Anchor 909

Gentlemen
Last winter I acquired a beaten up Anchor 909. After working on it the lamp was definitely bright but was a pain to ignite, the quick start was a liability and the pump mech was a pain. It went on the back shelf.
After further recent fettiling, no new parts but lots of adjustment and, most probably, more experience on my part...it fired-up easily on the quick-start, no leaks, great light intensity.
But...after about ten minutes it sooted the glass, dimmed, blews flame outside mantle and the J tube glowed red hot.
Tightened the nipple and all good...except now a little blue/ yellow flame from the vaporiser flange where is widens before going into the Preston loop.
Can it be sealed - there is nothing to tighten? Is it dangerous? The lantern burns just fine. Is the expense of a new upper vaporiser tube worth it?
As ever, I look forward to your wisdom and advice!

 

909 on the right, 950 on one left

 

If the vapouriser itself is leaking, then it can be repaired by brazing.

 

I see...and that would be a brazed repair rather than solder...which would run out at operating temperature?

 

Only you will know if a new vapouriser (available from www.Base-camp.co.uk) is worth the expense.

Personally, I'd fix the leak with silver solder but that's because I already have silver solder rods and an appropriate flux.

Silver solder comes in different grades with melting temperatures between 650 and 720 degrees C.
Silver Solder & Braze, the difference and what you need to know!

 

Would this little kit do the trick...avail on the evil bay for 6 quid.

 

I'm pretty much on the same boat (so to speak) looking to fix a hairline crack on the Preston loop of a Sea Anchor clone. Looks like the manufacturing quality of the evaporators on these Chinese clones is very low.

 

Many people have doubts about the quality of these brands...but, properly maintained, they are ok. I can try the repair, which is about half the cost of a direct replacement upper vaporiser. The new vaporiser tube obviously includes the Preston loop (not full of carbon!) and a new nipple so really it's a no brainer! But there is something about fixing it yourself!
What would you do?

 

I would repair it, yours doesn't have any structural damage, just a poor solder job.

 

If you've subjected a coked-up Preston loop to repetitive heat and quench earlier, chances are, it might develop a leak, especially on the brazed sections between the loop and the straight part.
You'd need to braze it up again, if you don't have a spare again.
Some practice required too, if you've not done it before. Of course, the proper torch, silver solder and flux all make a big difference on the job.