What's this lamp, AGM or not ?

A friend of mine, tell me it's an AGM.

How i dismantle it ?
Thanks for your advices.

Regards,

Gilles

 

11 of 1942. Mil-Spec burner. It has a AGM vent on it. The fount if steel could have come from a standard Coleman model 220BX if it steel wartime production.

 

Looks like a Coleman milspec lantern. Coleman 252? The vent is not Coleman. Dismantle the generator first and the rest would be by 'intuition'. If the burner tube and cap is not loose or compromised in any way, leave it alone as its easy to damage the threads.

 

I have a doubt about the assembly of picture #9. The nut is in its place?
Is there a protective grid on the burner ? ( see pict #11 ).

 

I found what you said interesting.

I don't know anything about MilSpec lamps, I don't own one nor am I interested enough to add one to my collection of lamps.

I would have thought that the MilSpec lamps would be built to a standard where it wouldn't be easy to damage, more heavy duty than standard consumer lamps. It isn't that I doubt you, as I said, I just found what you said interesting.

How does the build quality of MilSpec lamps compare overall to 'domestic' lamps?

 

Milspec lanterns are no better or worse than the Coleman 220 that the basic lamp is designed from. Mind you the Coleman 220B was a pretty tough lantern anyway and so were the AGM and Akron lanterns of the period. They were not a re design but just adapted from the standard ranges at the time. Like all military lamps mismatched parts are common on lamps that may have been fettled whilst in service or by the QM if any were returned. Also whilst Coleman AGM and Akron were churning out complete lamps Aladdin were making burner sets as conversions and some of those do turn up on the 1940s Milspec lanterns. I assume they were fettled by the USQM who would not try to fettle anything but just replace a complete burner but they may have been factory fitted if Aladdin was supplying the other three companies with parts. ::Neil::

 

Thanks Neil.

I've never given MilSpec lamps much thought, they just don't interest me. Having said that, I can remember wondering why the lamps weren't supplied with mica globes.

I would have thought mica globes were a no brainer. That wouldn't break like glass and are much lighter for the poor blokes lugging lanterns around.

I know mica is a big fragile, well at least the decades old ones I have. Perhaps the mica isn't as fragile when new.

I suppose the lamps could have been supplied with mica originally but have since mostly been replaced with glass?

 

@Sellig33 ,
Yes, if you're referring to the jamb nut on the aluminium generator. Its how milspecs come about. The burner end should have a screen or a cap just like any other lanterns. Its missing from pic #11. They're screwed on but it might be difficult to dismantle if its already seized. If there're no ceramic parts there, you can try to heat and quench to free it up.

@Matty ,
Exactly as what Neil replied. The milspecs, whoever(Coleman, AGM, AFM, etc) manufactured them, were not made to any higher quality standards than any of the usual civilian models. Its just standardization as for most military-issued items.
Its almost like a 'disposable' lantern, particularly the generator, which is not meant to be repaired or serviced. However, some would come with the four-quardrant glass globe, which is much thicker and resistant to water splashes when hot, compared to civilian lanterns. That's about the only part that might be more rugged.

 

@MYN

Yes, I see that point now, something I'd missed previously.

It makes sense to have essentially the one lamp so each and every time, no matter what lamp you lay your hands on, you know how it works and how to repair it if needed.

 

Yes Matty.
I'd still say its comparatively more rugged by default. Not from the manufacturing quality point of view but by its very design.
It is relatively smaller than many civilian lanterns, has a compact cage/frame, thicker glass and its steel-bodied and welded, not soldered. Withstand tipping-overs and falls better. The bulk is made of less expensive steel compared to brass.
Meant to be fueled with any available gasoline including leaded ones. Expected to be abused to some extents and still works. If generator clogs up, prick it a couple of times. Otherwise, just throw it away and get a new one from the Army.
Smaller mantle size to withstand greater shocks and rough handling. Not required to provide much more illumination than a wick-type lantern. Just about a few attributes to make it useable and fuss-free in the hands of the infantry.

 

Thanks to all,
The fount is steel and very rusty, and the burner too.
I keep the AGM vent, waiting to find a Coleman one ( If some have one, mp me )

 

They were always fitted with glass never mica. The four piece quadrant globes are later. Introduced in the early 1950s so none of the WW2 and late 40s would have had a quadrant.

Don't take a blow torch asnywhere near the generator. It will melt. Been there, done that and I can tell you it can be quite interesting. ::Neil::

 

Good to know, thank you Neil

 

@Sellig33 @MYN there is no grid in the burner nozzle on Milspec lanterns.

