Found some old lights...

DieselTech

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
233
Location
Bethpage, TN
This past weekend, I went to an antique truck and tractor show. While poking around the swapmeet area, I managed to pick up four 'new' lights. I figured not only y'all might want to see them, but maybe you could tell me something about them.

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This light is missing the bulb- it appears to be a screw in type. Any ideas where I can find a new one? The tail end of the light says Star Headlight & Lantern CO Huneuye Falls NY USA. I think this one will work, with a bulb and a battery.

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This light says RayoVac Sportsman. The lag is a little faded, but the bulb is there and the switch feels like it works, both the slide switch and the momentary button. Unfortunately, this one has a set of batteries stuck inside it. I'm going to try and remedy that problem tomorrow. It also has an aspheric lens, which I thought was pretty interesting for an old light.

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These two are possibly the most interesting lights I found. I don't see anything that jumps out at me as being a switch, just one black knob on the opposite side as the lens assembly. The bottom of the light is stamped Dopco MFG, INC. In the center of the bottom it says COLITE Lantern CO. Sturgeon Bay WIS. The one with the lens assembly on it feels like it has a battery stuck inside (significantly heavier than the other one) and the bottom has a couple of spots where the corrosion has eaten through the aluminum case. I'm still trying to figure out how to open these up. The bottom of the light won't come off, but the red lens is stuck also. I'm going to try and get one apart tomorrow.

So, does anyone have any experience with these lights?
 
Actually, aspheric lenses were quite common in antique flashlights.

Looks like you made a great find of some really cool lights! :thumbsup:
 
lol Good eye on the R2d2 reference. Actually, that first one reminds me of an old beer stein or something.
 
I didn't think about the R2 angle, but I can see it now...:twothumbs When I first spotted the green/ blue light at the top, I actually said to my buddy "I can't tell if that thing is a flashlight or a sifter..." :laughing:

In any case, I made some progress with the R2 lanterns (the name just might stick). I got the red dome off of the one with the side reflector on it, and then found that the battery is accessed by unscrewing the black knob, which is a three position switch. Once the knob is removed, the switch components and the plate they're mounted on lift out, revealing a square lantern battery. I haven't tried removing the battery from it yet, though. I also found that the side reflector will not interchange. The light it's currently on has large diameter fine threads, where the other one has smaller coarse threads.

What I don't get is there doesn't seem to be a bulb to light up the dome. I'm going to do some more research, I'd love to get one or two of these things working.
 
There are two variants of this "dalek-style" light.

One has a clear top dome and a three-position switch (off, front, top), and is used as a camping lamp.

The other variant, has a red or amber dome and a four-position switch (off, front, top, both), and is designed as a trouble light. In this case, a blinker bulb is ideally fitted in the dome.

There are inevitable oddballs where the dome doesn't match the switch, but that's just the fun of collecting.

These were all the rage in the 50s and 60s before Dolphins and sealed beam lanterns became more fashionable.

Enjoy.
 
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I have a sportsman with the 4 cell tube and original strap, bought it in Tennessee as a souvenir.
 
You may want to check out this web sight they may have your lights listed:
http://www.flashlightmuseum.com/

In regard to the first lantern from Star I have one as well and it takes a standard screw base flashlight bulb.Around here local hardware stores usually carry a wide selection of screw base flashlight bulbs.You will need a bulb for 4-cells or 6V as that light uses a 6V lantern battery.I have also found 4-cell screw base bulbs at Wal-Mart.
FWIW it appears that the original company is still making lights,they have a website:
http://www.star1889.com/railroad.htm
 
Well, I've done some digging and investigating. The two lights with red domes do have 4 position switches, not three. I plan on trying to get one of them working.

I did get the Star light semi- working, though. I installed a bulb and a battery, then turned it on. It shines for 10 seconds or so, then starts blinking on and off. I'm guessing there's a corroded connection somewhere, I just have to find and clean it. I can get to the switch rather easily (it's right under the reflector) and it appears to be clean, but I plan on tending to all the contact surfaces with some light sandpaper anyway. The beam on this light is actually pretty nasty, it's mostly rings with a few mis-shapen light spots in it. :crackup:Not bad for being (roughly) 58 years old, though.

Once I get it figured out, I'll start on the R2 lights. If I can get one running and keep it original, the other might wind up with some LEDs and a more 'modern' battery situation.
 
