I have a Thomas fount that has hairline cracks around the base portion. These are very tight cracks. Would Caswell sealer take care of them from the inside? How about if I plated the fount with copper after and then nickel plated? Has anybody had any luck with Caswell treatment holding the fount pressure? Thanks for the advice. Mike
I've never used Caswell sealer but have used a similar product (POR15 tank sealer) with great success. Make sure the inside of the fount is free from all old fuel residue and is spotlessly clean. Although re-plating may improve the look of the lamp, I doubt it will increase structural integrity.
Thanks, Iguess next time I will use the search instead of asking redundant questions. There must be 40 headings on this very subject. Mike
Most important is that you first remove all the internal rust and oxidation as well as any remaining traces of dirt and fuel / residues or grime before you start using the product. After that fill up the fount with a solvent such as acetone and then pressurize it. Observe the extent of leakage. That way you'd be able to more accurately judge how bad it actually is, and if its worthy of further repairs. Caswells would seal a lot of such hairline cracks provided that they are not so extensive as to adversely affect structural intergrity of the fount. Pressures in the range of 30 to 45psi are not difficult to deal with. It is important to ensure cleanliness during preparation and use. What you want is that the sealer could penetrate and truly wets the contact surface inside the fount. Next, you would want to ensure that the coating buildup is sufficient to resist penetration by pressurized fuel. Caswells is sufficiently strong and fuel-resistant once it has fully cured.
