I am in need of spare parts to keep my 3 P'Max clones running, in need of the lower vaporizer and globe now. The cost of the parts would come close to the price of a new Sea Anchor , $56 shipped, it would function strictly as a parts lantern. However I am leery of the quality of the SA parts and whether or not they will work properly . Would a new SA make a good parts lantern?
Yea the P'Max parts that are new that are easily bought here in the states are China made and not bad but the individual prices for the needed parts would equal pretty close to the total Sea Anchor lantern cost, the lantern would provide more parts to be used between 3 vintage lanterns. I am just trying to determine if the SA parts are of a decent quality enough to work as replacement parts in vintage lanterns.
I purchased a new Sea Anchor a few months ago and while it works - perfectly as it happens - it's not the best made P'Max clone and I had to tweak and re-engineer it quite a bit before I was happy. In the UK you often see old Anchor lanterns that could be scavenged for parts but not sure what the situation is like in your part of the world. The globes can usually be bought very cheaply if you look around, particularly if you're prepared to consider a frosted version. When you say the lower vaporiser, can you explain a bit further or post a photo for us. I might have one I don't need but the postage to SA would probably be too much.
Colin Thanks for your help. I am in the states and its easy to get the parts from Brytlite cheaply enough but a new Sea Anchor would be a lot more spare parts for about the same price. A guess the question to you would be if you had multiple clones to service would you buy a new Sea Anchor cheaply just for the replacement parts?
To be honest I probably wouldn't. The Sea Anchor cuts quite a few corners to keep the price down and a second hand Anchor might be a better bet. Anchor lanterns aren't as bad as some might tell you and apart from the tendency to rust if they're kept in damp conditions they're used as workhorses in many countries. That said, if you guys Sea Anchor, you might just decide toget it running and keep it - I did! By the way, which makes of Petromax clone do you have? I've managed to collect 8 different clones plus one genuine article!
I will follow your advice and forego purchasing a SA for parts. . I have 2 vintage German Picostars and one Optimus 500cp. Only one not working is one of the Picostar so I'll just wait for a same brand parts lantern to show up on ebay and let it donate parts. Thanks for the help Colin.
Problem with buying a donor lantern is you only get one of each part and most lamps in need of parts for fettling tend to want the same parts, at least for the burner/generator bits they do. Sea Anchor have a bad rep for a reason so I would agree not perhaps the best for parts. The other potential problem is compatibility. I don't know if any Chinese parts will fit Picostar or Optimus. You could end up with a donor lamp with no usable parts. You would be better served buying new spares either from the misguided ones in Florida, who don't seem to understand the lamps they do sell never mind any other makes, or from one of the German suppliers such as STUGA-CABAÑA where at least there are peole who understand old lanterns and can probably advise on which parts will fit another lamp brand's product. ::Neil::
Sound advice Neal and thanks. I do think Picostar's and Optimus are compatible with most Chinese made PMAX parts so that's easy for the internals , I had a Butterfly pump on my PS lantern at one time and it worked perfectly . I will simply wait until a PS parts lantern shows up on ebay to serve the 2 I have as I'd like an original knob and need a better condition hood, the red enamel on one of mine is flaking off. There is a perfect PS parts lantern on ebay now but of course the seller thinks its a rare antique. lol
Hanso. You should look for Day-Lite lanterns as well. Both Picostar and Day-Lite were made by the same company which we think was Mayer & Niss. I am pretty sure all the parts are identical. I do know that the control wheel for both brands is just embossed with "CL". ::Neil::
