My 'new' tilley

Hi I am a first time poster, I just got this lamp


What can you folks tell me about it?

I plan to restore it to use with my teardrop camper

 

Felixx

This is a Tilley X246 from the mid to late 1950s. Look at the bottom of the tank and see if there is a number stamped - it will provide the date of manufacture if it's there.

All parts are easily obtainable and it is a pretty straightforward fettle.

See here for a similar example:
http://0flo.com/index.php?threads/4793

Ask for help if you need it.

Remember to make sure you allow air flow into your caravan if you start using this inside it....

Cheers

Tony

 

Hi Tony,
Thanks for that..
I think it is missing a couple of bits like the bug sheild. It will be for use outside ony, but thanks for the concern.

It just says TILLEY - ENGLAND on the fount, no stamping on the bottom.

I will need to get a pre heater too.. It appears to need a service as no pressure builds when I pump it. But goodness knows how long it has sat. I will strip her down tomorrow and see what the state is inside. This will be a first for me!

 

These are quite delightful to restore. A nice seal kit from the fettlebox will have it up in no time once its cleaned up. I have 2 of them and they are great lanterns.

 

This link gives some advice on the basic cleaning up of a Tilley X246:

http://0flo.com/index.php?posts/40199

Looking at yours, you are best to replace all the seals and washers.

Cheers

Tony

 

... and if my memory serves me well, no date stamp, but with that bail/handle arrangement and the "Tilley-England" on the tank puts it closer to 1955 than 1960.

 

Just added one set of every seal for a tilley off fettlebox!
It should arrive about the sametime I finish my teardrop

 

Welcome aboard!

 

It may be a couple of weeks until I maker any progress.. I have to finish building my teardrop camper first (90 % there)

Thanks for reading

 

Just to repeat this again as I found properly realigning the stopcock the hardest part of fettling these lamps; and because I see so many assembled wrongly...

http://0flo.com/index.php?posts/41446

Other than that, as has been mentioned these are really easy lamps to work on and get going.

 

If the tank is not date stamped in the base then it dates from about 1954 to October 1956. After that they were date marked. This is the last good quality tank Tilley made and is quite distinctive with that groove around the base flange. ::Neil::

 

Thanks, Neil.

 

Thanks for the comments
I got an email from fettlebox, my order is on the way..
YAY !!
I also got a cooker today.. it gets delivered next week I will post pics then

 

oh my I just got another one of these today
The pump works and it has the bug guard but is missing the glass..

I might end up restoring 2!

 

oh gawd now I own this one too


Different model?

 

Yes, that's an X-246-B and the base plate will be date stamped.

 

OK Once I get it I will tell you the date..
is it a good lamp?
I am bidding on another of these at the moment this will bring me up to 4 Tilleys


I will post more when I get one going

 

The build quality of the X-246-B lanterns is not so good, but they can be made to function.

 

Oh dear I have another bid on an X246 and another x246b

This will bring me up to 5! Is this a problem?

Well at least there will be plenty of light in a power cut!

I would go coleman but I have this fasicnation with kerosene. I will post pictures of my stoves soon if people want to see them. I have 2 stoves and a 3rd one coming.

 

Don't leave them in the dark unattended I am unsure but they may breed.

 

that is what I shall tell my wife!


Why is the 246b an inferior lantern?

 

Because they are more modern.

 

True story, I keep mine in the light and they reproduced even faster. :\

 

Well, firstly, it's an X246B lantern. I don't know why Jeff always adds hyphens - Tilley didn't.

Secondly, merely being "modern" per se doesn't necessarily have anything to do with poor quality - I can think of many modern items which are streets ahead of earlier versions.

In the case of Tilley products, the company left family hands in 1956. Ever since then, the Tilley company has tried to maintain sales and/or their profits by reducing the quality - and hence the cost to them - of the parts used. No corner has been left uncut and that's why Tilley lanterns from the mid '50s onwards have become progressively poorer quality. Having said that, in my opinion, they're still better than most of those horrible, clanky Indian or Chinese Petromax clones...

 

Hello David, i add hyphens because in my opinion it looks neater and my 5 word reply in my previous post answered the question in the post before that, the subject was X-246-B lanterns not other modern things.

 

David Said: Secondly, merely being "modern" per se doesn't necessarily have anything to do with poor quality - I can think of many modern items which are streets ahead of earlier versions.

In regards to the second half of your statement David, I totally agree, there are many modern things that are streets ahead of earlier versions. I'd certainly back todays Panavia Tornado against yesteryears Supermarine Spitfire. If you'd prefer oranges to oranges, I'd again back todays modern Mercedes against the 1901 Mercedes 35 hp (thanks Mr Google)

To the first part I think Jeff was actually using oranges to oranges - Tilley Lamps. I don't think he intended everything in the modern world to the old world.

I have enough plastic and poorly chromed and painted things in my everyday life. I have made a promise to myself that I will not get any lamps post '60. Sure there was bakerlite in that period but I can live with that.

 

so I won this beauty.. been in storage for 40 years



And this one:


So I have 4 now.. that is 3 more than I intended to buy but heck my camp site will be bright as day

 

A good find!

 

Nice. I was watching this auction

 

I like the box and accessories that came with the lamp nearly as much as the lamp itself.

Very cool.