Tilley R1 (?) newbie with my first heater

Hi folks. I picked up a Tilley kero heater which I know virtually nothing about.

I'll post some photos but also describe it.

It has a copper reflector that appears to be painted on the back with a gold coloured paint. There is no grill.

The base (font?, fuel tank) appears to be brass with a gold painted bottom and a Tilley decal.

The control valve has a black knob.

I am missing a mantle, a wind shield, a ceramic tube, a spring (for inside the valve, and the grill. probably missing other stuff but since I haven't played with heaters before, I can't tell.

The valve was leaking profusely so I have uses some teflon tape as a temporary measure. All the washers seem to be there with only slight weeping around the valve. I have managed to light it up for a few minutes to see what would happen but I'll be making up a mantle substitute and a wind shield soon.

 

So far, I've removed much dirt and grime but I haven't tried to polish etc. Just cleaning up. The fuel tank seemed clean inside so I've rinsed then put in new fuel. The pricker seems good, visible when the control knob is tuned. I cleaned some carbon off the pricker but that's all. the control valve had a bad leak but I was game to remove the knob so I could see what the packing was like (but I'm guessing there was none. I wrapped some teflon tape around to try to seal it enough to light and that has sealed the leak for now.

If I make my own mantle substitute, how important is the ceramic tube? Can I use some steel pipe as a substitute?

As for the bass, are these normally polished brass or normally painted?

If anyone recognises the model and age, please let me k ow.

 

And now I'm guessing that I've posted this in the wrong place, perhaps it should be somewhere in the Fettling Forum.

 

Yet another question ...

How does one remove the control valve knob? Mine looks like black plastic with no sign of grub screws. I'm reluctant to try forcing it off until I know how to. Does it unscrew? Or is it just a tight press fit?

And can the control valve be further disassembled? Is there any reason to do so (if it can be?)

 

@David Jenkins

Welcome. You have a nice Tilley R1 radiator.

Starting backwards.

1. That type of control knob screws of anticlockwise. If it’s stuck, grip the shaft of the control with pliers padded by leather and unscrew the black knob.

2. Only take the knurled packing nut off to then replace the sealing washers for it (if you look through this site you’ll see plenty of examples).

3. The part on the burner spigot should be ceramic. I’ve got one if you want to buy it.

4. You should replace your washers etc with correct washers etc. You are working with fuel under pressure, although kerosene is less spectacular at failure than gasoline.

5. Washers and seals from the Fettlebox (site sponsor) or TW Sands, Melbourne.

5. You can decide to paint the tank gold or leave it brass. Up to you.

Have fun.


Cheers

Tony

 

Thanks for quick reply Tony.

(1) OK, I'll have a go at unscrewing the knob tomorrow.
(2) OK
(3) Since I'll be purchasing new washer/gaskets etc., I'll check out the price on ceramic tubes. Do you know what the purpose of the ceramic tube is?
(4) Noted.
(5)
(6) I have a feeling I will be painting this heater. I intend to use it regularly. I often head out into the state forests in Victoria and NSW off the grid. I take my stoves (Coleman, Primus, Bat, Valor etc) and various lamps(Coleman, Tilley) and I decided I needed a heater as well. A painted finish will be easier to keep clean than polishing brass.

 

Welcome aboard!

 

@David Jenkins

Two 5s

The ceramic insulates the brass spigot, as far as I know...

I should see what the patent says.

Cheers

Tony

 

The ceramic tube is very important, insulating the top of the vapouriser as it does. This can suffer a degree of heat damage with the ceramic never mind without.

If you leave the tank polished, you'll end up having to re-polish it at intervals. Apart from that being a chore, you're losing a small amount of brass each time. This is why Tilley painted the tanks. But if the polished look is what you're after then clear lacquer the tank after the first polish...

 

You have a some help there already, One item I noticed that appears to be missing is the spring for the NRV (non return valve) in the base of the pump.

 

Yes, definitely missing one of the springs.

 

ooh @Graham P - good spot.
The spring in the control cock is the same as the missing one, the one in the cock can be done without but the one in the pump is totally neccesary

 

Yes, in my first trial burn this afternoon, I guessed the NRV in the pump was the critical one. Without the spring in the cock, I was able to close off the fuel and stop the burn but obviously I'll want to find another spring before firing this heater up in anger.

 

You can switch it off safely just by releasing the pressure. I would leave the seal out of the cock if there is no spring as the pressure could "shuttle" it to restrict flow. In fact this is how bialaddin lamps/heaters work (they have no valve - just a mechanism to move the needle up and down). Nice to replace it tho to keep it original in function. The ceramic tube is however important to stop damage.

 

Welcome @David Jenkins

Reproduction mantles are available here: Tilley lamp spares

If you wish to make your own, use Search for "mantle for Tilley heater" to see how others have achieved results.

Tilley R1/R1A - Draught shield dimensions

 

@David Jenkins

Hi and welcome to the forum, good luck with your R1!

 

The valve at the bottom of the control cock is redundant on a Tilley. The fuel supply can be cut off by turning the cock which advances the shaped pricker point and shoulder into the same shaped neck of the vapouriser thus forming a seal. Additionally, release the tank pressure by slightly unscrewing the pump. In 20 years, I've never found cause to have to service the footvalve on a Tilley. However, if you wanted to replace the missing spring (Part No. 610), I imagine there'll be one in one of the SP series of service kits.

