Some newb questions

Discussion in 'Fettling Forum' started by Nonzo, Apr 9, 2018.

  1. Nonzo United Kingdom

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    In the course of recent active involvement with lamps, the following questions/observations have come to light:

    1 I have a Coleman 339 which runs well except that it flares and burns smokily at the mantle from time to time. Is this a sign that the vaporiser is coked up and not maintaining sufficient heat to properly vaporise the fuel? (If I add meths to the spirit cup while the lamp is burning – dangerous, I know – the smokey burn goes away and the lamp operates perfectly for a while).

    2 Typically how long can one expect a vaporiser to work efficiently before it requires a ‘decoke’?

    3 My Tilley X246 has a larger fount than any of my Colemans and yet it does not burn for nearly as long before it requires more pumping – 30 – 40 mins vs a Coleman’s 2 – 2,5 hours. This suggests to me that the X246 is losing pressure by way of a leak. Is this a reasonable supposition or could there be some other explanation?

    4 How does one date a Tilley lamp? I have not seen them date-stamped in the way that Colemans usually are. I have a X246 (my first lamp) which I call ‘circa 1950’ but I haven’t really got any idea of its vintage.


    I'd love to hear what experience has to say.
     
  2. Tony Press

    Tony Press Australia Subscriber

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    @Nonzo

    Tilley dated their lamps/lanterns from around 1957 (if I recall correctly). Before that you need to match the model to the period in which it was made. Thev Reference Library start.

    On a full tank (1 inch below the filler hole) your Tilley should burn for quite some time without pumping. Check for leaks. If your pressure nipple indicator is flush to the top of its collar (100 pumps on a full tank) it should stay that way for an hour or more.

    Your Coleman is sick. Check both the vapouriser and the burner.

    Cheers

    Tony
     
  3. ROBBO55

    ROBBO55 Subscriber

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    @Nonzo

    Here is what I have put together on dating the Tilley 246 family.
    As far as I know Tilley began date marking in October 1956 these lanterns are X246, the X246A and X246B

    The series began in 1946 with the X246 which had a square shouldered tank with a small dome in the centre and the groove around the base flange. These are generally known as the 'pork-pie' Lanterns.
    Pork Pie tank lanterns were only made from 1946 to about 1950. With three variations none of them can have been made for more than a year or two.

    It was superseded by the X246 'Guardsman' which had the conventionally shaped Tilley tank. There are about three versions of this one.
    The Guardsman 1950 to 54 is undated with no Tilley markings on the tank and has a loop in the cage for the handle.
    Guardsman lantern tank 54 and 1955 are undated and are stamped with the Owl and Tilley England,
    October - November 1956 onwards font is dated.

    The X246 Guardsman was superseded by the X246A in 1961 but this was mainly the previous Guardsman stamped X246A. In 1962 the X246A we're all familiar with arrived - this has cranked globe support legs which come out of the tank top at an angle.

    In 1964 the X246B appeared. This has the globe support legs welded to a circular plate which is held onto the tank top by a knurled nut. This model is still being assembled today.
     
  4. Nonzo United Kingdom

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    Thanks, Martin, for a helpful 'genealogy'. With that in mind I visited the Reference Gallery as Tony suggested and have fairly definitely identified my Tilley as a X246 Guardsman of 1954 - 1956 vintage. It's nice to now these things!

    Thanks for the diagnosis of the 339, Tony. I'll have a look at the vapouriser and burner once I've finished fettling the Tilley.

    Cheers,
    Peter
     

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