Dealing with stress cracks

Hi after collecting lamps for a while every now and again one turns up that you really want to run but how do you fix it well this was one of those lamps
Nice old blanchard that leaked air like a sieve as fast as i pumped air in.!!



Now i know you could solder stress cracks outside the font or you could use POR 15 inside but neil and mick thought this tank was just a little too far gone plus why was it like that, its old 1917 but it needed annealing properly and for that it RED hot and then into cold water to soften it.
So somewhat hesitantly i decided to go for it make or break time.
First it was a total desolder and not so easy as quite a few bits were screwed and then soldered into place.



Then clean it up a bit and get it very hot almost dull red and quench i did this a few times to try destress the tank.



Then finally started to solder all the fine stress cracks up internally this took quite a long time doing a few then cleaning up only to find more!!



After all the inside was complete silver soldered up i had to resolder the thing together this was not so easy either without getting soft solder inside the tank anyway it was done but i never took the pics i will do on the other one i have here waiting for surgery!!

As you can see now holds pressure and burns again seen here on display at ashover last year



Takes some time to do this but some lamps are worth the effort to preserve what we have left, hope you find the post of intrest

cheers pete

 

Hello Pete, that is dedication! Jeff.

 

Fantastic work, Pete!

Perhaps one day I'll get round to fettling at this level - but not in this life-time, sadly...

 

Amazing repair Pete. Thanks for posting. Shurly worthy of a spot in the Fettlers Master Class section.

Sid.

 

Bloody marvellous 8) , talk about a great repair 8) , now that's dedication

Stu

 

AAA-MAZING!!! A work of love in anyone's book. Thanks - Steve.

 

Thanks for all the responses to the post lads and the pats on the back. Thing about collecting lamps is if you want to fix them you have to learn techniques to enable you to fix them such as soldering and so on, its just practise and the desire to learn that will get you there anyone of you could have done this if you was determined enough and had the need to.
A lot of the older stuff 1920s and earlier does require some work often more than a set of washers but i like the challange of them myself and the buzz when they live again.
Most lamps i would i would not have gone to all the trouble to repair the tank but as blanchards are so few on the ground it was well worth the time and and trouble but it still takes a deep breath before you hit it with the blowlamp as the outcome could be a melted lump of parts!!!
cheers pete

 

A sterling work Pete!

I really would love to see some good pictures of the tank from the outside after the mending.
The soldering always creeps out and spread when I do this, and it would be nice to compare how your lamp looks after polishing it away.
Those niello-like, tiny hair cracks of silver in the brass you get afterwards actually might look good to me.

 

Thanks Christer i never did get around to polishing it, it still has a somewhat crazed appearance outside but i just gave it a good rub with scotchbrite and this leaves like a satin type finish now well dull as i did this over a year ago now
i will take a few pics and post so you can see it is not like a new lamp but then it runs at 95 years old and will most likely do so for a few decades yet at least i like to think so

cheers pete

 

@pete sav
I’ve come to this post very belatedly Pete, but couldn’t read it without complimenting you on that brilliant work on the Blanchard.

Not so much with lamps as stoves, I know that feeling you describe of recognising that much tricky work needs to be done - with no assured outcome at that stage - then biting the bullet and getting stuck in.

Phenomenal job, Hall of Fame stuff.

John

 

Thanks john
Its been over 10 years since i did that lamp still have it here at home and run it at times and its still good to go. It was a challange for sure but blanchards are not so easy to get hold of
Cheers pete

 

Yeah, I can appreciate your motivation having seen some of your Blanchards at Newark this year. Beautiful.

 

What a work of love! RxR

 

@Rer Isi Rer
Yes it was but it worked quite well
Thanks pete

 

Late to the post, but echo all those who have commented - awesome work Pete. Thank you for share

 

@Pchamp
Thankyou is a old post now but the lamp is still running fine
Cheers pete

 

Some great repair skills being put to the test.
You cant make an omelette without breaking a few eggs even when its the pressure lamp equivalent of a faberge' egg

 

I was reminded of the art of Kintsugi when reading this. Perhaps we need a lantern-specific term for the above ?

 

@James K @Fireexit1
Thanks james it was a hope i could do it but it worked ok

I had to look up kintsugi was intrest tho
Cheers pete