Identifying & restoring antique steam radiators

gattu_marrudu

Hi there,
I have several of these steam radiators (see pics). In total 24 modules around the house, in various configurations. They are all attached by thread nipples.

I find them really nice and would like to bring them back to a better looking and more efficient state. How do I go about: 1) disassembling them without damaging the couplings; 2) stripping the paint (I imagine sandblasting would be the best approach? Which blasting medium?); 3) cleaning the insides (they are probably 100 years old or so and I imagine they accumulated a wealth of rust)?

Also, can anybody identify them? I can't see a manufacturer's brand. The house is in Philly and was built probably in the early 1900s. I'm not sure when the radiators were installed.

Thanks for any help!
gm

Steamhead

Those are "X-Ray" wall radiators, made by the H.B. Smith Co. You can find them on pages 79-80 of @DanHolohan 's book "E.D.R.".

The threaded nipples joining the sections are the weak points. I would not even take the radiators off the wall. Find someone who can refinish them in place.

Looks like the shutoff valve has leaked. That's usually a loose union nut or bad packing, both easily repaired.

gattu_marrudu

Thank you! I think the leak was repaired at some point because I ran them all winter and they didn't leak. I am only left with the wood flooring to fix... That's easy.

So, no need (or reasonable way) to clean the insides?

Jamie Hall

Not only is there no reasonable waay to clean the insides -- there's no need to. There may be a film of rust in there, true. But it won't be that much, and it conducts heat [erfectly well, so... if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

As @Steamhead said, the odds of doing irreparable damage to the radiator by trying to get it apart -- even move it -- is too high to risk.

Mad Dog_2

They don't look bad at all. I would hit them with a wire wheel and paint em with a High Heat paint...Mad Dog 🐕 

Mad Dog_2

New Hoffman Right Angle shut off valves, new air vents...good to go....Mad Dog 🐕 

tim smith

You need to lift the right side of radiator to allow condensate to drain back to steam radiator valve. Looks in photo way out of proper pitch.

gattu_marrudu

Mad Dog_2 said:

They don't look bad at all. I would hit them with a wire wheel and paint em with a High Heat paint...Mad Dog 🐕 

Those in the picture are in a better shape than others, but the wire wheel on an angle grinder sounds like a good idea. Of course I'll have lead paint fly all over the place... so appropriate protection will be needed. But still much better than sandblasting indoors.

gattu_marrudu

tim smith said:

You need to lift the right side of radiator to allow condensate to drain back to steam radiator valve. Looks in photo way out of proper pitch.

You are right. In that regard, the anchoring system is a bit odd in that it only has screws going straight into a wood plate attached to the wall. There is no support at the bottom, which makes it very nice for cleaning underneath but maybe not the most solid support. The previous owner placed wooden shims or even a brick (!) under some to keep them level.

tim smith

Either make or source some wall brackets with curved cradle to go under the round portion of horizontal channel. This will give much better support and look good. Something like this.

gattu_marrudu

tim smith said:

Either make or source some wall brackets with curved cradle to go under the round portion of horizontal channel. This will give much better support and look good. Something like this.

Really nice. I might have to take the unit off the wall to install them, especially on plaster and lathe, unless I'm lucky to align with a stud. But that's a very good idea.

StevieD

Cool rad design! 

Looks like those would be risky and tough to move, but I think it could be done with enough strong people keeping them vertical the whole time. 

Im currently refurbing my rads from the same era, Mine were removed by some meatheads that carried them flat - luckily no damage! 

gattu_marrudu

Very nice design. Just curious, what's the risk of carrying them flat? Joint stress?

Those shelf brackets anchored to the radiators are a good idea. I made a cherry wood shelf to replace that awful sheet metal "cap" of mine and was struggling to find a place on the wall where I could install brackets without moving the radiators. I just wouldn't put books on that shelf like your image shows…

BobC

That shelf would be a perfect spot for an old cat. Navk in the day mu pld cat loved the top of an old tube based console color TV,

Bob