Cleanin' Out the Curios

Spent about 3 hours today cleaning out the 3 curios - 1 at a time.

Remove everything, blow it off with canned air. Windex inside and out; then decide which pieces will have the honor of being returned on display and which ones will be assigned to live in their boxes for a couple of years.

I cut the number of pieces in each curio from about 45 to 25 or so. It sure makes the display sparkle when light from the single overhead gets a chance to filter almost to the bottom.

I've given this advice before, but here it is again. To maximize the impact of the display, place fewer items with smaller 'footprints' on the top shelf, 1 more piece on the next shelf, etc.

Place the big, bulky pieces on the lower shelves and the most detailed ones at eye level. The big ones will show up when your friends are standing in front of the curio and the most attractive ones will be right there at eye level.

If you start placement at the top and work your way down, you can move pieces on the top shelves so that more light hits the ones on the next shelf, etc.

Boy those shelves were dirty. And do they shine now!

Now I've got to find the boxes for the 60 or so pieces I'm taking out of the curios!!


[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 10-26-2001).]

What you speak of is so true, John. Putting too many HL's in one curio can take away from the beauty of the display. Then you face the problem of having too many favorite pieces and which ones get sent to storage.

I have three curios and two large wall units on each side of my entertainment center in the new addition to my home. Even with this available display area, I'm still only displaying maybe a third of my HL's.

One thing I notice about curios with the halogen bulb shinning down from the top. The top glass shelf gets the dustiest. It must come through the vents that disperse the heat from the halogen light. The shelves below it has far less dust. I try to dust and clean my curios at least once every six weeks or so. Oh what fun!

Bob

JC, why didn`t you just do them in the Maytag?BG

terry

"Ouch"
Larry

John's dishwasher "Jupiter" made it to Baltimore and back, probably more trauma than the dishwasher.

Thanks John for the input....it is time for me to do some dusting and rearranging...have about ten boxes to open and get the pieces displayed. I am "gunshy" ever since the fiasco last summer. But, it is past time for me to do this task.

Derith

Actually, the Kitchenaide Jupiter got sold at auction on the bus tour - the lucky bidder - Rip Puls. A very special piece with it's own legacy right here on the Forums.

We auctioned a number of items donated by me on the coach tours and the proceeds had to be donated to a lighthouse on that day's tour. I think the total was about $1,500.

Thanks for all the bids.

And I for one want to again thank you , Betty O Brien and all the other Wackos and non Wackos who stopped in to the Lighthouses of NJ.

We benefited greatly from the generous nature of the visitors from Baltimore.

I know I had a great time that day. Just wish it could have been longer and I had been able to place a face with more of the names I'm familiar with.

A personal thanks to you John. I was unaware that many of the items auctioned were from your personal collection.

You are a man of many colors. Each one brighter than the last.

Dennis

John, I love my Cape Canaveral Light that I was lucky enough to win the bid on...it has a special place in one of my curio cabinets...you should be very proud of all the money that was donated to all the different lighthouses...the one from mine went to Hooper Strait...thanks to you John...


Ruthie

And not all of the items that John donated were lighthouse related. My son loved the Dale Earnhard Poster which we won on the bus. Our donation went to Hooper Strait also. Thanks Again John!!

Boy, we sure got away from the curio cleaning tip didn't we.

Ron & MJ
(CT Keepers)

[This message has been edited by RFoster (edited 10-28-2001).]

Does (long) exposure from high intensity lights effect the lighthouses finish? Have thought about installing the small halogen lights in my curio cabinet?

Good Question Fresnalhead. I know you should keep them out of direct sun light. This was discussed last year but I can't remember what was said. (getting old is the pits).
Derith, what disaster last summer? I'm getting ready to dust off mine and I definately don't want any "disasters". I plan to use the hair blower on the cold settting and a large blush prush. Any other cautions or suggestions?

|8-{?
Dale

Don't know about the hair blower but the last time I used a blush brush some of the paint chipped off on several of my "early" pieces. These were the pieces with the high gloss finish on the like St. George's Reef. I was very lightly brushing and I noticed dark brown specs on the desk blotter that I was working on. The specs were paint chips off the rocks. My pieces have always been kept in curios and I very seldom have the lights turned on in the cabinets. No direct sunlight ever touches these pieces and being in Florida air conditioning is always used. I called HL and they told me they had never heard of this but offered to repaint my pieces at no charge. I declined the offer not knowing what this would do to the value of these pieces. I now just blow them off with my own breath twice a year. I'll never touch them with a brush again. Never thought about the hair blower thing though. It ought to make it easier them blowing them with my breath.

Just a warning about a brush.
Rich

Last time I approached the curios my dust rag screamed and passed-out!!

JOHN,
Do you have the data on the Jupiter
that was run through the Kitchenaid,I bougt??

------------------
RIP

Just got done with my year-end cleaning. Both curios were cleaned using directions from the Chidester playbook. I've also trimmed the clutter by limiting each curio to around 25 pieces---that seems to be the magic number. I probably packed away a good 25-30 pieces last night. Makes a huge difference.

WARNING: Lotsa paint flaking off for me this time around. St. George's Reef, Castle Hill, Diamond Head, Nubble, Fort Niagara, Sand Island, New London Ledge, Burrows Island, West Quoddy. Not all severe cases, but definite signs of things to come. I have stopped attempting to clean these pieces. Some went in boxes, the rest will be watched very carefully. How are your older pieces holding up?

A good job done. Let the New Years fun begin...

Bill,

That's what I mentioned about two months ago in this same forum topic. I had paint chips coming off with the blush brush so this week I used a feather duster and the same thing on my St. Georges. I am going to attemp only a hair blower the next time I dust and if the same thing happens, I won't dust the older pieces anymore and will just keep the curios dusted.

Rich

Just curious....has anyone tried canned air? I haven't, I'm just wondering if anyone has and what the results were.

I would be afraid that the canned air would have too much pressure. Also it comes out pretty cold. Not sure what a dramatic change in temp. would do the HL's. Not sure I would take that chance. I have had good luck with the hairblower on cool/low and the light strokes of a blush brush,

Dale

No canned air!! Then I better forget about the air compressor. Been so long since I dusted I thought I might have to use the air hammer from work. Better not chance that either.

Despite using it almost everyday at work, I forgot about the cold factor! I guess I'm just used to it.

Thanks for preventing me from ruining my stuff!

I've decided to stop all cleaning on the pieces that have paint chipping off. I figure its better to have a little dusty paint as opposed to no paint at all.

I've had no problems with any of the paint on any of my HL's since I've owned them. My Sandy Hook LE has the most paint missing. That's the way it came and that's the way it will stay. Maybe I'm lucky here on the east coast where it was clear and cold today, and it's now 24 degrees. The best part is no snow here!

Bob

I have used the canned air to dust mine. The key is to use short quick bursts. It keeps the air pressure low and the air from getting cold. I have had no problems, yet. (knock on wood)

Good Evening Fellow HL'ers

I've always use my camera lens brush on the lights. It seems to work pretty well, and the blower gets the crevices nicely, Anyone had any problems with using one of these? Thanks

Tony

We have one of those leaf blowers that never gets used. That might do the trick?