two TL10 table lamps. It is most unusual for any Tilley to crack. They are brass so it can happen I guess but it has to be very rare. ::Neil::
