G'day all I have had a Thomas Kerosafe lantern for many years now. The fount had 7 stress cracks and the base was rusted to bits. After years of scratching my head as to what to do, I eventually ditched the Thomas tank. I had an Akron 102 fount but no head for it. I decided I would marry the two. It is highly unlikely I will ever find a Thomas tank anytime soon. The Thomas connector from tank to valve assembly was a 1/2" male. The Akron is 3/8" female. I filed the Thomas to 3/8" and cut a thread that matched the Akron female bung hole. I had to use an Australian, Handi KeroPet, fuel pick up tube. I used a so called Collins Bro's, valve needle and valve wheel. The wheel was missing on the Thomas. I have a couple here but they will be used on their original lamps. The Kerosafe is a torch light lamp that wasn't supplied with a pre-heat cup. For my own convenience I used an Australian, Aladdin 1A, pre-heat cup. I used two Coleman Silk Lite mantles. I lit this lamp the other night without the mica shade in it just to see if it ran OK. The lamp lit perfectly and ran like a dream. The lamp is the brightest lantern I have ever lit and probably brighter than any table lamp I have lit. For sheer light output, the lamp matches some of my hollow wire lamps. I don't have a meter, just my own casual observance. I couldn't clock the lamp as well as I'd like, I would have preferred the valve to be a bit further apart from the fuel cap. never mind, I really like this lamp. It is one wonderful looking beast of a lamp. Flash wasn't used on the outside photo's.
Well done. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I like it a lot. You basically had nothing and now you have something. I certainly wouldn't have a problem with that on my shelf! Alex
Yep. I'm glad you see it that way. I am not in the habit of making franken lamps. I try my very best to get my lamps working with all original parts, even if sometimes I have to rob Peter to pay Paul. As you said, I now have something. Previously, the fount and lantern head were laying around unlikely to ever be a working lamp again - at least in my possession.
Nice looking combo Akron/Thomas, Matt! Smart way to combine the two! The Akron fount is probably for an Akron 103 lantern. The 102 is a table lamp, just saying ! /Conny
Matt, you did a super job on that lantern marry up, I cannot remember the shape of the original Kero safe tank, but that Akron tank looks great in the final finish, burns sweet to, Cheers Matt, Frank
Right you are. I've known for a long time I can't trust my memory completely and it only takes a few minutes to look up model No's in the PLC, which I failed to do. I remember seeing the fount in my shed and thinking "ah, a 102, that might work." To be honest, I was probably lucky in getting the Akron part right. Thanks for the correction. @Carlsson Christer, please amend my title to reflect the true Model No of the fount. I'm sorry for the inconvenience.
