Afternoon all … now that the dust has settled from the housemove and the garage doesn’t look quite so terrible I managed to pick up a couple of newbies cheaply for restoring. First up was a rather sad Bialaddin 300X which was a whopping £3. The only trouble is the hood and enamelled lid are goosed - the hood is partially squashed and damaged and the lid is rusted through. Interestingly the burner and NRV are in incredible nick and underneath the substantial muck is a nice lamp. Quick query though - it’s got the earlier large filler / air valve and the Bialaddin legend is stamped on the rim of the hood not the cage. Is that later or earlier than my cage stamped example? Also if anyone has a spare stamped hood I’d be happy to take it off your hands Exhibit two is my first Coleman - it’s a 288 (I think) and is stamped either 3/88 or 3/86 underneath. Suffice to say I know nothing about these so it’ll be a learning curve! It also arrived in the post fully fuelled and with a dead buttefly inside one of the mantles! Fascinating… anyway, I’m sure I’ll be asking for advice when the time comes. best, Chris
Nice 300x and a bargain at that price. This is the first version of the Bialaddin 300x made from mid 1946 possibly into early '47, making it a few months older than your other 300x. It should have a plain brass preheater under the muck. Does it have a "pip" pressure indicator on the tank? This version usually does, but some(later?) ones don't. The burner is a later ('50s or '60s) replacement, the giveaways being the round (rather than hexagonal)air buttons and the different location of the knurled band on the dome. The rusted out cap is a bit of a pain as nobody makes a correct repro- they're usually dark grey to black and the profile is different to the later ones. As for the hood, squashed hoods on 300x's are common and not too hard to knock back into shape- I've done a few myself, so if you like PM me for my address, post it to me and I'll try to sort it out!
@steerpike451 Thanks for the info. OK, in answer to your questions... no pip on the tank, and the pre-heat is the same as my later one - coated with the asbestos wick (which also came still attached...). The vapouriser is a definite replacement as it's sealed with a homemade leather gasket that's proving to be the devil to shift, also I suspect the pricking needle is broken off. Turning the 'V' knob shows no telltale needle coming through the hole at the top. Could this be a Willis & Bates bitsa? They seem to have a habit of blending old and new stock and this is definitely a mix! As for the hood - sure - you're more than welcome to have a crack but the screw holes at the top are corroded and ragged. Anyway, PM coming over shortly soon... finally, can you give me a pointer on how to remove the 'V' bakelite knob? This one's a bit fragile - I can't remember if it's a screw fitting or push-on. Best, Chris
I suspect the preheater is a replacement circa 1950, along with the burner and vaporiser. Have a look for a patent number stamp on the barrel of the vaporiser- its position and style is an indicator of age. The pricker knob screws on, normal right hand thread. I usually use plenty of penetrating oil, hold the shaft in a small bench vice(using scrap aluminium for protection), and turn the knob with pump pliers (scrap leather wrapped around the knob for protection). Sometimes giving it a nudge the "wrong" way first can help crack it loose; they are frequently pretty obstinate. If you muller it getting it off, I've got a spare around here.
I've just noticed after having a close look at the bialaddin picture that the control cock has the fuel pick up tube missing from the bottom of it so you might have to fashion a new pick up and solder it in place or find a replacement. Regards ian
…which explains why I was looking at the end of the control cock thinking ‘that looks a bit rough’… thank you for pointing that out… best, Chris
And alas they keep coming… I went to a friends house at the weekend and we got chatting about Tilley’s at which point he said he had one ‘kicking around’ in the garden I could have as he ‘keeps forgetting to put it in the bin…’ - well how could I refuse and ended up with… a Bialaddin 300x but a later one this time with the small filler cap etc. It’s been outside a long time but isn’t in too bad condition bar the hood which I think is too far gone again… also the nuts that hold the burner in are seized (is there a special tool for these?) and the vaporiser is stuck in the preheat cup. Apart from that… anyway see the pics… So todays questions - Is there a special tool for the rounded burner nuts How do you clean up the chrome of the cage and preheat cup - it used to be oxalid acid but I think that’s long gone now ta and enjoy, Chris
Never look a gift horse lamp in the mouth ;-) the air buttons can be quite tight on these.. a good fitting screwdriver pushed through both holes may help? although the whole airtube may unscrew.. i usually put some blowlamp heat where the button threads onto the air tube to minimise that happening, regards pb
These ones are seized solid... I'm thinking heating? Ditto with the stuck vaporiser? Also, what car paint would match Bialaddin green please? Best as ever, Chris
Torch heat and quench will free the preheater, also works for burners that are seized with rust. I had one the other day that was rusted in at both ends so I had to get the buttons off and remove the hood to dismantle it. Bit hairy as it still had the glass in- original, unbroken, 1940's glass... IIRC Barkeeper's Friend still contains oxalic acid and works well on chrome plate (@podbros swears by it!)
Do i? swears at it u mean? !#@*~* Its very good with marks on glass.. er, as the name suggests, like.. o.. i remember now, yes I tried it on some old plated tilley speculum but more learned folks said to be careful of it or to use sparingly? Cheers mon @steerpike451 so if you have some you could try it on a small area or go with the tried and tested autosol with 0000 gauge wire wool, again carefully I find that ‘Peek’ is very good for fine polishing and has low ammonia
Well I’m happy with this… replacement hood and new glass, but all else is original. The chrome came up well for the most part too - not perfect but compared to what it was pretty good. Not fired it up yet but shortly… looks like Land Rover Coniston Green is a good match for whatever shade is on the hood… would anyone care to give a date on this 300x?
Looks like its come up reasonably well, nice and tidy for its age. Just one thing to do , get it shining bright to light up the night.
Quick lighting shot… no problems at all. Some pulsing but hopefully that’ll clear soon enough… original Bialaddin mantle
And alas... it was all going so well. Noticed the light was getting dimmer and on investigating saw some lovely flames outside the mantle and a cherry red burner. Back to decoking the vapouriser again... what is it with W&B Vapourisers? I swear they collect more detritus inside than any others... C
