I originally joined this forum to find out about getting tilley Lamps up and running for our Scouts, bought a Bialaddin 310 (working but has a tiny hairline split in the base -posted elsewhere on the forum), a Bialaddin 300x to fettle and couldn't resist the following: Willis & Bates M320 1974 Got this one off Ebay and it came with 23 mantles, a little meths tank, spare vapouriser, five washer kits, roll of wick and a pricker. I believe it has British Army Markings as does the meths tank and the mantles. Don't think it has been used. Got this lot for £20 Vapalux Anchor CP350 Got these both today for a Fiver from a boot sale! Got a rough idea how to start work on the Vapalux but haven't a clue about the Anchor. I think I got a bargain on this lot, but must get on with fettling them, service our troop's growing fleet of Tilleys and come to terms with the fact I've been "converted !"
For the Anchor you can refer to this Petromax 829 restoration guide on Doron Papo's site, as it is basically the same lantern: http://light.papo-art.com/tech-n-info/Petromax_technical/restore_pmax_dissassemble.html
That Anchor will probably make some serious light. Not the best quality perhaps but if the tank is sound and not rusty inside or out then the working parts are brass and they generally fettle OK and run well. They have a steel tank which needs to be stored dry and emptied of fuel if you are going to store for any length of time. Common enough lamps but as bright as any Petromax. ::Neil::
I gave the Anchor a little clean and it has come up really nice with a small amout of pitting. It's been stored in our bedroom wardrobe much to the annoyance of SWMBO until I'm ready to start work on it. The tanks of both lamps were full of turps (unless old paraffin smells the same). The vapouriser on the vapalux still works when tried on another tank although the control knob is seized solid, so it is having a soak in degreaser. So I will work on the vapalux first and then work on the anchor using the restoration guide that James very kindly posted the link to in an earlier post.
Old kero smells foul and that is probably what is in your lamps. Wants disposing of and the tanks cleaning out before you fire them up. Siezed control you unscrew the gland nut and apply an acetone/cooking oil mix and then gently work by rocking the spindle until it starts to move. I a far to impatient to let things soak for much more than 5 minutes. Being an impatient chap first job is a quick clean and then fettle and run. I can normally make most run within a couple of hours from acquisition. Easy job on Anchor and Vapalux and I would probably have had both running in under an hour. Mind you it helps that I have done so many of each type that it is a routine fettle. A better clean may or not follow depending on how interesting the lamp is. ::Neil::
Thanks for the info. The control cock is now working. As I am new to fettling the Vapalux will have a complete strip down,rebuild and paint - gives me chance to explore and develop a routine. Just wondering what the best method is of cleaning out the tank -if I flush it with water it may be difficult to get it bone dry and could invite rust? Or is it best to "swill" some paraffin around afterwards?
The Bialaddin is all brass so no rust problems when cleraning that tank out. You don't have to make it squeaky clean. Just shove some detergent in there with maybe some bits of metal to remove lose bits. Flush and drain. Maybe shove it in the oven at around 160C for an hour but really the small amount of water left will just blow out through the burner when you fire it up. The anchor is another matter because the steel tank has to be dry inside so you can clean the same way but it must be dried. I clean tanks out using Marine Clean which is fantastic stuff but a tad expensive. ::Neil::
