[repost] Amber minor restoration project!!

[MissRiaElaine]

in fact, I wonder if you'd be able to mask around the label and just clear the ballast with some rust converting gel and then hit it with a coat or two of radiator enamel?

That's a thought, thanks

[TheSOXMania]

Update 4.5: watching paint dry

Just finished up with the first couple coats and now the paint has dried, it's a good time to do the corrections and prep the surface to accept more paint. I've just spent the past 20 minutes meticulously wet sanding the excess paint off to smooth the surface and this is what we have.

Weather pemitting I should be able to do the next 3 coats tomorrow and have the entire thing ready to be reinstalled in the canopy once I've finished cleaning some of the smaller items.

[MissRiaElaine]

That looks good, hope we can achieve something close to it

[TheSOXMania]

That looks good, hope we can achieve something close to it

If your spray painting skills are better than mine (which wouldn't be too difficult to imagine) you'll get a decent result with it I'm sure

[TheSOXMania]

Update 5: bzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!

Just a quick one because I have a fair bit to do today:

Since the weather's shoddy today I haven't been able to finish the gear tray... however, I have had an idea and it pertains to gearing the lantern!!

I have ordered a new ballast (a brand spanking new Philiips BSX-355L 82) and I'll be getting an igniter and PFC cap at some point to add to the installation and internally gear the lantern. I wanted originally to go with a 40w SOI leak transformer but the one I'd been eyeballing since I started the project has sold so that's not happening. Bright side is I will definitely be gearing this lantern though, so anyone hoping to see a loaded gear tray in this thing is getting their wish!!


Even better than that though, I'm also going to be wiring it up using the old British colour coding system (black = neutral, red = live and white for the ballasted line) because why the heck not!?

[MissRiaElaine]

I'm also going to be wiring it up using the old British colour coding system (black = neutral, red = live and white for the ballasted line) because why the heck not!?

Why not indeed, that's a good idea, I think we'll rewire ours, don't have any red/black wire though, where's the best place to get some..?

[TheSOXMania]

Update 6: I trolled.

I actually got the gear tray finished up this morning!! As I'm impatient and didn't wanna wait for the paint to cure got round to reassembling the canopy and BY GOLLY DOES IT EVER LOOK CLEAN!!! Probably the second cleanest example I've seen besides that brand.new in packet one that sold on eBay.

I'll be leaving it well alone now so the paint has time to harden and while I wait, I think I'll get round to designing a 1.8-2m column to mount it on. Yes. The end goal isn't deploying it outdoors, it's to make the world's best standing lamp without ruining a perfectly good amber minor!!

[MissRiaElaine]

I'll be leaving it well alone now so the paint has time to harden and while I wait, I think I'll get round to designing a 1.8-2m column to mount it on. Yes. The end goal isn't deploying it outdoors, it's to make the world's best standing lamp without ruining a perfectly good amber minor!!

That's our plan as well, so any ideas you have for getting a column made would be very much appreciated

Sammi used to work for an engineering company, but they've gone under due mainly we think to the downturn in the oil industry up here, we were going to get them to make something for us, but now they're no longer in business we're going to have to think of other options.

[TheSOXMania]

I'll be leaving it well alone now so the paint has time to harden and while I wait, I think I'll get round to designing a 1.8-2m column to mount it on. Yes. The end goal isn't deploying it outdoors, it's to make the world's best standing lamp without ruining a perfectly good amber minor!!

That's our plan as well, so any ideas you have for getting a column made would be very much appreciated

Sammi used to work for an engineering company, but they've gone under due mainly we think to the downturn in the oil industry up here, we were going to get them to make something for us, but now they're no longer in business we're going to have to think of other options.

