Tilley lamp

[sandspider]

Hi all

I've come by one of these, I believe an X246B (red tank and black dome). Done a bit of Googling, and it seems it needs a meths torch to warm it up before it'll light. It didn't come with a meths torch, just the lamp itself and some paraffin. Does it really need a meths warm up to light it? If so, I think it might be too much of a faff for me!

In which case, could anyone hazard a guess at it's value? I'm told it works, and the tank definitely holds pressure and mantle looks good, but I can't test it if I can't light it without a pre-warmer...?

Thanks.

[deny essex]

Used to use them when night fishing on Canvey, yes you do need meth's and the burner to heat up the tube and mantle, tank takes paraffin never try to light it indoors , if it's not heated up enough when you open the valve the paraffin can spill and ignite.

They were superseded by a petrol version, nearly lost my car to one off them going ape.

Doubt if they have any value apart from a little curiosity maybe.

[wymberley]

Mine cost me £9 in 1973.

You could use a blow lamp of some description to fire it up. You just need the tubes hot enough to vaporise the paraffin.

[peck]

Is there a small round well around the bottom of the tubes? you fill this with meths and then light the meths till its nearly burned away, you then start pumping steadily, it should then be hot enough to vaporise the parafin.

Edited July 11, 2019 by peck

[martinj]

We had a Tilley lamp when I was a kid in the 50's, we always used one of these: - what with pre-heaters and breaking mantles it's a bit of a faff, that's why we use torches now (torches are not as much fun though!) if you are going to use it, buy some mantles too and don't knock the lamp while lit because mantles are fragile when hot.

[old'un]

Tilley lamp..https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/113810753589?rt=nc&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20160908110712%26meid%3D41975da0625849b3820ae3b6c7a9a416%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D8%26rkt%3D30%26sd%3D162369856212%26itm%3D113810753589%26pg%3D2385738

[sportsbob]

As paraffin only burns from a wick I used to use a strip of rag or a piece of string in the circular well with paraffin to light mine 40 odd years ago.

[wymberley]

Just had a look at mine which is as per the OP's description of his and there's no circular well unfortunately which might be confusing. It's a torch as above jobby.

[snow white]

I had 8 of them so long as you can heat the vapour stem they will light but the price of paraffin is out this world you would be better getting a Petrol one or a good camping light

[hawkfanz]

as mentioned brilliant for night fishing,still got 2 in shed used rock fishing on anglesey for night time conger,not worth a lot but great when u need em.

[sandspider]

Thanks one and all.

Will have a play with a strip of meths / paraffin soaked rag around the vapouriser and see if I can get it going. And then if I think the effort is worth it! (I do have plenty of other lamps and torches!)

Cheers.

[strimmer_13]

Brilliant lights, only got rid of a Tilley to get the next one up a anchor lamp which is a much better option even with the same faff of lighting. Never bothered to  get a coleman, the output was no where near the anchor. 

Tilleys were great for estuary bass and flounder fishing as it didn't chuck out crazy amounts of light. 

Edited July 11, 2019 by strimmer_13

[woody walloper]

i put a pie on top of it for a hour, nice hot pie when night fishing.

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello,  that take me back a few years trying to light a lamp for beach fishing, 

[Yellow Bear]

On 11/07/2019 at 18:08, woody walloper said:

i put a pie on top of it for a hour, nice hot pie when night fishing.

Make sure it is fully dark before putting it on or the ******** Gulls will have it away

[woody walloper]

inland on the river thames at streatly.

[wymberley]

17 minutes ago, woody walloper said:

i put a pie on top of it for a hour, nice hot pie when night fishing.

And you could light your fags!

[derbyduck]

8 hours ago, snow white said:

I had 8 of them so long as you can heat the vapour stem they will light but the price of paraffin is out this world you would be better getting a Petrol one or a good camping light

the price of paraffin can be offset if you can get kerro or heating oil its the same as paraffin having a 28 second burn rate .

[Blackpowder]

A tilley lamp lit our living room for the first 17 years of my life.  Bonus was quite a bit heat came off them also as well as being a brilliant light.  Electricity came, bliss!

[McSpredder]

It is possible to start a Tilley lamp on paraffin --  we did it quite often when there was no meths available, in a fairly remote part of Nigeria, back in the early 1970s -- but unless you are very careful  the inside of the glass gets covered in soot.    Don't even think about trying it unless you find it absolutely impossible to get meths.    

Blackpowder mentions the heat output, which can be very welcome in a UK winter, but was something of a disadvantage in the tropics.    The roaring noise becomes tiresome after a while.   All very different from the Aladdin lamp (the type with the tall glass chimney), which gave a much softer light but was more or less silent.

[samboy]

Iv'e got one in its box and its never been used and probally never will be, the mantle is still in its cellophane. 

I put it on here for sale a while back and not one enquiry .  

[oldypigeonpopper]

1 hour ago, samboy said:

Iv'e got one in its box and its never been used and probally never will be, the mantle is still in its cellophane. 

I put it on here for sale a while back and not one enquiry .  

hello, try it again samboy there might be a few night fishing for mackerel 😁 

[samboy]

8 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, try it again samboy there might be a few night fishing for mackerel 😁 

Ok will do.

[sandspider]

14 hours ago, McSpredder said:

It is possible to start a Tilley lamp on paraffin --  we did it quite often when there was no meths available, in a fairly remote part of Nigeria, back in the early 1970s -- but unless you are very careful  the inside of the glass gets covered in soot.    Don't even think about trying it unless you find it absolutely impossible to get meths.    

Please, tell me the secret!! I do have meths, but if I have to cart around two fuels with the lamp, don't think it'll be for me.

I was thinking a strip of cloth dipped in paraffin wrapped round the bottom of the vapouriser tube, light it, wait until warm, light lamp?

[wymberley]

First of all, get the above torch. You don't really want these knocked over in transit, so I made a box to stand mine in. But also made a smaller one which I fixed to one side and big enough to carry a small screw lid jar which was big enough to hold the torch which would also contain some meths. JUST MAKE SURE that the torch is cold after use before putting it back in the jar. Light up on arrival and Bob's your uncle. Now-a-days use a head torch, of course.