Bladon blowlamp.

[Retired]

Hi,

For many years I used the gas cartridge type blowlamp and later bought an electric heat gun. At a recent Rufforth meeting whilst wandering around the stalls with David I spotted this old blowlamp on sale for £10 so I bought it.

The blowlamp is a Bladon paraffin lamp made in Birmingham. Both my gas and electric blowlamps have a lot of difficulty heating metal so I hope the output from this paraffin blowlamp will give out a lot more heat?

Nothing really special but I've just enjoyed a few hours in the garage polishing it up so thought I'd post the results of my efforts today. I doubt the blowlamp will work because the pump washer is very slack in the bore of its cylinder so will need replacing which should be easy enough to do.

Here's a similar blowlamp being fired up;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lLKs0ITZTE

Ideally I would like a blacksmith's forge and anvil together with full sized oxy/acetylene kit for playing around with metal but I can always dream; I was taught how to use such kit as an apprentice 50 years ago in the pit.

It's been a pleasure to work in the garage with the garage doors wide open on a warm day; I needed the garage lights on because it is dark and overcast but I can put up with this weather and hope it continues. Its been a good day because I've got my hands dirty.

Kind regards, Col.

           

[pwdrive]

We had a blacksmiths forge at school, all I managed to do with it was melt the piece I was working on.

Used to have one of them blow lamps, no idea what happened to it.
Still got a pressurized petrol stove somewhere, a little demon that one is, runs on unleaded as well.

Lawrence.

[Joe]

Washers are easy enough. All you need is a bit of leather about as big as a half-crown.

- Joe

[pwdrive]

Here's the petrol stove I have (somewhere) they still make them....!

http://www.optimusstoves.com/seen/optimu...imus-svea/

Gone up a bit in price since I bought mine....

Lawrence.

[pwdrive]

Also got two of these, Aladdin Vapalux ex army jobs, good lamps, I prefere them to the Tilly.

http://www.classicpressurelamps.com/foru.../post/new/

Lawrence.

[camallison]

I still have my primus stove - folds up and fits in its very own "Oxo" tin.

   

Start it on meths and then when warmed, pump like billyo to get the paraffin to catch. One evening in 1970, I cooked 2 steaks, mashed potato and peas for an evening meal when camping in North Wales. If I need to heat a metal part, I use that as it has a handy pan support to lay things on. Works wonders.

Colin

[pwdrive]

Great stoves are them, we've still got a Trangia which is meths only, we still use it down the woods and also at home to finish off the meal if the bottled gas runs empty, it pays to have some alternatives.

Lawrence.

[Refugee]

Those blowlamps work wonders on weeds growing between old patio slabs.

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Joe; a leather washer might work but the one currently installed is more like a special tap washer which is a loose fit on the plunger rod allowing it to slide up and down about 1/8" of an inch; on the downward stroke it seals allowing pressure to be added to the container but on the upward stroke the washer then moves to the end of the rod thereby admitting a new charge of air or this is how it seems to me otherwise after the first stroke a vacuum would be created in the cylinder? I expected to see a leather cup washer? I checked eBay out of curiosity and was surprised how much these cup washers are these days;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-x-5-8-LEATHE...rnsTorches&hash=item3cba799f2f

I'm OK for a stove Lawrence and Colin; I only ever need a stove at home so bought a single ring electric hob for garage/workshop use which serves me well. I'm pleased lamps are mentioned though because a paraffin lamp is something useful I could do with but don't yet own. When we have power cuts we resort to candles so a decent paraffin lamp would be a good investment for us?

What's the best value paraffin lamp to go for; how much and where from?

It's amazing how hot a blacksmiths forge can get Lawrence; yes it will easily eat steel if the steel is left on heat too long. My first job every morning was to remove the clinker then light both forges; lovely work in mid winter and I always enjoyed pounding red hot steel with a 2lb hammer.

Thanks Refugee; yes these blowlamps will certainly upset weeds but have you tried this alternative?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7fSDrS46dg

Kind regards, Col.

[pwdrive]

Tilly if they are still made or a Colman (I have one of these also) the Colman runs on white gas, pukka white gas isn't cheap but if its' for emergency use then what the hell, the Colman is self priming and gives out an excellent light, the Tilly, Aladdin et al needs priming with meths (pre heating the vapourizing tube) as does my old SVEA stove.
The Aladdin ones I have were designated M1 I think, they and Tilly's always turn up second hand, spares are available for most models.
The electric stove ring is ok but not much cop in a power cut unless you have a generator.
The cheapest water boiling "stove" so far as fuel is concerned coupled with extreem reliability is the old volcano kettle or Kelly kettle a woodsmans favourite, never owned one but a friend of mine does and I have seen it in action, very good, must get one someday, you can cook on it but it's a bit of an art but I would say do able if yer's hungry.

I have had a fair few of liquid fueled lamps and stoves over the years, especially with living out in the sticks and working down the woods plus our camping exploits, I fixed nearly all the slates on a barn conversion we once did under the light of a Tilly lamp, hung off an electric utility pole it was on a meat hook, the hook was still there when we left after nearly twenty years, the Tilly went and was replaced by the two Aladdin M1 lamps which we still have, I bought them brand new in their MOD boxes for a tenner a piece although they don't look new now as they have been Lawrence..ized.

Lawrence