Hello all here is my new fettling project. This lamp is from the french brand Noël and is fitted with the Bec rafale (bec = burner) I have never seen this model in some catalogue or advert. The old lady have been badly treated by electrition. Big holes in the générator, mantles carriers cut off, the air intake tube is missing, and so on ... but the heart of the burner seems to be in good health, even if the gasoline knob is clogged
I found this on the control wheel and on a Neil's document ; Twin mantle 300 cp gasoline lantern. Very similar to a Coleman QL427 but with control wheel half way up the burner and passing through the mica globe. Control wheel stamped with “Lumiere Noël. Bec Eblouissant. Bte. S.G.D.G. and IS logo. Burner casting embossed with “RAFALE NOEL” IS surely is for Société Industrielle d'articles d'éclairage SIAE. Bté is for breveté = patented SGDG is for Sans Garantie Du Gouvernement (without guaranty of government)
Hi all A small update for this old lady. It was not a restauration, but a rebuilding We had to redo the frame, as was missing 3 legs, to clog by solder the burner's holes, to redo 2 mantle holders with old Coleman spares, to redo an air intake tube, a preheating cup (with a round one from Anchor) there was no handle ; a old Primus handle have done the trick, with a sandblaster treatment and some graphite wax. The mounting of the mica door is very strange : the door is dependant of the frame and the control wheel is passing through the door. Not easy to fit !!! the mica is then slided in the frame. As you can see, the door isn't finished. You must imagine a small mica window in the top and the lighting door below. That's for later ;-) For this time, I have a big problem : the fount steel bottom is very corroded. I can't treat with resin because the plunger is impossible to get out. It is soldered by the inside of the fount, I believe before the fixing of the bottom. the big risk is to clog the plunger with resin. Here is something to occupy the winter's evenings to come. the lamp's design is very close to Coleman (or Lilor 4500) but the generator is special. here are some pictures of the assembling of the burner. The wheel is only for the needle operation, no shut off valve.
I all here is a little update of my work on the Rafale lamp the lighting door : I have made it with very thin tinned steel sheet Fred K have made the mica cage.
this old lady have resisted a long time but here she is running . The needle have been redone. But the big problem was the leaks all around the bottom of the fount. there was a lot of rust between the bottom in steel and the brass fount. I tried my last chance ; I have cut a good part of the bottom with a Dremel in order to remove a maximum of rust and have a good contact's surface for the next work. after an good rust acid treatment, I have poured some epoxy with very fine wood powder in the fount. The epoxy have leaked by the slots and I have succeeded on plugging holes. Same thing by the bottom. Obviously, the lady is a little more heavy, an age's effect without doubt ;-). but no more leaks and I could test it.
Hello Michel, Your fettling skills leave me at a loss of words, very impressive job my friend. The design of the burner is amazing.
