Hello again guys what do with the bialaddin? The seal kit has arrived so that's good news but I'm wondering what to do long term . Should I leave it as it is or brass it up or repaint the burgundy any suggestions welcome. Pete
With that amount of paint missing I would repaint it with the same colour it was originally but before you do it would be a good idea to do a dunk test to make sure the tank doesn't leak as some bialaddins are prone to stress cracks. Regards Ian.
@Mr cod good idea to dunk it first ian and I was thinking the same about the paint but not decided yet . Any idea of the date of it I'm guessing 1940s but couldn't be sure.
That's the first version of the 300x so mid 1946 to maybe early (mid?) 1947. Does it have a "pip" type pressure indicator on the tank?
OK, so probably 1947 then. Nice score ; I personally wouldn't repaint, but hey, whatever- it's your lantern.
@steerpike451 thanks for that if in doubt do nowt is what they say I'll probably give it a service get her going then decide further down the line Many thanks
Well, that's entirely your prerogative of course - but you asked for our opinion and I gave you mine. In my view, "brassing it up" is not something any serious collector would contemplate, even with a fairly mundane lantern such as yours. Leave it as it is if you want a user lantern otherwise respray it in original colour if you want something for display...
Hi. I had the same issue about half a year ago. Couldn't decide either Didn't manage to nail the color of the original font...
I like it as it is! Just a good clean is all it needs - the patina of old paint/brass looks great in the shed, in my view.
Looks like you've found a pretty good example of a 300X. As for the paint, I reckon it's on the edge if you understand me. From a practical perspective that paint Willis and Bates used is a bl00dy nightmare to remove! I've done it twice on that 'burgundy' colour, and both times it had me tearing my hair out! No matter what product I used it left an insoluble stixky mess behind that needed multiple (like 6 or 7) sessions before I could even use acetone to rinse the tank. Also, this was on tanks with much less paint than brass showing. I have a reasonably close cour paint but it's never actually the same so in the end it's personal preference. Rusty steel is an entirely different case and has to be treated to prevent damage but brass is less clear cut. Anyway, I'm sure it'll look good whichever path you choose.
Sorry David I read this as a statement of fact rather your opinion and as I only have this lamp and a petromax I don't think I qualify as a serious collector. Everyone's opinion is welcome that's why I asked and the response has made very interesting reading so thanks to everyone's input.
@ColinG hello Colin thanks for the heads up about the paint removal it sounds like you put in an awful amount of work to get it right and I'm sure if I go down that route I'll be remembering your words as I'm gnashing my teeth. I've read quite a bit about what colour burgundy is for these lamps and crickey there's a myriad of opinions but don't think anyone actually knows.
@kero-scene Thanks for your comments I can see where your coming from there is a sort of "stuck in time " look about it which has a certain appeal
@esphojo I wouldn't worry too much I don't think the lamp police will be knocking your door because the burgundy isn't the right shade . No one seems to know what the original colour was anyway from what I've read . Either way you have two fantastic looking lamps to me .
Just brake all serious collectors’ rules for a time, and go for a bright pink tank with the odd blue pois here and there… keep it like that for a year of fun, then respray it in its original Burgundy livery. seriously, at times I think we worry too much about questions like these. If the result isn’t perfectly in tune with history, we can always have a second go?
The paint colour problem is unsolvable realistically. Given the age of these lanterns the hue will have faded but which component of the finished colour has faded most is anyone's guess so working out what it originally looked like is going to be virtually impossible. Added to that is the surface... was it high gloss or eggshell or somewhere in between? Ive used Rust-Oleum claret wine on mine and while it looks close, it's not fuel proof and needs a coat of fuel resistant lacquer. Even then it's too shiny and not quite right but there's a limit to how far I'm prepared to go but I'm happy with the overall effect.
@ColinG yes your right Colin the years have absolutely changed the shades of colour from the original and as long as your happy with yours that's brilliant your the only person you have to please at the end of the day . Fascinating reading thanks for that just don't forget a pic when you're done .
@Alex74 hello Alex what a breath of fresh air your comment is . Does it really matter ? Personally I think these beautiful lanterns were never designed to last this long so if someone gets one to work and cherish it then that's a nod to history as far as I'm concerned whatever its colour happens to be even a brassed up one heaven forbid lol. I was thinking pink with yellow sunflowers
Well, I think that serious collecting isn't about numbers, it's more about attitudes. You can have a mere two lamps and be more a serious collector than someone with two hundred. Conserve / preserve them for future generations, sympathetically restore them, understand them, use them, learn about their history etc., etc. - that's what serious collecting is about. Regarding paint colours, I take my lanterns to a local motor factor and get them to mix up an aerosol to suit. Get them to match up to a part that hasn't been exposed over the years - under the collar for instance. If it takes the same effort to get it right as to get it wrong then you might as well get it right. Finish is another matter - car paints are generally more glossy than the lamps ever were so you can ask whoever mixes the paint to add a matting agent to knock back the gloss a bit. Small things make perfection but perfection is no small thing. But at the end of the day, it's your lamp so do what you like with it. It'll all be the same in a hundred year's time so who cares...
Living in the @$$ end of nowhere I don't have easy access to motor factors to get paint professionally mixed... shame, as I'd like to. I mean there are options, like going to Inverness or Glasgow for instance but they're 2.5 and 3 hours drive away respectively. One of these days I'll find somewhere that does mixed rattle cans close and take a sample of the W&B burgundy and their brown.
Just to give you some inspiration and show you how nice yours can be with a little work as it looks like its had very little use so will be a nice easy restoration for you, anyway here are three I restored a couple of years ago and are still in my posetion today, the maroon one is a standard 300x and the other two green/grey ones are A/M (air ministry) hence the colour. Good luck with it what ever you decide.
Or you could polish the hell out of it just because you can!! Again this one is still in my posetion today and the brass finish is settling down nice now but no doubt I will polish again before long
@Rickylee Wow your lamps are stunning I can see your dedication and hard work has truly paid off . Unfortunately I don't have the ability or time to produce such master pieces. I'm probably thinking I'll leave mine as it is till spring as it will be needed to do its job throughout the winter months and probably be used most nights for seed sowing in the greenhouse. So I guess getting it up and running would be a good place to start. But thanks for the pictures they are truly inspiring. Pete
@ColinG that's way over my head Colin I don't think I'd bother if I lived next door to a paint mixing place but certainly admire your dedication.
@David Shouksmith well this is where we differ David I couldn't go through all the effort you do to acquire paint matches etc to me it would be pointless not that I don't understand or appreciate what collector's do its just not for me . I want to tidy up my lamp probably in the spring as through winter it will be working hard doing the job it was designed to do not just looking pretty on a shelf though looking @Rickylee lamps so coooool. So whatever happens to my lamp it will get the respect it deserves for being a well built solid piece of English history.
