Hey Guys I am relatively new here so there is a lot I don't know, so forgive me if I make errors while identifying certain parts and please feel free to correct me and set me straight, no offence will be taken. I have restored one TL120 and have it working. I am now in the process of restoring 2 ML93s. 1st question would be how can I upload pictures to this forum? 2nd question, could I use rubbing alcohol to preheat the vaporizor / fuel. I have polished the brass tops of the to a gloss finish.
Hi Clyde, ask away! -Click on Upload a File, select the picture file from your PC, then select thumbnail or full image. Best to crop and/or resize with e.g. IrfanView before uploading. -If the rubbing alcohol is at least 90% it will work fine.
Thanks Phil, the alcohol solves one problem, i tried the 75% stuff, but had very limited success. I have done a lot of work on both the TL120 and the ML93s. Guess the big question of the day is what to use to protect the polished finish on the brass without clouding it up. As shown on the bottom pics, I achieved a beautiful finish on the brass top, until I sprayed it with a Gloss Clear Lacquer, then the finish became very cloudy. I was very disappointed to say the least. I have already stripped the lacquer off one, which is no easy task, even with commercial grade stripper. Please feel free to criticize and express your thoughts. I may try automotive clear coat once I get back to town. The problem is, if that doesn't work, that will be even harder to remove. Maybe I should just strip the clear, polish and leave it. Then use metal polise every month or so to keep them clean. Let me try the pic thing. OK so that works, these are the 3 lamps I currently have. I found them in the shed of the old house we recently purchased. The TL120, I purchased a new burner and gallery, and also a control knob and have that one working. I stripped the paint off the bases of the ML93s. Painted the base. Polish the top to a high shine. This is where the major disappointment comes in. Not impressed with the shine from the Gloss Clear Lacquer. What are people using to protect the high gloss polish of the gloss?
The lacquer looks cloudy in the photo, almost like a matte finish. Did you remove all polish residue from the brass with solvent before applying the clear lacquer?
An alternative to clear lacquer is to wax the brass with good auto wax. It will seal the brass and preserve the shine for a long time. You'll have to apply more wax after alcohol and kerosene spills though.
Phil, I know, I was so disappointed. Lots of sanding and polishing to get most of the bigger scratches out, at least the hard work is done, with a lot of patience I should be able to remove the lacquer. I have a piece of brass at home, guess I should have practiced on that first. lol
They are Jeff. We spent 6 years restoring an old classic car and I have decided that small projects like this will be my limit from now on. lol. I must say I do enjoy bringing them back to life. Thanks for your response.
I will have to try something once I get back to town, I am not happy with that finish. If I find a solution I will let you guys know. C
@Clyde Boyd I use automobile clear coat on lanterns stoves and lamps that will be ‘users’ (the brand here is “Dupli Color”). I bake the finish at 94C. That leaves the brass protected from spills. I also use high quality car polish on bare brass and over clear coat. Sometimes I’ll use furniture-grade beeswax on bare brass. Cheers Tony
Tony, thanks for the info. How long do you bake the lamps for after you clear? Also after looking at my pics together, looks like my bottom paint is too light compared to original, need it a little more beige I think. Any suggestions? C
Hey Phil, sorry I didn’t answer your question about removing all the rubbing compound before spraying, I did, I used automotive grease and wax remover and then washed them in warm water with a little dish liquid. They were gleaming before I sprayed them. C
@Clyde Boyd 1. I bake for 1 hour at 94C and let cool in situ. 2. The problem with matching new and old paint is that paint ages with time. Seeing a NIB gold Tilley makes you notice how much brighter it is than the used ones you’ve had for years. Matching paint is trial and error, but people here might come up with a good suggestion. Your paint job looks good to me. Cheers Tony
I wouldn't be concerned about the finish being cloudy. It can depend on how much humidity there is when the clear is applied. All you need to do is get a clean, soft rag and polish the clear coat as you should always do. That should bring the clear coat to a nice clear glossy finish.
Thanks Tony Unless people here don’t feel that the paint is way off in colour, then maybe I’ll just leave it. Thanks everyone for all the help. I’ll keep you posted once I get back home and and get working on these baby’s. C
What the rest of us think about the shade of paint is neither here nor there - if you're happy with it then that's surely good enough. Paint shades change over time with exposure to sunlight, fuels and dirt etc. I suspect even the original Tilley shade drifted slightly over the years...
