Tilley storm lamp resurrection

[Pickle]

Is anyone here a fan of Tilley storm lamps? This is one of mine which I rediscovered a couple of days ago while clearing out the garage.
I last used this in 2008 while camping on a remote Scout site up in the Peak District in the dead of winter. I can clearly remember leaving it on to make the camp look occupied while we all went to the pub (to escape the cold!) and it was still running when we got back!

I love everything about these lamps - the solid build quality, the soft light, the distinctive hiss and the smell of paraffin - and it occurred to me recently it would probably make a good tent heater too.

I actually restored this one about 20 years ago and fitted a new mantle and pump leather, and it has barely been disturbed since - so required very little work to get it running again. I thought I'd make a quick video of me bringing it back to life - enjoy!

 

[demented dale]

great stuff. I had a couple 30 year ago when I lived with all the hippies on an old bus. I always remember the mantles being very fragile but they gave off way more light than hurricane lamps. I have got a couple of hurricane lamps now which I use most days. x

 

[Bhod]

I've converted a couple into electric lanterns which were fun to do, I still have a couple of brand new ones never used and I think (without going into the loft), another three or four that have been used and where working before I stored them away. I prefer the simplicity of the Hurricane lamps nowadays but will always keep a Tilley or two just in case.

 

[Tantalus]

Old stuff like this that just works and works forever with easily maintained parts.

Paraffin is getting harder to find though.

There used to be a forum dedicated to all sorts of paraffin petrol and alcohol stoves where parts are traded etc etc, let me see if it is still there.... https://spiritburner.com yes it is.

You can easily run out of pressurised gas cylinders and have no way to refuel stuff but a stash of a gallon or 2 of paraffin and a small toolkit of jet prickers replacement washers and pump leather along with a few spare mantles you can survive the apocalypse with them.

 

[Pickle]

great stuff. I had a couple 30 year ago when I lived with all the hippies on an old bus. I always remember the mantles being very fragile but they gave off way more light than hurricane lamps. I have got a couple of hurricane lamps now which I use most days. x

Must've been some good atmosphere in that bus. I think I read somewhere that these lamps give off the equivalent to a 60 watt lightbulb at best, but mine was doing way less that that

 

[Pickle]

I've converted a couple into electric lanterns which were fun to do, I still have a couple of brand new ones never used and I think (without going into the loft), another three or four that have been used and where working before I stored them away. I prefer the simplicity of the Hurricane lamps nowadays but will always keep a Tilley or two just in case.

I was thinking about this earlier, as I have another one which is missing a couple of parts so it'd be ideal for an electric conversion. Did you do a mains or battery conversion? It seems a shame to cut into a good fuel tank to house batteries but I'm tempted to do it anyway as I'd probably use it more than the paraffin version...

 

[Pickle]

Old stuff like this that just works and works forever with easily maintained parts.

Paraffin is getting harder to find though.

There used to be a forum dedicated to all sorts of paraffin petrol and alcohol stoves where parts are traded etc etc, let me see if it is still there.... https://spiritburner.com yes it is.

You can easily run out of pressurised gas cylinders and have no way to refuel stuff but a stash of a gallon or 2 of paraffin and a small toolkit of jet prickers replacement washers and pump leather along with a few spare mantles you can survive the apocalypse with them.

Cool site, I'll be spending some time reading there as I love this old tech. The last time I bought paraffin (for my flamethrower) I had to resort to ordering it online after only being able to find it way overpriced at the garden centre. I remember many years ago we used to be able to buy it from a pump at the local garage!

 

[Glow_worm]

I actually restored this one about 20 years ago and fitted a new mantle and pump leather, and it has barely been disturbed since - so required very little work to get it running again.

It might well be worth replacing the rubber seals if you haven't done so, they age harden and can crack and cause pressure leaks, or worse- fuel leaks.

Many people run paraffin pressure stoves and lanterns on heating oil (28 sec, C2) without issues if they are only to be used outdoors. It's a bit much indoors so premium paraffin (C1) is a better bet, with less sulphur content.

Specialist lantern website here: https://classicpressurelamps.com/

 

[Toddy]

@Pickle
Good on you doing that I am very fond of those old lanterns.
We did a lot of camping in my childhood, and the Tilley lamp was both the light and the warmth in the big Niger tent.
My Dad and my Uncle used it under the sail draped boom of the boat too when they were out.
In the 1970's power cuts the Tilley lit our house and warmed it up too.

We still have that old Tilley, and the smell of it working is tied so deeply in my memories of family.

They beat candle lanterns hands down. They will literally provide as much light as a normal bulb, if they're properly set up and the glass kept clean.

They don't quite suit modern lifestyles though; the paraffin gives off moisture as it burns, and the unmistakeable smell, while evocative, does rather cling.

I rather miss simpler times, but I don't miss the constant cleaning and work to keep fires and lanterns lit.
Buying paraffin's not so easy now either. Meths is fairly available, but not the paraffin. I think that's perhaps why the petrol lanterns are in more use.

I made a bag to carry my Tilley to camp, I used a cut up sleeping mat to shape and pad the bag. It's lasted remarkably well.

 

[Bhod]

I was thinking about this earlier, as I have another one which is missing a couple of parts so it'd be ideal for an electric conversion. Did you do a mains or battery conversion? It seems a shame to cut into a good fuel tank to house batteries but I'm tempted to do it anyway as I'd probably use it more than the paraffin version...

I went the electric route, so much easier to do than to cut out the bottom of the tank, just a simple drilled hole through the side with a rubber grommet fitted. I have one with the switch inline on the braided cable and one with a normally standard lamp switch on the lamp holder, would really like to figure out a way to get it switchable by using the plunger but that will have o wait for a rainy day

 

[demented dale]

Old stuff like this that just works and works forever with easily maintained parts.

Paraffin is getting harder to find though.

There used to be a forum dedicated to all sorts of paraffin petrol and alcohol stoves where parts are traded etc etc, let me see if it is still there.... https://spiritburner.com yes it is.

You can easily run out of pressurised gas cylinders and have no way to refuel stuff but a stash of a gallon or 2 of paraffin and a small toolkit of jet prickers replacement washers and pump leather along with a few spare mantles you can survive the apocalypse with them.

Yes. everything I have is re usable and serviceable. I have candles (which I make,) storm lamps, trench candles, both run on paraffin and I know many other ways of producing light that I have learnt on these forums. Could I survive the apocalypse? yep! . x

 

[Bhod]

One of the reasons I moved over to Feuerhand Storm Lanterns is the availability of lamp oil, it's more easily available and cheaper than paraffin.