[Boris_USA]

Finally, almost done with this base. Should have been done last week, but the weather throwed that one way off. Took it completely aprt, sandblasted the iron where rusted, and refinished in a medium "Bronze" color. Polished the brass decorative tubing amd the hardware. All thats left is polishing two sockets, and rewiring it. Then it gets taken apart again, and shipped to Chantal, who is going to add a shade to it, and post the pictures for us.

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Number of downloads: 29

[GAIA]

Boris_USA, on 06 February 2010 - 09:45 PM, said:

Finally, almost done with this base. Should have been done last week, but the weather throwed that one way off. Took it completely aprt, sandblasted the iron where rusted, and refinished in a medium "Bronze" color. Polished the brass decorative tubing amd the hardware. All thats left is polishing two sockets, and rewiring it. Then it gets taken apart again, and shipped to Chantal, who is going to add a shade to it, and post the pictures for us.

cp01.jpg cp02.jpg cp03.jpg cp05.jpg

Thats nice, what type of lamp base is it, history? Do you do home sandblasting and plating?

[Boris_USA]

GAIA, on 07 February 2010 - 05:32 AM, said:

Thats nice, what type of lamp base is it, history? Do you do home sandblasting and plating?

Its a fancier than average floor lamp circa 1920s to 1930s era. Partial cast iron and part brass.

Yes, I do a lot of sandblasting at home, since its a real "need to" when doing any metal restorations or repairs. A lot of the old paints where oil based, and really get into the filigree and fine decorative portions, and can not be rooted out efficiently in any other way. Also you get a lot of rust and corrosion ,when working with iron and pot metals, which has to be removed right down to clean metal. I do some plating of smaller parts, and want to expand that to be able to do entire lamp bases and shade frames. I have the equipment, just need to make room for it in a different area, other than the hobby shop, and set it up. The solutions, when needed in gallons can be quite expensive, so have not been in any big hurry to set up. Working 8 hours a day and having this as a hobby does not leave a whole lot of extra time to get into extra areas, although I have clients that would love me to have a larger set up.

[GAIA]

Boris_USA, on 07 February 2010 - 02:09 PM, said:

Its a fancier than average floor lamp circa 1920s to 1930s era. Partial cast iron and part brass.

Yes, I do a lot of sandblasting at home, since its a real "need to" when doing any metal restorations or repairs. A lot of the old paints where oil based, and really get into the filigree and fine decorative portions, and can not be rooted out efficiently in any other way. Also you get a lot of rust and corrosion ,when working with iron and pot metals, which has to be removed right down to clean metal. I do some plating of smaller parts, and want to expand that to be able to do entire lamp bases and shade frames. I have the equipment, just need to make room for it in a different area, other than the hobby shop, and set it up. The solutions, when needed in gallons can be quite expensive, so have not been in any big hurry to set up. Working 8 hours a day and having this as a hobby does not leave a whole lot of extra time to get into extra areas, although I have clients that would love me to have a larger set up.

Thanks Boris, interesting stuff, those plating chemicals, can be very harsh though, have to take care with them. Be nice to see it again with Chantals shade.

[Boris_USA]

GAIA, on 07 February 2010 - 02:32 PM, said:

Thanks Boris, interesting stuff, those plating chemicals, can be very harsh though, have to take care with them. Be nice to see it again with Chantals shade.

Plating chemicals can be a real threat, but I stick to non-cyanide based chemicals. They may not be as fast or as good as the cyanide based, but no danger of making cyanide gas, if accidentally contacting any acids. I have acids in stock for my own use, including lab quality Nitric acid, Sulfuric Acid. and Hydrofluoric. They are bad enough without having to worry about gas.

[Chantal]

SPLENDID!!!

[GAIA]

Boris_USA, on 07 February 2010 - 06:31 PM, said:

Plating chemicals can be a real threat, but I stick to non-cyanide based chemicals. They may not be as fast or as good as the cyanide based, but no danger of making cyanide gas, if accidentally contacting any acids. I have acids in stock for my own use, including lab quality Nitric acid, Sulfuric Acid. and Hydrofluoric. They are bad enough without having to worry about gas.

Glad to hear you minimise any potential risks. One has to really know what one is doing, like yourself. I did look into getting a little Casswell home plating thingy. For my original Art Nouveau letterbox plate, I got off Ebay, at a bargain price. When I asked about how good a job it would do. I was told even any hairline scratches, the plating does not fill them up, it would flow into them and they would still be visible. Speaking for myself, I think I will leave major plating alone, I feel far to risky, bit like when I looked into making bio diesel...... in the kitchen :)
Better safe, than sorry.

