OK, it looks like an AL620 but has the bracket for the curved shade that you would normally see on an AL15A... Possibly it was an AL15A and had the burner assembly etc replaced at some point? I haven't had a proper look yet under the dirt but I don't think there's enough of the label left to tell. Any other clues to look for? One thing for sure is that the projects are piling up for this winter!
It looks like someone has added the AL15A hood-mounting bracket to an AL620. Or maybe it's an AL15A without the hood and with the AL620 burner... So it's an AL317.5...
In the absence of further evidence, a label, I have taken the excetutive decision to rmove the "AL15A bracket" and make it a straight AL620... The frame will be stripped and repainted when I find a good match, but I'm still undecided about the tank. There's a fair bit of unprotected brass, so I probably will go for a full respray on this occasion. Any thoughts on the best way to bring the reflector up and protect it? I assume it gets very hot.
Great restoration project. I too am interested in your reflector question. I have an X460 on it's way and it's reflector needs some 'adjustment'
I've straightened it out since that picture and given the lamp a light clean ready for new seals and testing...
That's a fine fettling project and the reflector is made from aluminium and it should polish up okay.
Face down on a flat bench with a very firm rubber mat and gentle teasing with my thumb a bit at a time. The very middle I straightened face up with the rounded rubber handle of a huge srewdriver by gently pressing it into the bench in a "rolling" motion. Slow and gentle is the key I think...
You did a great job. Anthony, from this site, and I had discussed my reflector and the bottom of a glass bottle was suggested as a tool. I may go that way if I can't find a suitable screwdriver as you did.
I don't know if this product is available to you but I had great success cleaning/buffing a FL6 reflector with it. Gumption. $5 http://www.productreview.com.au/p/clorox-gumption-multi-purpose-cleanser.html I now use it from its paste state (as it comes) to watered down. Depending on what I wish to clean up, I use either an old toothbrush or plastic bristled brush, to a brass brush. Even balls of stainless steel dipped into a watery mixture of the gumption is great for cages or hard to move gunk. I highly recommend it. I set myself up in front of the TV with some dirty bits, put an old towel over me and have some rags close by and kill two birds with one stone. Cleaning and catching up with the latest sport or whatever
I think the ideal thing would be a wooden ball about the size of a cricket ball for straightening the centre, but the screwdriver handle was to hand... Actually typing this I realised one of those cork practice balls would probably be perfect.
Yeah, I see what you mean. I haven't a cork ball but I do have a six stitcher. It being leather and easy to hold in the hand may be my weapon of choice. Good thinking 99.
I would soak the reflector in vinegar for a few minutes to get rid of the muck and then wash and dry it and then buff it up with whatever metal polish is around.
Thanks, all I need now it to get the damn thing running right! So far I've: Swapped the vapouriser - no difference. Swapped the burner - no difference. Put the whole top section on a different lamp - no difference. Whatever I do, poor light and flames outside the mantle. I'm beginning to think it's the air buttons, but it is designed to have these on, so I'm now struggling a bit to be honest...
Could be the burner has just died of old age. They do that and the only cure is a new burner. ::Neil::
The burner may be burned out or parts of it may be slack, the air buttons are unlikely to cause any problems. When i restore a neglected lamp, i first of all tighten everything up and pressure test it and submerge it in water to check for leaks. Then i strip it completely and fill the tank with vinegar or cheap clear lemonade and let it sit for a few hours, if the tank is really dirty then i let it sit overnight, after that it's clean out the tank and check it. If there is still muck in it, then it's time for more vinegar and the ballbearing shake rattle and roll solution. The gooseneck on wall lamps etc., need a good blast out with pressure and sometimes as a last resort i have had to bend some tying wire and shove that through it. I would not use that pump or control cock, even though they are original to that lamp, because they do not have the build quality of the earlier ones. The link below shows my AL-620. AL620.
The burner is fine, I've replaced it with one from a lamp that was working. Like I say I've also had the complete top section fitted on another lamp, so that eliminates anything to do with the tank as it still didn't run properly... Tonight I will try sitting the complete burner, gallery and globe from a table lamp on it just to confirm beyond all doubt that there isn't a blockage anywhere as well. Jeff - I quite like that pump as it allows you to lock the plunger down. It's a pet hate of mine that on some lamps the plunger always pops back up half inch or so after you finish pumping.
Those cocks do perform adequately. As Jeff says, make sure feed tube is clear and cock clear. Try simmering the cock in boiling water to remove any crud if its suspect. After that its loss of pressure, pump/nrv ok? You'll get it. I love the handlamps, I have more of them than other tilleys Alec.
Well I've made some progress, but considering this is a simple lamp it's been slow and painful... I started by taking the reflector off and fitting the top from a table lamp on it. To my suprise it didn't run very well so I swapped the vapouriser again and this got it running with the table lamp top. I then put the top from the AL on the table lamp base, preheated, went to operate the pricker prior to lighting and it jammed solid in the vapouriser Swapped the vapouriser on the table lamp too and retested it with it's own top, everything worked as it should. Put the top from the AL back on the table lamp and that didn't run properly, just as I had suspected would happen. Looking at the air buttons the little outer covers were a bit dented so I wondered if this was restricting the airflow. I took each one off in turn and just popped them back out a bit using a peice of rod; they aren't perfect by any means but better than they were. Tried again and the result is as you see above so clearly they were causing a restriction. However it's still not perfect... The only way to properly reshape them would be to pop them off the threaded part of the "button" and if I do that I'm not sure they'll be easy to refit again after straightening. At this stage I'm tempted to just remove the air buttons and hold the burner in place with the little rings they used on other lamps.
Thanks for sharing your trials and tribulations with the lamp. If I had the problems you have had I may never have thought that the air buttons were at fault. Now, I know to check such things, thanks.
Finally this lamp is running as it should. I had some air buttons with the little caps missing and fitted these; it really makes all the difference. It dose seem if the caps are a little flattened it makes quite a difference to the way the lamp works...
The air buttons which were on your lamp were for a PL-53 and if you look at my AL-620 you will see the proper ones. AL620.
