I have an opportunity to pick up a Titus sans glass and wick for $40. Does anyone own one of these lamps and have stories to share? I'd like something to pair with my Aladdins, but not so interested if they have the same issue of "running away" and blacking the mantle. I have 24 hours left... Al
Yes I have a bunch, and the stories are here at the site. Just search for "Tito" and you will get e.g. this topic, but also this one. They don't have the same issue about "running away" as the Aladdins, so no worries there. They work in different ways, and there's no ordinary wick controlled by a wick riser knob on the Titus/Tito Landi. Once lit and working, it's very stable. And it's also dimmable. It's a very good system, and if you get it to work properly, I'm sure you'll be as pleased as I am with my lamps. I use especially that one with the "wrong" tulip globe very often during the dark half of the year. If you are sure the wick is missing on the one you intend to buy, it is possible to make a new one out of cotton mop strands. Just as you do with some camping stoves that use this type of wick under the feed tube. They run on either petrol or alcohol. You can generally decide which by checking the size of the jet. A very large orifice of around 0.8 mm means alcohol while about half that diameter indicate petrol.[/URL]
I've got a few, maybe 3-4. I've never had them running properly due to the OE wicks having been used up decades ago. I never managed to acquire the 'knack' of cobbling a useable wick from something else. I've seen one running. It was OK but not a huge light output so, for example, would be good as mood lighting for an intimate meal or whatever...
Well obviously that single one you have seen lit wasn't running correct then. At full light they are very bright. Good enough to work or read by, or just simply to fully illuminate a room. But if a mood light is desired, it's only to turn it down! That's the beauty with these lamps.
I went ahead and ordered it. It's been ebay.com for quite a while, and I've been quite intrigued. I really like the idea that it can be dimmed! I have two appropriate mantles on the way, and some brass stock to make a mantle support fork from. I don't imagine that the wick or screen will be too much of a challenge. Any recommendations for the primary glass flue?
I'd be keen to hear what these "appropriate mantles" are and how well they work. The flue/chimney on mine is a plain glass cylinder 150mm x ~50mm OD. Is there a 'secondary' flue? Best of luck!
The "secondary" flue is really a globe just to soften the light and provide cosmetic appeal. Many thanks for the dimensions for the primary flue. I've ordered two Aladdin GAS mantles since they are recommended as suitable replacements for the OE mantles. This will be a nice summer project for in the cool of the basement when it's too hot upstairs!
Yes, the upright, rigid gas mantles works very well, and I don't think "home made" mantles out of regular soft mantles ever works better. You just need to be a bit careful when removing them from their frame. I think you can make the fork a tad bit higher to expose more of the mantle to the flame. And you can just skip the chimney if you want, as I see it. It doesn't have any crucial function. Atleast not for e.g. producing draught as on regular wick lamps. Perhpas it can be good to protect the mantle from bugs etc., but hardly for the actual function. I run the user Tito without a chimney and it performs the same. (I had one initially, but it couldn't take the heat, so after it cracked, I just simply kept on running the lamp with just the opal shade.) The shade is much more important since an indoor lamp with just a naked mantle is pretty meaningless. Hope you'll get the old thing going.
I'll post photos and I make progress. I'd like to get the chimney/globe just to protect the mantle. This lamp doesn't have the support ring for the shade. It's probably going to be a white gas model since it's here in the U.S., but I'm hoping it's an alcohol model since it'll be the first alcohol lamp that I'll have!
OK, the lamp is here, and it's in remarkably good condition. The wick appears to be new! Problem, I can't get the top off to measure the jet size. Question: Will a petrol model function at all if I start out with spirits (alcohol)? I figure that's a safe start and not likely to fireball on me. Any experience out there? Al P.S. The brass is so soft that I'm afraid to damage the lamp by trying to force the burner off. Can anyone recommend a brass-to-brass penetrating fluid (or any to avoid)?
I doubt it. However, I isn't absolutely sure. You can't really be that without trying. So I took a spirit Tito, emptied the tank, removed the burner so I could squeeze out practically all petrol that was in the yarn. Then I dipped it in alcohol and squeezed it again. Then I assembled all again and filled with petrol. It didn't work, so thesis proven. It burned, but with a powerless, yellow and very tired flame. Brass to brass? Actually I think the part you can't get loose is made out of copper. Any penetrating oil might help, I guess. But there's a risk that the threads are seized up rather than just gummed up. I've seen it on a couple of these. My guess is that the choice of copper is for better heat conductivity down to the little expansion chamber, or what it should be called, but that choice of material might also be a reason why they seize more easily. As I was tinkering with the lamps, I took the opportunity to take a photo of the two different jets. It's quite easy to distinguish them from easch other even if you shouldn't actually have the other to compare with: (The total width of a jet is 10 mm.)
Excellent, and I thank you very much! I'll let the wick soak overnight and try again tomorrow. If it doesn't light I'll presume that the jet is clogged and press on from there. They appear to be very nice lamps, but a tad fragile if left to seize up.
