Old authentic lanterns, when brought to workshop they pass 4 distinct phases before they end up in finished artifacts
Typical restoration involves:
- Rust, old paint and dirt removal
- Lanterns are checked for irregularities, bent parts or loose parts, eroded spots etc. Those are fixed. Lanterns after that should look nice and be robust.
- Modification metalwork for electrification
- Degreasing and passivation
a) Bare metal lacquered
b) Paint – Priming then paintwork
Globes are meticulously cleaned and then frosted nice and even on the inside.
Then baking to get durable finish and the right tint.
This phase includes fastening & wiring of:
- Light source
- Red LED
- Potentiometer
- Cell holder / circuit
- Power input terminal
Lamps are checked for imperfections and all kinds of small things that make a difference.
Test running happens on batteries and plugged to a charger for days at various settings.