Anyone Recognize This Finial ?

Any of our experts have a clue what stove this finial is from?

Paulie

Wow !

If it was a little bigger,... you could decorate it with Christmas ornaments.

I'd love to see the stove that one came off of !!!!!!

Paul

Sunny Boy wrote:Wow !

If it was a little bigger,... you could decorate it with Christmas ornaments.

I'd love to see the stove that one came off of !!!!!!

Paul

On my way home from New Jersey with the ice box, we stopped at an old roadside antique / junkyard similar to the ones you see on American Pickers tv series.

I found it on the side of the pile and asked if the rest of it was around. He said he only took the top cause the rest was heavy and rusty and all of the windows were busted.

We haggled a bit, he took my number, and said if he got a chance this summer he'd drag her back to the barn. I did offer to give him a hand but at the same time didn't want to show too much interest.

I hymned and hawed how it would look funny on my little pot belly stove, but in the end............. It followed me home.

Do you think 5 sets of lights will be enough on it ?

Paulie

Pauliewog wrote:

Sunny Boy wrote:Wow !

If it was a little bigger,... you could decorate it with Christmas ornaments.

I'd love to see the stove that one came off of !!!!!!

Paul

On my way home from New Jersey with the ice box, we stopped at an old roadside antique / junkyard similar to the ones you see on American Pickers tv series.

I found it on the side of the pile and asked if the rest of it was around. He said he only took the top cause the rest was heavy and rusty and all of the windows were busted.

We haggled a bit, he took my number, and said if he got a chance this summer he'd drag her back to the barn. I did offer to give him a hand but at the same time didn't want to show too much interest.

I hymned and hawed how it would look funny on my little pot belly stove, but in the end............. It followed me home.

Do you think 5 sets of lights will be enough on it ?

Paulie

You certainly won't need to put a star on top.

Paul

Would have to cut a hole in the roof to add a star on top.

I cleaned up the bottom of the swing top enough to see the casting numbers.
Might stand for. _ _ _ _ _ Colossal ?

Paulie

Mystery solved. The finial is off a " Colossus" parlor stove manufactured by the Buckwalter Stove Co., Royersford, Pa.

Fortunately, other than the center threaded rod, nuts, and spacer washers, the finial and wings are made of solid brass.

I was able to remove the nuts after spraying with some pb blaster and applying a little bit of heat, and got it stripped down. Half of the brass is copper plated, and after just soaking and degreasing, I can already see spots where the copper is worn thru to the brass. Looks like I'll be trying my hand at brush plating this week.

The side wings cleaned up nice with a combination of Brasso, elbow grease, and Coos Lite. Two of the Wings are brass, and two are copper plated, Hmmmmm.....I really like the contrast.

Paulie

Nice job PW, she's real purty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Coos lite" ? is that some kinda Dove soap ?

Looks terrific, Paulie.

So which worked best, the vinegar, lemon, or CLR ?

I stopped using CLR for a lot of cleaning hard water deposits and rust because vinegar did just as well at a fraction of the cost. But I haven't tried it for old tarnished red metals

Paul.

Citric acid is best. Safe on your hands and non toxic. Comes as a powder, mix with water and let it soak, rust gone.

freetown fred wrote:Nice job PW, she's real purty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Fred ! Was planning on cleaning it up and selling it, but even if I don't get the rest of the stove I think this one is a keeper.

Sunny Boy wrote:"Coos lite" ? is that some kinda Dove soap ?

Looks terrific, Paulie.

So which worked best, the vinegar, lemon, or CLR ?

I stopped using CLR for a lot of cleaning hard water deposits and rust because vinegar did just as well at a fraction of the cost. But I haven't tried it for old tarnished red metals

Paul.

Sent the wife for 2 gallons of white vinegar, a 16 Oz bottle of lemon juice, and a 30 pack of Coos Lite...........She asked the same thing


The heated vinegar and salt combo worked the best on the brass, the lime juice did really well on the copper, and the CLR did very little on either.

coaledsweat wrote:Citric acid is best. Safe on your hands and non toxic. Comes as a powder, mix with water and let it soak, rust gone.

On light rusted parts, I have great results with "Must For Rust" Krud cutter. I don't have a clue what is in it, but it works great on melting away old stove polish and rust.

On heavier rusted parts, my electrolysis tank does a nice job, without harming the base metal.

I looked up the citric acid crystals, and see that Wal Mart carries them. Just put them on the list for the wife to pick up, along with another 30 pack of Coors Lite, and will definitely give it a try.

Paulie

The copper plating is very thin and most of it is worn down to the brass. Got them all cleaned and prepped, and will plate them as soon as I get a free hour or two.

Paulie

Nice work Paulie. If you can't find a stove to put it on, may I recommend a nice "Viking" hat?
(P.S. How's that man cave coming? Must be pretty much completed.)

joeq wrote:Nice work Paulie. If you can't find a stove to put it on, may I recommend a nice "Viking" hat?
(P.S. How's that man cave coming? Must be pretty much completed.)

Thanks Joe! I mentioned the Viking hat to the wife and she must really like the idea since she offered to drill the hole in my head to mount it.

I'm working on the outside entrance steps and landing, and started making the cupboard over the farm sink. Once that is complete, It's grind and pour the metallic epoxy floor.

I just brush plated the copper finial parts and am pleased with the results.

Paulie

Lookin good.

Very nice results.
But I didn't find the way you got so nice results with Coors, for us here Coors is just for cooling the kids? Not strong enough for that kind of job!