I hope this won't be too off-topic for this Forum; there seems nowhere else likely to be interested! As well as pressure lamps, I restore and collect blowlamps, mainly the traditional paraffin-burning type, but I've recently acquired a couple of interesting meths-burning blowlamps. They fall into the category of pressurised devices, by virtue of the fact that the fuel is heated to produce a vapour which then passes through an orifice and is burned. There's no air pump of course, but the principle is similar to that of the petrol-fired blowlamp. These Valtock units crop up on eBay and I've managed to get both of mine working. They aren't very photogenic when running though, as the meths flame is virtually invisible, even in the dark! I imagine they were designed for small precision uses such as jewellery repair. I'd be happy to chat about these or other blowlamps with other enthusiasts! Phil
G,,day Phil . I also collect them . I have one like on the left , it is brass . what does the left side container do ??? spare fuel ??? I am not sure I will be able to get mine working , the rolled threads in thin brass are not very healthy . cheers kerry
Yes, I'm in to blow lamps aswell. Anything that burns pressurised fuel is interesting as I see it, and I don'd exclude anything. Petrol, paraffin, meths... all sorts. What I miss is one of those rare carbide blow lamps. I wouldn't say that I actively collect them, but I think I have something like 20-30 different pieces. Mainly the larger paraffin lamps. I use them "for real" to start my hot bulb engines. I don't have any of those small jeweler torches you show here, but I know they have been up at CCS at a couple of occasions. It could be worth searching through the archive there! It is off-topic for the "pressure lamp forum", but we do have the "Open forum" where stuff like this is more than welcome so I moved it for you. It's sad that there isn't any good source available on the net for blow lamps, but I think they are pretty well covered by the "Open forum" here and at "The lounge" at CCS. Just a bit harder to find old discussions since they fall down in the common chit-chat in these off-topic foras.
I don't collect them, just as I don't collect stoves, but a small number of them seem to have gathered in my garage... The only one I have fettled and have working so far is a 100 year old petrol one.
Thanks Christer for moving the topic to the most appropriate place. I will certainly visit CCS a little more often. Kerry, the function of the two containers is, as far as I can ascertain, as follows. The image on the left is of the 'Automatic 2000' model and the right-hand container contains the main source of fuel for the blowlamp pressure jet. It contains a wick that extends right to the end of the curved tube on the top, and terminates behind the pressure jet. The jet itself unscrews for cleaning. The left-hand container is simply the permanent pre-heater, which contains a large wick and creates a small flame that heats the curved tube and the wick inside it until the liquid fuel vapourises. Pressure is created by the vapourisation of the fuel, and causes the vapour to emerge from the jet orifice where it is ignited by the pre-heater flame. The result is a silent, gentle, finely-focused but very clean and hot flame. After operating for a while, both containers get too hot to hold, due to conduction of heat from the flames down the metal tubes. The 'Major' blowlamp on the right is similar in operation but has a larger main fuel tank and a mixing-type burner nozzle. This model takes several minutes to reach operating temperature but produces a more powerful flame with the characteristic 'roar' sound associated with conventional blowlamps. It goes without saying that the screwed caps on both ends of the containers need to be pressure-tight to prevent leakage of fuel. The original seals are made of some heat-resisting rubber. I struggle to take pictures of these blowlamps in operation, as the flames are virtually colourless and can't be seen in the light, and they also don't create sufficient light to be photographed in the dark! The upper one is the Automatic 2000 and the lower image shows the Major. Phil
thanks Phil . I had seen photos of one with an obvious jet hole under the main burner jet . but the brass one I have doesn't have a hole in any of the caps , so it has an incorrect cap . I did wonder . but as I said , I am doubtful of the threads ,sadly might just have to be a interesting ornament . cheers kerry
The Valtock works by..............Phil has beaten me to it I had one also alloy caps were starting to corrode interesting little gas torch.
No Kerry, the only hole should be the nozzle inside the jet screwed into the end of the curved tube. The other three caps are all solid. The cap on the pre-heater tube is removed before lighting. I'm attaching a scan of the instructions. Meanwhile, if anyone had any suggestions for a heat-resisting rubber material from which I can cut some new sealing washers for the end caps, I'd appreciate it! Can you buy thin Viton sheet from anywhere? Phil
G,,day Phil . thankyou very much for the advice and for posting the instructions . I will have a go at getting it burning as soon as I get a chance . Viton sheet is available here in Aus, but I cant help you for a supplier near you . someone will know no doubt. cheers kerry
Hello Phil I like Christer collect all thing's that burn vapourised fuel, blowlamps and stoves mainly and I have a few pressurised items road lamps etc. I have been collecting and restoring blowlamps for over 25 years now, in fact it is what got me in to stoves and lamps. Here is a few pics of my latest addition and restoration Here in the above is a Barthel heavy duty lamp used for brazing and hot bulb engines and other heavy duty purposes The above pic shows the biggest part of the restoration, there was to much play/gap between the gland nut and regulator spindle, so it made it impossible to repack the gland to form a perfect seal, the graphite foil would ooze out of the gap when the nut was tightened ~To repair this the above pic is of a scrap piece of brass, with a hole drilled through it the same size as the spindle, this would then be sil brazed to the back of the gland nut to take up the gap between the spindle and gland nut Even though in the above pic I have already silbrazed the parts together the above pic shows how levelled and marked it all out A few more pics to follow, I have reached the max amount
Here are a couple of pics of the finished lamp and it fired up and working,i took this indoors to take a pic and a little video of it working, but not for long. I did fire it up out side first and took it indoors for a few mins just so the flame could be seen. I would not recommend this type of the lamp be lit indoors
G,,day . it is nice , also very different to the only Barthel that I have , a small .3 Litre petrol burner . but I did find a Max Sievert DIP soldering torch the other day , first one I have ever seen . kerry
Hi Kerry, there a few British manufacturers that made a model on the same design in fact all most identical to this model Lake and Elliot was one I have a video added to my favourites of it operating, Samuel heath and sons Monitor all made a version. But I don't what manufacturer came up with this design originally was it a German manufacturer or British
Plese does anyone have any idea about what to look for to make a wick for a standard Valtock 2000 automatic blowlamp?
Hi Alan and Welcome If you can’t find an answer on here I would give the Base Camp a ring.. they have lots of spares for wick lamps and blowlamps as well as all the lamp and lantern parts so may have something that would work? www.base-camp.co.uk good luck with things
Hello , I'm new here but wish all a good time . Maybe someone can inform me the size , more precisely the jet size of the Valtoc 2000 blow lamp . The tip from the first image (on the left) shows a kind of cover screwed on or is it the jet himself ? For the moment thanks a lot .
