Featured how to repair

A strange question perhaps. Is there a way to fix a hole in a light shade? I've had 4 of these for many years but one has a hole.. I love the colour and shape. Apologies for the dust..they have been in storage . Thank you for any advice The 4th picture is a
shade without hole

 

You might be able to fill it with epoxy.

 

Thank you..hadn’t considered that. I would have to find a way of coloring the epoxy

 

What size is your broken lamp shade??? I realize it's probably not identical, but Amazon happens to have ONE in stock at the moment...... 9.75" tall.....

https://www.amazon.com/FLAME-fitter-french-lighting-shades/dp/B00MBOF84Q

 

You could experiment - maybe with different dyes?

 

I think that is the size, thank you...but I think I will try the epoxy just for the experience

 

There is a company called Mouldcraft - 0114 4186247 or 07749306090 UK
They have a variety of compounds, one may help you.

If not:-

Many, many years ago I worked a lot with acrylic materials, and with the aid of chloroform, obtainable then from a chemist if you gave the reason for having it, one could melt it, and adhere parts together.

If chloroform is still available, I might try this:
1 With playdough or plasticine make a mould of a similar part of a shade to that which is broken.
2 Shave a quantity of acrylic into a jar, and add chloroform. Put a lid on it and shake until it changed into a sticky pliable mass. Perhaps leave it overnight.
3 Paint a thin coat of olive oil or something like that to act as a release agent on the plasticine mould, and fix it in position.
4 Pour off any chloroform and spoon the semi-liquid mass from the inside of the shade and fill the mould.
5 Leave it until all the chloroform as evaporated and the acrylic is solid.

If you have the right colour acrylic it might look good; but at least it should stabilise the shade, and make it safe.

CHLOROFORM IS DANGEROUS. DO NOT WORK IN AN ENCLOSED AREA. HAVE SOMEBODY WHO COULD PULL YOU OUT WATCHING YOU ALL THE TIME THE CHLOROFORM IS PRESENT. KEEP THE CHLOROFORM IN A SAFE PLACE, AND WHEN FINISHED WITH IT, DISPOSE OF IT.

There is a professional company at Diss, in Norfolk, England, that specialises in repairing glassware, but very expensive. Too expensive for the shades.

Good luck.

 

For cheapness and speed I would go for a piece of thin flexible Melinex type plastic and colour to match with acrylic paints.
Might ask @kyratango as she does lots of really good repairs on all sorts of antiques.

 

Wow. Thanks for giving this advice. It is marvelous.

 

Ha! This is out of my size range
The epoxy resin seems the easiest way, after molding. Coloring with permanent marker is my method, but I'm sure the resin dyes in craft shops are easy to get.

 

Yikes, don't put yerself to sleep with that chloroform