As a matter of fact, there is also no grid in the burner nozzle of some single mantle AGM lanterns as sold by Sears Roebuck.

Henry.

 

@Mackburner @Henry Plews

Two more very interesting bits of information.Thanks.

 

We do try. I found out about the milspec generator when in a careless moment I tried to pre heat the lamp with a blow torch. Damn near took my shed out and I discovered that milspecs are pretty tough 'cos that one went half way down the garden in flames and after bouncing a few times and being hosed down I fitted a new generator and it worked fine. Certainly had the adrenaline pumping. ::Neil::

 

@Henry Plews ,
I mentioned by mistake about the screen on the burner. What I meant was the multiple-holed burner cap(either metal or ceramic), not a piece of wire mesh found on some other lanterns.

Aluminium(if not alloyed too much) actually has a better thermal conductivity than brass but not copper. Therefore, the small and light generator does not require as much preheating as the heavier brass ones found on most other lanterns.
It could be lit directly with a match, but it'll initially flare-up a bit but should quickly settle down into a blue flame(if tested without the mantle).

 

Neil,

You tossed the lamp? It wasn't percussion?

Either way, yep, I bet that did get your adrenaline pumping and why wouldn't it.

 

@MYN Aaah, I see.
I think it's rather strange that there is no screen in the burner nozzle, especially when the Milspecs are designed to run at a lower pressure than "civilian" lanterns. You'd have thought that they'd be much more prone to back burning but I've found this is not so, at least not with mine. Perhaps others have different experiences.

Henry.

 

Thank you very much for all this information Henry
Yesterday I managed to dismantle the elbow fitting, tonight the control knob, perhaps...

 

The milspec has a rather short mixing chamber just before the cap. Back-burning is, perhaps, less likely even when operating at low pressures.

I've got a Petromax 826 that's glowing red on the J-tube mixer after a short while of burning. Not sure if that's due to back-burning. The light from the mantle does not seem to dim down, and there's no 'growling' sound, charaterized by burning in the tube. Might try to add a wire mesh screen to see if that could rectify the problem.

 

Big surprise, the fount is very rusty



I can not disassemble the dip tube. How to do ?

 

amazing. That's something I have never seen. Must be rusted to the bottom of the fount.

 

@Sellig33

If your tank is that rusty, it doesn’t look repairable.

Do you want to save the tank?

Tony

 

Hi Tony,
Yes, i'll try to weld a new piece of steel.

 

Henry, the military types with that special crap style generator never had a screen in it. They are noisy as hell, too. That's because they lack the screen (I think). They can be a bitch to light, too! I have a 252A from 1952 and one from 1945. Neither one is a thrill-a-minute to start! I pity the poor GI trying to light the damn thing! If the enemy was nearby, he could be blind and still know there was Allied GI in the area. All he had to do was listen.

 

Hi George, I only have one complete Milspec but two spare burner units. I forget what year the lantern is but it's definitely a Coleman with quad glass. I agree with all you say about them, especially your comment about lighting, mine tends to run out of air before any fuel starts to come through and I usually have to pump more air into the font just to get it lit. Whenever I do lite it, I do so when there's no background noise, that way, I can hear when the fuel starts to come through before striking a match, otherwise I'd get through a whole box.

Henry.

 

These can be odd lamps to deal with. I was with a friend last week and we lit his 1944 milspec with no trouble at all. It behaved just like any other Instant-Lite with no fuss and no flare ups. I have a couple that splutter and flare before setting down to run right and they are always a trial to fire up. I also remember well a group of six very experienced collectors trying to fire up a later version some years back and it would not run at all. Lots of fuel and air was flowing OK but it refused to vaporise and give light. So they vary a lot and some are easy and some near impossible. Generally the older ones tend to be easier but you just have to accept they are tricky but when they do work are actually a pretty good lantern. ::Neil::

 

The only milspec I have is a US AFM 1967. It was rusted through the bottom of the fount. I brazed it up with some brass rods. Throughly cleaned out everything. Was a tough one to repair and restore. Removed and replaced the asbestos-like fibres in the generator with tightly packed nickel-plated copper braiding.
It has a homemade asbestos-packed cup attached near the upper end of the generator for spirit preheating(perhaps to prevent sooty flare-ups).
It lighted up near perfectly on my first start-up. Probably just lucky on this part.

 

Some ideas folks ?
Thanks,

Gilles