Austramax question

ROBBO55 Righto. I'll try that method. Thanks.

 

Thanks, Martin.

Thanks, Darryl.

With a small drill bit I drilled down carefully between the eccentric shaft and the internal wall of the housing.
Just a little, in a few places, enough to break up the fibre washers. After that, the shaft came out easily. I was able to save the brass bush and the small brass washer, fitted new fibre washers and now O.K.

BUT

try as I might, I can't get this lantern to run right. It has a new generator tube, new needle, new mesh, new jet.
Everything is clear; the burner is good, the pump is good, to the best of my belief. Looks like insufficient pressure ?

With the old jet, it burns vigorously - orange flames outside the mantle.
With the new jet, it burns very poorly., but a nice white mantle, not quite fully white all over. Maybe it needs a few years to run in the jet orifice to the correct size ?

Here's a pic or two with this problematic lantern in between a couple of Coleman 249's, the right (green) one from 1947 and the other from 1954. Helluva difference. The Monarch 26 was just out for support & exercise - it too has an oversize worn jet such that the entire front end will eventually glow red. Curiously, all three lanterns have the same bails, just the bail on the Austramax being a little more narrow towards the top.

 

I have an Austramax that behaves in the same manner, but I havn't looked into yet.

That is how the Austramax handles went a few years after the introduction of the 3/300. At least until they introduced the angular version.

 

Thanks, Nils. I'll be pleased to hear what you find.

 

Don't hold your breath.

 

@Paul Aslanides , looking good, some other things that may be causing you grief
Did you remove the whole fuel pickup/valve did you clean it very good, as in spotless as it could be slightly blocked.
The eccentric block area and pricker holder restricted area possible slight blockage,
Your generator should have brass mesh, your picker needle may not be retracting all the way causing slight blockage
These may be why you have slight issues

 

Darryl Durdin Yes, thanks Darryl. Cleaned out the mixer passages upstairs in the casting. Gave a few flushouts with ball bearings, nut & screws to remove a little more carbon. Took out the eccentric block, carefully cleaned out the passageway, the eccentric block, the pickup tube, all good. Reassembled, still burns weakly, blackens the mantle. Just caught a vague glimpse, a slight wisp of vapor. Only occurs when hot. Dunk test shows nothing. Stripped again, found nothing, no cracks. Suspected flare fitting on genny tube. Tightened much harder. Reassembled, O.K. now. Runs smoothly and reliably so far today. Gives a white light, no more yellow or orange; and the black has cleared from the mantle. Not as bright as some others, as the mantle is a trifle small, but now that it's settled down, I'll leave it alone. I was thinking that if I can't fettle an Austramax then I should just give up.

 

Regarding straight glass on Austramax
The Australian Army had these on inventory for a serious number of years it is a possibility that an order was placed for globes which was unable to be filled with bulged globes so straight ones were supplied in lieu ???
I did buy a few bulge globes from a Disposals Store in Wodonga Marked only (Schott Suprax Glass) early 70's