Hello there First time post... what seemed like an off the cuff thought to buy a second hand paraffin lamp yesterday has unearthed this website and an amazing depth of passion for the humble lamp, I am impressed! I'm looking to buy a lamp for night fishing on the beach/rocks, didn't think much of it until I started searching yesterday and everyone and his Mother seems to have an opinion about what is brighter, more sturdy, better build quality and so on I was looking at this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261637713035 but my search into Tilley's says that their quality fell apart in the 70's and are not reliable I've basically hit a wall and wondered if there was anyone out there who knows more than me - highly likely - about what lamp to aim at. I'm not flush and know Tilley's just from their gas stoves so this seemed alright to me It seems a roughed up Tilley goes for £15 and then I'd need to spend £££££ on servicing it, cleaning it and so on I'm well aware that you get what you pay for but also don't want to buy a pup or a lamp that someone in the know might make a sucking through their teeth noise at Apologies for the long first post Mike
I have a number of lamps, 3 x 500HK Petromax, 1x150 HK Geniol 1x 1500 Petromax and a couple of Primus 1020's. The Petromax 500 is a fine lamp. Accessories can be bought for it to have it as a cooker and/or heater. These can be quite expensive, take a look on eBay.de. There is any amount of second hand ex German army lamps. Spares are easily sourced. A Geniol 150 may be too small for your needs and the Petromax 1500 can get expensive, it is factory made as a cooker heater and lamp. I recently came across a number of Primus 1020's. They are an extremely sturdy and well built lamp and in my opinion they exceed the Petromax in usability and robustness. I know nothing about British made lamps but I am sure someone will be along shortly. Greetings from Ireland.
Welcome aboard Mike! Perhaps a member of this forum will have a spare lantern which is fully fettled and ready to be used, an early 1950's Tilley X-246 Guardsman lantern is a good all rounder and one of mine is shown below, it's a bit taller than the standard model because i added cage extensions so that a 169 vapouriser could be used, Jeff.
That's certainly a handsome lamp I had thought about the Guardsman as it looked solid - and I could warm a pie on its top I also had a hope that someone as you say had a spare or surplus lamp that could be sold to me so I can get started
Just had a thought I could post a wanted Ad in the trading post section but iI don't have access, maybe a kind lamper /lampee/lampet could help out? I'd be very happy with a bashed up Guardsman as long as the important bits are in order
I have a lamp like Mr. Johnson's there albeit a bit tatty looking but with new seals and pump bits and its one of my best british lamps so far. I think its worth getting something cheap and fixing it up if you have time to spare on it. For $38 I got the lamp in an auction and with a fettlebox service kit for it and some cleaning, it was hissing away happily as can be. On my side of the pond these are hard to get but for you I bet there are plenty of boot sales with one inside. Of course noone would sniff at a Vapalux either.
Hi Mike Welcome to the forum. As you said you want to use your lamp for fishing I would be tempted to get a half decent Tilley lamp. Although the X246B models are not of the quality of the Guardsman posted by Jeff they are cheap to buy at car boot sales, spares readily available and they are easy to work on. In my opinion they make a good "user" lamp which will give years of good service providing you follow the user instructions. Also should the salt air corrode the lamp you can easily get a second hand lamp cheaply to strip down for spare parts. This is the lamp I started with when camping. I purchased it new in 1991 and it is still my main camping work horse. I now have a modest collection of lamps but generally use the modern ones where they are more likely to be bumped and damaged. Just be aware that once you have one lamp the bug will bite and more will soon follow. Happy lamping and fishing and let us know how you get on. Regards, Jeremy
Morning all I've found a lamp with "British Bullfinch 1618" on the glass it looks very much like a Guardsman... Brass base, 4 straight upright pillars and a brown top Is it a bird, is it a plane, is it a Tilley Guardsman or a Bullfinch something?? Hard to tell from one photo but with my limited knowledge Imight as well be looking in a field as one humourous Irishman once said to me And you're right about the obsession there are so many lovely lamps out there If anyone could shed some light, pun intended, on this lamp and suitable service kits that would be great Assume I'd have to spend about £30.00 in valves/grommets/washers/whojemerferkins and whatsits to get it running? Cheers Mike
Its evening here so irrespective of time zones the lamp you have sounds to be the third variant of the X246 Pork Pie 1949/50 era. Bullfinch were gas lamps which used a glass the same as and often found in Tilleys Here is a link showing first and second variants (http://0flo.com/index.php?threads/6491
Quite likely it's the standard Guardsman as found in the UK. Gold painted tank and brown top. The tank might have been stripped and polished at some point in the past. As Graham mentions, the Bullfinch glass is the same size as Tilley. A service kit is available from the Fettle Box. The big unknown is whether the vapouriser and cleaning needle are alright. If not that is probably the most expensive part to replace.
There is no fool like an old fool I've just paid for this http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=141449546618&alt=web So all of you who have helped me this far many thanks I may well be needing a little more info in the next week or so Now where did I put my brasso....?
And with an unburned mantle too. That's near enough a couple of quid bonus. Here's hoping the seller wraps the glass separately before putting it in with the lantern. Henry.
Try using a different polish as the ammonia in Brasso attacks the brass and could cause future problems. I think the one I use is Autosol.
That dates from 1954 to 1957 and is the last of the good quality X246 Lanterns. Probably will only want a clean and a new set of seals. Nice find. ::Neil::
Evening all Too many of you on the list to mention individually but thank you for your replies and steer so far..my lamp arrived today and I genuinely love it just what I was after and I thanked the ebayer who wrapped the item and described it very well I almost don't want to clean it but keep the cobwebs... while I make such a major life choice can I seek further advice and ask what 'kit' I need and where from? There doesn't seem to be any air coming out from the pump 'thing' and the leather seems a bit iffy. In time I'll pick up the correct terms, please bear with me That pyrex seems wafer thin... are these lamps user friendly? I wonder can it be moved about much when hot? Can it go out in the rain? Neil you are spot on, it's got 12560 stamped on the base Vapouriser...this is the metal pipe in the middle? What exactly am I looking for? I'm going back to the forums to see if i can pick up this info, I'm sure I'm not the first to ask..however if some kind soul feels like heading me in the right direction - all tips appreciated! Mike
Most of your needs will be supplied from the Fettle Box as advertised on this page: http://www.fettlebox.co.uk/index.php - and Base Camp. Take care of the glass, they are £20+ new. The tube up the middle is indeed the vapourisor (sometimes called generator). They are apt to clog with carbon, and many and varied are the ruses to clean them. However, successful as some methods are, none can replace a worn or otherwise damaged jet or needle tip. They are also available new. Soak the leather washer in oil - any kind though some folk have their preferences, and check the non return valve in the base of the pump is working correctly - i.e. it doesn't leak back pressure. It's a good lamp, and will give good service. Outdoors no problem - they were used by British Railways when clearing snowdrifts as well as many other applications: Bleath Gill.
Now that I have one of those guardsmans I really like it, seems like a nice solid build. Now for a pork pie.
Well...I just procured another guardsman so now I must recharge the paypal batteries before venturing forth.
