Has anyone disassembled a Tilley gland nut

Am not familiar with the control knob on a tilley. I read somewhere that the knob and nut can be removed to replace the bushing/oring inside. What material do you normally use to cover the spindle before using a long nosed pliers. Would appreciate pictures.

Thanks

Ron

 

Hello Ron, a piece of cloth will do to protect the spindle, then grip the cloth covered spindle firmly with a good set of pliers.

Then grip the knob with another set of pliers and turn it anti clockwise.

The gland not may also need to be gripped with pliers, it also unscrews anti clockwise.

The old gland nut washer, may have hardened into the gland nut, I have often used a bradle to break it up and then remove it.

It all depends on the condition of the control cock, Jeff.

 

Thanks Jeff, just wanted to make sure before I work on it

 

Yeah that works but being an impatient sort of guy I normaly burn old hard washers out. With small bits just dangle on a piece of wire and hit it with a blow torch 'till dull red hot and the rubber is all burnt out. Drop in cold water and the old rubber is pretty well gone. Doesn't damage the brass either. You can damage threads fooling around in tight places with steel tools. ::Neil::

 

I will make sure to keep that technique - using a torch to get out the gland as a last recourse.

Thanks gentlemen.

 

Blow torches are my best tools. I have three I use all the time and I find that most things surrender fairly quickly when offered a little heat. So I tend to reach for the torch first rather than as a last resort. ::Neil::

 

Amen to that ...this however is a veryuseful topic to me as I have struggled for years with tilleys leaking excactly there....due to me putting off trying the blooming thing again ...also much as isearchrd there were no easy to find solution....Thanks Jeff, the left hand threads were also news to me....
Many Regards and happy easter

 

I'm glad that those tips are of use, but there are two exceptions to those methods.

The very early Tilley control cock, has a brass knob which fastens to the spindle with a grub screw, and for some reason Tilley used a steel grub screw.

Steel into an alloy is a bad idea, because over time they weld together and they can be difficult to separate.

Soaking the entire control cock in some type of penetrating oil for a week, will sometimes free them, heating with a blowtorch and then dunking in water can also do the job.

The last resort is drilling out the grub screw.

The grub screw has to be removed, so that the knob can also be removed, and access can be obtained to the gland nut to replace the washer.

The second exception is the first Tilley XN control cock that was fitted with the familiar black knob, Tilley still used the grub screw method to fasten it to the spindle.

The grub screw was counter sunk as a safety precaution, but over time the depression fills with muck, so it can be difficult to see the screw.

I always check XN control cocks carefully, just in case it's an early one.

Tilley gave up using the grub screw quite early in the 1930's, so the early XN is rare, Jeff.

 

I have this control cock on one of my lamps jeff never figured out how to get the knob off it it appears to be revitted maybe dont want to mess too much with it i ended up putting another seal washer in the gland by splitting it with a knife then over the spindle and just a good nip up and it dont leak, no grub screw bit of a mystery one not many about either



cheers pete

 

Hello Pete, I have had several of those early Tilley control cocks, but never one which had the brass knob riveted to the spindle.

The style of this brass knob is different from the one which I have and the others which I have had, they have a groove around them, so that the control cock could be operated by a chain system, if the CC., was on a hanging lamp.

The grub screw on my example is set to the rear of the knob, towards the gland nut.

What's written on the face of the brass knob?

My example has Tilley Lamp and a capital B, stamped into it.

There's gap in the edge of your example,this is where I would normally expect to find a grub screw, I assume that is where the rivet is?

Perhaps the rivet is a repair by a previous owner, who stripped the threads when taking out the grub screw to do maintenance on the control cock.

Or it could be yet another Tilley variation, Jeff.

 

Hi jeff this is the cock used up to 1924 its like its rivitted on the face for want of a better destription like a bump on the face of the knob no words or other signs\ways i can see it being fixed not a problem just bit different thats all would rarther let it be than do any damage



cheers pete

 

Hello Pete, well, that's a new one to me!

It is another Tilley variation; as you will have noticed, Tilley were always changing things, the sheer variety of pumps is a good indicator of that.

Thanks for the information and the photos, Jeff.

 

Maybe they would have used graphite string for the packing on this type. The shaft is long enough to get the gland nut back far enough.

 

Hi Nils
from what i can remember it was a rubber washer when they designed it they obviously forgot people may like to renew it!!! As the next one had a grub screw to hold the knob on like the ones you was speaking of Jeff



cheers pete

 

Hello Pete, yes, that's closer in design to the ones which I mentioned, but my example has a groove around the brass knob.

I will post a photo of it soon.

