Straightening a candlestick

[cloyd]

Hello everyone,

I wasn't at all sure where this post should go.  Candlesticks, tools, restoration and repair? 

I have a GPO No. 150 candlestick that has many problems but what I want to address first is that it stands crooked.  I am looking for advice on the best way to straighten it.  I think the malformation is in the base.  I used a metal straight edge along the column and it is straight.  If I need to pound out the bend, I want the lock nut and column out of the way.  I don't relish the idea of having to remove that lock nut. I don't have any tools for it and it is probably rusted in place.

Or am I giving up my leverage by taking it apart?  Can I bend it back using the column?  Would it help to heat up the base? 

Thank you,

Tina

[andre_janew]

If it were me, I'd probably leave it alone.  It is fairly straight the way it is and I'd be afraid I'd make it worse by trying to get it even straighter!

[TelePlay]

Must be an optical illusion. The column looks bent to me based on your photo.

[Dan/Panther]

Can't be positive, but it appears the upright tube is bent, not the mounting onto the base.
Remove the tube from the base, and roll it on a known flat surface. That will tell you if the tube is bent, or the mount.
If the tube itself is bent, I would find a water pipe, or solid metal bar that fits into the tube as close to the inside diameter of the tube itself. Leave enough of the pipe/bar sticking out of each end that you can roll it across a hard flat surface, like a rolling pin. If that doesn't work, try holding one end of the bar, while hitting the other end with a rubber hammer, or be careful with a regular hammer. That will probably leave marks that you will need to clean up after you are done.
Some may find that a little crude, but when I have a problem, I go all in. Make or break.

D/P

[cloyd]

D/P,
You may be right.  Here are all of the photos that I took with your ingenious idea of annotating the picture with a yellow rectangle.  I may have to retake the front view.  It seems too extreme to be possible.

Andre,
I would leave it except for the top photo that I just added.  That's really crooked!

Tina

[Jack Ryan]

Some of the exaggeration is caused by the focal length of the lens and the distance between the object and the lens.

Unless your house is a bit different from others, compare the horizontal and vertical lines of the furniture in the foreground and the background.

Try stepping back a bit and make sure the camera is straight.

Regards
Jack

[cloyd]

I haven't made my spanner wrench yet so I haven't removed the base but I thought to roll the stem along the countertop with the base hanging off the edge.  It seems very straight.  Of course, it could be bent at the threads but I'm guessing it is the top of the base.

Tina

[Sargeguy]

The usual cause of this problem is that the base is a little warped and causes the shaft to tilt.  For slight tilts, I have been able to bend it back by hand.

[cloyd]

My candlestick is now straight (ish)!

After much research, worry and dithering, I took a pipe that was big enough to slip over the stem of the candlestick and was also about a foot taller than the stem.  I put the candlestick (base and stem only) on the concrete floor of my shop and held the base down with my feet (soft-soled running shoes).  Then I worked it in the direction that I wanted it to go.  I checked it often and now I am satisfied that it is straight enough that I won't notice.  I didn't heat up and the base, the bottom edge of the base still sits flat and the stem is still straight and round!

What a relief!

Tina Loyd

[TelePlay]

After much research, worry and dithering, I took a pipe that was big enough to slip over the stem of the candlestick and was also about a foot taller than the stem.

Ah, controlled leverage!

Great idea that's been around for a long time (loosing nuts on wheels, etc). As long as the shaft was straight and the pipe base bender works, worked, a great tool for your box and something for others to think about, if needed.