Looking for a weekend project that won’t break the bank but would actually add character inside the home?

Refurbishing an antique lantern takes two to three days, costs less than $50 and the result is an antique that makes for a beautiful mantle piece or wall hanger.

The model chosen is a 1925 Coleman Quick Lite lantern. These antiques are made up mostly of iron, brass and nickel-plated brass, all of which can be cleaned and are attractive when polished.

Your lantern can be found at on-line auctions with prices ranging anywhere from $3 to $20.

1. With your lantern in hand, begin the disassembly. Start at the top with the ball nut. Once this is removed, lift off your ventilator and lay both aside.

2. Now, either twist off the burn tube assembly or grasp the entire “frame” and unscrew. Either of these steps may require some WD-40 if they are stuck.

3. Once the frame is removed, you’ll be holding several pieces: the frame, generator, burn plate, collar and burn tube assembly. Drop the frame, burn plate, burn tubes, collar and ball nut into a compatible plastic bucket of lemon juice. You can dilute the lemon juice somewhat.

4. Soak overnight, and in the morning, gently scrub each with steel wool. If rust or soot is still present, drop back in and go golfing. The citric acid will eventually eat away any gunk.

5. While the lemon juice is working, unscrew the valve assembly, leaving only the fount, or base, which is nickel-plated brass.

6. Here’s the hard part. Using a paste called Mother’s Aluminum Polish, gently polish the fount and ventilator nickel until it’s a chrome-like finish. Do the same with the valve assembly. Use Brasso to polish all brass. I cheated by using an electric buffing wheel on the fount.

7. When the lemon juice has done its work, gently wash each part in a baking soda bath to neutralize any remaining acids. Dry thoroughly and coat only the iron frame with a satin-finish polyurethane.

8. Reassemble and, if desired, install a Coleman 220 globe available at most department stores for about $8, which brings the total for this project to about $45.

Not only do you have an attractive mantle piece, but you’ve refurbished a bit of Americana as well.

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