[GAIA]

Boris_USA, on 07 February 2010 - 06:31 PM, said:

Plating chemicals can be a real threat, but I stick to non-cyanide based chemicals. They may not be as fast or as good as the cyanide based, but no danger of making cyanide gas, if accidentally contacting any acids. I have acids in stock for my own use, including lab quality Nitric acid, Sulfuric Acid. and Hydrofluoric. They are bad enough without having to worry about gas.

In the end I got the Art Nouveau letterbox polished, looks quite nice. Is installed on the door now, together with some reproduction Art Nouveau brass door plates. I might post a picture on Tuesday, had sleet and snow today.

[Boris_USA]

GAIA, on 08 February 2010 - 04:49 PM, said:

I did look into getting a little Casswell home plating thingy. For my original Art Nouveau letterbox plate, I got off Ebay, at a bargain price. When I asked about how good a job it would do. I was told even any hairline scratches, the plating does not fill them up, it would flow into them and they would still be visible. Speaking for myself, I think I will leave major plating alone, I feel far to risky, bit like when I looked into making bio diesel...... in the kitchen :)
Better safe, than sorry.

Thats the one thing about plating that folks do not understand, most of the time. Your finish is only going to be as good as the piece before plating it. If its dull, it will be dull after plating. If it has defects, they will still be there. All it does is change the color, basically. If it has pits or defects, you can plate a thick copper coat, and then sand and polish, before you plate, to fill the defects. Lot of extra work, though but possible.

I remember you piece. It was a neat plate, and you did the right thing by only polishing it. I get my stuff from Caswell. They are about the best priced, and safest products. If you do not like the idea of a big plating setup, you can always try "Brush Plating."

[GAIA]

Boris_USA, on 08 February 2010 - 08:49 PM, said:

Thats the one thing about plating that folks do not understand, most of the time. Your finish is only going to be as good as the piece before plating it. If its dull, it will be dull after plating. If it has defects, they will still be there. All it does is change the color, basically. If it has pits or defects, you can plate a thick copper coat, and then sand and polish, before you plate, to fill the defects. Lot of extra work, though but possible.

I remember you piece. It was a neat plate, and you did the right thing by only polishing it. I get my stuff from Caswell. They are about the best priced, and safest products. If you do not like the idea of a big plating setup, you can always try "Brush Plating."

Hi Boris,

"Brush Plating." I'll have a little look into that, cheers. I'll get back to you over the week-end, regards the woodcarving. I seem to recollect those Caswell home plating kits, were relatively safe.
ttfn,
Peter.

[GAIA]

Boris_USA, on 08 February 2010 - 08:49 PM, said:

Thats the one thing about plating that folks do not understand, most of the time. Your finish is only going to be as good as the piece before plating it. If its dull, it will be dull after plating. If it has defects, they will still be there. All it does is change the color, basically. If it has pits or defects, you can plate a thick copper coat, and then sand and polish, before you plate, to fill the defects. Lot of extra work, though but possible.

I remember you piece. It was a neat plate, and you did the right thing by only polishing it. I get my stuff from Caswell. They are about the best priced, and safest products. If you do not like the idea of a big plating setup, you can always try "Brush Plating."

I was looking into making bio diesel from used vegetable oil. This was for my own use to run the car in a more eco friendly basis, no commercial aspect. The idea of working with sodium hydroxide, caustic soda put me off also the possible fire risk with Methanol.

[Boris_USA]

GAIA, on 12 February 2010 - 03:31 PM, said:

I was looking into making bio diesel from used vegetable oil. This was for my own use to run the car in a more eco friendly basis, no commercial aspect. The idea of working with sodium hydroxide, caustic soda put me off also the possible fire risk with Methanol.

Good decision...

[Boris_USA]

Floor lamp is done. Installed two vintage "Fat Boy" Victorian Brass Sockets, with chan pulls topped off with a Vintage Bird in a Wreath Finial. Boxing and Shipping up next, and on to another project.


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Number of downloads: 24

[GAIA]

Boris_USA, on 12 February 2010 - 08:54 PM, said:

Good decision...

Too right :)

[GAIA]

Boris_USA, on 13 February 2010 - 07:22 PM, said:

Floor lamp is done. Installed two vintage "Fat Boy" Victorian Brass Sockets, with chan pulls topped off with a Vintage Bird in a Wreath Finial. Boxing and Shipping up next, and on to another project.


cluster01.jpg cluster02.jpg cluster03.jpg

Cor, nice, very unique item, never seen any floor lamps like these! Your level of skills, expertise, restoration, renovation must be very much in demand. I expect very few people possess them, not skills one acquires in a couple of weeks eh Boris. So modest and happy to share, amazing.