You my friend have acquired a Ray-O-Vac Sportsman 2 flashlight, built in the 1970 it originally could hold 7D batteries http://www.flashlightmuseum.com/Rayovac-Flashlight-D367F-7-Cell-Sportsman-Hunting-Light-with-Leather-Strap-7D-1970 , the base held 3 the screw on extender held 3 more and the final piece held 1D, the light came with a 2 bulbs, one to run with 7Ds and one to run 3-4Ds. The later extenders are missing from your light "it is rear to find all the extenders still with the light. The aspheric lens you mentioned is actually made to duplicate the specifications of a PAR 36 sealed beam bulb "such as used in the Ray-O-Vac 6 volt lanterns". I considerer this light to be the first truly modifiable flashlight of it's type. I went though the pain staken task of locating a very good condition unit and a secondary unit. I then put the spar 3D extender on the original light to get a 10D while replacing the reflector/lens with a aircraft PAR 36, 30 watt bulb. The result is a very bright alkaline driven light that could have been built many years ago:D.
 
Wow, those are some old lights you got there. It's nice to see how far we've come. Nice pix.
 
DieselTech said:
Well, I've done some digging and investigating. The two lights with red domes do have 4 position switches, not three.
Yes. The theory is that a trouble light can have the emergency blinker blinking away on top to warn traffic, while the front headlight is shining on your job, such as the wheel nuts. Hence the 4-position switch.
A camping light is similar, but with a clear dome, the theory being you want an area light or a torch, but not both at the same time. Hence the 3-position switch.

DieselTech said:
I plan on trying to get one of them working.
Good!

DieselTech said:
I did get the Star light semi-working, though. I installed a bulb and a battery, then turned it on. It shines for 10 seconds or so, then starts blinking on and off.
If this is the coloured top light then this is NOT A FAULT. Take a good look at the bulb, and you'll see it's a flasher bulb, with a little bimetallic strip in there. Clever, isn't it?

DieselTech said:
I can get to the switch rather easily (it's right under the reflector) and it appears to be clean, but I plan on tending to all the contact surfaces with some light sandpaper anyway.
I think DeOxit & ProGold is a better solution, if you pardon the pun.

DieselTech said:
The beam on this light is actually pretty nasty, it's mostly rings with a few mis-shapen light spots in it.
Remember what this light is made for. It's pitch dark, raining horizontally, you've got a flat tyre and you're 20 miles from nowhere. You get out your trouble light and I bet you couldn't give a tinker's cuss about beam pattern...

DieselTech said:
Not bad for being (roughly) 58 years old, though.
Are you sure it's that old? That would be interesting to find out.

DieselTech said:
...and a more 'modern' battery situation.
Why bother? I bet you can't improve on the original, remembering a modern SHD zinc-chloride 4F is 11Ah, and an alkaline 4F is now 26Ah.
 
Lctorana, the light that I got semi working that blinks does not have the red dome on top. It's the very first one pictured, the blue/ green light with a wooden handle. The bulb is brand new from the hardware store. I think DeOxit and ProGold will be the next step trying to clean it, as I've sanded the rust out of the battery compartment contact surface as best I can, but it still blinks. I don't know exactly how old it is, but the Flashlight Museum website had a picture of one, with the date 1950.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to do much to get any of them working for the past few weeks. My 52 year old truck broke down, and I've been trying to get parts for it and get back on the road. I'm actually waiting for a parts store to call me back about some carburetor gaskets right now. :popcorn:

I did get the battery out of the R2 light that has holes corroded in it. The battery is an old dark green, paper cased deal. I may post a picture of it later, if I remember.
 
save those cells if you manage to extract them
they might be the "old school" Eveready cells:popcorn:
post pics


aspherics aren't that uncommon in antique flashlights, apparently its throw enhancing properties is not something new
 
Illum_the_nation said:
aspherics aren't that uncommon in antique flashlights
Almost but not quite - unlike a modern (PCX) aspheric, a fisheye is concave at the back

Illum_the_nation said:
...apparently its throw enhancing properties is not something new
I've not struck this. In all the fisheye torches I've encountered, the bulb is very close to the lens, which is used as a diffuser.

I've nrever tried focussing a fisheye lens on, say, a Cree for distance - perhaps it's time to try! Honestly don't know what it would do.
 
I don't mean to highjack this thread, but I'd love to hear a few more details about your truck...maybe even a picture? :huh:

Back OT...I'd like to see pics of the battery as well.
 
Toohotruk, there's a photo or two of my truck in the "What do you drive" thread over in the Cafe. I'll PM you in a bit, if you'd like.

As for the battery, here it is.

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