That must be an early lamp which that control cock is on, is it the cottage model? Jeff.

 

Here are two photos of my chromed example, Jeff.

 

Hi Jeff the one without the grub screw is on this TL14
1924 TILLEY TL 14
But the grubscrew one is indeed on the cottage lamp so they are both early Tilleys not often found
Just seen the one you posted with the screw that one is early 30s i should think never seen one in chrome tho ever, nice one

cheers pete

 

Here is a photo which shows my example of the first XN control cock to have been fitted with the black knob.

Tilley were still using the grub screw at this point, I have had at least 3 of this type, Jeff.

 

Just as a matter of interest. Repacking spindle glands is a job I have to often enough on all sorts of lamps and the standard stuff I use is PTFE string. Teflon to the Cousins. You can buy a heavy version for gas joints in the UK which can be wound up into a string and then wound around a shaft and then forced into the stuffing box. You can do it with the thin stuff used for water joints but the heavy tape is better. In the US Ace Hardware stock a Teflon string which is much better to use but so far I have not found this here. So in any gland where you can pull the nut back far enough you can always add teflon on top of whatever is already in there and get a working seal. Good stuff which stands a fair degree of heat and is safe with fuel. ::Neil::

 

Here's my experience just tonight as a cautionary tale to any other gung ho fettlers.
Mine is/was I'm led to believe a x246b, with predominantly alu parts (although I'm sure the tank is painted over brass)

Anyway it was clear the gland nut washer needed doing as fuel leaked whenever the knob was opened. I assumed a quick turn of the spanner would do it, but my word the spanner ate the alu like cheese and took off the corners. A couple of annoyed tries later and I think the whole thing is bin fodder, unless I can somehow get purchase with a chisel to turn out the mashed nut

 

underground, are you certain your lamp is a Tilley? I wasn't aware that there were any nuts on the Tilley control cock. The bit that you need to undo is round with a knurled grip as shown if Jeff's photo above.

Whatever it is, if you have stripped the corners you might be able to get the nut off with mole grips.

 

Hi James,

Well - exactly as you say it does have a knurled part that came off easily. But, into the main 'body' there is a bit with 'flats' on it.

Does the washer slide over the spindle, is that perhaps what I missed?

 

Maybe this will help with the alloy control cock



pete

 

Perfect, thanks Pete - see the 'flats' in front of the gland nut? I was trying to twist them off!

Hope I didn't slip into the threads too much, anyone know what die they'd need just in case?

Right, brilliant, I at least know what I'm doing now, relatively.

Is there a handly source of such diagrams on the net, anywhere? I believe I'm developing a bit of a desire to mess about with lamps...

 

All you have to do is pull the black knob off in this case
Unscrew the knurled cap remove the old washer new one in and replace everything should be ok them maybe?

Lots of paperwork on here but subscribing members only i,m afraid
That desire to mess with lamps and stoves is how we all ended up here i reckon

good luck wi it pete

 

Ah, shucks. As soon as payday comes around I'm subscribing. Actually, scratch that, I've subscribed.

All exactly as expected, including the squashed threads on the body of the control cock.

So, before I make any more mess, does anyone know the die I'd need to rethread it?

Also am I right to think that parts are interchangeable, e.g an x246 control cock will fit an x246b , or not?

 

Hello, if you mean the control cock from a Guardsman lantern, then the answer is no, but if you click on the link below, you will see 2 photos which show my improved X246B, they are at the very bottom of this listing, Jeff.


Nighttime tours at Fort Liezele

 

Thanks Jeff. Interesting - I think I'll try to get this lamp working as I feel like I've wasted some money really, 24.50 without glass which I have bought separately - I could have got a much better lamp by the time I've finished messing with it, even a vapalux. Feeling a bit daft.

I feel like the x246b is a bad choice in comparison to older lamps which use brass etc.

 

Hello, the X246B is cheaply made and as I have previously stated, the aluminium parts are of very poor quality.

When I first started to collect lamps, I sometimes paid to much for them, but one learns!

When I'm at an auction and an X246B comes up for sale, if they are in good order and have a glass, then I will pay up to £15 for one.

When I have an X246B, I strip the pump and the control cock for the washers and the springs and I use the hood and the glass and if possible the vapouriser and burner to restore a pre 1957 Guardsman lantern.

In my opinion, the early lamps etc., were built to last, so they are the ones to go for, Jeff.

 

The first lamp i ever bought was a 246B maybe 20years ago yes the quality is not great but they work i used it for years camping till i found a gaurdsman then that became the user i still have that first lamp here to this day bit soft about it i reckon!!!

pete