First Tilley lamp restoration

Many thanks for the warm welcome and advice from everyone. I'm very pleased with the transformation. A mixed bag of problems as it hasn't been serviced in a very long time from perished/hard/missing seals as well as the needle hole blocked. Just waiting for my paraffin to be delivered for its first fire up in a long time.

 

Great job! She looks very nice again. Don't forget to show us the moneyshot.

 

Thanks Emiel, it was a great lock down job..maybe another one‍♂️

 

Charliet,

You have done a splendid job.

You mention this is your first Tilley lamp restoration so you may have fettled some other manufacturers lamps. When fettling the lamp of a manufacturer you haven't had in your hands before, I think sometimes it can be a good thing that the fettle is difficult, as you indicated this one was for you. The more you have to look into a problematic lamp, the wiser you become at the end of the job and the more satisfied one is at the end of the job.

 

Hi Matty, As with any engineering streams knowledge and experience is everything so mistakes aren't made. The community certainly helped me. Ps for the record I'm a qualified aerospace engineer for over 30 years and spent my first 5 years in a jet engine deep strip overhaul facility but I like all challenges big small

 

Great job on the Tilley...

Jet engines eh? So no stranger to paraffin then!

 

Thanks plantpot..hahaha..I spent 17 years in the RAF and the rest in civvy street..Yes I've been soaked a few times..Lockhead Tristar L1011 had under wing fuel booster tanks..to remove them you have to rotate the pumps 90° so the pump housing is closed so the many tons of Avtur/Jet A1 doesn't come through...unfortunately one time it didn't quite shut and about 20 tons came through at a great rate of knots..suffice to say I was drenched and my clothes were well and truly in the bin..

 

Charliet,

That would be right, It is just my luck to try and encourage a rocket scientist.

 

Haha..encouragement is great..especially with newbies..ps I'm no rocket scientist, just an old spanner monkey all aircraft engineering is is basically just hitting things with a hammer...sometimes with a run up and the odd swear word))

 

@charliet That’s another old Tilley back in service, well done. Good to know it’s in safe hands! There’s an amazing cross section of folk on this site, from steam loco engineers to, well, jet engineers. Is there nothing this paraffin soaked band of lampies can’t do?.....

 

Cheers BigStevie, it was strangely satisfying and was nice to see my father in laws face when I fired it up for him after 30 odd years..I'm also happy to now call myself a "Lampie" albeit an extremely new inexperienced one but would like to get another lamp in the future for sure..In the RAF the engineering trades would have nicknames..I was a "Sooty" or a Sumpy" later becoming "Rigger" or a Knuckle dragger" haha

 

Can we see if there is a date mark under the tank?
These X246B get lots of adverse comments. Some are justified but they still give off the light when they work.

Mine own

 

@charliet
It's cleaned up nicely and running well, congratulations

 

Well saved!

 

Thanks ROBBO55, TBH I didn't want to go too mad and get buffing wheels etc out as I like an old piece of equipment to show some signs of its age

 

Cheers Jeff, looking forward to using it and my son is as well on his Scout camping trips

 

Well done @charliet
After your first fettle I hope that the lamp bug has taken a huge bite of your bum. The only way you can appease the lamp bug’s bite is to acquire more lamps to restore. When you get a few lamps, the blighters tend to multiply.

I’m a retired automated controls engineer originally a qualified electrician. Lamping has provided me with my need to fiddle, repair and learn that stretches and teases my mind as I settle into retirement.
Serendipitously, it’s been a huge source of distraction from the pain of becoming a widower. My mates and colleagues all over the world, here on this forum, have been a huge help in my handling of my grief. For that I’m so grateful.

Cheers
Pete

 

Good job @charliet
I’ve just joined this august group after acquiring a1957 Tilley - well the tank is 1957 I suspect the rest is a bit of a mongrel. May I ask what you used to clean up the cage on your lamp please ?

 

Hi @Gazngoz , welcome to the forum. Maybe start a new thread with some photos of your lamp, you’ll get plenty of advice here! Popular polish is Autosol or Mother’s Mag, both available from fleabay.
Happy fettling!

Stevie

 

First of many charliet? you just wait until you've had your eyes opened to Vapalux, Coleman, Petromax etc etc .. there are so many out there! and then you'll discover table lamps, hanging lamps, flood lamps....lol..

Martin

 

Perfect advice.

An Open Letter To Those New To Lamp Collecting With Small Budgets.