FA: Acetylene Motorcycle Lamp, Powell & Hanmer

Hi there,
An ebay item:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....m=150149331587&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=005
ATB

 

Thus spake nordenfeldt () unto the assembled multitudes:

Brings back memories of my grandad telling me how he had to piss in his
lamp to make it work.

 

Must've raised a few eyebrows at church.

 

Or at least singed them.

 

Its also great fun when the MOT tester asks you how you turn the lights on
and you hand him a box of matches.



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Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Mark

Genuine question. My understanding is that water on the carbide
generates acetylene, yes?

What happens when you want to turn the lights off? Do you just wait for
them to burn out, or is there a way to stop the reaction?

Enquiring minds would like to know.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (Fallen apart) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Honda ST1100 wiv trailer Norton 850 Commando
Kawasaki GTR1400

 

Wot he said ^
But a more entertaining way is to hit a pothole on the way back from the pub
in pitch-black countryside and a waning moon.




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She was only a welder's daughter, but she sure had acetylene tits...

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Oily

Ah! Of course. I am obliged.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (Fallen apart) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Honda ST1100 wiv trailer Norton 850 Commando
Kawasaki GTR1400

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Mark

Oh gawd. I am reminded of the first "non-moped" motorcycle I ever rode.
A GT250, it was. The deal was that my mate had a puncture. I fixed it,
then rode the bike to the next village, where he was at a disco. He paid
for me to get in, then gave me a lift home at the end.

It all went swimmingly, until I got to the Long Dark Straight. I flicked
it onto main beam, only to discover that the main beam filament was
blown. Unfortunately, I'd broken the rule that says "don't let go of the
switch until it's had its effect". You *can* steer a GT250 into the kerb
on a pitch-black night by the intermittent light from the indicator.

But I wouldn't recommend it.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (Fallen apart) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Honda ST1100 wiv trailer Norton 850 Commando
Kawasaki GTR1400

 

And what, precisely, would you be overtaking? Except for pedestrians and
slowly ridden bicycles?

 

And what, precisely, would you be overtaking? Except for pedestrians and
slowly ridden bicycles?[/QUOTE]

In any case, such a flash mechanism would be perfect. Just tweak the
water screw a bit as you change gear/advance the timing/tweak the air
and fuel levers and by the time you've actually started to accelerate
the 'flash' will just about be ready.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ DS#8 BOTAFOT#3 SbS#2 UKRMMA#13 DFV#8 SKA#2 IBB#10
`\\ | //'
`\|/`
`

 

In any case, such a flash mechanism would be perfect. Just tweak the
water screw a bit as you change gear/advance the timing/tweak the air
and fuel levers and by the time you've actually started to accelerate
the 'flash' will just about be ready.[/QUOTE]

<Smites forehead>

So logical. Thanks.

 

Thus spake Wicked Uncle Nigel () unto the assembled multitudes:

I had a truly hideous ex-police 1959 Ariel Leader in 1974. It had a little
switch under the seat, which when 'on' and any attempt was made to use the
lights, resulted in unregulated current going straight to all the lights
and blowing the whole lot. I don't think this was OE and may have been
fitted as a primitive anti-theft device by the police, bless 'em, when the
bike was in service.

Of course, one night at the end of his shift, guess who forgot he had armed
this switch as he started the bike and switched on the lights. *ZAP*
instant darkness. I was five largely-unlit-road miles from home, but
thankfully it wasn't *quite* pitch-dark, so I thought "sod it" and rode
home anyway. It must have frightened a few other road users (what could be
more frightening than a hideously ugly old Ariel Leader looming at you from
out of the dark?), but I got home OK and didn't meet any officers of the
law en route (if I had, I could have blamed them for the blown lights .
Needless to say, the switch was permanently disabled soon after.

 

message

Other Veryvery Old SOB with younger riders that still have a survival
instinct intact.
But if you ever do manage to overtake anything, its yet another sense of
achievement in getting to your destination and back at all.




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