The Fat Boy sockets can't be very common. How did it come about regards them, did you happen to have a pair around the workshop and then the floor lamp turned up or what? Would the Fat Boys been an original item on the lamp? How tall is the floor lamp? I'm going to ask , perhaps a very nosey question, I'm just curious to know, perhaps I shouldn't ask. I don't mind if you decline to answer.

I expect a lamp stand like yours is expensive for someone to purchase, how expensive is expensive? ...... I bet we will all say, yep..... that is.... expensive :)

Chantals lamp shade should really set it off.
Peter.

[Boris_USA]

GAIA, on 14 February 2010 - 09:33 AM, said:

Cor, nice, very unique item, never seen any floor lamps like these! Your level of skills, expertise, restoration, renovation must be very much in demand. I expect very few people possess them, not skills one acquires in a couple of weeks eh Boris. So modest and happy to share, amazing.

The Fat Boy sockets can't be very common. How did it come about regards them, did you happen to have a pair around the workshop and then the floor lamp turned up or what? Would the Fat Boys been an original item on the lamp? How tall is the floor lamp? I'm going to ask , perhaps a very nosey question, I'm just curious to know, perhaps I shouldn't ask. I don't mind if you decline to answer.

I expect a lamp stand like yours is expensive for someone to purchase, how expensive is expensive? ...... I bet we will all say, yep..... that is.... expensive :)

Chantals lamp shade should really set it off.
Peter.

I usually do not do a whole lot with floor lamps. Table lamps do much better and are more desirable. However, once in a while you have a need for one, so I keep about half a dozen better and more decorative ones, at most, for "just in case" type of deal. I would have likely had the "Fat Boy" sockets as original parts. They are known as Victorian era sockets. I have been collecting them for a few years, and glad I have, since they are harder to find all the time, and have gotten quite expensive. A Vintage original plain Jane like that sells for 10 to 12 bucks now, and a matched pair can go for 30 dollars. There are more rare makes also, like Edison and Hubbell Sockets. I sold a matched set of 3 Fat Boys with chain pull sockets, and acorns on the end of the chains for 290.00 dollars on eBay a year or so ago, and have sold some individual ones in the 100 dollar range. When you have a Tiffany or Handel Lamp worth 30,000 to 150,000 dollars, paying 100 bucks for an original socket, the correct period, and the correct maker, does not seem bad at all, if you need it. I replaced a couple on a Tiffany Base, about a year or so ago, and had to dig through my stock until I found two exactly the same as the one good one that was on the base. The client had paid almost 6,000.00 dollars for the base. At those numbers, a few hundred bucks for refurbishing does not mean much. The lamp sold for 183000.00 dollars complete. Have never counted how many sockets I have in stock, but would estimate maybe close to 1000 or so.

As far as "Skills" required, its not as mind boggling as people think. Its all mostly self taught and experimenting on my own stuff. Its not hard, if you have the right tools and equipment, and have the Internet to teach you how. People made these lamps, mostly by hand, with nowhere near the tools and equipment we have access to, so it would be a sad state of Craftsmanship, if one could not learn to just repair them. If I did it, anyone can. And yep, stay busy. My workload is usually 4 to 8 months behind, just on outside work. Also do not advertise. Its all "word of mouth" and my dealer clients usually will not tell anyone who does their lamp work. They try to keep me a secret... I find that humorous.

The lamp is about 5 foot and has an adjustable sliding top cluster. Floor lamp bases do not sell as well as table lamps. Prices run about 200 to 400 dollars for better lamps and can go up from there, if extra fancy. On a scale of 1 to 10, and 10 being the best, I would say this was about an 8 on the scale. A table lamp, with the same type of base, including the shade, would start at around 400 to 600 dollars on the low scale, for a plain Jane, to about 2000 to 3000 for a better one. Then the ultra collectibles like Pairpoint, Handel, Duffner, Wilkinson, and such, go up from there. The state of the economy has not made any difference that I can see, on the values, where it has impacted some Antiques like furniture. In fact. predictions are that Antique Lighting will go up quite a bit in 2010. Sounds good to me, since I am sitting on a ton of them, that I hardly have the time to fix.

[Chantal]

Gah! The picture is a little fuzzy, I'll take another one but I've cleaned up and put away the camera! It's absolutely breathtaking.

Thanks again Boris, I feel really lucky!

[Rebecca]

Beautiful! Chantal will have to keep you secret, too, Boris!

Rebecca

[wes]

Very nice lamp Chantal.

[GAIA]

Yes thats a really, really nice lamp.