I'm really looking forward to see what Miles puts together. I really fancy the lamp, and I wish they had done better here in North America compared to Aladdin.
Miles just sent me this photo of what he's concocted. Here's his process in his own words: "The finished production looks like the original but is not as fluffy on the bottom. I used cotton 18 cotton strands from a 22 wick stove set, and that stove can produce over 14,000 BTU/hr of heat, far in excess of any lamp, so the capillary action should be up to the demands of the lamp and yet fit into the cone. I used linen thread for tying, and that is a natural fiber. Without a steam compression system and glue that is as close as I can get to the original."
The new wick from Miles AND the copper screen arrived in the post today. I wasted precious little time putting it all together and letting the wick have a soak in fuel (alcohol). I've substituted a piece of fiberglass stove gasket rope as a pre-heater wick with success. The burner is quite vigorous now, and I'm a tad concerned at how hot the tank gets. Comments on that? Enjoy the photos:
I wouldn't worry too much about the tank. they do run pretty hot after a while. The whole system works on conducting heat downwards, so it's inevitable that the tank also gets it share. It seems like you got it going quite well now. The open flame looks a little small and too yellow though. Is the jet clean and nice? Sometimes a pricking do wonders on these.
The jet "appeared clean" since I could see through it, but I'll use a pricker to look for any stragglers. The flame might have been yellow if the alcohol pre-heat was still burning. It tends to steal air from the mixing tube. I really like this lamp! Al
Yes, they are nice. I just had an alcohol version running in order to check the tank temperature, and actually it didn't get too hot. It was very hot initially, but after a while it went down in temperature. Guess most of the heat derived from the preheating.
Hello Christer, I suspect that most of the heat that concerned me was from the preheat cycle. Mine also cooled down to simply being warm after a little while. I have two more mantles to work with, and inquiries out for a chimney. Al
I ordered some 50mm glass, but it was too large. I used an old-school caliper and the actual fitting is 1-7/8 inches, or 48mm O.D. Soooooooo, I have a 1 7/8 inch piece of glass on the way. My only splurge for July since I want to go to Canada later on to visit and drink cider
Lamp is nice. Al, you should consider to make from the rope a pre heating fork. Which fits through the big opening. This way it is more original and I guess you would get less heat transferred to the tank.
Your lamp looks like its burning fine Al. I just got a strange Tito 2 days ago and I am also searching for mantle. Everywhere they recommend the Aladdin Upright Gaslight mantle - not the one for kerosene. I have been busy for a while and couldnt chase noble lamps when I knocked over this Titus, what I dont regret ever looking at your actionpictures. Claus
Progress! I found an appropriate glass chimney for the Titus. (1-7/8" or 48mm OD) I'm visiting a machinist friend during the week, and I'm hoping he can turn down some brass stock for me so that I can make a mantle fork for it. I have two gaslight mantles (not Aladdin) that promise to do well. I'll post the final results in under "Action photos"
I have a lamp like yours and my solution was to get a 6 inch nail. Furiously hammered the head end flat and then ground a V in it with a file and cut to length. Works like a charm and free. See pictures. As for the mantle. A gent named Thorsten Sherning was kind enough to show how he made mantle. I have the pictures if you want will send them to you. Apologies for the blurry photo but you should be able to get the idea. Regards peter
Hello Peter, Smashing a nail sounds practical and therapeutic, so I think I'll try that before bothering my machinist friend. Yes, please do share pictures of how you made your mantles. I love to have options! Cheers, Al
Hello Al, it's getting there and that tank is designed to fit into a hanger or a wall bracket or a vase, Jeff.
I believe there should be a metal-net around the top of the innerwick Al. I dont know if it is for protection only but it also might have something to do with the vapourizing of the fuel, leading heat and creating a thin room for combustion. http://0flo.com/index.php?posts/41358 to be seen here: http://lumiara.perso.neuf.fr/lumiara/en/titusen.htm Maybe this will give a Little higher flame? I find your wicktests very interesting and I will be a future costumer to my lamp if "Micks Wick" can produce something useable Claus C
Claus, that's true. And actually also what Al says himself in the very post you link to. (screen is sort of a net or a mesh. As in the funny "screen doors" you can see in movies from USA.)
I put a pure copper net over the wick as described on the lamp web site. The original net was missing. I chose copper because it's a good thermal conductor. I suspect it's function is to provide heat transfer to the wick, and passageways for the vapour to escape to the burner.
I have this stablelamp as Christers nice lamp here: Tito Landi Is this lampe not supposed to have a inner-chimney? Claus C
