Blanchard lamp help please

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and also pressure lamps, but am hoping that someone might be able to help me?

I recently found a W T Barnard & Co lamp and am trying to learn more about it. From reading threads on here I think it might be a Blanchard 1215, but if anyone could confirm that and tell more about it or where I can find out more, that would be so greatly appreciated.

It's currently with my uncle who is cleaning it up and trying to make it work. He's successfully done so with the help of a blow torch, but is currently a bit stuck on how it would have been lit originally. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thank you so much for any information.
Katy

 

There will be all the help you need coming soon Katy. Meantime welcome to the site - and what a great first lamp, I’m quite jealous!

 

Welcome aboard!

 

Hi Katy nice lamp it is a 1215
To light them you put parrafin in the tank and attach a bicycle pump to the filler cap unscrew it a turn and pump it up to about 10lbs pressure this is what I do the full operating pressure is 20lbs which I take it up to once its been running a while and warmed up.
Before doing this ensure the control valves are shut .
To light the burners do them one at a time.
Take the green tops off pour methylated down the small tube on the burner not in the centre. This will run into the spirit cup over the burner nozzle.
Light the meths let it burn till it nearly is gone then crack open the control valve. The fuel runs into the burner where it turns to parrafin gas that shoots down to the burner nozzles where you need a mantle to light.
That's the process but lots of pitfalls to get these to go you really could do with from someone nearby who knows lamps
Not a easy first lamp by far
Cheers pete


This is similar lamp I have here notice you need mantles for light
these lamps were a favourite for London Street Market traders .

 

Wow!! Hi everyone. Thanks for having me.

Pete, you're a star. Thank you very much - that's really helpful and interesting. Your lamp looks beautiful - how long have you had it for?

The two ceramic rings we have for the mantles appear to be different sizes - one large than the other. And the glass bowl covers are also different sizes. We're unsure if this was standard for the original or if it's been altered more recently, potentially if original parts were missing - would you have any idea?

My uncle has managed to get one size working using the meths now, but the mantle's are missing so it doesn't stay lit. The pressure gauge also doesn't work, so he's guessing with the pressure. I think i need to buy him a fire extinguisher!

Do you know of a good place to buy replacement mantles or other parts at all?

 

Hello,
Nice and rare you both found.
If the glass globe fits leave that for the moment.
Mantles and rings depend on what is available on the burner head itself. A picture would help here.
Blanchard mantles are available or where at base camp.
They may also have the right globes.

 

Hello Katy
The lamp in the previous post was one owned by a friend that I did repairs on works nicely now tho.
The two glass globes you have are from some sort of gas lamp I think not originally fitted. I have tried these before and it cracked with the heat so I suspect OK for display.
Mantle rings for your lamp should be 33mm inside diameter for your 350 candle power lamp as is the 600cp lamps.
They do sell rings and mantles at basecamp but they are 27mm diameter bit small in my book I have not had much success with them.
I would just go on ebay and get some cheap butterfly mantles 500cp single tie I use them till I get it going OK then put a good quality mantle on
Cheers pete

 

As Pete says not a simple lamp to start with. Properly serviced very powerful and reliable but tricky to dismantle and fettle not helped by a non availability of parts. Your lamp is complete with the top hoods which are often missing because they restrict the light output so were commonly discarded by the market guys. You can't be far from me so it might help to fetch the beast here and pick my brain. ::Neil::

 

Every Blanchard I've found in the wild has needed major work to get it running, so I'm impressed your uncle managed to get any kind of life out if it.

P.s. base camp also used to sell replacement glass bowls for this lamp. Not sure if they still have them mind you.

 

Hi Neil,
Thank you, that's a really kind offer. At the moment my Uncle seems to be doing a pretty good job. He's got one side running smoothly and is working through the other side. He used to rebuild old motorbikes and I think is enjoying the lamp challenge. He lives in Derbyshire, so not quite so easy to get to Herts. I'm going to give him my log in details though as I think he might have one or two questions and would appreciate picking you brains.

I know the lamp has 2 different size mantles, so based on what Pete's said I'm guessing they're potentially replacements which aren't 100% correct. I'm assuming both sides of the lamp originally would have had the same size mantles and glass globes?

Thank you all very much for all the advice - it's really appreciated.

Katy

 

Hi everybody,Here are some of my progress pics on Katy's lamp and a brief update on what I've tried and the results plus questions.1/Presure gauge now working & tank holds pressure fine.Not one of my best restorations but at least its pretty original

 

Looks great to me
Pete

 

2/ This made me laugh as I don't think it should light up there? so stripped it all down and removed the burner jet .Had to grind the outer of an 11/32" socket to fit down hole to remove . Tightened burner tube up cleaned everything and seems to run OK though not tried it with a mantle yet.

