As near as I can tell its a Kerosafe M1001 made by the Thomas Manufacturing company of Dayton, Ohio sometime between about 1913 and 1926. Information is scarce about these though I did find Pressure Lamps International which basically has told me everything I know on the subject. If you Google Kerosafe m1001 there are 5 hits, one is in German...I found the lamp in my Grandmother's house where it'd sat for who knows how long, my lifetime anyway. All I've done is clean it a bit with a wet paper towel. To fire it I need an airpump which it appears I can get from Lehman's, mantles which I've got and something that'll pass for Kerosene.
Apparently K1 which is what passes for kerosene these days isn't good for much and white gas is too volitile. I've read that a 50/50 mix of K1 and white gas or K1 and odorless mineral spirits will work. I've got to travel next week but when I get back I'll see what I can do. The lamp appears to be in near perfect condition. I'd like to have it useable.
-Curt
1 comment:
I have a very similar Thomas Kerosafe Lamp on my workbench right now (27AUG14) that I am working on for my Neighbor.
These lamps are best running no more than 25% "white gas" mixed into 75% White K1 Kerosene, though as a pressure lamp should also be safe running undiluted low odor mineral spirits.
Operation of the lamp is the twitchy part. First it REQUIRES "Pre-heating" (typically with a propane torch)
and I'd recommend that you look up the operation of a "Tilley" Kerosene pressure lamp and use a similar method.
That it is to fuel the lamp, apply just a few pump strokes, then open the fuel valve until you SEE fuel through the air inlet
(view from the side) then turn off the fuel valve and apply the torch flame to the vaporizer tube
("generator") until the mantles start to glow at that point open the fuel valve 1-2 turns and apply pump pressure to achieve a bright flame.
Be very careful with the fuel valve, the shaft has no positive stop so it is possible to unscrew it to the point that it falls out.
Feel free to contact me for as much free advice as you can probably stand... not to mention I can steer you to several internet sources you might find interesting about pressure lamps in general.
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