Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Glass Cylinder Removal WARNING

Here is one I have never seen or heard of. I was removing a broken glass cylinder from a model K Rush visible. It had a 1 inch crack around it above the cylinder base. Once the main glass was removed, a one inch glass ring was left. I chipped away the glycerine until I thought the glass could be removed. Since it was broken, no need to be gentle. I put a sharpened chisel under a section of glass and when I tapped the chisel, the glass ring EXPLODED! It shot out across the room as if it were a spring under high tension. No trace of glass was left in the base. Even though this was a very quick way to remoce the glass, I am very fortunate to escape with no injuries. I hate to think if I were in the flight path of the explodeing glass. So be careful on removing glass cylinders or even pieces of it. And wear safety glasses.

Thanks for the info. Sounds like gloves and a welding helmet might be good also!!

That's why I tell all of my customers NOT to remove the litharge if there's still plenty at the bottom during restoration. (I understand yours was broken anyway.) The cylinder is still under pressure. If most of the litharge is gone, you will probably not have the cylinder crack. I have heard from DOZENS of guys over the past twenty five years who have had a perfectly good cylinder crack down there AFTER removing the glass. A good friend of mine removed the metal rings from a Fry cylinder earlier this summer and it broke. $$$$$ Ron