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Coleman Collection?

ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Coleman Collection?
on: August 21, 2017, 02:24:33 PM
They say when you have three of something, you have a collection.  By that logic, I have a Coleman Collection, although to be honest, I am not sure I would agree with that logic- more realistically I see it as having inherited my father's desire to buy the best that one can when one needs something- and that often means Coleman when it comes to outdoors gear.

My list of Coleman products is longer than I thought it was- a Coleman tent, Coleman chairs, a Coleman sleeping bag, Coleman air mattress, Coleman lantern, Coleman stoves, Coleman campfire skewers.... the list goes on, and I even added to it this weekend with what I consider to be a phenomenal deal.  First up is this Coleman Easi-Lite 431 two burner stove.



It's in rough shape, but it still holds fuel.  It's hard to tell from the photo, but it says:

Coleman
Model 431
Input 14000 BTUH
Generator
412A-262



I have done a small amount of research into it so far, but it appears that it was manufactured by Coleman Canada for distribution in Canada only, and does not have a US equivalent.  This could make it a collectible stove, which brings me to my conundrum- do I fix it, repaint it and use it or do I offer it as-is to a collector that may want it original and rusty rather than repainted?



The red tabs that hold the fuel tank to the body of the stove are rumored to have a date stamp on them, but this one isn't very legible- not that you can tell that there's anything there in the photos, but in person you can see an 18 and that there are other numbers, but they really can't be made out.



You can see that the stove has had better days, and while I don't really need another camp stove (since when does need play a factor? :P) I feel like it is a bit disrespectful to just leave this stove to continue deteriorating. 



As an added bonus it also came with the tank about half full of fuel, although there's no indication of how long it's been in there, so I will probably dispose of it rather than use it.



Yup- I also got this little beauty:



This little doodad is a Coleman 518B 3,000 BTU catalytic heater, and while it may be a bit dirty, it is complete and intact.



The way it works is that you fill it up with the same Coleman Stove Fuel that you already probably have for your stoves, lanterns etc, flip it upside down until you see a wet spot form, then flip it right side up again and light the wet spot.  When the flame dies down, close the lid and it will burn for an estimated 16 hours, unless of course you stop it by putting the snuff cover over it.



After telling my parents last night about my new toys, my father informed me that he had the exact same one in the late 60's, so that made this an even cooler purchase.

The next piece is a little less exciting, but certainly no less useful:



I thought this little pump was a great deal at only $5, until I got to the next table at the flea market and picked up the 431 and 518 for a whopping $10... total.... and the seller threw in this small propane burner too!



There are no markings on the burner or the base, but it does have a small Made in China sticker on it.  Even so it feels like a decent quality bit of kit and the enamel on it seems quite robust- it doesn't seem like the cheapo stuff we often associate with being made in China, especially not something this old.



The fitting also feels solid, so in the end I am really liking this piece as well- of course, that may change once I've had a chance to use it, but so far I am thinking it could be quite handy.



For a grand total of $15 CDN (maybe $10 US-ish) I think I did pretty good.  If there's much interest in these, I can go through some of my other Coleman items- there's a lot more than I expected there were!

Def
« Last Edit: August 21, 2017, 02:27:25 PM by Grant Lamontagne »
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ca Offline JP

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #1 on: August 21, 2017, 02:26:41 PM
Nice collection. Great Dollar to Performance ratio.

Hard to beat a Coleman two burner. We have a LPG two burner.


« Last Edit: August 21, 2017, 02:27:44 PM by JP »


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #2 on: August 21, 2017, 02:30:02 PM
Nice collection. Great Dollar to Performance ratio.

Hard to beat a Coleman two burner. We have a LPG two burner.

I have a nice propane two burner stove that I use for all my camp chores.  I love it.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


id Offline jaya_man

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #3 on: August 21, 2017, 03:15:35 PM
Used to have those Coleman Water Jugs... :lol:


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us Offline Zhenchok

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Coleman Collection?
Reply #4 on: August 21, 2017, 04:20:16 PM
Awesome Grant.  I have about 5 Coleman lanterns 2 are all gas and 3 are their white gas only.  I also owned 2 of the all gas stoves like you posted, a common problem with those is that the tank leaks.  I sold the all gas ones on eBay and ended up purchasing the gas canister stove instead.  I think that their propane gas stove is their best invention unless they stop selling them.  I love my lanterns but will be posting them for sale, with the invention of led lanterns im thinking of selling off my Coleman lanterns, I've had a great run with them over the years.






