Brass Bridge Lamp Foot Bent

Flute Maker · Dec 11, 2016

I got this brass bridge lamp, and one of the feet are bent way back. The lamps fine, so I don't know how it got bent. Question is how to restore it. Here's a picture of it, with a good one.

Thanks,
PG

tnmgcarbide · Dec 11, 2016

i'd leave it alone . you'll likely break it if you bend it back . otherwise, maybe cut/paste with silver solder
and a bandsaw .

Flute Maker · Dec 11, 2016

The lamp won't stand up the way it is. The only thing I thought of was screwing it down to a steel plate and heating it up with a torch, while leaning in it.

Frederick Harvie · Dec 11, 2016

to my eye it appears that you have two different parts meant for mounting on to different surfaces one flat and one on an incline . I can't see that either of the parts is bent. From the picture it appears to me that both parts are in the shape they left the factory

paul39 · Dec 11, 2016

Frederick Harvie said:
to my eye it appears that you have two different parts meant for mounting on to different surfaces one flat and one on an incline . I can't see that either of the parts is bent. From the picture it appears to me that both parts are in the shape they left the factory

That was my immediate impression.

If you have free time, stick a piece of brass in the lathe, do the round bits, pad that and stick in a vice and use a hack saw, file, and drill to finish.

Make the round balls with a fat stud on the end, cut that at the proper angle and silver braze to a flat brass plate the shape of the ears.

Cast or have cast another one.

You have a perfect pattern to go by.

Paul

TDegenhart · Dec 11, 2016

Flute Maker said:
The lamp won't stand up the way it is. The only thing I thought of was screwing it down to a steel plate and heating it up with a torch, while leaning in it.

This will result in several pieces out of one.

Tom

Sea Farmer · Dec 11, 2016

I'd leave the lamp alone and make a little angled mount doohickey to get it oriented the way I needed it.

Flute Maker · Dec 11, 2016

View attachment 186169 View attachment 186169 View attachment 186169

Frederick Harvie said:
to my eye it appears that you have two different parts meant for mounting on to different surfaces one flat and one on an incline . I can't see that either of the parts is bent. From the picture it appears to me that both parts are in the shape they left the factory

Here's another picture. This ones from the bottom. You can see the twists in the metal.

adama · Dec 12, 2016

Flute Maker said:
The lamp won't stand up the way it is. The only thing I thought of was screwing it down to a steel plate and heating it up with a torch, while leaning in it.

Brass is hot short, heat it and it snappes as you bend it! Head it red, quench it and its as soft as it will get, then is the time to try bending it! Once annealed this way, i would be confident in bending that back with out issue.

Jim Williams · Dec 12, 2016

If it is bent, it will have work hardened. Do as Adama suggests and anneal it. Bolt it down to something sturdy and hit the round part with a rawhide or dead blow hammer to trY to avoid dents. If it moves, you may want to anneal it again when you get part way there. I would try this only if you have a foundry that could cast a new one from one of the good originals, as it may break.

Jim

adama · Dec 12, 2016

Bit of 2x4 as a punch works well, can take a lot of force to bend lumps of brass, some times it seams really not that much weaker than soft steel

Flute Maker · Dec 12, 2016

Jim Williams said:
If it is bent, it will have work hardened. Do as Adama suggests and anneal it. Bolt it down to something sturdy and hit the round part with a rawhide or dead blow hammer to trY to avoid dents. If it moves, you may want to anneal it again when you get part way there. I would try this only if you have a foundry that could cast a new one from one of the good originals, as it may break.

Jim

What about keeping it hot, while rapping on it, after annealing?

Payson.

onecut · Dec 12, 2016

They were once a pair of angled holders.Someone has attempted to bend one flat,that would explain the bit in the middle being ground out as when they have bent it square it would have left a raised bit in the middle so to get rid of that they have ground a hollow in the center.If your not happy with it try to reshape it to the original but since they have hollow ground the middle.The odds are it will break off,but its easy enough to make a new base out of a bit brass plate

Scottl · Dec 12, 2016

To me those look like castings made from similar, but slightly different castings. I suspect someone replaced a broken one with the wrong part.

Brass can be formed by heating but it is a little trickier than bending steel. Before attempting it I would practice on some junk cast brass pieces.

IMO the best bet would be to try and find a used piece on ebay or perhaps find a collector's site and seek a swap with someone who needs one like yours.

stephen thomas · Dec 12, 2016

What about keeping it hot, while rapping on it, after annealing?

Pay attention to what Adama advised. Brass is hot short. It will crumble if hot enough to make any difference. Anneal it, cool, bend a little. If necessary, anneal again, bend, etc.

Brass/bronze does not in any way behave like steel. To anneal it, heat until well past where it chars wood, the dunk in cold water. It does not need to (probably should not) be red hot, it is too crumbly at that point.

smt

adama · Dec 12, 2016

Flute Maker said:
What about keeping it hot, while rapping on it, after annealing?

Payson.

Will crack like soft cast iron, leaving a nice granular type break. Will take about the same force as bending it cold too, its really odd, get a bit of scrap and have a play if you don't believe me, Brass has to be bent cold! No iffs no butts, i learnt that the hard way heres hoping you listen - don't repeat the mistakes i did. That part once annealed will bend back just fine in the one go.

Frederick Harvie · Dec 12, 2016

Flute Maker said:
View attachment 186174 View attachment 186169 View attachment 186169 View attachment 186169

Here's another picture. This ones from the bottom. You can see the twists in the metal.

Still not the same part to my eye , I have looked closely at both pictures and am convinced that you have do different parts for different mounting situations

sfriedberg · Dec 12, 2016

Flute Maker said:
What about keeping it hot, while rapping on it, after annealing?

No, don't. If you are bashing brass, do it at room temperature. If it gets stubborn, re-anneal it. Don't beat brass hot, as it's very likely to come apart on you.

Bill D · Dec 12, 2016

For copper I know quenching is not needed. I believe it does nothing for most brasses either. Of course quenching cools it faster so you can work it at room temperature Air cooling will result in just as soft a copper as quenching.
Bil lD.

adama · Dec 12, 2016

^ copper or brass, quench helps lessen time at temp, reduces scaling and helps losen scale also, not essential, but in my experiance it helps more than it hinders.

Brass Bridge Lamp Foot Bent

Cast Iron

Diamond

Cast Iron

Stainless

Titanium

Diamond

Diamond

Cast Iron

Diamond

Stainless

Diamond

Cast Iron

Hot Rolled

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Stainless

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Similar threads