Imperial Restoration - Glass Specs

[Mike]

Hey everyone, 

I am currently working on my imperial restoration and accidently cracked the glass on the cylinder. I am working with a company to rebuild me another glass cylinder. Does anyone have any specs on the OD/ ID of the glass used? I know there is one or 2 that have done the restoration on here but I figured I would reach out to see. Hope everyone is doing well. 

Cheers!

[Christian]

Hello Mike, I'm really sorry about the broken cylinder. But please keep us up to date on how the restoration is going.

[Critter]

Hello,

So sorry to hear of your lamp being broken.  The cylinders are 24” tall and approximately 8” in diameter.  You should be able to use your glass shards to determine thickness and hopefully actual OD.  The original globes are hand blown and spun of Pyrex (borosilicate) glass. 

Tom S., (a member here) had the same mishap about 6-7 years ago and he may be able to help you.  He had a new cylinder made that almost fits. Now days a typical glass guy is going to use extruded tubular glass stock and cut it to length before fitting a glass bottom to it. A length of tube is cut and a bottom is cut then they are bonded together before being furnace fired at high temp to be come one unit.  The problem with this method is that it will most likely not be the exact OD you need and may vary by a MM or two.  Also missing will be the swirls and slight imperfections that are a part of the old hand spun and blown glass.  A cylinder made like this will be gloriously free of glass flaws though.  It may be possible to have a new cylinder hand made too if you find an old school glass shop still doing this type of work but it will be very expensive. 

Try to reach Tom S here:  http://oozinggoo.ning.com/profile/TomShuster

Good Luck

[Critter]

Marcel,

An original Princess globe is too big to sit in an Imperial base.  Your reproduction Princess does have a smaller diameter globe so it may fit.  If your globes exceed about 202-203mm they won’t work.  I know that the glass tube manufacturers offer their product in cm/mm dimensions but always state that there is a size variance that is possible.....something like a 5mm +/- range of variance.  Are the cylinders you get made also having some acceptable +/- range?

Critter


Marcel said:

Maybe we can help you with one of the 20cm diameter princess glass cylinders we have in stock?

[Mike]

Thanks for all your support guys! I will certainly keep everyone updated with the process. I am currently in training for 2 weeks in my new job, then I will be bringing the whole unit up to NC where the company has agreed to work on the project. They have estimated a cost between $200 and $300 and want me to bring the entire setup so that they can get this correct.  

Any suggestions on what to store the wax in when I get it out? Like a Rubbermaid? Should it be left submerged in water to keep it wet?

Marcel, I appreciate that! I didn't realize that might be an option but might be a little pricey for me. If I cant get this company to come through that may be another option so I will keep you in mind!

Marcel, I appreciate that and didn't realize you had those in stock.

Critter said:

Hello,

So sorry to hear of your lamp being broken.  The cylinders are 24” tall and approximately 8” in diameter.  You should be able to use your glass shards to determine thickness and hopefully actual OD.  The original globes are hand blown and spun of Pyrex (borosilicate) glass. 

Tom S., (a member here) had the same mishap about 6-7 years ago and he may be able to help you.  He had a new cylinder made that almost fits. Now days a typical glass guy is going to use extruded tubular glass stock and cut it to length before fitting a glass bottom to it. A length of tube is cut and a bottom is cut then they are bonded together before being furnace fired at high temp to be come one unit.  The problem with this method is that it will most likely not be the exact OD you need and may vary by a MM or two.  Also missing will be the swirls and slight imperfections that are a part of the old hand spun and blown glass.  A cylinder made like this will be gloriously free of glass flaws though.  It may be possible to have a new cylinder hand made too if you find an old school glass shop still doing this type of work but it will be very expensive. 

Try to reach Tom S here:  http://oozinggoo.ning.com/profile/TomShuster

Good Luck

[Critter]

Keeping your wax in tupperware or similar is fine.  Just keep it covered to keep dust and dirt out. No need to keep submerged.  Keep any fluid in a new plastic five gallon bucket with a tight lid.  You may want to reuse it or at the very least have around to take measurements from when making new master fluid. 

If the new glass maker is making new, hand spun and blown glass for that money that is a steal.  If it is cut and fashioned from a glass tube that’s a pretty typical price range.  The only drawback to new modern glass is the lack of “character” that is apparent with hand turned glass and it makes it apparent that the globe is a replacement.  

By the way the cylinders that Marcel has made are top rate too and it is an excellent option.  

Critter

Mike said:

Thanks for all your support guys! I will certainly keep everyone updated with the process. I am currently in training for 2 weeks in my new job, then I will be bringing the whole unit up to NC where the company has agreed to work on the project. They have estimated a cost between $200 and $300 and want me to bring the entire setup so that they can get this correct.  

Any suggestions on what to store the wax in when I get it out? Like a Rubbermaid? Should it be left submerged in water to keep it wet?

Marcel, I appreciate that! I didn't realize that might be an option but might be a little pricey for me. If I cant get this company to come through that may be another option so I will keep you in mind!

Marcel, I appreciate that and didn't realize you had those in stock.

Critter said:

Hello,

So sorry to hear of your lamp being broken.  The cylinders are 24” tall and approximately 8” in diameter.  You should be able to use your glass shards to determine thickness and hopefully actual OD.  The original globes are hand blown and spun of Pyrex (borosilicate) glass. 

Tom S., (a member here) had the same mishap about 6-7 years ago and he may be able to help you.  He had a new cylinder made that almost fits. Now days a typical glass guy is going to use extruded tubular glass stock and cut it to length before fitting a glass bottom to it. A length of tube is cut and a bottom is cut then they are bonded together before being furnace fired at high temp to be come one unit.  The problem with this method is that it will most likely not be the exact OD you need and may vary by a MM or two.  Also missing will be the swirls and slight imperfections that are a part of the old hand spun and blown glass.  A cylinder made like this will be gloriously free of glass flaws though.  It may be possible to have a new cylinder hand made too if you find an old school glass shop still doing this type of work but it will be very expensive. 

Try to reach Tom S here:  http://oozinggoo.ning.com/profile/TomShuster

Good Luck

[Critter]

Marcel,

That should be good news to the OP since 200mm is very close to the actual size (approx 202-203 mm) of the original Imperial globe.  That is only about 3mm smaller in diameter.  That is what Tom S. ended up using and he said it fit pretty close to the original size. Your price is good too!

[Christian]

Marcel, is it possible to order another high for the globe, because I think the cylinder in your stock have all the same size, or?

Marcel said:

Yes the manufacturer gives a +/- range but they are very exact 200mm in Diameter.
Also they are closed on the top too with a 100mm hole for our closing sytem for a safe seal.
We have them not listed in the shop as a stand alone product, but they are 480 Euro incl. the sealing.


Critter said:

Marcel,

An original Princess globe is too big to sit in an Imperial base.  Your reproduction Princess does have a smaller diameter globe so it may fit.  If your globes exceed about 202-203mm they won’t work.  I know that the glass tube manufacturers offer their product in cm/mm dimensions but always state that there is a size variance that is possible.....something like a 5mm +/- range of variance.  Are the cylinders you get made also having some acceptable +/- range?

Critter


Marcel said:

Maybe we can help you with one of the 20cm diameter princess glass cylinders we have in stock?