« Last Edit: August 21, 2017, 04:28:28 PM by Zhenchok »
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us Offline Aloha

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #5 on: August 21, 2017, 04:32:11 PM
I have about 7 Coleman stoves, tent, and  :think: some other stuff.  I love my Coleman stoves.  I've seen some great restorations on old stoves so I have no doubt yours can be brought back to its former glory.  I've seen some cool paint schemes on them too.  Team colors, flag themes, as well as random paint schemes. 

Congrats on the Coleman gear.

http://tgmarsh.faculty.noctrl.edu/colecastove.html  Theres a picture on the easi lite 431 on this page

 
Esse Quam Videri


us Offline Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #6 on: August 21, 2017, 09:17:09 PM
I think the single burner is an "American Camper" brand. The pump would be handy for inflatable company... ::)


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #7 on: August 21, 2017, 09:43:50 PM
Thanks for the info- I will do some research on American Camper as its not a brand I am familiar with.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #8 on: August 21, 2017, 09:50:59 PM
It could be an AFC Camp Master Model 1062?



I can't seem to find a lot of info on it beyond an eBay listing though.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline cody6268

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #9 on: August 21, 2017, 10:53:18 PM
That heater looks a lot like the Tonka heaters, also made in Canada by Tonka's Canadian market plant.


us Offline Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #10 on: August 22, 2017, 12:59:21 AM
It could be an AFC Camp Master Model 1062?

(Image removed from quote.)

I can't seem to find a lot of info on it beyond an eBay listing though.

Def

Yeah, I think that's the one...the tip off for me was the avocado green color. Middle quality line sold through chain stores in the 80's and 90's...much like Stansport, Coghlans etc.


nz Offline Syncop8r

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #11 on: August 22, 2017, 01:28:04 AM
Is Coleman gear as good as it used to be? I remembering hearing about their stoves many years ago (the word "Coleman" was often used instead of "stove") but nowadays their gear that I have seen in shops looks like lower quality better suited to family camping rather than hiking.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #12 on: August 22, 2017, 04:18:45 AM
That heater looks a lot like the Tonka heaters, also made in Canada by Tonka's Canadian market plant.

Oddly enough, as I was walking away from the table with the stove and heater, the very next table we passed had the Tonka version.  I didn't buy it because I was on a Coleman high and couldn't be bothered with anything non-Coleman!

In retrospect I am kind of wish I had I'd at least asked the price....

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #13 on: August 22, 2017, 04:23:09 AM
Is Coleman gear as good as it used to be? I remembering hearing about their stoves many years ago (the word "Coleman" was often used instead of "stove") but nowadays their gear that I have seen in shops looks like lower quality better suited to family camping rather than hiking.

I have very few Coleman branded misses.  The campfire skewers are a bit short and everything takes like burnt knuckle hair as a result.

The folding chairs, sleeping bag, various stoves and lanterns and other Coleman products I have are all top notch, although admittedly many of them are older ones- except for the sleeping bag (maybe three years old), chairs (maybe five years old) and the two burner propane stove (maybe 8 years old).  My propane lantern is probably closer to 20 years old, the small stove (505 I think) is probably at least 20, and one other piece I really want to show off is probably around 50....

But I'll post pics of that tomorrow!

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


mc Offline Gerhard Gerber

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #14 on: August 22, 2017, 10:18:58 AM
I would vote fix it up, or at least stop the rust from spreading.

Those lanterns bring back childhood memories, the little town where we had a holiday home didn't have power the first few years we had the house.....lanterns & candles  8)


us Offline Alan K.

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #15 on: August 24, 2017, 01:32:37 AM
Great finds.  I have two of the battery powered quick pumps in my camping box.  They work a treat on inflating my queen size air mattress.  Don't store the batteries in the pumps.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #16 on: August 24, 2017, 02:22:45 AM
Great finds.  I have two of the battery powered quick pumps in my camping box.  They work a treat on inflating my queen size air mattress.  Don't store the batteries in the pumps.

Yeah, I have learned that one the hard way in the past.   :ahhh

Here's the piece I mentioned above:



In those days my grandfather used to visit a lot from Scotland, and in fact spent a year or two here teaching at a university, although to be honest I don't know which one.  At any rate, while assembling camping gear for the three of them, one of the things purchased was this Coleman griddle, which was designed to fit the stoves of the time.