My main plan column-wise (haven't worked the ins and outs yet) was to get some 89mm OD 608 stainless pipe and have that either welded to a baseplate or bracketed to it and then get an outreach arm for a regular column and attach that to the top. then, run the cabling, wire the lantern and have a torpedo switch inlie with a photocell as a secondary in the canopy. I need to get access to a welder that can do stainless though and the outreach arms aren't necessarily cheap so I'll have to hold off on the thought until I have the lens assembly and gaskets. the latter may be a while though since finding an intact Amber minior refractor is proving rather difficult (as predicted!)

[MissRiaElaine]

My main plan column-wise (haven't worked the ins and outs yet) was to get some 89mm OD 608 stainless pipe and have that either welded to a baseplate or bracketed to it and then get an outreach arm for a regular column and attach that to the top. then, run the cabling, wire the lantern and have a torpedo switch inlie with a photocell as a secondary in the canopy. I need to get access to a welder that can do stainless though and the outreach arms aren't necessarily cheap so I'll have to hold off on the thought until I have the lens assembly and gaskets. the latter may be a while though since finding an intact Amber minior refractor is proving rather difficult (as predicted!)

Which type is it..? We have a spare bowl for a Beta 5, but it's the shallow type, I'm not too sure what the differences between the Amber Minor and the Beta 5 are..?

[TheSOXMania]

My main plan column-wise (haven't worked the ins and outs yet) was to get some 89mm OD 608 stainless pipe and have that either welded to a baseplate or bracketed to it and then get an outreach arm for a regular column and attach that to the top. then, run the cabling, wire the lantern and have a torpedo switch inlie with a photocell as a secondary in the canopy. I need to get access to a welder that can do stainless though and the outreach arms aren't necessarily cheap so I'll have to hold off on the thought until I have the lens assembly and gaskets. the latter may be a while though since finding an intact Amber minior refractor is proving rather difficult (as predicted!)

Which type is it..? We have a spare bowl for a Beta 5, but it's the shallow type, I'm not too sure what the differences between the Amber Minor and the Beta 5 are..?

The slimlines have a shallower canopy and the gear tray is also slimmed and recessed into the canopy further.

[TheSOXMania]

Update 7: *seal noises intensify*

The neoprene has arrived!! I'll have to trim it to width but it's as thick if not thicker than the old stuff that was there before. Also, as i don't want to do any irreversible modifications to the gear tray or canopy and I'm gearing the lantern with a more complex modern magnetic layout, I have made a cap and igniter bracket that gets locked onto the gear tray latch with the screw that's there. I've checked the clearances and there should be tonnes of room there since I'm using a way more compact ballast than this thing shipped with. it's a bummer the SOI leak transformer I was looking at sold but it's not a huge issue as this setup will be lighter and more energy efficient while producing the same amount of light anyway. It does take away some of the originality of the lantern, which is kinda sad but there's not a lot I can do about that since the leak transformers are so ridiculously hard to get now.

[TheSOXMania]

I'm also going to be wiring it up using the old British colour coding system (black = neutral, red = live and white for the ballasted line) because why the heck not!?

Why not indeed, that's a good idea, I think we'll rewire ours, don't have any red/black wire though, where's the best place to get some..?

eBay is always worth a shot. you'll want 18-22AWG solid core copper wire for it though to make sure it stays well clamped in the terminals and handle the current.

[TheSOXMania]

Update 8: oh, what a feelin'... when yer lantern's got a seal in!!

Chopped to fit and looking fresher than factory. The only thing she needs now is control gear and a bowl to be mostly complete. What a glorious bit of kit this lantern is turning out to be!

[Paul]

Top job! Looking good! What sort of bowl are you looking for? Got a pic example?

[TheSOXMania]

Top job! Looking good! What sort of bowl are you looking for? Got a pic example?

Something along the lines of the Atlas or Thorn Beta 5 if not an original amber minor bowl... annoyingly enough, slimline bowls won't work here or I'dve taken Ria up on her offer.

Amber minor :


Atlast Beta 5 (they're similar if not identical)


Thorn Beta 5 chunky

[Paul]

I have a Thorn Beta 5 chunky available for free, only problem is it has a small crack.

