Brass Kerosene Sconce Lamp

Above you’ll see one of the donor lamps, this lamp contributed one of it’s arms.  The other parts you see laid out above and below came from the “big box-o-lamp-parts.”  The base is from a comtemporary chandelier and the top is from a exterior post lamp.

The next step is to strip off all of the varnish that typically protects these parts from tarnishing.  I use this spray on MEK based stripped, it is nasty, nasty stuff!  Wear goggles and make sure your work area is well ventilated.  You spray the stuff on and after 5-10 minutes the finish just wipes off with a piece of steel wool.

Soldering the pieces together, I’m using a 60-40 lead/tin solder and liquid flux.  I love this little soldering iron torch, but I think I will buy a slightly bigger one soon.  A hole saw makes quick work of drilling the hole for the burner collar.

Here I used a clamp to align the burner collar before soldering.

This fiberglass brush at 3000 RPM does a great job of cleaning up the work.  It does leave some texture in the brass that does not quite polish out, but I like that “worn brass” look.

The completed lamp.  The font is a little on the small side, I hope I don’t find that I am filling this lamp too often