It's pot metal, and nothing too fancy, but as you can see, is very clearly a classic Coleman piece, and probably somewhere around 50 years old.



I've been cleaning it up a bit here and there, but I remember eating pancakes prepared on this griddle in the earliest days of camping with my family that I can remember.  As my parents now live in the woods, they don't have a camper anymore and they gave it to me, saying that it was meant to be with an Apache.  I'm thrilled to have this piece for more reasons than it just being an old Coleman product!

Def
« Last Edit: August 24, 2017, 02:24:05 AM by Grant Lamontagne »
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #17 on: August 24, 2017, 05:21:02 AM
I believe those are cast aluminum griddles. Don't scrub too hard as it should be well seasoned and relatively non-stick by now.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #18 on: August 24, 2017, 01:56:42 PM
Yeah, I think I've scrubbed it as much as I am going to.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #19 on: August 25, 2017, 04:16:29 AM
Now go cook a pound of bacon on it  :pok: :D


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #20 on: August 25, 2017, 09:34:29 PM
Sounds like a damned good plan if ever I heard one!

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline Alan K.

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #21 on: August 25, 2017, 11:49:30 PM
Wait, so, you're not going to make any bacon for Meghan? :whistle: :twak:


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #22 on: August 26, 2017, 01:25:48 AM
She works for the Federal Government- they prefer to pay people for not raising hogs so she can't have any bacon.   >:D

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline Barry Rowland

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #23 on: October 02, 2017, 11:36:25 PM
Late to this thread, but I love old Coleman gear!!
Barry


ca Offline jcs0001

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #24 on: October 12, 2017, 03:13:15 AM
In our area (central/south B.C.) there are a lot of coleman stoves (the 2 burner white gas models) available at flea markets and thrift shops.  We had one years ago and it just kept on trucking.  The only time it "failed" was after a rainy night and I did not realize that the burners were full of water.  Once drained it worked well again.  I once had a small version of the white gas lantern but it never seemed to work properly.  It would hardly put out as much light as a big match - eventually got rid of it.

John.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #25 on: June 02, 2018, 09:49:21 PM
Time to update this thread a bit  I have been meaning to for a while, and there's more to come after this.... but for starters....

Last week was the Great Glebe Garage Sale here in Ottawa.  Some of you may remember some of my previous scores, like the $5 WhisperLite Internationale two years ago and the $15 butane stove I got last year.  I am embarrassed to say that with all of the stoves I have, I still have yet to cook anything on the butane one.   :facepalm:

With so many stoves, I decided not to get another one this year, unless it was absolutely, truly too good to pass up.  Thankfully, I didn't see any absolute must-haves in the stove department- at least not at the garage sale.  There is something else to show in a later post, but that's a different story...  >:D

I didn't see too much that I had to have overall, although I had looked at a bunch of mismatched wrenches at one table, as we all know, Dear Ol' Uncle Def loves wrenches.  I was debating whether or not to ask about them when the table owner said he wanted a dollar for the lot of seven or eight wrenches.  At that point it wasn't worth considering any further, and the dollar went out of my pocket as quickly as the wrenches went into my bag!

As we walked along we didn't really have much jump out at us until Megan found a vintage plastic camping lamp from the 60's or 70's, which was absolutely cool, and for $2, it also came home with us, but again, I'll post on that later.  I figured Megan had the best deal of the day, as the same seller had a vintage Coleman lantern that I was really having a hard time resisting.... but at $40 (well worth that money) it was more than I wanted to spend.  I was happy to let Megan have the best deal of the day.... and then a few houses later we found this for $5:



You might be thinking "Nice try Def, but we know that's just the Coleman Easi-Lite 505B stove you have posted pics of many, many times before!"  And, you could be excused for thinking that, at least until I take a wider shot to show that the Coleman Easi-Lite 505B stove is hanging out just a little further down the bumper....



This of course begs the question of what is inside this lovely red plastic tower of Coleman?  Lucky for you, I don't plan to make you wait any longer- it's a Coleman Peak 1 model 222 lantern in amazing condition!



