A new addiction!

A new addiction to add to Land Rover, house renovations and railways...

Anyway I've owned a primus Kero stove for many years and earlier this year I bought a nice, tidy Tilley Guardsman X246B? Chrome tank and straight cage ....

Last week I bought another Tilley X246 with the pork pie font and the steel cage... It has been working but is made up from later model parts: pump, control cock and burner. I took the burner apart to give it a clean and noticed it had a later one fitted with the single collar and split pin to secure it in position. Although not original I'm sure it will work. I noticed there was another part above the burner and that is a brass disc pierced with holes. It's a bit mis-shapen due to the heat. Is this peculiar to the earlier model X246 as I don't see it on my Guardsman?

 

@HTR

Welcome to the forum.

That disk is an insect shield. I have them on my Guardsman, so they seem to have been used on the later x246 lanterns.

Other members of the forum will know more about the range of years they were used.

 

Tilley lamps and lanterns were sold in Australia with insect protection (often designated as IP with the model).

The X246 could be fitted with a lower and upper insect screen. Some find, though, that the X246 with the 1949-onwards black or brown ceramic hood runs better with the top insect screen removed. Maybe it’s air flow...

The top screen is redundant in those hoods anyway as the insect will be burnt to a crisp well before getting near the mantle.

The upper screen is very effective against marauding moths in lamps and other “open top” Tilleys.

Tilley insect shields were sold, inter alia, with the EX models in the 1930s.

Cheers

Tony

@HTR

 

Welcome aboard!

 

Welcome to CPL.
It should clean up and run nicely.

 

Thank you for the replies.
An insect screen eh, so not an essential part. My next question is the protective cage is quite rusty. I've wire brushed it with my Dremel tool but it's still quite badly pitted. What's the best way/s to clean this up and was it painted black originally?

 

@HTR

Can you post a photo of the cage? I think you’re talking about a X246 (you said: “...straight cage”).

If so, you can clean the rust up after the paint is off, by soaking in citric acid or 50:50 vinegar and water.

Then clean the cage to bare metal and use a good metal etch undercoat and paint flat silver. It was not black originally.

Cheers

Tony

 

Welcome from the Scottish Highlands. Stevie

 

@HTR
Welcome from Queensland Australia.
Looks like you’ve got the insect screen sorted.
Cheers
Pete

 

Photos below. The cage is the globe cage. On the earlier X246 they had straight legs and the later ones [X246A?] the 'kinked' in at an angle. I think I've got that right.

 

I can’t seem to open your pictures, I’m using an iPad. I’ve never had this happen before.
Cheers
Pete

 

@HTR

That’s a “pork pie” X246 from close up to 1948/49. In 1949 Tilley stopped using that tank for the X246.

It’s a great lantern.

Tony

 

Thanks Tony. It has the incorrect burner in that it has the split pin and single ring as opposed to the 3 tubes with threaded rings..., fuel stop cock and pump. I've got my eye on another X246A which has the earlier pump. Should it have a brown enamelled hood?

 

O’ now I can see the photos, something has changed ...... and
What Tony said
Cheers
Pete

 

@HTR

Most of the Tilley enamelled hoods that were imported into Australia on the various versions of the X246, X246A, and X246B were black. A few brown ones turn up.

Your X246 “pork pie” would most likely have had either the earlier hood (see here) or the black hood it now has.

Are you saying you have found an X246A with the earlier “pork pie” pump?


Cheers

Tony

 

Well yes - I don't think it ever came from Tilley like that. Someone at some point has used an earlier pump to keep it in service.

I'd love to fit a brown hood or better still the proper pork pie hood but I've not set eyes on one of those - yet. I'm cleaning my one up at the moment - it's going to be a gift for a good friend of mine. I well impressed with how the citric acid solution is cleaning up the globe cage! I'd like to repaint it too, the globe cage and the font. What is the closest colour and its brand available today? I have a look at getting those bits powder coated. Powder coating may handle the heat better.

 

@HTR

The closest gold that’s easily available in Australia is VHT “Universal Gold”. Don’t get the ultra-high temperature paint; get the one that bakes at 94°C.

Tony

 

Is it possible to get reproduction 'Tilley' decals?

 

There are some reproduction Tilley decals available, if you subscribe you can find the link in the ‘fettling’ forum, or search fleabay.

 

Yes. Well, at least you can get the reproduction water-based transfers.

Depending on what you want, there’s a member here who makes some; and at least two different sellers on the Bay of Evil.

Tony

 

Fired up my X246 Guardsman! Replaced the seals in the pump and fuel cock, cleaned the globe and it lights easily are 'runs' very well. I've been comparing it to my Kovea 75W lanterns to see which gives the better light. I know the Tilley will burn for about 7 or more hours on a fill. The Kovea fuel cells last just about 5 1/2 hours for the 230g ones and about 2 1/2 fro the 110g ones. I've a camping trip coming up with about 60 12 to 13 year olds @ Cecil Peak Sheep Station which is near Queenstown NZ. Are there any 'lamp shades' available and at what price?

 

@HTR

There are reflectors available on the Bay of Evil. Seller “juliands” has the best price.

Tony

 

First time I've seen an insect screen in the top. I have two screens and they fit around the vap around the bottom of the glass.

 

@george

It’s not uncommon to find the top insect screen on these X246s imported into Australia.

It’s a bit redundant, though, as an insect would be well and truly roasted coming in through the top. It may protect tha mantle from a beetle dying and falling down on the mantle from the top, but I’ve never had that problem with an X246.

I take them out of the X246 hoods as they tend to choke the air flow in that restricted space.

Tony

 

What Tony said. When using the lamp I also side the bottom screen down a tad to allow more air flow.
I’ve have had a moth get through an unworking Tilley’s hood, which had the screen removed, and destroy the mantle. But it’s a one off occurrence.
Cheers
Pete

 

I see what you mean. Had a moth in the top of my Petromax 828 once, and he managed to break the mantle while it was lit! He got fried but I lost the mantle!

 

A local moth: 8.5cm (3 1/2 inches) from head to tip of wings.






Cheers

Tony

 

@Tony Press
You could cut its wings off with a chain saw, throw a saddle on it and go for a ride.
Cheers
Pete

 

Hell, if this thing hit one of your car headlights it would probably shatter it to pieces!

 

Pete,
why not leave the wings on and go for a flight?

Matthias