Die & Tap thread gauge for Vapalux/ Bialaddin burner tubes to main block ?

Hiya (anyone with the answers ).

I have had a problem re-inserting the male threads to the burner tubes from a Vapalux M1 lamp. They were very problematic (as usual) firstly releasing them & they all came out without (I thought) any damage caused (either one, male or female); but now none of them will thread back in again, it's as though the tube has increased in thread size & the main blocks female, has reduced ?!!

Just one of them things really, fully understanding why this has presented, is a bit "chicken & egg"; it's certainly stumped me !

I've been told by a Mechanic friend, that he thinks it is a "specialized gauge" and the tooling wouldn't be easily found. It's over all diameter is 10.5 mm's, which equates to, preferably on the higher side, to 27/64 ", and the tpi is possibly 36'.

I'd like to be able to buy all the correct gear, not just to fix this one (I've tried the file & leading edge business, they still wouldn't have it ); but to maintain the majority of other burners becoming problematic.

From what I can make out, with the looking glass, the female threads need to be re-defined again. It's the not recollecting "any severe physicalities or crunching part", that's discombobulated me; how they're now beyond being used again, when I noticed nothing untoward occurring, is an ed scratcher !

Most hopefully, this is a common theme, so do please get in touch, if anyone knows what will have happened ?

Thanks a lot & cheers,

Jon.

 

This is a common mistake. It is always better not to dismantle these tubes from the burner casting. The threads get heat damaged and in an older burner dismantling the burner amounts to scrapping it. Better to leave the tubes in and just brush them out. ::Neil::

 

Thanks Neil, I've got one of them back in the main block by using a very fine file to take down enough of the flattened thread ridge's present. Just doing that took over two hours, then another hour with the "two turns forward & one back" chore !

Two just to get sorted out now, it's a right carry on, tough work on the fingers & thumbs. I'll sort it eventually; I just don't enjoy seeing the fettled lamp all spot monty, knowing that the burners still wearing a dirty nappy, even though it can't be seen.
You're right though, if they resist to that gravity, probably best left 'as is', barring a good turps soaking & pipe cleaning debacle.

Cheers then,
Jon.

 

To install burner tubes you can try putting them in the freezer for an hr or to then try ti fit them .
Also have the other part slightly warm or hot if held in a vice .
this method been used for years fitting bearings so should help here to
Bob .

 

Ta Bob, I'll try that next time around (contract/ expand, ect), as I got them all fed in eventually. I'd be ever so keen to see if I could be told where to buy the Imperial Tap & Die tooling from ?

Just having the correct gauge of threader or tap, would make it so much easier. I do not like to leave things unfettled, when the rest of the lamp is in such top shape. I suppose I could just "leave the three burner tubes be" but fully clean out the rest of the parts. The lamps do mostly burn much cleaner, when all that carbon & gunge is got rid of.

I'll try online stores, to see if I can get a thread tap for the next imperial measurement up (10.5 mm large side upwards, equivalent). Surely these older gauged tooling pieces are still required, & ought still be sought from specialist some where up or down the UK ?

If it turned out to be the wrong gauge, I'd have the T- bar applicator tool still, to use with other repairs; I just need to read up more, but cross referencing on those very small sized charts, finding the right diameter bit; is close on torture, even with the specs on !

Thanks for the tip, I'll find something yet, I have too . ..

Jon.