Imagine my surprise when I opened it up and found a lantern instead of the stove I already had!  I asked the gentleman manning the table how much he wanted for it, and he said $5, then looked away as if he expected me to pass on that price.  He seemed genuinely surprised as I quickly whipped out a $5 bill and thrust it towards him, but I really couldn't take the chance that he would change his mind and ask more for it, even though I would have happily paid two, maybe even three times as much for it!   :ahhh



What struck me about it at first was the excellent shape it is in- the sticker hasn't been worn or peeled off anywhere, there are no dings or dents in the canister and, most importantly the globe is 100% perfect, with no chips, scratches or dings.  This lantern was obviously taken care of.  My first thought was that it had only been used a couple of times, but there is a significant amount of soot built up in it (nothing a good clean wouldn't fix) and there was another clue that this piece had some miles on it tucked away inside the base.





A two pack of replacement mantles, with only one mantle still in it.  This suggests that the original mantle at least was used enough to need to be replaced, although there's no way to know for sure since mantles are extremely fragile once installed, and so who knows how long the original lasted.  Either way, I have a replacement ready to go any time, which is handy, since there's a slight problem with this lantern.



When I pump it, it won't hold any pressure, which means that it will probably need a new batch of seals, which is not really a surprise considering the date on the bottom of this think is 1980!



Yes, it is older than my girlfriend, who is pictured below with a turtle, because, well, she likes turtles.



But, back to the topic, the current mantle in the Peak 1 will most likely be destroyed when I disassemble this unit to put new seals in it, so it is nice to have a spare.  I will probably order more as well, because I always like to have extras, and mantles are cheap.  :D



I am really looking forward to using this little lantern.  But wait, what's that it's sitting on?  That's not the box it came in, that must be something else entirely!  But what is it?

You'll find out shortly, but for now my dogs really need to go out, and they have been waiting patiently for me to finish this long post... so I'll end it here and pick it up again later with the Mystery Box!  :D

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #26 on: June 02, 2018, 11:12:52 PM
Now now, don't all beg to see what is inside the Mystery Box at once!  :P

Since it is obviously a Coleman since the name is on the box, and the shape pretty much gives away that it's a lantern, let's open it up and see what's inside!



It's a propane powered 5419 A.



This particular one belonged to my father, although I have to say that I don't recall when he purchased it.  I do recall him having an old naptha powered one, but neither of us are sure what happened to that one over the years.  I know it wasn't this one as I distinctly recall him pumping a lantern before lighting it, and there's no pumping this one.



In an older thread I made the mistake of saying this one was around 20 years old, but as you can see from the above photo it was made in 1983, which I am sad to admit was more than twenty tears ago.  A lot more, and in fact, this lantern, like the 222 above, this one is also older than my girlfriend.   :facepalm:



What is really cool is that my father also seems to have gotten a lot of spare parts for it, with lots of extra gaskets and mantles.  Now you know where I get it from.  Even cooler, my father has all of the original documentation.











I'd be happy to provide higher definition scans if anyone feels that they want them.  I found this particular part pretty cool:



That makes this a Canada only model, which, as a Canadian, is something I can appreciate.  :D  I honestly don't know what, if anything Coleman still makes in Canada, so I'm always happy to find something marked Coleman Canada.



In addition to the extra parts and original manuals, this one also includes the original funnel, a part that is often lost early on.



It also has the original felt filter still intact- how cool is that?  :D

And, this one still works perfectly, and I have put a few miles on it myself on a few occasions, including a camping trip last month.  Like all Coleman lanterns it shoots out more than enough light to illuminate an entire campsite. 

That's it for this post, but don't worry, there's more vintage Coleman stuff coming!

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline Pacu

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #27 on: June 02, 2018, 11:33:44 PM
I love Coleman gear. Coleman was to go to brand for all things camping back in 80's Boy Scouts. Each patrol had 2 cook stoves, 2 lanterns. For backpacking I got the troop set up with Peak1 multifuel stoves for backpacking. MSR Whisper was becoming a big competitor for backpacking stoves. Our Peak1s were indestructible. Burned white gas, kerosene even unleaded if you could stand the fumes.

2018-06-02_04-30-53
:like:    :MTO:


us Offline Barry Rowland

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #28 on: June 03, 2018, 03:24:14 AM
Nice Def!!! :like: :like: :like: :like:
Barry


us Offline Barry Rowland

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Re: Coleman Collection?
Reply #29 on: June 03, 2018, 03:24:43 AM
I like it Pacu!! :like: :like: :like:
Barry


 

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