Random restoration.... Hankscraft vaporizer

[classiccaprice]

Hey fellas and ladies, I picked up a vintage 50s Hankscraft vaporizer. It's one of the few products that I use from time to time that I didn't have a vintage version of. From outside appearances it looked like it was never used! However, looks can be deceiving. I tried it out and while it works, I could smell the mold. I took it apart and soaked the insides in diluted bleach, but I still can't get the mold smell out of the inside. Here are my questions. Any suggestions on the mold? How about to paint the rods which heat the water? There is a little surface rust especially on the inside surface. I'd like to be able to use it occasionally. Thanks!

 

[maytagbear]

You're on the track.........

but next time, try distilled white vinegar, instead of bleach.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[arbilab]

If you 'paint the rods' you will be surprised to find it doesn't work at all.

 

[whirlcool]

We had one of those when I was growing up. Be very careful with that thing, the top part gets VERY HOT! You can easily burn fingers with it.

 

[classiccaprice]

I'll try the vinegar and watch my fingers. Thanks Lawrence and Allen. Since painting won't work on the bars, is there something that I can coat them in to prevent/neutralize the rust?

 

[classiccaprice]

Vinegar did the trick on the smell. Still wondering about the rust...

 

[arbilab]

You could have them sandblasted, perhaps replated, or even refabricated. But you can't coat them with anything that isolates them from the water so whatever water and electricity did to them in the first place will happen again.

 

[carmine]

Let them soak long enough in vinegar and it should remove the rust.

 

[classiccaprice]

Thanks fellas.

 

[classiccaprice]

First night in action

My allergies have been acting up and I've had trouble sleeping the last few nights. Yuck. So, I figured it was a good night to give it a spin. We'll see how it goes!

 

[norgeway]

Im a firm believer in

A vaporizer!..I use Vicks inhailant in mine.

 

[classiccaprice]

I give it a B minus. The modern one I have puts off so much steam it forms a thick fog which will choke you out of the room. This one, while it worked and I did sleep, I felt was a little weak. Oh well. Hooray for sleep.

 

[whirlcool]

That little platform underneath the hole the steam comes out of is used to put your Vicks vaporub on. It melts from the heat of the steam and the room smells like Vicks.

 

[classiccaprice]

Indeed.

 

[thor]

To increase steam output...

...just add 1/4 tsp table salt to the water container!