[TheSOXMania]

I have a Thorn Beta 5 chunky available for free, only problem is it has a small crack.

I'm fine with small cracks as long as it doesn't hugely affect the structural integrity. do you have any pictures of the bowl?

[Tom]

This really is shaping up superbly! Regarding internal cabling, Tri Rated Switchgear wire is your best bet, in 0.5mm or 0.75mm. (all sizes available right up to 25mm!) It's heat resisting at 105C and available in several colours, including the aforementioned red and black for old school authenticity. It's available from the likes of CPC and good wholesalers on 100M drums, or pre cut lengths on eBay. Other colours like orange, yellow, grey, pink and violet are good for more complex circuits.
We've used 0.75mm red and black for refurbs on old fittings, including a Benjamin BC and Philips Albany twin 40w Perspex trough, perfect for the job. It's the standard stuff for internal equipment wiring, it's even used in high end speakers!

[TheSOXMania]

This really is shaping up superbly! Regarding internal cabling, Tri Rated Switchgear wire is your best bet, in 0.5mm or 0.75mm. (all sizes available right up to 25mm!) It's heat resisting at 105C and available in several colours, including the aforementioned red and black for old school authenticity. It's available from the likes of CPC and good wholesalers on 100M drums, or pre cut lengths on eBay. Other colours like orange, yellow, grey, pink and violet are good for more complex circuits.
We've used 0.75mm red and black for refurbs on old fittings, including a Benjamin BC and Philips Albany twin 40w Perspex trough, perfect for the job. It's the standard stuff for internal equipment wiring, it's even used in high end speakers!

That or even .75 solid core twin & earth. I'm gonna see if I can get a deal on some switchgear wire first though as that saves me the task of splitting wire. it'll also be a safer bet as it's 2+kV pulse rated.

[TheSOXMania]

Update regarding wire!!

I found some switchgear wire. I'll be ordering that when I have the money to (I've just ordered a new igniter, so that's put ordering wire on hold for now)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-5mm-0-75mm ... .l4275.c10

I'll leave this link here for Ria. there's a multitude of different colours available

[LinearSLI-H]

Its a shame you can`t make Kevs meet?, I have an original Acrylic bowl for these, (its what the early lanterns would have had), though not the original `squarer` Amber one, its totally without cracks.
However, you`ll notice its got paint on it!, its what I use to sit Beta 5 canopies on to paint them when restoring!
I realise now, this wasn`t such a good idea , but this was back in the days when I thought the Beta 5, and SOX lamps would be here forever!, the paint on it is Hammerite, so it would need the special Hammerite thinners to get it off with, hopefully without too much damage to the bowl!

[TheSOXMania]

Its a shame you can`t make Kevs meet?, I have an original Acrylic bowl for these, (its what the early lanterns would have had), though not the original `squarer` Amber one, its totally without cracks.
However, you`ll notice its got paint on it!, its what I use to sit Beta 5 canopies on to paint them when restoring!
I realise now, this wasn`t such a good idea , but this was back in the days when I thought the Beta 5, and SOX lamps would be here forever!, the paint on it is Hammerite, so it would need the special Hammerite thinners to get it off with, hopefully without too much damage to the bowl!qbv.JPG

Darn... Could always see how much the thinners are and see what the effect on plastics is... I'll get back to you on that one... if it doesn't do damage then I could likely cover postage if you don't need that bowl

[TheSOXMania]

update on that, the thinners I have atm might actually work on it because they changed the recipes. If not, there are 2 other methods for removal:

1: the hammerite thinners
2: gentle heating and peeling

with regards to the thinner, I looked at the COSHH datasheet for it and it doesn't have any mention of it reacting on plastics, so it could be worth a crack

[Paul]

I have the same bowl, mine has a star shaped crack no bigger than a £2 coin.