The post office was generous enough to delivery my eprey buy on Christmas eve. It looked a lot worse in the pics but I thought It would be good for parts. After some straightning and some paint I think that it turned out pretty nice. This is my first 502 and WOW they put out some heat and in a hurry. I am very please to add it to my stable and my keep pile.
Beautiful result!! I believe that theColeman 502 and 500 are two of the best designed functional stoves ever made. Relatively quite, great simmer, no bits to lose, durable and they are easy to light. BTW back in the day when I was still sane (not a collector) the Coleman 502 my first stove. As an ensign naval aviator stationed in San Diego I bought one and used it to camp out in the various deserts of Southern California. With my Coleman 502, a POP-TENT and my '65 VW Bug I could go anywhere I wanted. Of course the bombing ranges are off limits, at least for those who know where the damn things are located. That's another story. Great stove!! You will love it!! Gordon
Great stove and you did a fine job of resurrecting yours. The 502 along with other Coleman single burners are my most common finds. I too think they are under appreciated. They always seem to work regardless of the condition I find them in. Enjoy!
Hello, Gordon, Like you, I've camped out all over the Southern California deserts, starting back in 1966, when I moved here from Texas. We had a blast, back in those days, exploring the remnants of all the little mining areas, and checking "what was over the next ridge"!! I must admit that I spent quite a bit of time exploring the Chocolate Mountain Bombing Range, too!!! 8) 8) There was just "something" about it that drew most of us kids out to it!! We would go out on small motorcycles, and hit every abandoned mining shack we could find! We chanced upon an old, very early, Model T, or maybe it was a Chevy, and fell in love with it!! We went back later, with a "cherry picker" setup, and hauled it's entire body home. I also found a straight down shaft, which was very short, and at the bottom of which I found an entire stack of glass lenses for the car's headlights!! I "harvested" them all, and made some coin selling them to my friends with early cars!! Great fun, and I miss the freedom we enjoyed back in those days!!! Thanks for reminding me of a time long past!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Gordon & Doc I have a spot like that in the south central part of Wyoming. I visit each summer and spend a couple of days checking out all the old mines. I am in the process now of covering a 17 mile stretch that a tramway was built on in the late 1800,s at the time it held alot of records for being the longest and the highest in elevation. It was also built in four months by a group out of Canada. They split into three teams and had camps on they way that I am finding with my medal detector. There is some great fishing (brookies) and nobody for miles just the way that I like it. Dave: I dont usually keep track of hours but I am pretty sure that this one might be 1or 2 I didnt paint the fount as it was in pretty nice shape. I have use of a bead blaster and that makes pretty short work of the tin pieces. The straightning of the collar was pretty straight forward I worked it with a tinning hammer and the anvil that is on my vice. The brass is my favorite! a soaking in vinegar then remove the big chunks with scotchbrite then a really light go over with a wire wheel in my dremel makes it look nice.
