Starting out...

Firstly, hello... and bear with me! Quick back story - have been happy restoring pressure camping stoves for a long time but never made the journey into pressure lamps. I found a Tilley (unknown model... yet) in a reclamation yard last year, and it's remained in the shed ever since waiting for me to grow a pair and start the fettling. Then yesterday, at the family farm in a certain coastal town in East Yorkshire, I discovered the below lurking at the back of a barn, so I guess that makes it a genuine barn find! I couldn't leave it there, so it found itself in the boot and is now resident in Kirkbymoorside.

Having trawled through the galleries before I posted here, I think it's a Bialaddin 300x underneath all that muck, but would like confirmation before I start posting its restoration in the appropriate thread.

All help, pointers and general handy hints welcome, and also has someone published a step-by-step guide on how to strip down said model on this forum. I have watched a couple of YouTube videos, but something a bit more concrete would be useful.

Thanking you in advance,

Chris

 

Yes its definitely a bialaddin 300x from the second half of the 1940s, should restore well, I've done a few of these, if you have any questions dont hesitate to ask as there are plenty of members here who would be willing to help.
Regards Ian.

 

Welcome aboard!

 

Greetings mate.

 

Thank you for the welcome all. As a little bit of history, it turns out it was used mainly as a light during the lambing and calving seasons. It’s presumably had a very hard life…

I’ve begun the strip down procedure (and already found a nasty surprise) which I assume will need posting on another thread? I will say however that despite the horrid condition of the glass as removed, its pristine with no scratches on cleaning up.

For those interested it’s one of the type made by Phoenix with the Bialaddin script underneath.

It’ll be good to restore a little bit of my family history … but it’ll be one hell of a challenge on the way!

best,

Chris

 

Hi Chris, Welcome. We have seen worse spring back into life. After a good cleanup I guess the next step is a seal kit including a pump leather. The Bialaddin/Vapalux seal kit is pretty universal with the exception that you need the one with the larger fuel cap seal. Fettlebox (advert on this site) do a nice one.
Vapourisers are harder to find than Tilley ones so worth the effort to rejuvinate ! (again lots of advice on this site)
The top cap is enameled so don't soak that in acid or paint it. You can make a decision about re-painting the rest later I guess.
lots to see here: 300X
Good luck !
Chris

 

So… one lunchtime later … she’s finally in component parts bar the top which has been a little tricky and has yet to be separated. At some long distant time in the past it’s been stripped down given the heavy wear on the screws on the cap, but otherwise - once you got rid of the muck - not in terrible condition. I'm assuming you can get replacement cap screws?

You’ll also notice the most glaring problem - when trying to remove the handle I noticed that one side had been secured with a piece of rusty wire… you can see why. The thread one one side had snapped off and is still embedded. Thoughts on how to get around that?

Finally, I mentioned my other lamp in the shed - some digging later and here she is. I’m assuming it’s a Tilley X246 although I can’t find any date stamps etc on the base…. Over to you guys

Chris

 

Yes - it is an X246b - still in production (after a fashion).

The Bialaddin cap screws I think are a 2 BA domed brass screw. The nuts on the other side are oversized so try and keep them.
As for the snapped off bit of threaded rod - I think this is 1BA - once sure you could see if you can replace it ?
Apart from that you need to get busy cleaning it all - start with soap+water and an old toothbrush or similar

 

You may find some useful parts here Vapalux,& Bialaddin Lantern Spares

 

Thank you guys … much appreciated. Apart from the thread issue as mentioned the rest of the lamp looks pretty good underneath all the muck! I do think the cap may have to be replaced though as it’s pretty severely corroded, what the pics don’t show is that it’s got fairly ragged edges as well as all the surface pitting.

 

Quick update … cleaning and stripping of the 300x is well underway. The only very minor issue is the reluctance of the paint to come off… getting there though… as thought it’s actually in good nick and I’ve redrilled and tapped the handle screw.

Next… a new lid as the old one is definitely too far gone and a seals kit and hopefully we’re in business.

Finally, would it be suitable to prime and spray with modelling enamel for the base? There’s a few very good matches for the base colour available and once sprayed and clear coated it should prove fairly hard wearing.

Finally, and slightly amusingly, I was out on a quest to the local junk shop in kirkbymoorside yesterday for a Tilley glass. No joy, but bumped into a fellow allotment holder yesterday who said… “I may be able to help. Five minutes later agreed for the price of two pints I have this… still no glass for the other one but I’d better get buying a seals kit! Any idea of the date? This one’s stamped ‘Tilley’ on the side unlike the other one.

best, Chris

 

Thinking about the 300X and snapped thread that secures the handle, there are two options I can see. 1st, you might find a donor frame that you can cannabalise for parts. 2nd you could drill and tap what's left of the 'block' and add a new threaded section. If you post a photo of what's left of the frame end, I might be able to repair it for you just for the price of postage. Alternatively I might have an old frame I could scavenge parts from... I'll have to have a look.

Replacement enamelled top hat's are available on eBay if you dig around a bit.

