Austramax question

It seems from the various threads on the site that I’ve gone through that there is a conensus that the Austramax 2/300 didn’t come with a straight pyrex globe.

I’m currently cleaning up a 2/300 with a straight globe that looks ‘old’. Is there any chance it could be original?

Thanks for any advice.

 

The predecessor to the 2/300 came with a straight glass, but all indications are that the 2/300 only came with the bulge glass. Which version of the 2/300 is it and are there any markings on the glass? Pictures could help.

 

It looks like the second version with the filler cap from the first version.

 

@Nils Stephenson

i thought the glass looked old due to the relatively large lip where cut from a bigger cylinder, and what seem to be tiny variations in thickness the distort light more than a modern globe.

 

I agree.

The consensus may not like this, normally they don't, I have an illustration of this lamp with a straight sided glass.

 

@Matty

Thanks Matty, this idea only occurred to me because the glass seems so ‘right’. Admittedly my thought that the globe looks old is subjective.

 

I don't suspect that the straight sided globe was used for a long period. It may have been used because Austramax's supply of bulged glass was exhausted and they couldn't get more for awhile.

Why they used the straight sided one for a period is pure speculation by me and I have no intentions of suggesting it is remotely the cause. We will probably never know the correct reason.

 

I can't complain about any of the speculation above. It all sounds reasonable to me. Whether there were distinct variations of the 2/300 is also only an opinion. It was probably more a sliding transition. This one is probably from the transition between variation 1 and 2 where they were still using up the old filler cap.

Unless someone finds a parts list for these variations, it is only speculation as to what globes were fitted. The chances are that many of the lamps that have survived don't have the original glass. Just throwing out a thought here. Are there any other Australian lamps that use this size straight sided glass? It is the same size as all the Petromax 200cp type lamps, but I don't think they ever got to Australia. At least not in quantity.

 

As far as I know, no other lantern sold commercially in large numbers in Australia used the straight sided globe.

Occasionally they appear on Coleman 249s and similar as the Coleman small bulge globe and the Austramax globes are interchangeable.

Cheers

Tony

 

I have an Austramax 3/300 fitted with a mica globe. However, although there have been other Austramax’s found with mica globes, these maybe an aftermarket variant.


Cheers
Pete

 

Matty, I may have seen your advertisement too and the year before it has curved 550 type globe and two years after it has curved 550 globe. Well spotted. Would fit with your comment of possible shortage. I wish the current ones were sold with bulge globes.

 

@AussiePete

That’s a very nice lantern you have there.

 

@Sedgman

I buy the Chinese Coleman globes and take the printing off with acid.

Cheers

Tony

 

Thanks @Tony Press, what a good idea.
I have a few spares still. When I got a new Austramax recently I couldn’t change the globe fast enough and the red eyesore air relief screw. The bail was the next thing changed too. Now it looks like a ‘perfect’ Austramax.

 

@kero-scene
Thanks mate, she runs well too, and languishes on the shelf with 5 mates.
Cheers
Pete

 

It was pretty rough when I got it and what you see is after cleaning for a hour or so. Now that it is going I’m planning to finish the cleaning.



One issue with this lantern I’ve not seen before is that when left for a while the nrv seems to block or perhaps freeze closed, and lots of pressure builds in the pump tube prior to it opening. Other times it works normally. I’ve taken it apart cleaned, reassembled, etc but can’t spot the issue. Perhaps a new nrv is the best solution.

 

Have you replaced the cork in the NRV with a viton pip? Sometimes the groove in the cork becomes very deep and almost glues itself to the brass mating part.

 

Yes, it’s got a new viton pip and looks very clean and in good condition.

 

@kero-scene

Try half filling the pump tube with kerosene and forcing it into the tank to see if that solves you problem.

Cheers

Tony

 

Iain,

Yes, I do think it was likely for only one season.

