Acetylene Headlamps

[Bill Pedalino]

Can anyone direct me to a supplier of REPRODUCTION acetytlene headlamps. I do not want OEM, as its not for a restoration but rather a specialty custom project.

Thanks !!

[Limey_Dave]

When you say acetylene I take it you mean carbide.
I don't think anyone in US makes them now and the only UK made ones are for potholers and cavers.
Are you going for repop for cheapness? There's a nice Lucas one on UK ebay $49 no bids.
There's a company in India that will make anything you want but cost will be a bit high I would think.

www.jkdey.com

If this is for a custom are you converting it to 6/12 volts? How about checking out retro porch lights,if you convert you can take apart and refinish to choice,you can get some nice looking coach lamps and nobody is going to get blown up.

[bar]

Gas Headlights

Vintage Brass Works makes repro lights for early cars and may have what you need or possibly direct you to someone who can. I just looked on E-Bay til one came up then had to take it to a local restorer to have it restored. You need to check out any one who restores these very carefully as they are jewelry not a mechanical part and a retired jeweler is who did my light. Possibly Pete Gagen could direct you also.

[bar]

Actually it's an acetylene light. To make acetylene you combine carbide and water. This is still how welding supply houses make the acetylene in the welding cylinders. A generator like you see on some antique motorcycles is just a small generator for combining carbide and water. The acetylene gas is then piped to the headlight or tailight and burned using a lava burner tip to make a flat flame which is reflected out the front of the light.

[Paps]

Coal Miners can tell you all about those lights. They can link you to suppliers for the fuel also. I have several of the early mining lamps that attached to the miners helmets and hats. They contained two reservoirs. The top one held water and the bottom one held the fuel. A valve regulated the water flow to the bottom one and the gas created by the combonation was pushed up a tube into a nozzel in the upper lamp reflector. All lamp components are made of brass. I used the lamps when I was a kid to pick softshell crayfish for catching bass. Paps