OT: More old Coleman Lanterns..

[Slick]

Being a major firearms hobbyist, I also derive a great deal of enjoyment from collecting and working on other “practical and highly useful devices”. Lanterns fall into that category and I like the old-style Dietz Blizzard lanterns but also “have a thing” for single-mantle lanterns. Single mantle lanterns put out a lot of light yet use far less fuel than double-mantle lanterns that I’ve tried, so I tend to gravitate towards the Coleman 200a and any other’s sporting only one mantle.

The Coleman 200’s are easy to find for cheap at flea markets. I usually pay ~about 5-7 dollars for a lantern that holds promise as “fixable”. I’ve never bought a 200a that ran, but that’s part of what helps make them cheap. At the very least you will need to replace the #10 O-ring that seals the fuel cap so pressure will hold. That and a good clean up and throwing on a fresh mantle will usually result in a working lantern.

Over the years my one garage wall has become covered in lanterns most that run like new and others that will as soon as I find a “donor lantern” for pennies on the dollar.

Anyways, I went to the flea market today and paid $12 for a December 1952 Coleman 200a in nice cosmetic shape with the original “sun-burst” globe. I’ve only paid $12 once before for a 200 – and since this one had a globe that was easily worth double what I paid – I toolkthe leap. The clean-out lever was frozen and the fuel cap was also stuck.

I got lucky again, as a tear-down & clean up along with installing a new fuel cap O-ring had it up and running. While I like old lanterns – I won’t keep them unless they work or have salvageable parts. Lanterns aren’t that complicated but do seem to be something most people won’t try to fix. The new one is at the far right and has the black center unlike all of the others. The one on the far left is a double mantle – but it’s an older model in nice shape and the one immediately next to it is a 242 with a factory amber globe. All the rest are 200a’s

Here’s a link to click for a large photo showing detail of each unit - so that the dial-up people don't hate me...

http://i311.photobucket.com/albums/kk44 ... an200a.jpg

I don’t know why I like lanterns so much – but I do and figure that’s way better than some of the things today’s degenerates enjoy. I also keep them fueled and ready to go in case they’re needed in an emergency.

[RIHMFIRE]

very nice collection
I always wanted to collect the lanterns with the wide flat dome like these
http://www.britelyt.com/lanterns.htm
but have never seen any....
Saw them in the movie the Searchers....

[Rusty]

I have a Petromax I bought from an old fellow here in town that had a little shop where he repaired lanterns and stoves. He even fixed an old gasoline blow torch for me so it would run.

IMHO the Petromax is the Rolls Royce of the lantern world. They are used all over the world in one form or another. Most burn kerosene and put out almost twice the light of a gas powered Coleman.

[Pitchy]

Nice collection, as with me can`t just have one of anything.

[kimwcook]

Hey, Slick. How easy is it to still get parts for the 200's? I've had to replace a number of parts on my Coleman double mantle lanterns, but haven't ever looked into the older ones. How about the generator? Is that a part you can get new or have to find a donor for.

[cshold]

Hey, Slick. How easy is it to still get parts for the 200's? I've had to replace a number of parts on my Coleman double mantle lanterns, but haven't ever looked into the older ones. How about the generator? Is that a part you can get new or have to find a donor for.

Vintage Coleman Parts…
http://www.oldcolemanparts.com/home.php

Great Coleman Info…
http://pages.suddenlink.net/abosch1/ColemanPaper.htm

Past Coleman Levergun Thread…
http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=35392

[kimwcook]

Thank you.

[cshold]

Thank you.

[765x53]

Here is another link that might be useful to Coleman collectors.
http://www.oldtowncoleman.com/tech/rebuild.htm

It includes illustrated instructions for rebuilding lanterns and stoves.

[Slick]

Vintage Coleman Parts…
http://www.oldcolemanparts.com/home.php

Great Coleman Info…
http://pages.suddenlink.net/abosch1/ColemanPaper.htm

Past Coleman Levergun Thread…
http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=35392

Thanks for posting this - I've never tried to find any new parts for my old lanterns. I've always kept digging up more "donor" lanterns for the parts, as it's pretty easy - since the globes are the most common "missing part" and otherwise working lanterns are sold for incredibly low prices in the absence of easy replacement globes.

Once I found an old "Sears & Roebuck" single mantle lantern that had a steel globe and I joked about it being a lantern for the blind. After some research, I found out that the steel globe was supposed to be used as a heater. I've always thought those "Petro-max" lanterns were cool, but I've never seen one for sale except from a few mail-order houses and they have always been quite expensive.

Part of what got me into lantern collecting was that so many parts can be swapped or adapted to repair other (perhaps more collectable) lanterns. When I was younger and needed additional income I had fancied the idea of selling repaired old lanterns because I could usually have $10 or less into a lantern that I could sell for ~$40 or so. I figured that I'd have a leg up on other lantern sellers as many didn't sell lanterns using a photo of them running as they should. I can be thankful that my life has been such that I've never needed to sell any lanterns to make money thus my garage wall accumulates them. When I die, someone will see them all and conclude that I must have been afraid of the dark or something!

One solid tip that I can offer you guys that collect kerosene lanterns is that often times one (or both) of the "hot air tubes" will have been plugged by a spider (I think) that weaves some kine of thick cocoon-like web in the tube, greatly slowing the air from properly circulating and keeping the lantern from achieving any level of decent brightness.

[stretch]

I've got two that some folks were throwing out - 220J and 288A.

Both are two-mantle lanterns, and after some cleaning and new
mantles work just fine. One globe was badly cracked, but I repaired it
with Super Glue until I could get a replacement - which was found
at KMart. Mantles and fuel were available at my local country store.

Fuel and all - I don't think I have $25 into the pair.

Those PetroMax lanterns are something else again - just
beautiful!

-Stretch

[J Miller]

Slick,

That's a very neat collection.

I don't collect Coleman products but I have several stoves and two lanterns. All in working order. But I was going to have to buy some new caps. Perhaps now that you mentioned the #10 O-rings I won't have to.
Where do you get these O-rings? Are they a regular hardware store item?

Joe

[Ji in Hawaii]

There are allot worse things to be addicted to besides Colemans & leverguns.

When I need parts I can usually find them for decent prices on fleaBay though hardly anything wares out on these lamps.

[Slick]

Where do you get these O-rings? Are they a regular hardware store item?

Joe

Thanks Joe, the O-rings are part of a set I picked up at Harbor Freight tools. They run this kit in their "specials flyer" for a deep discount fairly often.

http://www.harborfreight.com/382-piece- ... 67554.html

I'm not real familiar with O-rings from a perspective of sizing. The size O-ring for a 200a (and modern lanterns) is the one that's on the #10 "post" in the kit. I'd take measurements of one for you, but I'm out and wound up stretching a smaller one to test the pump and burn in a new mantle. The fuel will dry it out and it will break soon - so I really need to see if I can just buy #10's alone, as I use the kit occasionally - but sacked the supply of #10 rings. Use a dental pick to dig out the brittle old O-ring. If yours has the screw in the cap, tighten the cap on the tank and back the screw out to remove the disc holding the O-ring as it's much easier without the disc spinning. Regular caps (newer ones) don't have the screw in disc, so just go after those with the pick AND, watch that thumb! Those picks will slip as the old ring material breaks up.

[J Miller]

Slick,

Thanks for the info. I'll hit up the Harbor Freight and get some of the O-rings.
Thanks for the how-to on the screw type cap, I wondered how to get them apart and have so far not bought any of the new ones.

Joe