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Author Topic: Repairing old bulbs  (Read 32090 times)

Offline oren

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Repairing old bulbs
« Reply #15 on: August 04, 2001, 03:14:00 am »
Nice job there James!

I saw that bulb on eBay.
I was also thinking about the idea of reviving bulbs with cracked or broken off tips. I used to have a vacuum pump that was used by a neon  tube blower. I wished I had it today.
You reminded me of a time years ago when I took a crack at making geissler tubes out of old lab glass ware and did have some success. I made a Crookes tube out of a wine bottle.

Offline James

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Repairing old bulbs
« Reply #16 on: August 04, 2001, 07:04:00 pm »
Hi Oren, welcome to this forum its great to see you here!  Thanks for your comments as well.

Its a shame you are so far away because I have several spare vacuum pumps and diffusion pumps here.  I have found that Chemistry and engineering departments of Universities generally have a great excess of such equipment though, so if you're interested in getting back in to it, it might well pay you to get in touch with them :-)

I look forward to hearing more from you in the future here!

James.

Offline Alan Franzman

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Repairing old bulbs
« Reply #17 on: August 19, 2001, 06:00:00 am »
James,

Light bulb repair sounds like a great idea to me!

Do you have any additional comments re my thread Nixie Tube Reconditioning Possible? (apologies for the long read), now that you have done something similar with light bulbs?

------------------

Alan "A.J." Franzman

Email: a.j.franzman at verizon dot net

------------------

[This message has been edited by Alan Franzman (edited August 19, 2001).]
« Last Edit: December 16, 2004, 06:20:08 pm by tim »
A.J.

Offline rom1

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Re: Repairing old bulbs
« Reply #18 on: December 25, 2017, 04:34:29 pm »
Hello everyone !!
and thanks to james for his really interesting post !! I recently received a 1912 osram Drawn Tungsten Filament ,and unfortunately for me
 the tip is arrive broken in the parcel ! the rest of the bulb and the filament are intact !! if anyone could give me advice to restore my light bulb I will be happy !!






Offline adam2

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Re: Repairing old bulbs
« Reply #19 on: January 14, 2018, 09:58:34 am »
As the previous posts show, repair is certainly possible but it is a non trivial task that needs a well equipped workshop and a fair bit of equipment.
You also need reasonable experience in glass working, this can be gained by practice on cheap modern stuff before risking anything old or valuable.

The most expensive item needed is a high vacuum pump.

Offline FRANCO.M

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Re: Repairing old bulbs
« Reply #20 on: June 02, 2019, 02:55:25 pm »
Hi collectors.

I think that adam2's comment is very true !
Light bulbs repair is more difficult than build a new .
I'm principally a ww1's radio collector and i'm tto much fascinated fron first electronic tubes.
For my enjoy ( and scientific curiosity ) after 3 years of work i've built an radio tube factory.
In my laboratory i bend, weld and blow the glass; i've an air cooled diffusion oil pump and  many other machines.
The problems to repair an old light bulb are too much.
Is very easy that the glass crack during the cutting to open the bulb and more easy when welding to close too.
Another problem is that you cannot weld two  different quality of glass, so when you weld the air estractor you are't sure of a perfect join.
The vacuum pump is the ultimate of your problems.
I've began repair 7 bulbs ( not precious double loop carbon filament about 1900 ) and i've broken all !
I think that for learn to repair ( well ) an antique light bulb i must destroy 1000 bulbs, that is inconcepible.
So i've decided to abandoned this project.

If you are curious to watch my " secret lab " go on Youtube and digit: Le Valvole: Costruzione hobbistica di un triodo anni '20 .