John, while I was reflecting on the Tilley the other day I came across this post and like to mention 2 things worth thinking over: 1.) The Tilley ( and Vapalux ) vapouriser is a white elephant. The way you handle the main problems is good but too much work for a too short time of use till it needs attention again. The idea with the parts from old clocks is excellent, but you can have it much easier when you get the bushings ( that are the round metal plates which are pressed into the big walls ) at a clock maker supply store. They sell it by dozens for a few € and you have new not worn 100% round straight holes. 2.) A couple of years ago when I was fettling the old Tilley lamps I used a complete different way to get vapos for eternal use. Cut off the top piece like you did. The funnel arrangement in the tip - to me - is the reason of coking the vap. So take it off. Insert a tube of brass or copper with an inner diameter of 6 mm and cut a thread of M7 in it. This will fit an ordinary Petromax jet for the 500CP lamp ( this is pricker wire 0.23 ! ). This makes the complete system detachable whenever you want for inside cleaning. The pricker wire can be made of a more solid brass wire and you can even use the original Petromax needles on top. If you add brass or V2A gauze around the pricker wire you have a solid guide and a much better heat distribution as well. This system can be used for all jets 0.16,0.19, 0.23 aka 250cp, 350cp, 500cp. Peter
Hi Peter. You make some really good points! My experience with Tilley lamps, or Vapalux and Bialaddin for that matter, seems to differ from yours in that I've found them to be pretty reliable. Maybe the issue is that the older models have had less refined fuels in them than we can get today, leaving some pretty bad residue in some examples that won't respond to 'heat and quench' cycles because the dislodged debris gets trapped in those internal (maybe that should be 'infernal') guide funnels and with a jet orifice permanently installed in one end there's no way to get a cleaning blast of air from a compressor to be thorough enough. Then there's the issue of worn jet orifices of course. We've the benefit of a plentiful supply of new (or 'new, old stock') vapourisers to replace the worst examples, so I daresay that masks the problem somewhat, admittedly. Regarding your idea for bushings, I need a hole with a wider disc of surrounding metal than a bushing has to keep molten silbraze a manageable distance from the hole/jet orifice during brazing to prevent it flooding the hole. I like your idea of an insert for a Tilley/Vapulux/Bialaddin vaporiser to take a Petromax jet and to enable a Petromax pricker needle to be used on a rod operated by the control cock. It might not suit the purists is the only objection I can think of, in addition to the perhaps masochistic pleasure some of us get from coaxing a Tilley to life rather than the virtual switching on (as with a light switch almost) of a Petromax, Optimus or Primus. John
These vapourisers don't require "attention"; they require replacing - every 500 hours or so which was the design life. Fit and replace every 500 hours OR spend 500 hours continually farting about with air gaps, paddles, black mantles and such. Yer pays yer money...
Beautifully made in Taiwan I appreciate the skill ,time and devotion in machining such items.... & in stainless steel too. Thank you ,TP CHEN ,for reviving this old thread.. a delight to re read. I know that CHAN in Japaneese is nice/good friend, I hope the same in Taiwaneese Cheers TP CHEN CHAN Kind regards Nick.
Because there is no mass production. So two kits use "CNC Turning" to complete a process. Not using traditional stamping.
So, replacement silent caps, for Tilley CS56, made in Taiwan, CNC produced, because those parts are often missing when found. Got it. Well done.
Hi! Are you able to supply some measurement of the flame spreader and the internal mushroom shaped piece? As I have lost mine and if I can’t find another will have to see if I can make something up. Kind regards, Guy
Thank you. I did make up something to work out of a primus and part of a tap fitting. But not 100% satisfactory. Kind regards, Guy
HI I still have a finished product. If you do not mind, I can give it to you for free. The condition for one is to share on the CCLS webpage if there is no problem with the usage. If there is no problem, please provide your receipt information.
Hi! That is very kind of you. I am more than happy to pay costs. I also have contact with people who, I am sure, would sell them for you as they sell kerosene stove and lamp repair parts. If you are interested, start a 'Conversation' with me. Kind regards, Guy Lewis.
HI These days the packaging will be sent. If you insist on paying, please donate any fees to your local charity. Thank you
Hi Keeper-of-the-flame, hope you don't mind my asking for some dimensions for your adaptation of the Tilley vaporizer. Most of all I'm interested to know where exactly you cut off the upper part of the vaporizer - my guess is just beneath the upper circular indent (apologies for not knowing the exact term)? And how do you fasten the brass insert to the stem of the vaporizer? Should it be inserted into the stem (my guess), or will it be soldered onto the stem (does not sound very stable)?