Tilly Vaporizer repair

Discussion in 'Fettling Forum' started by rollschmidts, Sep 1, 2026 at 10:02 PM.

  1. rollschmidts

    rollschmidts Subscriber

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    Hi everyone, I’ve long had an idea for converting Tilley vaporizers to use Petromax jets with minimal effort. I now have two versions: one for when the vaporizer tube is intact, and a second for when the tube itself needs replacing.I hope , this is interesting .
    Regarding Version 1: I drilled through the vaporizer (5 mm), tapped a thread for PX jets (7 mm), and screwed in a jet. For the needle rod, I used a 3 mm rod; I cut a thread for a cleaning needle, attached a hollow rivet (3 mm) to the bottom end, and inserted the assembly into the tube along with a long spring. This hollow rivet serves as a contact point for pushing the needle rod downwards.
    Regarding Version 2: I cut a metal tube to the appropriate length, tapped a PX thread (7 mm), and soldered its lower end onto the threaded section of the cut-down Tilley vaporizer. The needle rod and needle were fabricated just as in Version 1.
    The refurbishment required little work and cost approximately 10 euros, including the jet and needle.
    Have a nice day
    Roland
     

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  2. JEFF JOHNSON

    JEFF JOHNSON United Kingdom Subscriber

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    A fine fettling project.:thumbup::thumbup:
     
  3. podbros

    podbros United Kingdom Subscriber

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    Hi Roland .. wow that looks great :thumbup:
    how did you find the performance with your testing?
    regards,
    pb
     
  4. rollschmidts

    rollschmidts Subscriber

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    They provided reliable illumination. Temperature distribution, thermal conductivity to the tank, etc., are just like the original. That’s why I chose steel as the material.

    An advantage is that, after unscrewing the nozzle, the unit can be removed upwards for inspection and needle replacement.
    BR and have a nicht day
    Roland
     
  5. ROBBO55

    ROBBO55 Subscriber

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    Nice work, Roland.:clap:

    Did you have to remove the internal guide cone ?

    upload_2026-9-3_6-36-42.gif
     
  6. Sedgman

    Sedgman Subscriber

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    This is a useful thread; can an administrator please correct the spelling in the title from Tilly to Tilley so that it becomes more easily searchable.
     

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