Anyone into old lanterns? (The Sequel Part 7, Finale - Grandma's Challenge)

[AL_as_needed]

Looks good there, onwards to the next one, cos there'll always be just one more...

Should be more like, "The End............ ?"

The hope is that lanternitis is a more manageable condition than phoneitis. To his credit....or fault....he was sure to pass the bug on to me before calling it a day (for now maybe).       

Definitely another jewel in the restoration crown. Mine are still rough by comparison, but each tubular acquisition turns out a bit closer to factory new (or teleplay select grade) when complete. Learning by leaps, bounds, bends, and now, small blazes.                       

[TelePlay]

Learning by leaps, bounds, bends, and now, small blazes.                     

Yes you are and the not so big secret in ending up with a good lanterns is knowing which one or what to buy, and that only comes from buying lanterns and restoring them. The more you buy, the more selective you will be and the more you restore, the faster that process goes. eBay has been dry for good deals lately. Lanterns the could be restored are selling way to high. And junk is the same price. But as a wise man once said to a corn farmer in Iowa, if you look, you will find them. Something like that . . .

That smell of kerosene mixed with molasses is as addictive as getting a whiff of JP4 fumes being expelled from a Huey Lycoming engine or the smell of fresh cut saw dust.

[TelePlay]

Molasses?  Really?  Why?

As a follow up, found some images of the foam that developed during the first and second 3 day soakings.


WARNING   ---->   DISGUSTING IMAGES POSTED BELOW

Unlike the "normal" molasses de-rusting process of a mildly rusted lantern or what what sees toward the end of the de-rusting soaking in molasses, such as this:




It almost turns my stomach when I first lift the lid off of the 5 gallon pail after a day or so on a heavily rusted lantern.

The first image below is the before and after shots, before skimming off the thicker than a thick beer foam and after the thick foam as been removed. In this case, it took 2 and a half skims to get the foam off.

The second disgusting photo below shows whatever is released during the iron chelating process and rises to the surface carried by minute amounts of oxygen released in the chemical process. The cigarette lighter was placed to show the thickness. It does rinse off the screen well and no problem getting it down the drain but it does look awful and the smell, well, you get used to it or put up with it knowing what the final results will be.

[TelePlay]

So, what was under all that goo after 3 days of soaking (removing a thick layer of goo the first two days and a half layer the third)?

Amazing what molasses in water will do to rust. Took 3 Brillo pads to go over the lantern just one time and you can still see some of the red rust in the corners and creases in the after picture. What came off was easily removed with just moderate pressure, enough to loosen the converted rust but not to take any patina off of the metal.

[AL_as_needed]

Last one? Hope you mean this week... 

Your CRPF family knows you and the addictive nature of collecting all too well.... Hate to say "we told ya so"   

A lot to be said for molasses as a rust remover (as I have seen its magic myself now). Another small corner of history has been given the chance to last yet another 80+ years and hopefully inspire future generations to look back and see what life was like. If only the fine people on the dietz factory floor back in the 20s, 30s, and 40's knew they were making something that would carry on so far into the future.

[TelePlay]

And after all that foaming, a small box of Brillo pads and a new wick, this is how it turned out. The absolute best thing to get iron rust off of metal without destroying the patina of the metal underneath is Grandma's Molasses.

[twocvbloke]

Looks good, onto the next one now...

[TelePlay]

Looks good, onto the next one now...

Wrong, onto the next two. I bought Doug's Dietz Junior Side Lamp and got a very nice Dietz Vesta railroad signalman's lantern on eBay for cheap (1/3rd the going price) because it did not have a rail road line embossed in the metal. Both have little rust and both came today so the big question is which to do first? But that's it, no more lanterns, ever, forever, evermore plus a day. Really. No more does indeed mean no more in this house hold!

[twocvbloke]

But that's it, no more lanterns, ever, forever, evermore plus a day. Really. No more does indeed mean no more in this house hold!

hehe, that's what you said for this one...

[david@london]

reading through some of these recent lantern topics, and seeing the results teleplay's been achieving through a careful mixture of patience, skill and granma's molasses............

found myself scrolling through a few listings for lanterns and found this nice old image from 100 plus years ago.........makes a great screensaver on the laptop.