Soldering Job

 

The little lantern developed a leak where the bottom was crimped on to the side. I soldered the seam - typical pain in the ass job. Dirt and paint to contend with and where ever you stop soldering it wants to leak, so I soldered all the way around the circumference to be on the safe side. 

I was going through my preps and decided I needed another Bic lighter or two. There's a label on the wrapper saying the lighter can only be purchased at Dollar General. Must be someone was reselling them at another store for a profit. I can't imagine there would be much profit in that but there must have been enough of it that the Dollar store thought it was worth putting a special label on the lighter. For the record, I don't smoke but I use a lighter for heat shrink tubing when doing wiring jobs and lighting the brush pile.

I soldered the lantern up with my air-acetylene torch. As thin as the metal is on the bottom of the lantern, it would have been easier with a soldering copper but I couldn't find mine. The bottle ran out just as I was finishing the job but I had a spare. It's been in a corner for about ten years and had gotten pretty rusty so I ran the wire wheel over it and threw a coat of paint on it. The other bottle lasted close to ten years, so this one was going to look really rough if it goes ten years before swapping it out again. 

I laid out the pattern for the keeper on the vise I drug home a couple of weeks back. If you make patterns for a variety of parts like I do, a circle template like the one in the photo is handy. The template is cheap enough and then you won't have to shop around for a washer or coin of the proper size to draw around. 

I got the keeper made but I still need to drill out a broken bolt that holds it in place. I also need to buy or make a thrust washer. I thought I had a piece of brass sheet I could cut one out of but I wasn't able to find it yesterday. I'll look again but I doubt if I'll find it. I don't need the vise but I don't want to toss it in a corner unless it's done. I don't need any more half-finished jobs laying around. 

In regards to the last post, Surly informed me that Robison closed their doors a couple of years ago and that he managed to get one of the last of their tee shirts. He also said mine is worth a few bucks now. Nice to know something is appreciating in value these days.