Hi Another lantern that I got from auction... I have not done anything on it yet, flash photo makes it look worse than it actually is. I noticed that it's missing the preheat cup at least. Is there a way to get one for it? I guess that I could use one from some petromax clone, but I don't have one myself. I need to take it apart first to see if the jet and needle are ok, are there any tricks that I need to know before proceeding? Year code is AL, so that makes it 1947.
The preheat cup on Primus lamps is a problem. They are often missing and spares have dried up a long time ago. I still need to find a suitable replacement that works, but something from a Petromax clone might work. It's at least worth a try as they're a good working lamp. Otherwise it looks like it should clean up well. Fettling is fairly straight forward. Check the needle and jet, make sure everything is tight and change the filler washer if needed (quite likely). The pump valve might need looking at as well.
Took a while, but I got it running today using a Tilley preheat device. I'll have to figure out a way to install a preheat cup. It needed only a new pump leather and mantle to get going.
Yesterday it ran good for ~5 hours hanging from an apple tree in my garden with bright white light, but needed some pumping every now and then. Today the pump tube was full of paraffin, so the pump valve seems to leak slowly. Thats not so good news, because I could not get the nrv out when I was working with the lamp. Maybe I'll let it sit for a week or two with fuel in the tank, it may soak some in the threads and loosen up. I would hate to destroy the lantern because I can't get the nrv out :-( .
Hi Mikko You need one of these... If the NRV head is not too bad these will whip it out PT me That is unless you already have one Stu
