Lightning Rods & Glue

In reviewing again the Rutherford Guide and the green book on history, variations, etc. I noticed in the Rutherford Guide under Lightning rods (5th edition Pg. 60)it states "Look for glue to indicate repair. This is bad" while in the green book (pg. 12) it states " The rods were glued into a whole drilled in the top"

Were any of the lightning rods glued in during production in California, Canada, or Malaysia ?

How did the factory get them to stick? Welding?

John,

Are you saying that some were glued in at the Factory? The rods in some California and Canadian pieces I have seen appear to have been glued in while I have seen no evidence of this in any of the Malaysian pieces with rods other than pieces with obvious repairs showing globs of glue etc.

Is it possible that pieces made in California and Canada were made with rods glued in and pieces made with rods in Malaysia were not?

Can you clarify ?
Thanks

I'm just speculatin' I don't think it was friction that held them in place. No business is done in Malaysia and the Castle Studios went under in the 1990s so no one to ask if it was chewing gum, spittle or super glue.

But SOMETHING held them in didn't it?

I think Rutherford's reference to the glue was that someone might have made their own replacement rod and gotten sloppy or they drilled their own hole in a none-rod piece and stuck a piece of wire in there. Again, just speculatin'

BTW, some weeks ago, I was doing some sleuthing trying to find the old Castle Studios company.

I located the city in Ontario where it was, called the local library and the person who answered the phone said oh they've been out of business some years, but she knew a lady who worked there and did I want her phone number?

Well, yes I did. Got her number, called her up, explained why I was calling and....


...she didn't want to talk about it. Kind of got the feeling maybe some people were left unpaid or somethin'. In was a dead end anyway.

Great piece of investigative work, JC! It's really too bad the person you talked to wasn't willing to share her knowledge about Castle Studios. It was definitely a major part of the "early years" of Harbour Lights history.

Would Bill or Nancy have any names of other people involved with Castle Studios?

Bob

John, maybe you can followup with some info on the website, and your other projects and she might soften up and tell you her story. I've had this experience with some old lighthouse people who now have become very good friends.
Bob

Going back to the lightning rods, years ago I found a store that had a few old HL's that had the holes but no lightning rods, When I asked the clerk if they knew what happened to the rods she said she didn't know, but if I wanted the pieces she would give me a discount from retail, I bought them all (I think it was 3 or 4 pieces)I called HL when I got home and asked if they had any replacement rods, about a week later I got about 10 rods taped to an index card. I just took the end of the rods and dipped them into a tube of clear silcon then pushed them back in, they all came out clean with no external residue.

HL does not have any rods left anymore, they got alot of calls looking for them the last time I told this story.... years ago.

Bob M - I'll be doing that Tuesday - meeting with the Younger family in San Diego.

Mark and others - it's a shame, but I think a major reason for the end of lightning rods was the potential liability of a sharp piece of wire sticking out of the top of the lighthouse. Some may remember they went to a 'hairbrush bristle' (flexible) for a time.

I purchased a lightning rod piece minus the rod on eBay. I borrowed Lorna's hairbrush, cut one black bristle off, and inserted it in the LR hole. I didn't use any adhesive. LR guaranteed to stay in place as long as you don't turn it upside down. LR is flexible and will not puncture your skin under normal use. Even if the LR disappeared there are plenty more replacements from that hair brush.

Bob

Good observance Lonnie
I know what you are talking about.
At this time I only have one California mold, three Canadian and one Malaysian out on display. The rest are in boxes and storage. But looking at the California rod it looks like the hole is 3 or 4 time too big and the hole was filled in with glue. The Canadian’s hole is the same size as the rod with no signs of Glue. I bet the Canadians that you are talking about that has the glue are low numbered and are California molds.

All Rutherford was saying was don’t glue your rod back in and take a chance or getting glue stains on the tower. I think that we can assume that all Rods are glued in at the factory and that the process improved as time went on.

The best thing would to be to post or send a picture of the lighting rod in question. also what number and lighthouse are we talking about.
I just checked two more of my California molds and they are normal with no glue showing.