Giant on the way - dented base and slightly low fluid - need help

[Erin]

I have a lovely Giant on the way from eBay. The base has a dent in it and the fluid is a tad low. 

I'm looking for help getting that dent out of the base, as it looks to be significant.

Also, and I'm not real keen on opening up a Giant, but the fluid is a little low, and I'd like to top it off. I know these were made in 1996/1997 and I am willing to find and sacrifice a globe to top this off. I'm always scared of using distilled in case it ruins the flow.

If anyone has any advice on either of these issues, please share! :)

Thanks in advance! 

[Autumn]

I will buy it.

Erin said:

I hate it.

[Erin]

You'll be the first I consider when/if I sell it. Why would you want it? Do you have magic fixing abilities that I don't?

[Bridget T]

I hate to ask the obvious but have you tried a new bulb and/or a different spot to run it in?

[Autumn]

I would be willing to risk my money on it. Maybe I can fix it, I don't know.
Erin said:

You'll be the first I consider when/if I sell it. Why would you want it? Do you have magic fixing abilities that I don't?

[Erin]

It's a good question. No, I haven't (yet). I almost feel like it's not getting hot enough. I have a 100W spot flood on it and it's in my bedroom which is about 78 - 82 most of the time. 

Bridget T said:

I hate to ask the obvious but have you tried a new bulb and/or a different spot to run it in?

[Autumn]

Distilled water is much less dense than the original fluid and would only make the issue worse. It needs to be filled with original fluid. Besides, the wax should flow to the top of the lamp regardless of how low it is anyways. And opening up a rare lamp like this before having owned it for two weeks to alter the flow is foolish since most lamps get better by simply running them.

Critter said:

I think you should try topping it off with distilled and run it......see what it does.

Critter

[Erin]

The bulb already touches the bottom of the globe.

I'm going to wait a little while longer before opening it up... I need to run it a few more days. Thanks for the tips Critter and Autumn. 

[Erin]

Who knows. I don't have a lot of hope at this point. It might just be a bad lamp. It might not be fixable. We'll see. 

[Keith]

Erin, running the lamp with the bulb touching the globe is begging for trouble.  A former prominent member had a grande globe crack from the same setup.  It might be a rare occurrence but it is possible.

Erin said:

The bulb already touches the bottom of the globe.

I'm going to wait a little while longer before opening it up... I need to run it a few more days. Thanks for the tips Critter and Autumn. 

[Erin]

I don't have any way to lower it. It sits right underneat the globe. It technically might not be touching it, but it's close. Very close. 

[Keith]

Some of the R-20 bulbs have longer necks than others.  

[Erin]

I'm not sure there. It must sit right below the globe. Maybe a few millimeters from the base of the globe. I didn't hear a noise when I set the globe on the base, so it might not be touching. Many of my lamps are like that - bulb just a hair or two below the globe.