Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Visible glass question.

I will be looking at a visible gas pump (Wayne 615) and the glass has a frost crack about a 1/4" around the bottom and the glass has been removed. The owner tells me that the rough edge can be sanded and reused. Has anybody heard of doing this to a visible???????? Owner says the glass is still worth $500.
Thanks,
Dennis

You can buy a clear cylinder in good condition for $400 to $500.
Wayne 615 cylinders are plentiful and fairly easy to find. If you were going to reuse that cylinder, you have the job of shortening all the long cylinder bolts, plus the gallon markers! Not fun!
DB once told me to use some sheet metal formed to fit the broken cylinder and come up the sides of the cylinder an inch or so with it and do the same on the inside, then fill the cavity between the 2 pieces of sheet metal with silicone. Paint the metal black and use it that way. It would be OK if you didn't want to spend the money for a proper cylinder and weren't really concerned with looks!
Otherwise get a good cylinder.

Heya Dennis. This is just my opinion but,
Nope, the glass is cracked and not worth $500.
Why would anyone want to pay $500 for a piece of broken glass that you would have to take the risk of working on it just to use it and it still be a broken cylinder in a restored pump?
Even if someone has the tools and the experience to pull off a correct grinding down of a cracked glass cylinder, the odds are HEAVY that it will break further during the processs.
I would consider saying to him, "since you want the cylinder, I will buy the pump for $500 less and you can sell the glass by itself", or something to that effect.
,,,that is my perspective on a broken/cracked/dinged/holed out cly and I'm sure it is not shared by all but to me, broken glass is broken glass and can't be "repaired" once damaged and therefore not worth anywhere close to what a undamaged or new piece would be.
Good luck on your Hunt!

...Later today...
My apologies for the bits of repetition with what Kevin posted above. He hit the post button while I was still writing my thoughts down. He is dead on with what he said and also Richard and Steve too!

On freeze breaks you usually loose about an inch from the cylinder. I have used a sanding block and course sand paper to sand them down. It takes time and you cann't get the glass hot because that is what breaks it. You will never get it perfect but I have saved some cylinders. The trouble is that the cylinder will go from 26" to about 25". I don't know of any pump that will use this cylinder. Then it's like what was said above you have to cut everything else to fit. To me the cylinder is not worth $500. Richard

IMO a cracked cylinder is a no win situation. Agree with Dave, offer the guy $500 less and if he doesn't take it walk away. Wayne 615's are fairly easy to come by and reasonable to buy to boot.

There is no way a cylinder with a freeze crack is worth $500. I agree with the above posts, a good original clear cylinder can be purchased for $500.

I'll sell ya a Banded Glass Cyl [repaired w/ 2 metal bands filled w/ Silicone] for $450+ postage or delivery to Iowa Gas in August!