Is there a a way to repair a missing ventilator ball? I just got 7 foot knoll #521 from ebay. The ball was broken off and gone. Would like to do a close enough fix.
I can give you several options for repairing the vetilator ball.
1. Go to a hobby store(Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc) and buy a variety pack of small wooden beads. Also buy a small $1.00-$2.00 bottle of Acrylic Latex touch up paint (take your lighthouse with you to match the paint). Super glue the correct size wooden bead where the ball is missing. Fill in the bead hole with small drops of super glue(4-5 drops over a 12 hour period)and continue doing this until the hole is filled. Smooth with small file. Touch up with paint.
2. Do the same as above only instead of small wooden beads, buy a tub of fast drying clay made by Crayola. Make a small ball the size of the missing ventilator ball and place a small amount of super glue where the missing ball is and glue the clay ball in place. Do this before the clay ball hardens so the 2 super glued areas will form together but do not push hard on the clay ball as it is not harden yet and it will change shape. Allow 24 hours to harden and file to smooth and paint as above.
3. Pay for shipping to and from(UPS will make a prepaid return label to stick inside box) at the time you are shipping to me. Put a money order for $10.00 inside with the label. I repair and send back to you within 2 weeks. If you choose option 3, email me for my address at flacoastie@embarqmail.com
The cost to repair yourself will be approximately $7.00 - $10.00. If you are used to working with hobbies and can do touch up yourself, that is the way to go. If your not used to working with small things and just want a fix and it doesn't have to be perfect, option 1 & 2 are also the way to go. If you want it repaired so only you and your hairdresser will know, the cost to you will be approximately $35.00 to ship to and from plus my repair costs.
Hope this helps. Please don't try and fix it and then send it to me because there will be an added cost for undoing the repair. Others have tried to repair themselves and it's not fun cleaning up the botched area. One last tip, always try and use a flat paint versus gloss touch up paint. In this case a flat "coal black" paint is what I recommend.
I've done Rich's option #2 with great success. I've posted pics on the forums of these repairs. I've also acquired some of Rich's repaired HL's and you can't tell they were ever broken.
Russ, good luck with the repairs, and please post pics of both the repairs and your ore carrier models.
Stan M New Jersey Lighthouse Lovers ------------------------------------ Harry Wishlist: Tinicum Rear Range, Miah Maull Shoal, Finns Point, Bergen Point, Cross Ledge, Old Ambrose Lightstation, Romer Shoal, Barnegat Lightship, Liberty Lightship.
Good luck and please post before and after pictures. I like to see collectors get involved with repairing their lighthouses. The way I got started was cleaning my lighthouse curios and lighthouses, and without a doubt in my military mind, I would be putting them back into the curios and hit the ball on the glass shelf above and snap a ball off. There was no reasonable place to send for repairs that didn't take 6 months or more to do the repair so I started myself.
The ventilator ball is maybe the easiest repair necessary on these lights, so it is an excellent place to start, for all collectors. I now have a whole box of touch-up paints. I use an emery board to smooth off the surface to receive the ball so it will sit properly on the roof. But if one wants the repair done by someone else, Rich is the 'go-to' guy who works the magic.
Russ - Send Paul, Dave, John or I the before pictures and the after pictures and we'll get them posted for you.
Also, Angels Gate brought up a good point and that is to level off the top (as little as you need to) of the lighthouse to get a good flat surface to glue the Option 1 wooden bead to(also sand off a little on the bottom of the bead so flat surface to flat surface meet to get a good glue joint. If using option 2, then only sand the top of the lighthouse surface flat and the clay will mold to the flat surface.
Rich, what do you use as filler on other places of a lighthouse ? clay also ? I have a few pieces that have some dings that I have just never worried about. But now I am curious as to what it would take to try it myself too. do you have any before, during and after pictures you can share ?
And another option to the repairs is just replacement, I looked on ebay recently seven foot knoll has been selling for $8-$15 plus shipping
Mark - Unless the dings are fairly good sized, I wouldn't mess with them. I would just touch them up with the Acrylic Water Based touchup paint that you can buy in just about any Hobby store. You may have to mix 2-3 colors together to get an exact match but at $1.00-$2.00 a bottle it isn't costly. If it's a good size dig/chip, get some clay for about the size of the damage and drop a drop of super glue onto the damaged area and glue the clay to the spot. Mold the clay to fit the shape and trim off any extra. Let dry for 24 hours, sand if needed and then touchup with the paint.
Artists who repair pottery also recommend auto body glazing putty. It comes in tubes and is pretty easy to work with using toothpicks, small screwdrivers, etc. It's easy to apply and sand. Drys to a rust color that accepts paint well.
That's another option but I recommend the Crayola Fast Dring Clat in a conatiner that hold about 2 lbs. Been using it for about 1 1/2 years and still good as long as you keep it sealed when your not using it. n I've used about 1/4 lb in that time. It drys white so paint goes over it well. Also, on some of the white towers that have been broken off, it only requires a little sanding and no touchup at all(Example: North Head).
Mark has a point in mentioning the option of replacement if the light is inexpensive. But it is a very good idea to practice on the readily available lights that unfortunately do get broken sometimes (usually because they are sold w/o boxes). Then, if disaster strikes, with a very low number, irreplaceable light, one has a prayer of getting it right.
A couple years. Have sold alot on ebay, and some at the Duluth MN lift bridge gift shop. I have done all 13 of the 1000 footers, although the two piece Presque Isle took a long time. Actually have the Speer on ebay now.
