Picked up a few Vapalux M1 lamps the other week, already got a couple in the original silver so decided to go mad on one, strip it back to brass then buff the hell out of it. To be honest I usually prefer to keep lamps original, if possible, or try and re-paint them to as close as possible, this is first time I have taken this approach and I think it does result in quite a striking lamp, although there is probably around 3 hours work. So....what is the consensus, the one on the left or the one on the right...?
The brass one on the right looks great, so does the original. If I get one that the nickel is very poor, I’d do the same as you, brass it all the way, but only on a poor nickel jobby.
Great work. Hard work too. Bare polished brass is not original for that but it DOES look great, if not even better than the original finish. For a user, good looks don't last very long. The shine would be gone soon enough and you'll have to re-buff/polish. You can try clear lacquer on it but the feel's just ain't the same as bare. For a shelf queen, some metal finishing waxes would keep it shiny for a long time.
Yes i did consider clear lacquer as I have done that before on smaller items, pumps, filler caps etc, but was worried on a larger tank about it going milky.....that wax is good shout though I may try that....
I tried to lacquer a brass fount but it looked milky from te start so I removed it and painted it instead. Brass does look nice but it's high maintenance as others have said.
Clear lacquer might milk up, especially if in contact with fuels. Waxes would be dissolved by spilled fuel. You could then try the 2-component polyurethane automotive clear coat to avoid milking since its harder and both fuel and UV- resistant.
