This is a well used 1941 Col-Max 333 that appears to have been left in a damp shed for a long time. I’ll post photos of the fettling as I work through it. It appears to have all original parts. Cheers Tony
I’m carefully working through this lantern. I’ve stripped it down; de-rusted the tank (fount) bottom plate in two steps: first sitting the tank in a citric acid solution for a couple of hours and drying it; second by putting an inch deep bath of Evaporust in the tank. And now working through the components. The tank after its bath of citric acid solution. Note the encrusted, baked on fuel. The steel parts are quite rusty: At some stage the lantern was subject to fire, or very rough treatment as seen by the scorched and slightly melted control wheel. Cleaned the vapouriser (generator) by first a short citric acid bath, then two hours in an ultrasonic cleaner. Checked the Preston loop was clear with a wire all the way around it. Cleaning the rust off the bail by electrolysis. Crud removed from tank before polishing. More work to do tomorrow… Cheers Tony
Here are some parts shown above after cleaning, de-rusting if required, painting, and polishing: The bail after electrolysis. Note the drops of what I assume is nickel from the factory (or could it be solder?): The centre bottom cage plate after electrolysis: … after painting with cast iron stove paint. The tank (fount) after polishing with Autosol and then Mothers Mag. The nickel is very warn on much of the tank. The top cap for the hood after carefully cleaning the rust and then very carefully painting the rust with pot belly stove black. Note: I never (anymore) soak enamelled parts in any solution of anything. Much more to come as I work through this project… Cheers Tony
@Tony Press Have you had any negative experiences with Evaporust as well, or just to be on the safe side? Piotrek
The reason I don’t bath enamelled items in anything is the risk that any liquid that seeps into cracks in the enamel, or any residues under the edge of any cracks, will expand on heating and further damage the enamel. Tony
After de-rusting in citric acid solution; cleaning with steel wool; finishing with a coat of “Ranex” de-ruster; and another cleaning with steel wool. Note the pitted steel (the result of rust). Tony
After painting with pot belly stove black. I’m ready to put this back together and get it going. Tony
The Coleman nozzle had a chunk missing from it, but I refitted as is, with a generous amount of nickel grease. I wonder is the nozzle “Carborundum”? It took a bit of fiddling to get the pricker needle set to the correct length (it had been set so that it didn’t emerge through the jet. But happy now, and it’s the original pricker. Slowly getting there (in between some contract work I’m doing). Cheers Tony
@Andrew T I think it’s ceramic as well, but I was pondering Coleman specifying “Carborundum Nozzle” in the parts listing here: https://classicpressurelamps.com/threads/col-max-advertising-instructions.24513/ Cheers Tony
The stove black I use is the best paint for this type of purpose. I bake it first at top temperature in my small workshop oven. Then it off-gasses a little bit more on first firing but does not burn. Therefore it’s good for users and prevents rusting. Tony