Just went back to spirit from that fuel exchange experiment. Squeezed out the petrol from the wick and changed the fuel in the tank back to alcohol. It took about three to five minutes before it came back to normal, blue flame without any yellow again. I haven't really run the alcohol fueled Titos for real. Only for test a few hours now and then. I think I will put a mantle on this one tomorrow to see if it performs as well as the "normal" petrol versions. The blue cone doesn't really look as powerful.
The heat-cycling of trying to get it lighted loosened up the burner assembly. The jet came off with only a minor "oomph" and proved to be clear. Apparently this lamp wants alcohol. (Don't we all?) It's cooling down now, and I'll go to the store for a fresh gallon of alcohol tomorrow. The entire jet issue has me a bit confused right now. I would think that a less volatile fuel (alcohol) would use a larger jet; but the language on the forum would seem to point to the opposite. A machinist friend has some pin gauges, and I hope he has some small enough to measure the jet that I'm working with. Updates tomorrow
You must have mis-read the forum then. Alcohol lamps always has a larger jet compared to paraffin or petrol, and this fact is quite often mentioned. And as I wrote above regarding Tito-Landi: Alcohol jet has appr. twice the orifice diameter compared to the petrol jet. Perhaps around 0.8 mm for the alcohol compared to 0.3/0.4 mm for the petrol. (Mind you! Not any exact figures. Only made by a hunch.) I'm glad you got the pieces separated, and that they weren't seized. Then it hopefully shouldn't be any problems for you to get it going.
Well, the trouble is the wick and valve. I've enclosed photos of the wick. The end is fouled, and the original screen is completely gone save for what appear to be a "rust shadow". The jet is clear, but air does not pass through the valve. A previous owner soldered the gallery to the base, so I have to unsolder that to get to the valve assembly. I guess I needed a project. At least all of the bits are sound.
I soaked the burner in vinegar, and poked at the base of the needle valve seat until I finally cleared the passage. I have an email into Mile Stair looking for a replacement wick, so I'm using a large tiki torch wick as a temporary substitute. I'm still not certain which fuel it's supposed to use. Here are photos of the weak flame that petrol and alcohol delivered after full preheats. Petrol: Alcohol:
I put a Coleman #21 mantle on it and finally got some light. I'm a but surprised at how much heat is transferred to the fount! Really looking forward to seeing it run with a proper wick and screen in place.
I know that wickies are somewhat despised here, but I feel obliged to mention that Mile Stair of Miles Stair's Wick Shop has graciously offered to try and recreate the Tito Landi "Titus" wick for me. If we're successful, there will be a source of tried and true replacement wicks for us "closet wickies". The fiberglass tiki torch wick was enough for a proof-of-concept, but is in no way an acceptable substitute for the real thing.
Well, this is a site for pressure lamps and lanterns so wickie stuff is off-topic and tolerated in The Lounge - I don't think they're "despised" as you suggest. I've no idea why people post their wickie lamps here when they could easily do so at, say, the Guild website where they would receive a warm welcome from like-minded souls who would be happy to discuss the far end of their objects of affection, 24/7/52. Anyway, I'd be interested to learn how the reproduction Tito Landi wicks turn out. I don't envisage a massive market for them. BTW, what's a "fiberglass tiki torch wick"?
Tiki torches are these things people stick out in their yard in the summer. They are a can with a wick stuck through the top cap. Lighting them provided "ambience", and certain fuels are reputed to repel mosquitoes and the like. The wicks are fat and made from woven fiberglass. I posted here cuz I love you folks!
Hello Al, I like all liquid fuel lamps and the effort which folk put in to restore them is inspiring! Pressure lamps are my main area of interest of course, Jeff.
The original wick is in the post on the way to Miles. For folks over "there", Miles runs what is probably the most comprehensive wick shop in North America. Anywho, he has an abundance of the mop-like material made specifically to be wicks(mostly for stoves). I grew to dislike mops in the service since they always went sour on me no matter how much I rinsed them out.
I received a note from Miles this morning stating that the Tito wick was the "strangest wick construction" that he'd ever seen. Miles has seen a lot of wicks. He believes that the original wick was actually two wicks steamed and formed to fit one on top of the other. Possibly some water-based adhesive was used to help them retain their shape during manufacturing. I just thought that I'd share this for the Tito Landi owners out there. Miles is going to fettle a similar wick for me out of personal interest in the project. Updates as the arrive! Al
Hi, the wicks in the Tito Landi 'Titus' lamp are usually lots of strands of cotton that are tied in the middle, this middle part is then forced into the wick tube very tightly, there is also a fine mesh over the tip to aid in placing it and likely to prevent carbonized particles from blocking the jet.
Thanks Al. So a tad bit more complex than the usual cotton mop strand wick I mentioned initially in this topic then. But I know people have made it with this more regular technique we are so familiar with from petrol stoves and blow lamps, so I guess they will work too. But the real deal is always nice, and probably better in some way, so please post us an image of that wick he will make for you. And how it will perform.
I've got a couple of these Tito lamps, never thought about lighting them before they're just nice to look at. I've got this storm lamp style below and also a steel hurricane lamp.