Have a look here:-

guardsman.jpg (1772×1254) (base-camp.co.uk)

It's actually for a storm lantern but the parts will be the same as the heater you have - note the two springs are 610. Hope that helps...

Edit. I've checked my SP service packs and I see from the illustration on the back that the SP1 pack for the cock and pump contains two 610 springs. The SP4 pack for R1A radiators contains the perforated burner plate, spigot and ceramic. Yours is an R1 heater, however, and I'm not absolutely sure the parts are interchangeable. For reference the ceramic in the SP4 pack is 37 - 38mm long...

 

From the Tilley International website:-

Service pack 1 (tilleylamp.co.uk)

To be honest, I haven't a great deal of faith in the current Tilley set-up and given you're in Oz, you may have better luck at T.W. Sands...

 

@David Jenkins
Welcome from Toowoomba Queensland.
Looks like you’re in good hands. I look forward to reading your future posts.
Cheers
Pete

 

Hello @David Jenkins and welcome !

If you are thinking of taking the R1 camping then a draught shield for pre-heating may be a good idea as Henry mentioned..

You can make your own or look for a 2nd hand one or they are available online in brass, I believe?

Good luck with the fettle

 

Welcome mate a great Tilley R1 heater you have there, enjoy I believe it's early 1950's, the draught shield is very important in the pre burn, wait until all the methylated spirits is just about out before you light, sometimes you may have to pre burn twice, but when you get the hang of it, once is enough enjoy your fun.
They give off great amount of heat.
Also if the bottom of the tank is gold, that's what the fount should be, and if I'm wrong about anything someone will correct me.

 

So I've cleaned more grime of the reflector and discovered that it has been painted some time in the past. It has a darkish red colour perhaps for display purposes. I'll have to use some abrasive to remove the paint and get back to a shiny finish of bright copper. And perhaps a VHT Clear coat over the copper?

I note that so far all threads have been relatively easy to undo, perhaps a sign that the heater was stripped down in the not too distant past.

Not much else to do except keep cleaning while I wait for bits and pieces to arrive. Oh and see if I can make up my own draught shield.

 

@David Jenkins

If it’s the surface closest to the burner/mantle, then polish only if you want to use it. It’s unlikely that clear coat will stand up to the heat of the radiator in action (at least the areas closest to the mantle).

The original polished copper surface was not coated; some were plated with speculum.

Cheers

Tony

 

I intend to use this heater as I do use all my lamps and stoves. I go camping a lot and, as you would know, we can't light fires for heat in summer.

I was wondering if VHT Flameproof Clear would stand up to the heat. I might have to pinch the wife's stainless steel bowl from the kitchen; it looks to be the perfect size.

 

@David Jenkins

You could give it a go as the surface is a bit away from the mantle, but don’t be disappointed if it gets areas of discolouration and lifting.

Cheers

Tony

 

Don't waste your time no paint will withstand that amount of heat.
The fount will though as long as you cook the paint first.

 

@David Jenkins

Messrs @Buggerlugs should know! They’ve painted more lamps than I’ve had breakfasts...

Cheers

Tony

 

I've no evidence either for or against that statement.

Although I've never clearcoated a polished copper reflector, I see no reason why it shouldn't stand the heat. If the reflector gets hot enough to destroy a coat of clear lacquer, then it would be far too hot to touch, yet when displaying at vintage rallies, I've often demonstrated the efficiency of an R1 by placing my hand on the back of the reflector with no discomfort whatsoever. Indeed, some of the braver members of the audience have copied my action, tentatively at first, they soon realise that it's quite safe to do so because ALL the heat is being REFLECTED FORWARD. Just make sure the reflector is polished to a mirror finish before applying a clearcoat.

I usually take the reflector off the heater when it needs buffing up and when the task is completed, I often hold the reflector to my face just to feel the warmth that is my escaping bodyheat being reflected back to me. Try it sometime.

 

I think you may have shot yourself a bit in the foot there, Henry. The clearcoat would be on the front of the reflector rather than the back. Tilley did paint the back of their reflectors and it survived all over.

One might even argue that clearcoat on the front of the reflector has to withstand the same heat twice - once going from the mantle to the surface of the copper and then going back from the copper into the surroundings. Mind you, a half-decent physicist might shoot down that theory in flames. I wouldn't know - I was a half-decent biologist/ecologist several decades ago, but never really a physicist...

 

No shooting involved, more an inability to express myself clearly.

Where did I allude to the lacquer being applied to the back ? Because it makes sense to protect a highly polished surface with a clearcoat, I assumed, rightly or wrongly, that @David Jenkins was referring to the front of the reflector.

Forget about "surroundings", at less than 1mm away, I'd have said the back of the reflector was in very close proximity.

The reflector is copper - an efficient conductor of heat and at less than 1mm thick, is relatively thin. It stands to reason that with a dull, non-reflective surface - be it convex, plain or concave - any heat generated at one side of said surface will conduct through the less than 1mm thick metal until both sides are at same temperature.
Yet when the side nearest to the heat source is highly polished i.e. a mirror finish, this is not so, the back does not even get warm let alone hot. To my mind, the only explanation for this phenomenon is that, well O.K., perhaps not all but certainly the vast majority of heat is being reflected forwards. If enough heat was being absorbed/retained to damage/destroy VHT Flameproof Clear, surely enough of that heat would conduct through less than 1mm of copper to raise noticeably, the temperature of the rear of the reflector. It doesn't.

I'll go along along with that.