Enamelling Brass Hood Caps

No worries Steve, the caps do indeed look great as the are. I received mine yesterday and have my work cut out for me if I want the lamp to look half as good.

 

Looks like we'll be sending our stuff to Poland, then.

If they can do it (and make such an excellent job of it ), why can't we, over here...

 

Hi David,

The Polish enamelling was on steel I believe, not brass. There would not be a problem with steel enamelling. I have been told that it is the zinc in the brass alloy that makes enamelling brass so tricky; not impossible, but too much trouble for a commercial company. Never mind eh! Steve

 

I can ask is it possible for them to enamel brass parts - I'll let you know.

 

Can your chap not spin the hood caps from steel rather than brass, Steve? Then we'd have the choice of brass tops for polishing or steel ones for enamelling...

 

I'll ask him David. Steve.

 

Just spoke with them and unfortunatly they can't enamel brass In theory it is possible, but needs special paints for brass and experience they don't have

 

I wonder if stainless steel is possible ?

 

David, Yes he can spin steel and it would be to the same good thickness that the brass ones are. It will also be cheaper . This would allow enamelling, but at what cost I do not know . I may get him to do a couple in steel to try them out. I will probably start a new thread to sound out the membership wrt demand for a steel version that would give people the option of having them enamelled. Steve

 

I checked again for steel enamelling. What I heard is, that steel type DC01 EK2 has to be used. It is special kind of steel for enamelling. Diffrent types of steel can be enamelled but without any warranty that coat will not fall. http://rad.mpmetal.com/steelstandard.php

 

Well, whatever steel Tilley, Willis & Bates and all the rest used, it's failed to hold the enamel otherwise we wouldn't be having this discussion. I can't see we'd be any worse off, particularly if the enamel was for a hood on a display lantern that had been retired and wasn't intended for use

 

You are absolutely correct David . If the lamp is to be a user, I think it would be better if the hood was plain brass . If it is to be a "shelf queen" for display purposes only , I think that the cost of enamelled steel would be a tad prohibitive . Just my opinion, for what it's worth. Thank you all for your inputs to this thread . Steve

 

If the hood is made ​​of a suitable steel and enamelled later it should work without problems for many years. Enamelling shouldn't costs more then 10 euros.

 

I was only asking about stainless because i have some already

Thanks for all your efforts on this subject mate you've put a lot of work in

 

Maybe in Poland - but this is Rip-Off Britain.

 

David, I think I can help with this if there will be some interest so postage cost can be split for few persons This is no problem for me

 

I'd be more than happy to take that risk, especially with a stainless steel top ! Should last a lifetime being stainless steel and vitreous enamel coating and as a shelf queen....especially at 10 euro
Then use the brass tops for users as suggested earlier, guess its always down to interest and firm commitments from members, well good luck with your future thread on this subject Steve

 

Yes, many thanks for your kind offer. It may be worth investigating what the postage will be to Poland and back.

It's obviously going to be worthwhile only for rare-ish items - I'm thinking E41s for instance.

I should have mentioned that I have a Tilley X410A which has a black re-enamelled hood. The previous owner (a former member, here) had the work done somewhere in the West Midlands. It looks good but I was advised it probably wasn't worth the risk lighting it, so a display item only. I haven't seen it for years but when it re-surfaces, I'll post an image. Enquiries regarding having further items re-enamelled came to nothing...

 

My Spinner has agreed to make me two caps from sheet steel as a gift What a nice man . When I get them I will then offer them to anyone who thinks that they can get them enamelled, and tell us what the cost was and it has got to be the true cost, so no . This sort of nonsense keeps me out of the garden, and prevents me cutting the grass! I love it . Steve

 

Steve, you can count on me. I'll scan receipt But it would be better if you make sure that your Spinner will use correct steel type.

 

OK, Here are the results of my Spinner's steel version of the E41 & HD44 style caps. They are the same thickness as the brass versions, so now we need a couple of volunteers to get them enamelled! I only have these two so would like to have two different enamellers try them. It would be best if they were drilled for fixing holes before enamelling, and preferable that the colour is close to the original colours that they were done in. Any takers? Steve.

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Steve,

I have been watching your posts regarding hood caps for sometime. For the whole period I have been collecting the matter of really poor, rusty enamelled hoods spoiling good lamps has been pontificated on. We know that they can be sent to the US for those very special lamps but this time it looks as though you may have cracked it.

Someone on here must know of an enameller in this Country who would run up 50 or so of these tops. I have looked into it myself several times and will have another go.

Very well done Steve!!!

 

I can take one as I said. I left you message Steve,

cheers!

 

OK, That's settled . You get one Michal and Ian gets the other. I will drill the holes to fit one of my lamps. Ian thinks that the hole spacing was pretty standard on all Vapalux/Bialaddin lamps with these types of hood. With regard to colour; I do not know what the exact colour should be, but most seem to be a very dark grey, almost going into a blue shade. I do not think that this is terribly important as there was great variation in batch shades, even when new. There are several examples shown in the Gallery. I will contact you by PT. Steve.

 

Ian has told me that if anyone else really wants to try to get the enamelling done he is happy to wait until I can get a couple more steel caps ready. So, if anyone is keen to have a go, one cap is still up for offer! . Thanks Ian, I will get another couple made for future test projects. Ian is also going to send me some pictures of caps to show the varying shades of colour that were used. Thanks to all - Steve.

 

Update - Michal in Poland has one cap for enamelling and Ian Ashton has two to try and get enammelled. I still have one HD44 style left (The good old Spinner made me four!) so if there is anyone else out there who would like to try getting it enammelled, get in touch with me. No cost for the cap, if feedback is promised on the enamelling, the cost and test results when fitted and used. Steve.

 

Hi Michal!

Any news on the Polish enamelling project Ian's two caps are still being considered by his contact, but I am informed that she has the necessary ingredients at hand. I have one more steel cap going spare if anyone else wants to have a go . It will be at the Newark meet this weekend. If there is a successful enamelling process, I reckon that I could get these spun in steel quite cheaply; it is the enamelling that is the hardest process to achieve. Regards to all - Steve.

 

Have you thought about powder-coating, Steve? Apparently there are two processes now - one low temperature (~200C) and a higher temperature one. I suspect even the higher temperature process wouldn't survive on a lamp hood but either would be good for display purposes.

Just a thought if there are no other takers...

 

I have read this thread a couple of times.. Seems to me enamel cloisonne has been fired on copper, brass, and bronze for centuries even a millennia or two..
While I realize the temp extremes a lantern vent goes through may preclude the use non-ferrous metals due to different expansion rates of glass and brass which may cause crackling of coating once heated by lamp..

I find several YouTube DIY enameling of copper..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgHCAI_za8k
doesn't look that hard if you have a kiln..

Firm believer in "if it can be thought, it can be done"

 

Hi !
A kiln can be sources on fleabay for about £125 ,with a large enough aperture to accept a vapalux top.
Important part to remember about enamelling :- what ever you do to one side the same must happen on the back side. Its called counter enameling.
Add enamel to back side first and fire then take more time and effort on getting the outside coating correct !
Don't stand the brass top on kiln shelf as enamel will run down if too hot and stick your work to shelf use wire supports between shelf and top.
mick