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I am looking for a bracket to mount on my helmet ... IMO has one for $1.50, but they appear to be out of tip cleaners, which I also need. Does anyone know a site that has both? I think I'll inquire of GGG because I'm buying a seat harness soon ... it would just be easier to "keep it together", if you know what I mean!

Check with Bob Liebman at Bob & Bob, they have a website. I've been buying caving gear from Bob since 1977, although GGG and IMO have gotten plenty of coin from me as well! Knowing that you have a Petzl Erin Roc helmet, you will probably want an MSA (Mine Safety Appliance) lamp bracket. Also highly suggested for that carbide lamp: spare tip, a spare felt (make from green scotchbrite pad), gasket, wingnut, striker assembly and tip cleaner. For great "tutorials" check out IMO's webpage or Google "VPI Cave Club" and print out their excellent carbide lamp guide.
I'll dig around my spares boxes and see if I can't scare up some parts for you
Doc K

It looks like Bob and Bob's Repair Kit has everything except a wing nut, cool! What is the striker assembly? Is that the flint? A flint is also included with the Repair Kit.

I printed out the IMO packet of info ... good reading. :)

A steel guitar string makes a good tip cleaner. Wrap it around your lamp, behind the reflector, with one end sticking out a bit to keep it easy to find.

A striker assembly is the whole striker gizmo -- spring, cap, wheel, flint holder. Can't remember if also contains a flint. It is rare that it needs to replace it unless the lamp is very old and the striker is frozen. Spare flints are what you need to carry with you, and those are standard lighter flints, available at a drug store. Pack them so they'll stay dry when you're caving.

You can get a wing nut at a hardware store. If the wings don't angle properly to fit, they can be filed -- ask the friendly guys in the shop to do this for you! Carry a spare!

A ribbed, "stay cool" gasket that goes around the carbide chamber is a good idea. This will keep you from burning your hand when changing carbide, and makes it easy to unscrew the base.

The rubber ring protector ("bumper grip"?) that goes on the seam around the base of the carbide chamber is a good idea as well, for this protects that seam when you bang the bottom on something solid to loosen the spent carbide.

(I'm pretty sure at least IMO carries these last two accessories, and B&B may as well.)

Enjoy!

Cheryl

I got the repair kit from Bob & Bob's and I also got a wingnut from him. The repair kit mentions all you said, Cheryl, yay! I also got the rubber grip from him and he said it wraps around the bottom and comes partly up the sides so it should be good. :)

Did you get a carbide lamp? Wahoo another ludite convert! ...or is that revert? Maybe that was pervert, and I just misunderstood?

Anyway, what did you get? Hopefully not a Butterfly or a plastic Justrite.

I too recently got a cap lamp and need some advice. I have an Autolite. Will Premier and Justrite parts such as tips, gaskets, felt, etc... work on it?
Also, there does not seem to be a happy medium between too much of a drip and too little. Does anyone have any suggestions to get it just right?
Thanks a lot...

- dan

Dan Lamping wrote:I too recently got a cap lamp and need some advice. I have an Autolite. Will Premier and Justrite parts such as tips, gaskets, felt, etc... work on it?
Also, there does not seem to be a happy medium between too much of a drip and too little. Does anyone have any suggestions to get it just right?
Thanks a lot...

- dan

Autolites are the best!

I actually have several Autolite that I aquired for spare parts. As most of the lamp parts that are availible via bob-n-bob likely won't work with an Autolight. But things like the gasket and tip reamer (the wire brush thingy) will. Autolite tips are slightly different and if you need to replace one, a Premier or Justrite tip may work but another Autolite tip will certainly work. Autolites are wierd too in that from year to year of manufacture not all of the lamps have interchangable bottoms. However, other than the really early Autolites, almost all the other parts are interchangable. A good person to talk to (if you can wait) is Bill Fritz of KY. He's usually at MVOR and sells mostly Autolites and various odds-n-ends for them. I've bought two lamps from him: My first and my most recent.

As for felt, they will clog-up the gas tube if the lamp gets inverted, the felt isn't water friendly. Use a Scotch-brite pad cut into a disk to use as a felt. It keeps the spent 'bide out of the gas tube and doesn't clog if it gets wet.

Also, the striker can be magnetic enought to deflect a compass. Take it out and get one of those pizo-electic lighters. Wal-Mart will have them. They work even if wet when the flint strikers won't. I took a spent lighter, drilled a hole through the base (where the butane was) and strung it on a piece of nylon cord to wear when I'm in the cave.

I got my first lamp so long ago that PM helped me with getting it ready to use in caving. He soldered on the bracket for me and did some other minor adjustments. Up until recently, I used that lamp as my primary; only reason I stopped is that I dropped the base on concrete recently and dented it resulting in a crack in the threads. PM might be willing to help you with the drip issue if you ask (he is the only other person I know that has used an Autolite regularly). The nut on the drip rod is lead soldered in place and can be adjusted by remelting the lead. It is kinda tricky and its best to have someone who has done it either show you or do it for you.

Hope this helps.

Dan Lamping wrote:I too recently got a cap lamp and need some advice. I have an Autolite. Will Premier and Justrite parts such as tips, gaskets, felt, etc... work on it?

Mike Lite tips will work in an Autolite if I'm not mistaken. You can easily make gaskets and felts if you have an original to use as a template. I've got a bit about that on my website: http://www.caves.org/member/mfraley .

Dan Lamping wrote:Also, there does not seem to be a happy medium between too much of a drip and too little. Does anyone have any suggestions to get it just right?
Thanks a lot...

- dan

I've got a light like that. Unfortunately, the most I've been able to make of it is to click back and forth between the two settings. I suppose I could try to loosen the solder and let it firm up again on the valve stem in hopes of resetting it perfectly, but that's risky buisness.[/url]

cheshire wrote:Mike Lite tips will work in an Autolite if I'm not mistaken.

Mike lite tips do work on Autolites. Same price as regular tips (from IMO) but they are stainless and seem to clog less/need less cleaning.

Dan Lamping wrote:Also, there does not seem to be a happy medium between too much of a drip and too little. Does anyone have any suggestions to get it just right?

Both of my lamps have started doing that and I've been told to try some nice toilet cleaner or CLR type cleaner. I just have been forgetfull about buying some...never think about it till packing for a trip.

I have to go to Home Depot tonight...maybe I'll remember to pick some up and clean those lamps before heading to KY for New Years.

Bryan

Try using vinegar, rather like cleaning a coffee maker or iron. (Like you do that all the time....! ) The acid should work to clean out/dissolve any deposits in the drip stem (for lack of a better term).

It may be that the drip adjuster is just worn and you'll need to do some soldering work. I leave that to an experienced carbide lamp mechanic to discuss!

Vinegar also works pretty well to clean caked on spent carbide inside the carbide container.

Cheryl

I used some CLR in the water tank of a couple old lamps and let it drip through the water spindle. By adjusting the drip back and forth all manner of black debris came out the bottom! It's probably some oxidized metal and the lamps seem to run better after the cleaning. A lot of the black crud came out of the water chamber too. Just be careful not to get the CLR in your eyes and wash it promptly off your skin.
Dr K

I'm sure most people already know this, but a bent staple makes a good jury-rigged tip cleaner. If no one at the changing site has an official reamer, someone's bound to have a newsletter or a magazine.

I've still got my 1969 vintage Justrite, which I still use thanks to regular vinegar cleanings. Paranoia led me to buying some spares off eBay a few years ago and cleaning them up for use. I agree that flushing out the stem from time to time helps. Welcome, we need all the carbide knights we can get. Later, Ed A.

I got lots of staples ... that's a pretty good idea actually!!