Videokarma.org

Go Back   Videokarma.org TV - Video - Vintage Television & Radio Forums > General Off Topic Forums

We appreciate your help

in keeping this site going.
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-08-2019, 06:21 PM
Dave A's Avatar
Dave A Dave A is offline
VideoKarma Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: SE Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,529
pot metal repair

Not a pot metal bezel but a pot metal frame 20" hanging lamp from the 30's. It's my hanging lamp in the dining room that has gone south. From the pic you can see where several of the spiders have separated from the hub.

I plan on taking it down, pry out the art glass segments and am looking for suggestions to re-connect the pot metal spiders back to the hub. Solder, glue, blowtorch, give up, etc.

And I would like to know how this frame was made. I know nothing about pot metal fabrication. Google next.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg artglass.jpg (38.7 KB, 35 views)
__________________
“Once you eliminate the impossible...whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." Sherlock Holmes.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-08-2019, 07:57 PM
kramden66 kramden66 is offline
VideoKarma Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Rockaway, NJ
Posts: 1,414
Epoxy ?
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-08-2019, 09:42 PM
Electronic M's Avatar
Electronic M Electronic M is offline
M is for Memory
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pewaukee/Delafield Wi
Posts: 14,758
IIRC I've had luck with Superglue, Solder, and epoxy in different cases.

Pot metal is a random mix alloy. Some pot metal is easy to solder, some isn't (also thermal shifts sometimes cause it to crack or even explode depending on the alloy). I'd probably try a test solder in a discrete area away from the damage and goto super glue and or epoxy if it won't solder.

If I had to glue it I'd superglue the cracks back together then on the inside where it can't be seen epoxy a metal reinforcing bar across the crack.

Make sure your glue can take the temperature that part gets in operation...Super glue melts near soldering temperature.
__________________
Tom C.

Zenith: The quality stays in EVEN after the name falls off!
What I want. --> http://www.videokarma.org/showpost.p...62&postcount=4
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-09-2019, 01:59 PM
Tony F Tony F is offline
VideoKarma Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 154
Pot metal usually has a large percentage of zinc in it. Zinc has a low melting temperature. I know the plating shops that have to either chrome , nickel plate "white metal" aka "pot metal" deal with this problem a lot. If there is any sign of corrosion they grind out the bad areas and have to fill or build it back up and then grind back down before plating. They normally use silver solder to fill the these areas. It usually takes something a little hotter to melt silver solder than a propane torch. Acetylene or "MAP" gas works. Yellow bottle instead of blue for propane. But the key is to make sure the pieces to be soldered are super clean. any dirt or oxidation with prevent a smooth solder joint. The 2 pieces might have to be glass bead blasted back 1/2" on both pieces. You also have to know when to keep the torch off the area to not overheat it. Anyone that does this a lot knows all the little tricks to make it look easy.
hope this helps...
Tony
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-10-2019, 01:41 AM
MadMan's Avatar
MadMan MadMan is offline
The Resident Brony
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,217
If it's really that old, are you sure it's pot metal and not bronze? Anyhow, I'm not certain, but glue is not going to hold such a small joint that has the weight of all that glass on it. Super glue? lol you funny guy.

Uh, soldering would probably be the best bet, and even then, it's sketchy (because of the forces enacted upon those joints). There are people who can weld pot metal, you'd probably better take it up with them. Failing that, the best thing to do might be to drill some holes in it, and wire the pieces together, THEN solder it. At least you'd have some mechanical strength to it.
Reply With Quote
Audiokarma
  #6  
Old 02-11-2019, 12:18 PM
Carmine's Avatar
Carmine Carmine is offline
...enjoys spaghetti.
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Detroit area
Posts: 1,594
The material has reached its half-life and is breaking down on the atomic level.
__________________
From Captain Video, 1/4/2007
"It seems that Italian people are very prone to preserve antique stuff."
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:28 PM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
©Copyright 2012 VideoKarma.org, All rights reserved.