Carbide Lamp Restoration

[bigalpha]

So, I've got this old Carbide lamp, and it's pretty grungy. I did the whole vinegar thing last night, and got almost all of the calcium out. I do have a few questions.

1. How long is it safe to soak the carbide lamp in vinegar?
2. The reflector plate is rusty, what would be the best way to clean the rust?
3. How do you remove the reflector plate?

*edit for bad spelling

[erebus]

1. How long is it safe to soak the carbide lamp in vinegar?
As long as you like. The acid in vinegar is too mild to do any damage to the brass of the lamp.

2. The reflector plate is rusty, what would be teh best way to clean the rust?
The best way is to buy a stainless steel reflector. Bob&Bob has them for about $15. The second-best way is to take it to a chrome-plating shop. They'll strip it to the steel and replate it to look like new. It will cost money. None of the other ways are very good.

3. How do you remove the reflector plate?
I undo the little wingnut under the tip. Your lamp may not have a wingnut, especially since the politics&religion forum is closed.

[JoeyS]

Yeah, as Erebus says, rechroming is expensive especially if you can buy a replacement for 15 bucks. Unless you are trying to "restore" it, I would go with replacing the reflector. Most chroming and plating companies have a minimum far beyond 15 dollars, especially if you expect them to bring it down to the bare clean metal.

[Casper]

If the plating is thin on the lamp leaving it in vinegar too long will turn it a bit orange and bring the copper out. Exactly how long it takes to do this repends on how much of the plating has been worn away. Brasso an old wash cloth and some elbow grease take some time but clean the grunge off the outside if that is a problem. A tooth brush and some toothpaste is good for removing crud from the reflector. Maybe it's me but the whitening kind seems to help bring out the shine in an old pitted and scratched reflector. Also good from cutting through layers of coal dust. Watch using dremel tools as they can very easily leave toolmarks behind even with the softest bits and slowest speeds.

[erebus]

Unless I misread the question, BA was asking how long he could soak the whole lamp in vinegar. That's what I answered. I don't think there's any plating on the body of a brass lamp.

If the reflector is actually rusty, it's probably not worth the effort to clean it to bare metal. Unless you replate it, or you wax it every time you use it, it will rust again. The stainless ones are never going to rust, unless you use them in a salt mine or at sea.

[bigalpha]

Well, I did ask that question but I assume that it never hurts to know more info than you asked for.

The little nut that is right beneath the tip is stuck on my lamp. Will it hurt anything if I use a bit of WD40?

[Phil Winkler]

Al,

You can try WD40, but it is not really a lubricant, but simply a water displacement product (WD). Try PB Blaster or even a little heat like from a cigarette lighter.

[bigalpha]

Hey Phil, that's a great idea with the lighter, I'm gonna give it a shot. Can't WD-40 be used as a lubricant, and to help release rusted/stuck stuff?

[erebus]

Phil's right - WD-40 is a pretty poor lubricant. After a while it dries to something more like glue. There are penetrating oils that do a better job of loosening things. The classic example is Marvel Mystery Oil.

Heat may work. Try that before putting lubricants on, or you'll make a lot of smoke.

[bigalpha]

Hehe, smoke.

Just to clarify; the wingnut on my lamp is not stuck; rather, it is the little hex bolt right after the tip is what is stuck. That does unscrew (along with the wingnut) to let the plate off, right?

[Dwight Livingston]

A hex bolt? That would be non-standard. Perhaps a hex nut? That would be more likely, though I've not seen one used with a wing nut.

Dwight

[bigalpha]

Wait, I think I am a retard.

http://www.cave.org.vt.edu/carbide.shtml

In this diagram, it is the "flame tip". From this illustration, it seems that it should just screw off, right? I can't get it to budge.

[Cheryl Jones]

The tip should pull straight out. However I imagine it is well set from years in place. Use a pair of pliers to (twist, wiggle and) pull, but carefully, so you don't break the ceramic insert in the tip.

Cheryl

[bigalpha]

Ah, it pulls out. I've been trying to unscrew it. Hehe, mayb that's why I couldn't get it out.