 

That latest find is Tilley model X246 from about 1954 to 1957 and the last of the "Better" quality lanterns. This will want the older seal kit as the valve and pump non return pips are different to the X246B. You might find these instructions useful. ::Neil::

 

Thanks for the replies both…

The latest Tilley does feel a lot sturdier and well built than the first one in the shed. Thanks for the dating… apparently it’s been in a workshop for 30+ years without doing anything.

Colin, here’s the thread end on the frame. The handle end has already been tapped and drilled. What do you think?

best

Chris

 

The allotment societies are a great source for exchange and bartering!

 

Yup, I guessed that's what had happened. Well, I could either silver solder a new 2BA threaded stud onto the existing stump, or pull off the block + thread and send you that but you'd need to somehow reattach it to the frame which would be problem. I'll send you a photo of my frame...

 

So this is what I have. TBH you're welcome to the whole frame as is if it's any good to you. It's not in pristine condition but it'll clean up OK.

It looks like your frame is mainly brass whereas the spare I have is steel so it'll need a bit of TLC to get it looking nice.

 

Maybe the easiest thing is for you to send me your frame with the broken thread and I'll repair that in situ.

 

Hello again all. Firstly my apologies for a gap - life does have a habit of getting in the way as does being sent to Scotland with work.

@ColinG that was a very kind offer but I’ve soldered new brass thread on and tapped out the handle. Mildly nerve wracking but worked a treat! Really appreciated though.

OK … daft question time but bear with me and laugh in the appropriate places. I was looking at the vapouriser just now and note the pricker is firmly inserted. Should this ease out as in the Tilley design for cleaning or do you need to remove the knurled brass nut at the end first? Also the pricker doesn’t seem to be emerging from the top? Is this correct or is there some serious unblocking ahead? Thanks and apologies in advance… pics of said vapouriser attached. Best, Chris

 

Hi - exactly the same as the Tilly one, but the spring might stay stuck inside. Don't lose it !

 

Ah alas it’s very frozen in … a gentle pull with some pliers wouldn’t shift it. Could it be it’s corroded to the top in some way and I’m guessing a soak in paraffin would free it? Thanks for the speedy reply

 

Yes I would go for either penetrating oil or paraffin etc. Some general knocking it about also can help free it up. It is probably solifidied fuel/general gunk holding it in. You can also try heating it up and quenching it.

 

Here's the patent drawing of the vapouriser



and a close up of the needle from an unused vapouriser - approx. 0.75mm long.

 

Thanks guys. It’s been soaking now for a day so I’ll give it a nudge shortly! Fingers crossed

 

Nudge given and…. This occurred. As you can see said pricker is in two bits with the other end loose in the vapouriser. I have to stress that it was only gently teased and not yanked etc… Any thoughts on how to remedy this? I’ve tried freeing off the knurled brass but at the bottom but it’s solid. Will I need another vapouriser? Ho hum…

 

Tricky - it may have been like it before you got to it. Some "enthusiastic" knocking and shaking may coax the other bit out. You can find prickers by themselves. Do keep the spring ! I sent one to another member here last month to get him going..
Do remember that the size of the jet hole is very important so trying to push it out from the top would be ill-advised.
Also the top spring is captive - so it might be that you can hear/see rattling about and not the other part.

Let us know how you get on

 

I've enthusiastically knocked and shaken it about to the point that I'm either likely to develop vibration white finger or become a successful one-piece Mexican band. Lots of rust, crud and carbon emerged but no spring. Infuriatingly the rest of the vaporiser looks pretty nice from the outside with no bulging etc. The brownish patches on the table are in fact part of what emerged from the inside during cleaning and fettling.

I'm absolutely not going to mess with the top hole but I have to say I am at a genuine loss here. Bear in mind it had a very hard life and was stored outside in an open brick barn for probably over 50 years before I got to it so that might have had a bearing on things. The whole thing was very oxidised meaning it'll never be a showpiece lamp despite hours of cleaning, but I at least want to get it going as it's a part of my family's history.

Are second-hand vapourisers available?

 

Sorry slight miscomunication - keep the pricker spring (as shown in the picture), the other one (look at drawing) is captive and should never come out. But you might hear it rattling.
Look carfeully to see if the other part of the pricker was never there... or maybe it did come out and has escaped in the room ?

We don't worry too much about appearance as the signs of wear and tear of lantern forms part of its interesting history !

so options for vapouriser: - part no V42

1) See if you can get just a pricker rod and see if it will go in.
2) Buy a second hand one and "take a chance"
3) Buy a "New old stock" one (ebay and similar) but beware of old ones in packing as sellers sometimes do not know what they are selling
4) Buy a new made one of the Korean/taiwanese design (ebay) people here have had mixed results and experiences

Vapalux,& Bialaddin Lantern Spares

Tilley ones are NOT interchangeable

You can test the lantern without a pricker by the way - it only serves to unblock the jet without switching off !

 

Thank you… watch this space! I’m about to prime and spray the main tank next, then I’ll focus again on the business end.

On a different tack, as a way of relieving some minor frustration I had a look at the x246b at the start of this thread and replaced the seals - more out of interest than anything else. The burners seem in very nice condition, as did the vapouriser. Well, one thing led to another and I can happily say that with a lovely ‘pop’ it worked beautifully. I’ll have to strip it down again cosmetically as much needs to be done … but it’s nice to get one running even if just temporarily