So I think I’ve found my new favorite lantern. Finished fettling this Coleman 242B 12/1940. Love how bright it is. After reading some comments about these great lanterns, I noticed a few differences from my other later model 200 & 200A lanterns. The burner is all steel, the top assembly is cast iron, the generator but is steel. Any ideas as to which globe it uses?
It would usually be a green lettered globe spelling out Colemen. The lettering would be large with no sun burst, and the Pyrex name. Now having said that, I'm not sure where you're lantern was made, Wichita or Toranto. I figure Wichita.
Well done, they’re great lanterns and this one is no exception. I’ll give you many years of service ........ enjoy Cheers Pete
An update. I upgraded it to run on kerosene. It’s almost as if it was meant this way. It’s bright, really bright. I used a 201 generator and still the same 2C-HG mantle.
Great lantern you've gotten going @goldwinger11 Prior to the conversion to kero, what did you use as fuel? From the pictures, its really bright whatever the fuel. The 242 has been reputed to be one of Coleman's best-made lanterns. If you've got a steel burner, its probably an effort during the War years.
@MYN Yes it is a steel burner. It takes a little longer to get up to temperature. Before the conversion, I had Coleman fuel. @AussiePete It all comes together.
goldwinger, I’m slowly coming round to these wee Coleman lanterns. I now have 5 Colemans after swearing that I would never collect them. Biggest problem for me is finding the correct globe for the missing ones.
@Jean J I too was a collector of Tilley and Bialaddin then I got my first Coleman, a 249 Scout March 1945 then the next, the next, the next, the next now I got lots .....
@Jean J I feel your pain. I ended up buying half a dozen American Mantle brand globes to have them functional. Now I can look for the correct ones at my pace.
Most of the lanterns from North America had been designed for the use with volatile fuels like white gas, gasoline and now CF. Wheras, pretty much the rest of the World favors kerosene in most cases. @goldwinger11 What prompted you to switch to kero? My guess, you must be a kerosene enthusiast.
@MYN A few reasons. Kerosene is about 2/3 cheaper than Coleman fuel. It is safer because it has a much higher flash point. Fuel consumption is lower due to the smaller jets or nozzles on the generator. I also have kerosene heaters in my shop that I use in the winter, so only having one type of fuel is more convenient. And the light output on some of the lanterns is higher. Besides, it’s fun.
Well, that says it all. The specific energy per unit volume for kerosene is higher. I reckon they run hotter as well. Perfect for winters, I guess. Most of my lanterns are kerosene-fueled. I couldn't get Coleman Fuel or similar naphtha here in my place so I'd just use gasoline in those designed for white gas or CF despite the many undesirables from the additives.
Nope. Couldn't find that here as well. I've been looking for alternatives which I could conveniently find off-the-shelf here. Couldn't even find naphtha-based panel wipes here. I could get certain paint thinners which comprise of a mixture of light and heavy napthtas but those seem to be less volatile than gasoline or CF. So I reckon they are not exactly the right substitute. These are costly too. Prices are close to that for Coleman Fuel.
