The curse of the amber ashtray

[Searock Fan]

50 years ago I bought a carousel pipe rack with an ashtray on top. (The image of one below is from the web, but mine is identical.) It served me well for all these years and then recently the ashtray broke in half right down the center. I have no idea why. I looked on line for a replacement but didn't like what people were asking for them. So, for a few months I lived without the ashtray and used another one on the end table next to my desk... works, but not as convenient. Then a while back I drove past a garage sale and stopped to take a look. To my amazement there it was, an identical, unused ashtray at a give-a-way price. I jumped on it and was back in business happy as a duck at my good luck. Then the curse struck! This time I was at my computer having a pipe and I heard a sharp "crack". You guessed it, the new ashtray had done exactly what the other one had. Cleaved itself in half as clean as a whistle. And no, there was not any burning ashes in it at the time. Now I"m on the lookout for another replacement.... this time I thinking stainless steel.

 

[Briar Tuck]

I'll bet you could go to a pet supply store and find a metal dog or cat food dish that would fit perfectly.

 

[Coreios]

Weird it cracked twice. Beautiful stand though! Hope you can find another replacement.

 

[kcghost]

You should be able to get a replacement bowl rather easily.

 

[STP]

Crazy luck, but that amber does look good.

 

[Deano]

50 years ago I bought a carousel pipe rack with an ashtray on top. (The image of one below is from the web, but mine is identical.) It served me well for all these years and then recently the ashtray broke in half right down the center. I have no idea why. I looked on line for a replacement but didn't like what people were asking for them. So, for a few months I lived without the ashtray and used another one on the end table next to my desk... works, but not as convenient. Then a while back I drove past a garage sale and stopped to take a look. To my amazement there it was, an identical, unused ashtray at a give-a-way price. I jumped on it and was back in business happy as a duck at my good luck. Then the curse struck! This time I was at my computer having a pipe and I heard a sharp "crack". You guessed it, the new ashtray had done exactly what the other one had. Cleaved itself in half as clean as a whistle. And no, there was not any burning ashes in it at the time. Now I"m on the lookout for another replacement.... this time I thinking stainless steel.

View attachment 193642

looks a lot like an ashtray my folks had. l bet you can find a replacement.

 

[Fralphog]

Do you have any good, local artisan pottery makers?
You could have one made with a glaze finish that would complement the pipe rack wonderfully.

 

[woodsroad]

Do you have any good, local artisan pottery makers?
You could have one made with a glaze finish that would complement the pipe rack wonderfully.

That's a great idea.
If you can't find anyone local, call a nearby college's art department. They almost always have a ceramics section, and can refer you to a good student or faculty who will welcome a quick job like that.

 

[Peterson314]

Man I like that amber!

White ceramic would look pretty good too.

Good luck on your quest.

 

[Fralphog]

A good potter could make a wonderful replacement. My son made me a strike anywhere match holder that I really like. Besides holding matches, it’s great at holding pipe cleaners, tampers, lighters and whatever accoutrements I want to take to a smoking area.

 

[woodsroad]

The amber glass reminds me of when I was a kid, and would sometimes go into work with my parents on Saturdays. They worked in a hospital lab, and the outpatient waiting room had these great pedestal ash trays with exactly the same amber glass inserts. Imagine that: a hospital waiting room full of people smoking.

 

[monty55]

Wow, that's tragic. What could have caused this.. twice?

If they are clean breaks with no glass missing you can clean them off with alcohol, apply a long setting CA. If your careful that would work. I have some thick CA that if applied sparingly would bond that easily and take 30 minutes to cure.

There's also Bondic which is a UV cured glue that may work as well. Hell, you got nothing to lose, unless you already threw them away.

Hope it works out brother.

 

[Deano]

The amber glass reminds me of when I was a kid, and would sometimes go into work with my parents on Saturdays. They worked in a hospital lab, and the outpatient waiting room had these great pedestal ash trays with exactly the same amber glass inserts. Imagine that: a hospital waiting room full of people smoki

The amber glass reminds me of when I was a kid, and would sometimes go into work with my parents on Saturdays. They worked in a hospital lab, and the outpatient waiting room had these great pedestal ash trays with exactly the same amber glass inserts. Imagine that: a hospital waiting room full of people smoking.

Yes the one my folks had sat on a pedestal as well. Same pattern as the one on his pipe rack. Looks identical.

 

[Piping Abe]

That is a crazy story. From reading the title I thought it was gonna have more ghosts in it though

 

[AJL67]

Hmmm glue? if the crack was perfect enough you could glue it until you find a replacement, stranger things have happened.

 

[AJL67]

The wonder of the web .. I'm sure you can find at least one that's the right one

 

[Searock Fan]

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions. I'll let you know if I get a replacement.