Repair to matching Urn Lamps

These gorgeous lamps had a structural issue which needed repair.  Both of the tops of the urn were sinking due to the weight of the fixture and dome above.  Here's how my husband Eric and I went about repairing them .. Click on any photo to enlarge ..

Here's a view of the base of one of the two identical lamps.

 The top of the urn is supposed to be straight across.  Here you can see how it sunk down from the weight of the fixture and dome above.  (Dome is not pictured).

We began the repair by detaching the fixture and then removing all of the sunken pieces from the top part of the base.  Then my husband Eric created and attached four metal supports, as shown, around the interior of the dome.

  

Many lamps have glass which has not been grinded along the edges.  These two are no exception.  Grinding the glass helps the copper foil to adhere.  Here I'm using a hand file to roughen up the edges.

This photo shows both lamps with the  top  pieces of glass removed.  The one on the left has been copper foiled, the one on the right has not.

Below, I've added new copper foil to the grinded edges.  I've also cleaned and added copper foil to the pieces at the top and replaced them onto the base.

 Below, I'm replacing the glass at the top.  Note that my husband has numbered each piece for proper placement.  These pieces have been thoroughly cleaned and foiled.  I've also coated the foil with flux and soldered them in place.

Notice that, at the request of my customer, I left one piece out for ventilation.  There is a small bulb in the base of the lamp which gives off heat.  Here I'm brushing the soldered areas with black patina which gets thoroughly cleaned aferwards.

Here is one of the lamps, with ventilation and the other pieces replaced, soldered, and patina-ed.

I positioned the ventilation openings at the back of the "on/off" switch so that it will not be visible when the domes are replaced. Both lamps have been repaired.

Another view of the repaired lamps, ready for their domes and many more years of use.  Thank you, Margarita, for bringing them to me!

Please visit my website to see my custom windows and repairs (click here).  And if you are on FaceBook, become a fan and I'll keep you up to date on all my stained glass projects.  Call me any time at 201-600-1616 or email with your questions. Thanks!