Coleman Keepers Campfire come on in!

[campmaster-k]

I have always wanted to do that - have a pressure gauge. Why do it? Because its super cool thats why!

[campmaster-k]

No lantern . I went to the flea and all I got was wind and cold. It has been several weeks now and the force is not with me. I am getting desperate and my well have to resort to e-bay for a lantern fix. I know I know.

[The Teardrop Nanny]

I passed on buying a Coleman stove for $5 at a yard sale.....
I know, that was bad.....but when I see all the Colemans hanging around in the Firehouse unused, it makes it difficult to bring home another.
Perhaps I should go back and buy it for the IRG raffle??
TDN

[campmaster-k]

I passed on buying a Coleman stove for $5 at a yard sale.....
I know, that was bad.....but when I see all the Colemans hanging around in the Firehouse unused, it makes it difficult to bring home another.
Perhaps I should go back and buy it for the IRG raffle??
TDN

If you brought home a $5 stove Dean would be your very best friend!

And yes they do make for very good gifts and prizes!

[Wolffarmer]

I passed on buying a Coleman stove for $5 at a yard sale.....
I know, that was bad.....but when I see all the Colemans hanging around in the Firehouse unused, it makes it difficult to bring home another.
Perhaps I should go back and buy it for the IRG raffle??
TDN

If you brought home a $5 stove Dean would be your very best friend!

And yes they do make for very good gifts and prizes!

Or a spontaneous gift. Just the thing to get another addicted.

Randy

[Mukilteo]

Nothing here, move along.

[working on it]

Made myself a pressure gauge fuel cap by following the instructions over on the Coleman collectors forum.

Just used a one piece fuel cap, drilled it out with 11/32 drill bit and tapped with my 1/8"-27 NPT tap.
Was easier to drill from the inside of the cap but you need tap it from the outside because it's a tapering tap.
Why do it? I had nothing better to do.

I have a question: is it advisable for a lantern amateur/novice (haven't fired mine up yet, haven't used a lantern for 40 years) to make a pressure gauge to keep the pressure within limits. I remember (vaguely) pumping one up in the 60's at a Scout camp, and something blew, and the Scoutmaster was not pleased. After that, I only pumped up my lantern (one from '61, now gone) just about a half dozen strokes...to be repeated at intervals. I sure don't want to blow up my new Northstar (I told the wife it was for her, haha).

[Mukilteo]

Nothing here, move along.

[Wolffarmer]

It would be damn near impossible to over pump a Coleman. The pumps just are not that good. A fount full of fuel should be pumped 20-30 strokes then fired up and give it a few more strokes to replace the air lost during light up. If you don't want that much light then start them with fewer strokes but expect harder starting and the need to keep adding pressure. Also running to low and the generators will not function correctly.

Then things get weired.

Randy

[Wolffarmer]

One should tread lightly when using one of those. Use a hand pump for safety but if you must use a powered compressor I would not pressure above 30 pounds. I would not expect a sound fount to burst at less than 150 pounds, but who knows how sound many of these old founts are.

Randy

[doug hodder]

Why bother...so you have to carry an extra pump along? I don't get it, just use the pump it came with, that's why it's there. by the time you get the other pump and hook it up, it could be pumped with the thumb pump. The instructions on lanterns haven't changed much in the last 100 years. Follow them and you won't have any major issues. Instead of a manometer, when the lamp dims, pump it up, when it goes out...add fuel. They'll run for hours on a pumping with a stock pump. Modify it and your on your own to find it's limitations.

[Zollinger]

I agree with Doug. Why bother? Besides if you are pumping it up more than once a night you have bigger problems. Why try to reinvent the wheel?

[campmaster-k]

Sharder and manometer, all these big words that I dont understand.

When I first read the word sharder all I could think of is the situation when you want to pass a little gas but you know you should not! But I guess that one is Sharter, or sharted would be past tence.

[doug hodder]

You don't know sharder because it's all jacked up from the post person, go figure....It's schrader.

[campmaster-k]

So this dude walks into my store yesterday with a lantern he wants to sell. In the box mind you. The box is in good shape and 220j is written on the side so I am playing it cool because I have had my share of 220Js. So he reaches in and pulls up a 1945 Amg milspec. I started to stutter a bit and my face got real hot. Then on quick inspection I noticed that the vent is beautiful with no chips. ALL the tools are in the tools tube in the fount in the original paper wrapping. Funnel in place looks to have been fired a few times. Two extra aluminum generators. A nos pack of mantles, and a full tank of fuel. Still stuttering I asked if he would take $25 for it and he said " are you sure, it doesnt even work". I assured him that I was sure and I paid him promptly.