 

3/Now the right hand side is different story.The paraffin inlet filter was broken off and the inlet tube completely blocked solid. The sonic cleaner ,vinegar blowgun did nothing at all.I surmised the filter must run right down to the bottom of the tube so bit the bulet and drilled it out removing the final piece using a blowgun from one of the inside tubes so I didn't drill straight through.I've had it running twice Ok after cleaning jet etc.on this side but only with the paraffin on/off tap virtually screwed in all the way but pops out after a couple of minutes.So advice please:-
-does it need a filter to run smoothly as my test was with no filter at all.
-can these filters be purchased-if not mesh size please and approx length please so I can make one
-would it pop out normally without a mantle-test done without one fitted.

 

Could somebody please tell me correct procedure for first time lighting of a new mantle.Tks Chris.

 

1) Tie the mantle to the ceramic or metal burner head.
2) make sure all the folds are nicely distributed around the head.
3) go outside
4) light the mantle and let it burn to ash. Remember the ash fabric is fragile, very fragile
5) let it cool down
6) pre heat
7) light the escaping gas

The remains of a mantle may not be radio active but are not healthy to inhale as is the smoke.
So remove the broken mantle remains if necessary without blowing it away.

A mantle should form in the shape of the flame then the ash skeleton will harden out.

 

You only "need" a filter if the tank is dirty. The jet is very small like a carburettor jet so any particles can block it. I would use the surviving one as a model and find some similar mesh to make one up, but it should not be on the priorty list for now. Most of us here filter our paraffin each time it goes through a funnel. You can only run one of these without a mantle at a lower pressure than normal. I would strongly reccomend pete's suggestion above and get some cheap Chinese soft tie-on mantles from ebay or similar for testing. (500cp single tie) You are making inroads !

 

You won't get a new filter for these I put some mesh in a 3/8 tube then hammer it in with a punch not too tight so as to stop fuel.
I have run them without a filter but it's there to stop muck from the tank going thro to burner best to have something.
If it starts and then stops most likely bits of carbon blocking the jet no matter how well you think you've cleaned the burner this will happen till its run a bit and cleared bits and old fuel residues.
This is where the pricker is used to clear the jet



Cheers pete

 

Thanks everybody for helping.I got the cheap mantles in the post today as previously advised .I'm halfway there .Tried left hand side tonight with mantle. It started easily after warming up and has run non stop for over an hour with no problems. I luv it. I hope the right side will be the same with a matte on and not pop out as it has without one. but I'll be trying that tomorrow.Still need to know why I got it lighting at top as previous post please.

 

Thanks for that .I want to make a filter and this will be very helpful. I've seen mesh on eBay but its stainless and I don't know what size mesh to use.Its obviously got to be quite fine and easily rollable?Any ideas n size?

 

Only a suggestion but I found this: Brass Fuel Filter Mesh at Stationary Engine Parts Ltd. Probably better than the original. Congrats on one side !

 

Looks good thanks I'll get some.

 

Fuel where it should not be. It can be be neat fuel escaping via the jet as the pre-heating stage is not sufficient - i.e the paraffin is not vapourising before it hits the jet. It can also be a leak. They generally come from joins or cracks. It is also possible for fuel to escape down the sides of jets not done up tightly, or with tired threads. The first is normally the culprit.

 

Flames where they should not be
I confirm could be any of the above reasons I always put a bit of copperslip brake grease on the plugs and jet threads it burns off then seals the threads hopefully.
That mesh is steel wire mesh with holes about .75 mm. Steel is best as the carbon seems to cling to it.
You got that side going OK well done not a easy task well done
Cheers pete

 

Thanks everybody.Completly stripped & cleaned right hand side. Now seems to run OK at low pressure without mantle and without popping out. No flames at top and the copper slip method seems to have worked unless it was just my lack of experience. So all back together just got to fit & burn off new mantle which I have for RHS (Glad I got a few spare ones) and then ready for the big test. Fingers crossed . Regards & thanks again. Chris.

 

Well done Chris we are all looking forward to the action shot now
Cheers pete

 

I think that the only (?) way to tell if a lamp works fine is to attach a mantle and fire it up with a globe. Heat exchange is the key part for a lantern to work or not.

 

Had it working like this for about 2 hours without any problems .Put your hands up anybody that helped "MANY HANDS MAKES LIGHT WORK" Regards Chris.
P.S Think it would have had 2 of the smaller glass shades originally - as an interesting mantle reflection in the larger globe?

 

I’ve been following this thread since the start.

Excellent work, @Katy Saxby!


Cheers

Tony

 

Looks like it's running OK Chris well done impressive lights when they are running well
Cheers pete