Over the years I have seen many issues and arbitration in regards to Australian glass manufacturers. The largest glass maker in Australia, I'm typing from memory so I can't recall the companies name, they continued to lobby the Government to place tariffs or further tariffs on imported glass globes/shades. I recall one article where they said that they would reduce their globe output or shut it all together unless action was taken to help protect them. I am pretty sure they set a date for both reducing output and shutting down. I know the Government lobbied long and hard to keep the company producing globes.

If I ever get a chance, I'll go back and find the articles and see if the year the straight sided globe in the Austramax advertisement was the same year the glass company reduced output.

 

@kero-scene , I cam across a D^D 2/300 , this had a mica globe (defence force) I assume it was more durable than glass globe, I do have a 2/300 with a red hood it had a plain straight globe, I also assumed it was some sort of replacement

 

Hi All. I have an Austramax which I can't get to run well - it burns very weakly. It has a new generator, packing, and needle. I suspect that the eccentric area needs a good cleanout, that the fuel flow is partially blocked. And to check that the pick up tube is clear. The problem is that the eccentric shaft won't come out of the housing. It rotates o.k. but won't come out. I can't fathom why the eccentric should expand to much that it can't be withdrawn from the housing. It needs to come out so that the eccentric block and the housing can be cleaned of carbon.
Also, the new needle will not clear the jet unless it is screwed into the ecc. block by just a few threads.
It's as if the needle is too short. I've half a mind just to put it into the Austramax factory for repair.
Any advice, tips, will be much appreciated.

 

@Paul Aslanides

I’ve found that the eccentric is extremely difficult to remove from some Austramax, so I don’t try to take them out any more.

Have you tried blasting compressed air through the fuel block back into the tank to clear the pickup?

Tony

 

Paul, the packing on the eccentric is usually a series of fibre washers with brass spacers on either side.
it takes a lot of digging and force to remove the eccentric.

 

Tony Press

Thanks. I can only try with a bike pump. ( just thought - I should try the air line at our local servo ).
Looks like I should leave it alone, lest something breaks.
A pity, as the ecc. block should be removed in order to clear the carbon build up in that housing, which I feel may have some restriction on fuel flow.
Paul.

Right. Thank you, Tony. I have thought to put a tube over the shaft and tighten a nut up against the tube, ( as in a gear puller ) but it would most likely strip the thread on the shaft before it would pull the shaft out.

 

@Paul Aslanides , the eccentric block is very difficult to remove, I removed one once just to see how it works, I used the vice grip on the shaft then wound the flange nut back out, it wasn’t pretty.
Try removing the whole eccentric block from the tank you will have better access to the fuel pickup. Easier to service soak and clean,
Is your generator an old one or the new one as there is a difference in length by a few mm.

 

Darryl Durdin Good idea, thanks. I'll take the block off the fount, soak & clean it from there.
I note that the Austramax parts list has only part number 20 for the washer/seal which goes between the fount and the eccentric block. But -
20 A is for the Aluminium washer,
20 L is for the Lead washer.
So there is actually is a choice.

It did not occur to me about the two different lengths of Generator ! Holy Mackerel ! Why did they do that ?
No wonder the pricker won't enter the jet.
I think you mentioned this discrepancy in your post about making a new pricker for the Austramax.

In fact I bought two new generators from two different suppliers here in Melbourne. Neither of them mentioned anything about lengths or changes to specifications of either the generator or the pricker rod.

I recall that the old, bellied genny was 104 m/m, whereas the new one was 103 m/m in length.

 

I did get some eccentric block packing from associated kerosene, they may still have them

 

ROBBO55 Thanks for the pic of the eccentric and parts. I wonder if that little bush has become stuck in the housing. A job for next week.

 

Paul, I think it's the washers that stick to the inside of the block. If I need to remove the eccentric, I use a sharpened stiff wire and remove the washers piece by little piece. Eventually it will give and come out. Note: I suspect the washers contain asbestos.