This is an early 1940's steel tank and steel carrier cage Vapalux 300. The hood is brass, with MoD Crows Foot dated 1942 (thank you Ian Ashton for that) I have fitted one of my replica brass hood caps to it as the original was missing. If I can find anyone who is able to enamel my hood caps, I will have it done in the same grey as the new paint job, Plastikote Medium Grey. New genuine Vapalux glass and flashed-up. Goes like a good-un. Steve.
Seems to throw out a lot of light! I'd better hurry and fix my '43 Vap... Beautiful job Stevio! Take care matey, Wim
Beautiful lantern, it makes me think of old times, excellent find! PS your vent replica is amazing, how do you make them?, that could be an article by itself.
It is only the hood cap that I have replaced, not the complete hood/ventilator. I do not make them myself. I found a very good old metal spinner who will turn them out for me as and when I need them. He does a splendid job, and his work has given many an old Vapalux and Bialaddin a new lease of life. I got so disappointed with really battered old enamelled hood caps, that are alomost impossible to get re-enamelled, that I looked for an alternative. I can get them in the E41 style or the HD44 style. Steve.
There is a place called "IPE" that re enamels vents on small batches, you could give them a call, it is in the US, so the shipping and handling could be quite pricey.. http://www.ipe-porcelain.com/ I was under the impression that you built the hood from scratch, now it makes sense, could be nice if someone could post a tutorial on how to build them tough, I would like to see to learn..
I met a representative of an enamaling company at the Coleman Collectors convention last June. If I recall correctly, I think the price on a Coleman 242 type / size vent was about $25US. There will hopefully be others along from ICCC with a better memory, who can give you the name of the firm. Paul
I might be wrong but as far as I remember you can only enamel steel parts, not brass. Enamel seems not to stick very well on brass because of the zinc in the alloy.
Hi Stephan, I think that enamelling must be possible on brass as I am sure that I have seen Chinese Cloisonne' brass enamelled vases. Faberge' also widely enamelled copper trinket boxes, and I myself have an enamelled copper box (Not Faberge' unfortunately!) If copper can be done, I see no reason why not brass. Interesting subject. Steve.
Hi Steve, the problem will be to find the right enamel for the metal. Brass melts at around 900 degrees Celsius, if the enamel needs this temperature to melt then we have a problem. Another point is the beaviour of the metal and the enamel when getting hot during the use of a lamp. If both materials expand in different ratios then there is another problem. Not easy to answer...
I remember when I was young (when animals were still talking) it was popular to make enameled "juwelry" using copper or brass bases 'painted' with enamel and then bake them in a small electric oven. No clue re temperatures, as I never was interested in juwelry or similar (this was sort of 'hippy' stuff. Never been a hippy, only happy! ). Of course, once cooled these were never meant to be re-heated. Many military insigna were (still are?) made the same way, just like pins etc. (but not the cheap stuff, they are simply painted). Best regards, Wim
Yes, I've vitreous enamelled copper to make jewellery. Powdered glass (called 'frit') is put onto clean copper sheet and then put into a kiln where the glass melts onto the copper. I can't remember the temperature involved but it was hot enough to melt glass - 1200[sup]o[/sup] Celsius rings a bell, mind... Edit: somehow I don't think the superscript feature is working as intended, Ross...
Hi Wim, The baking temperature for enamelling is 850-950C. This is what it takes to fuse the ground glass to the metal. What really puzzles me is that I rarely come across a really bad Coleman hood enamel-wise, but Tilley, Vapalux & Bialaddin are nearly always very poor if the lamp has had any real use. So our US cousins obviously had a better process. All best - Steve
Yes Neil, You have hit the nail on the head! Like many processes, the end result is very much dependent on the basic materials to begin with and as importantly so, the preparation. Steve.
