Today, I finished the fettling of a Coleman L228 Slant. This L228 is date stamped 9 1 representing January 1929. I purchased this one from the US for a cost ........ just don’t ask me ....... This is the before photo. You can see it’s in relatively good condition for a lantern that’s over 90 years old. After completely stripping the lantern down, the fount, inside and out, and all the parts were cleaned. The winged fuel cap is an earlier replacement and although the correct type was bare brass, with my nickel plating setup, I plated the cap to emulate what the original would have been. The new mica chimney is one of Fred Kuntz’s reproductions, they’re excellent and really finish off the fettle well. The frame is in very good condition, the top of the frame and bail handle needed the only attention. All corrosion was removed with 00 grade steel wool and then degreased before being spray painted with a clear high temperature gloss paint. To cure the paint, I baked the complete frame at 200degC for one hour. I reused the R55 generator that came with the lantern, understanding that the L228 would have used a Q99 generator. The original leather pump cup was oiled with neats foot oil and successfully reused. I like to reuse as many of the parts that came with the lamp. The pump cap that secures the pump shaft assembly into the pump bore was excessively worn. I used a later type cap for a replacement. The later type was thicker in side elevation, so to the lathe and I machined it to the exact dimensions. I then replated the nickel giving a very good finish and an undetectable replacement. The parts were then assembled back into a L228 lantern. Now the money shot ...... This lantern was a joy to fettle. It was easy to light and runs very well. It’s a keeper. Thank you for looking. Cheers Pete
Well done Pete, well done indeed. She's a beauty and running very well. It's to bad they don't make them the way they use to. Cheers, Norman
That's in pretty good shape. The 228s really look appealling. Early Coleman lanterns are more desirable to me than later or current ones. I don't know why. Perhaps my tastes are out of date.
Beautiful job, AussiePete! A real stunner! This one dances rings around mine. And I thought mine looked good! No Myn, your tastes are not out of date! I feel the same way. I love the early Coleman lanterns like the 327, 427, and the slant models. In fact, the 220/228B models are among my very favorites. These lanterns were made to really last a life time. They were truely idiot-proof. (I know, I know, make something idiot-proof and the world will create a better idiot!) Putting that aside, these were the real cornerstone of Coleman lanterns. (I know, opinions are like a..holes, everybody's got one! Enough!
Thanks All I too like the earlier Colemans. They’re no nonsense and built to last and they look good too.
As ever @AussiePete a stunning lamp, beautifully restored, cracking photos and description. I'd never considered a Coleman until I'd seen yours. Superb job, again!
Thanks @Alex Smith I appreciate your views. I particularly like these earlier ones for example the L227, L327, L427 and not forgetting the 228 Slant. Cheers Pete
