Hi all, First post and first Tilley so forgive me if i'm posting in the wrong section and asking obvious questions, got the service kit through so going to fit it later, what i want to know is how long should i soak the pump leather before fitment and is using olive oil ok and i watched a youtube video and the person used high temp automotive grease on the threads and rubbers/gaskets etc when assembling is this a good idea? Thanks in advance for any advice given.
And what is the best way to flush the tank, just a slosh around with some paraffin and discard? Thanks.
I've gone for olive oil, i did read someone used copper slip on the threads etc so might try that unless someone suggests that's not a good idea and i could use petrol and some small bolts or similar to clean the tank?
Copper paste is a better choice. Copper slips is for worn threads. It depends on how dirty the tank really is if you need to clean it. Flush the tank with kerosene and see how dirty it will become. You can as you say, add some nuts and bolts and shake them around for awhile to remove junk on the inside. Michael
Yes my mistake, i've got a tube of copper paste so i will use that then and as it doesn't look to dirty i will give it a go with paraffin and see what its like when it comes out, thanks for the help.
The acids in olive oil and other vegetable oils will shorten the life of your pump leather. You'd be better off using motor oil or preferably Neats Foot oil. Copaslip is a Molyslip product. There are similar products from other manufacturers. It is a grease that contains fine copper particles and acts as an anti-seizing agent for screw threads. The result is that any torque you apply when tightening e.g. a jamb nut or a jet is transferred as pressure to the sealing surface and not wasted as friction on the (binding) screw threads. Better seal, less stress to the metal.
That's a shame as i've had the pump leather in olive oil all afternoon but i've just taken it out, tried to undo the nut holding the old leather on and its stuck fast, had a small bonus though went over my local hardware shop and he found and let me have a nos sp1 service pack for £4
Well i left the new pump leather in olive oil for about ten hours and its still really firm so i just fitted it and it will not build any pressure so i dunked the old soft one in olive oil and fitted that and its pumping like a treat now and building plenty of pressure in the tank, can anyone tell me how long a new pump leather should be soaked for please? i will also use a different oil next time.
I've never fitted a new pump leather, so I can't say how long one should soak I'm afraid. What I will ask though, your local hardware store, do they have other Tilley spares? Would be worth a look if you can get them. Not many have boxes of old spares lying around any more, but if yours does then you may have hit a gold mine. Copper slip, copper paste or as we call it at work copper grease. It's all the same stuff. I think there is some confusion earlier in the thread, Michael said copper slips, I think he is thinking of when a thin piece of metal is wrapped around a worn or damaged thread to allow temporary repair. I've done the same using aluminium kitchen foil on damaged stove burner threads, it allowed me to tighten it down just enough to get a seal.
Regarding the leather pump cup: Soaking in olive oil for a few hours is fine if it's dry or stiff. When fitting the new pump cup, flare the bottom so that it fits snugly in the pump tube. If it still doesn't seal on the downstroke, rough the outside up a bit with some sandpaper, oil, and try again. I've not had problems like that with pump cups from The Fettle Box, member Sefa, or member Kerry460. Cheers Tony
Haha yes that's the one copper grease, the stuff you use on the back of car brake pads, wheel studs etc, i haven't used it for so long i'd forgot what to call it No sadly they only had the one service pack and a few wicks etc, i only asked them as its a home hardware and i had seen home hardware shops advertising tilley spares on ebay, they are very handy though and only a one minute walk from home, The new pump leather was a tight fit when trying to get it in the tube but just wouldn't seal, why didn't i think to ruff it up, silly me, thanks a lot for the advice, i will do that if the original pump leather gives up the ghost, might be picking up a brass tilley x246a and a looks like 70's/80's coleman kerosene lamp tomorrow to play with as well If the welcomes for me, thanks Jeff
My mistake about the copper slip. I interpretaded it for the type of copper "tape" that can be wrapped around the threads to help them grip. Michael
For the leather pump cup I always use '3-In-One' oil. It penetrates much better than olive oil and does not 'go off' like olive oil can.
Hi MG I have always soaked my pump leathers in olive oil overnight and then given a good workout with my fingers until they are soft and supple, helping the oil to penetrate into the leather. Trevor is correct as 3in1 oil will soak in quicker but I don't fancy using it with bare hands and can't abide latex/nitrile gloves. Still, I have learned something from Tony today: In all my years of using and collecting lamps and lanterns I have never thought to roughen the leather with sandpaper. I love this forum because you never cease learning. Matthew, never had to change a pump leather before. Some of the lamps I have collected have badly worn or no leathers. You must have been extremely lucky! All the best. Regards, Jeremy
Hi Jeremy, Another thing i've learnt then, to give the new leather a workout to make it supple, i only sort of drifted into pressure lamps last week but have now got two Tilleys an X246A an X246B and a Coleman 201, the pump leather is a bit thin in the B but after some lubricant seems to be working fine but i will probably replace it soon and i have given it a good clean and changed the main rubber washers, hoping to get the other two sorted over the next few days (i bought two Tilley SP1 service packs but may buy more washer kits from the fettle box now i have seen it) depending on what the 201 needs ready for my first pressure lamp fire up (probably in the garage with a fire extinguisher handy ) Yes forums are great with some very helpful and knowledgeable people and all advice appreciated, Thanks.
It's really only a question of finding what wofks best for you, as you can see it's each to his own... some will only use a leather friendly type oil like Neatsfoot, others just motor oil For lamps that will be used regularly it may not make a lot of difference, but lamps that may not be used for quite some time (in a large collection?) then perhaps that justifies the extra cost of a restorative preservative type of oil? Personally i find a nice Sicillian D'abruzzo goees down very well indeed! Good health
Yes like you say what works for one doesn't always work for all, i'm a beginner so its great to hear different ideas from people with experience and then i can choose which one is good for me, Thanks for your input
Yes, I suppose I have. I think some lamps have come in with a knackered leather, but with Tilley or Bialaddin/Vapalux lamps, I've normally got a spare in the shed. I find it easier to change the pump cup for an old one that's ready to go, maybe just needing a squirt of WD40 and a fondle.
You said you had used kitchen foil on worn threads, also a copper tape has been mentioned; is there a 'brand' name i could search for as it sounds quite a useful thing? Cheers, pb
