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Anyone into old lanterns? (The Sequel Part 2) . . .

Started by TelePlay, March 19, 2016, 03:09:00 PM

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TelePlay

  . . . or who got bit, me or the bear?

In the very last aisle of the antique mall (it would have been the first aisle and I would have saved myself some time if I would have started browsing on the east end of the store), I spotted an old Dietz #2 lantern. Almost missed it becasue some idiot thought it would sell better if they sprayed flat aluminum or gray paint on it, actually, all over it including the original Dietz LocNob globe. Painted lanterns are post WW-II productions but this was different.

They wanted $28.95. The normal 10% got it down to $26 and just for principle, I said $25 or I walk. It's only a buck, right? It was funny in that the counter person said "let me ask the manager if they will do that (she must have sold cars in an earlier life) and I got approval for $25.

What caught my eye was the patent and date stampings in the air tube (orange box) and the smaller fuel font which told me this lantern was about 100 years old. Another plus was a working wick bale, the burner cone was not rusted to the font and all moving parts were there and moving.

What I didn't care for was the spray paint applied while the globe was in the lantern (you can see how the globe cage wires left voids in the paint) and the person who painted the lantern did so right over the dirt and carbon. A real first class job.

But, at $25, if after removing the paint and dirt there are no rusted out spots (which will most likely be the case), this could be a $100 lantern. Didn't need another lantern but wanted to try the molasses method on the paint. It's supposed to take the paint off, along with the dirt and any surface rust so it's an experiment for me right now.

Cleaned off the loose dirt and carbon with water and dish soap, dropped it into a 5 gallon pail filled with hot water and molasses and will see how it's going on Monday night. Should be interesting. Then we will know who got bit . . .

These are the "as found" pictures in detail showing the lantern parts all taken before the soap and water cleaning.

TelePlay

Well, the globe cleaned up nicely on first try. The lantern will take longer. Some of the "thin" layer of paint is coming off but the really heavy layered areas will take some time. At least I know the lantern was made at the Dietz Syracuse NY plant in 1922. The patina under the paint is a very dark and should look great, I hope.

HarrySmith

Cool lantern. It does not look too bad in the before pictures, the molasses treatment should do a great job on it!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

TelePlay

Well, after a week in the molasses bath, some of the paint is gone. The areas where the "painter" applied several passes of paint (like the top cap and fuel font making it a thick coat, is taking longer to dissolve. Good thing there was no surface prep, painted right over the dirt and minor surface corrosion.

At least I can now read the complete manufacture info: S-6-22 or made in Syracuse, New York in June of 1922.

One lesson learned so far, . . .     DON'T BUY PAINTED LANTERNS ! ! ! !

TelePlay

Coming along nicely. Should be done by the end of the month. Got a great photo of the manufacture info on the right air tube and the burner and burner cone which has less paint, a thinner coat, than the rest of the lantern.

19and41

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

TelePlay

Well, two weeks and two jars of molasses later, I called it as good as it's going to get.

I can understand why someone put a half of a rattle can of flat gray on this lantern. If only they would have done a half good job, someone else may have purchased it before I took it on as my next project.

The history of this lantern, if it could speak, would be a long, sad story. This lantern was exposed to dirt and water with little daily cleaning and normal maintenance toward the end of its useful life and was put away dirty and wet to sit for who knows how many years. The bottom of the lantern tells a lot of this. The tin plating is almost all worn off and it down to a rusty brown metal. Water trapped under the lantern would do that.

The rest of the lantern retained its tin plating which has a very nice dark brown patina. Some of that patine as lost while removing the paint. Well, that just adds character to the lantern. The lantern is pitted from poor care and worse storage so the end result is what you see in the photos, mostly dark patina, some tin plating showing through the patina and pit marks in the lantern surface giving it a textured look.

When the paint came off, I was left with a surface that was close to 200 grit sandpaper but a second week of soaking melted most of that away, melted the rust away, leaving the patina and pit marks from where the rust went deep. The patina itself is full of micro pits still containing rust (wiping with a clean dry rag continued to turn the rag brown) but to avoid damaging the lantern, I called it quite when it began to look like something I would be proud to display.

The fuel font did not leak (acetone is a good test for micro holes) but I have not put a wick in fuel in it yet The burner that came with is it 100% serviceable. I did put coat of 50/50 boiled linseed oil and naphtha on it to seal the micro pores to ambient moisture. It will take a few days to dry and then I might fire it up.

With the lantern cleaned and the top cap, globe cage and carry handle straightened, it turned out to be a nice looking lantern with a story to tell that will never be heard. Built in 1922, it would have a lot to say before going to its storage grave yard only to be exhumed by an estate picker, or something like that.

Anyway, the big lesson learned here is . . .     DON'T BUY PAINTED LANTERNS ! ! ! !

19and41

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

andre_janew

I used to have one of those several years ago when I lived on a farm.  I was going to keep it, but was talked into letting it sell at the farm auction because the city dwellers don't like the smell of kerosene.  Unfortunately, I don't remember what it brought at the auction.

Doug Rose

Kidphone

HarrySmith

Looks pretty darn good! You did a fantastic job on it. I think anyone would be proud to display it!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

TelePlay

Final post and pictures.

The final finish above was bothering me. I could see reddish rust in the seams (the base, the air tubes) and in the sharp bends. So, I gave any reddish areas a thick coat of 50/50 linseed oil with naphtha to wet the reddish area. Let it dry for a few days and went over the whole lantern with a cotton rag soaked in naphtha with pressure to remove the dry surface oil. Took the linseed oil off of the flat surfaces but left it in the pits and seams and bends. Turned out with nice feel to the metal (not sticky or slick, just feels like bare metal) and the reddish areas are gone. Only rusty area is inside the chimney right above the globe but can't treat that if I want to light it up some day (that would be interesting but not smart. Can't see it without taking out the globe and turning it upside down.

Pictures below are side by side or top to bottom comparisons of the lantern as purchased and after the last finishing touches. I'm happy with it.

19and41

I was going to ask If you were going to light it sometime.  Be sure to put up pictures.  I like that style of lantern.  I had a battery powered Roy Rogers lantern when I was very young.  The Rayovacs got it.  ;D
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke