Rain Lamp Restoration | Can I Make it Rain?

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In this video I restored a vintage oil rain lamp. Oil rain lamps became quite popular in the 1960’s and 70s. The way they work is there is a pump in the base of the lamp that pumps oil up to the top. The oil then drips down onto the strings and travels down back to the base and the process repeats. The oil dripping down the strings creates a beautiful feature that depicts “raining” around the statue.
I first start with dismantling the lamp, then go on to sandblast and powdercoat the base and top. The poles are sanded and polished using the mini lathe then nickel plated and finally gold plated. The stunning goddess in the center gets her holes filled in and sanded and then she receives a coat of paint. I repair the motor by removing all the grime that has caused it to be seized.
Once reassembled I filled up with rain lamp oil (aka mineral oil) and marveled at her beauty.
I hope you guys enjoy this video, much love!
Dr Restoration
#rainlamp
#restoration
#sandblasting
#powdercoating

[@samuelhadley5556]

The rain lamp takes me back to when I was a kid. My mom had a rain lamp and I used to sit for hours watching it. I miss those days. Thank you for the video. 🤠👍⭐🇺🇲

[@DrRestoration]

@@samuelhadley5556 glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@XCodeHelpHub]

Same here!

[@carrieburkhart5734]

You were somebody if you had one of these back in the day.

[@samuelhadley5556]

@@carrieburkhart5734 we were actually very poor. But my mom had gotten it from my grandparents. They were rich and she was raised by them and they spoiled her and her brother when they were kids.

[@carrieburkhart5734]

@@samuelhadley5556 we were dirt poor growing up and we didn't lack for love. We at least had a lava lamp and salamanders to entertain us kids.

[@AC-ih7jc]

Man, I can practically see the wood paneling, shag carpets, pet rocks, and mood rings...

[@DrRestoration]

😂

[@ThePtlhome]

My best friend's mom had one when I was growing up. - They had the shag carpeting, AND the wood paneling, with gold veined mirror tile arches, to boot! 😂

[@TeeKing]

My mother-in-law had one of these. The novelty wore off for her quickly when she realized it was a notorious dust collector.

[@DrRestoration]

Yup lol

[@luke144]

they would splatter oil everywhere too. They were popular at the trailer park I grew up in lol.

[@KuroiHato69]

My mother had a rain lamp when I was a child and I used to beg her to turn it on all the time! When I was about 11 it stopped working and she threw it out. Don't laugh but I actually cried because it was one of my favourite pieces. You did an amazing job with this restoration!

[@DrRestoration]

Thank you

[@billbrasky3730]

I remember seeing these in restaurants as a kid. Dad told me the "rain" was boiling hot otherwise I'd have stuck a finger in every lamp I saw.

[@DrRestoration]

@@billbrasky3730 😂 that’s awesome

[@samuelbacon9555]

Especially this one 😏

[@stsid1]

I remember those also in restaurants.

[@marshawargo7238]

Your dad knew you well! 😂

[@kelliekretzmer4998]

I was told the same thing 😂. I did brave the burn, lol....did touch it. Christmas at my aunt's house (always) I'd watch it for hours

[@tjs114]

These lamps were all the rage in the 70s and early 80s. I think every one of my aunts and uncles had one of these at their houses (we never did.) I still think the one my dad's eldest sister had was the coolest of all because it not only had the raindrops, but the statue was of a woman running in with an open umbrella, and the bulb at the top was very small - like night light 4 watt bulb; but a larger 20 watt bulb in the bottom generated head which caused her umbrella to twirl.

[@DrRestoration]

Very cool thanks for sharing!

[@brandyn610]

Oh, wow that is pretty cool. I wish I could find one in today’s age.

[@misspicknflick]

This was used as my nightlight in my grandparents house when I’d sleep on my grandpas recliner. Some of my safest memories. ❤

[@Hershewed]

That sounds heavenly ngl

[@SunnySky-]

When I was young, my parents had some of these placed in our living room, as a little kid, I loved to just watch them for hours.

[@ayfray9998]

A friend had one. Would make her turn it on everytime I went over there. And now kinda want one!

[@medicbabe2ID]

My parents' friends had one of these lamps back in the 70s. I see by the comments I'm not alone in being a fascinated kid watching an oil lamp rain perfectly spaced drops endlessly on what's surely a goddess in a lush garden. Those were the days... Masterfully done.

[@DrRestoration]

Thank you for sharing 🙂

[@vampirevenus]

I wanted one of these so bad as a kid. To me it looked like magic. Amazing work bringing it back to life ❤

[@DrRestoration]

Thank you 🙂

[@legendarymayormarylikestur8874]

I remember those!!! Holy moly, this was mandatory 1970s home decor!!

[@Gonna_Run_Amuck.]

Agreed

[@sherrywatts112]

I remember my childhood friend had one of these in her house back in the 70's. It hung from the ceiling in the corner of the living room and we used to sit and watch it when it was lit up. Good Memories!!😊

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks for sharing 🙂

[@giantelftoys5466]

Rebuilt back better than it was originally, great job! 🎉

[@DrRestoration]

Thank you! 😊

[@MaCoop3r]

Coming from a guy that is decent with fixing things, I can appreciate the attention to detail for these resto’s. It is what makes them stand apart from the other channels! Keep up the hard work!

[@ferrellsl]

You can set this under your velvet oil painting of Elvis. She will feel right at home!

[@Homested_Retirement]

Many years ago I re-strung an rain oil lamp that i had purchased from eBay. It took many bottles of mineral oil to refill. It's that time again.

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks for sharing! This lamp took 3 bottles of mineral oil 😎

[@sherlocksteve9109]

Thank you for posting this video. My family had this rain lamp. I remembered this lamp very much. When my parents moved from Rochester, NY back to Williamsport, PA, I've looked for this rain lamp of theirs. Even when my mom died, I still looked for that rain lamp. When I mentioned it to my sisters, It was given away as a "wedding gift" to someone. Nobody never thought to tell me of what happened to it. Looking for another one is next to impossible because it's not made any more. But yes, rain lamp oil is still made. So if anyone has a rain oil lamp, hang on to it because it's value is great in your family.

[@DrRestoration]

@@sherlocksteve9109 wow thank you for sharing, glad you enjoyed the video 🙂

[@foreverpainful]

it sucks that theyre so expensive on Ebay. I hope you come across one eventually, even if its broken, because a repair would probs cost less than a working one.

[@dukelorange748]

they are on Etsy if your willing to spend $1,568.66

[@foreverpainful]

@@dukelorange748 theyre much cheaper on ebay lol

[@JLCra87]

Awesome restoration!! Thank you for not coating them in mud to make them look worse off than they are. So many channels like to make people think they are doing a lot more work than they actually are.

[@DrRestoration]

Thank you!

[@phillydragonfly]

These were in every Italian-American home at one point in time.

[@gtlfb]

The height of glamour in my youth

[@CrabOfDoom]

An Italian restaurant near my grandmother's country-ish house had one of these in a corner of the dining room. It's heartening to see that they can be fixed and restored, and this one turned out lovely. The actual gold-plating of pieces is an extra mile that I'm glad you went.

[@DrRestoration]

Thank you

[@kdup-hp6zm]

watching the pump motor get taken apart gave me "Brave little toaster" flashbacks

[@Lilithofeden1]

I love these things so much. Remind me of when I was little and happy some people still had them and I've always wanted one I just can't afford one anymore.

[@sky173]

Beautiful restoration. When I was a kid in the 70's, I always wondered how they worked. They were almost hypnotic. Thanks for sharing your skills.

[@DrRestoration]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@avnostlga]

I have one of these. Though mine has double strands for the rain to drip. One set at a diagonal. The other straight. The bulb that should be used is a mini spotlight lamp. Like the large outdoor flood lights, but small, with a 3 inch diameter. My lamp looks good with amber; but the bulbs are made in many different colors. The light acts as a spotlight on the Venus figure and gives very dramatic mood lighting in a room. Very nice restoration. You made a real gem!

[@Netbug]

My grandparents had one of these. This exact model, I believe. I loved it.

[@drhumajunaid8142]

Thunderstorm and raining sounds on the backgrounds are increo

[@DrRestoration]

⛈️

[@MonkehBuns]

Literally watching this during a thunderstorm 😂

[@DrRestoration]

⛈️😂

[@lydiaflatt9859]

I loved this video! I knew someone who had one of these in the 70s. She didn’t like to turn it on much but she did let me see it work once. I felt so special! It was like magic. It’s a good memory.

[@lizmartinez8042]

I just saw the post of someone who bought 3 of these and repaired them, they are very beautiful!

[@DrRestoration]

Wow nice!

[@1965ask]

Awesome! Love it! I definitely remember seeing those when I was a kid!

[@crisshartsell8542]

I have been searching for one of these for my granddaughter for years! They are very rare! My grandparents had one when I was a kid!

[@zoewong7891]

This is a great restoration. I wonder if these lamps will make a comeback.

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks, there are many collectors

[@ReinhardtGB]

So satisfying to watch! Please do a jellyfish/ aquarium lamp next. Childhood days!

[@shirleyannconfer9651]

Lilly is so cute! This is a beautiful restoration.

[@DrRestoration]

@@shirleyannconfer9651 thank you 🐢🙂

[@robertwalker9625]

I think in 1974 my wife and I bought my Mom and Dad an oil rain clock for Christmas. They had this clock for a number of years and it even survived their move to Florida. Then in the early 80's my youngest brother and a friend were tossing around a Nerf football in the living room when my folks were out shopping and an errant pass destroyed the lamp. It had a light and was pretty cool looking back in the day. Great restoration and although this was not a clock, it sure brought back some memories.

[@DrRestoration]

@@robertwalker9625 in my research there are soooo many variations of these rain lamps, thanks for sharing your story!

[@ginapowell8137]

Mom always said don't play football in the house.

[@markdingleberg1103]

That’s awesome. Great job. Gotta say I chuckled a bit when you blurred the T and A.

[@DrRestoration]

Glad you enjoyed it 😂

[@tammywillgohs5514]

I used to love these lamps. Saw them in furniture stores. Always wanted my mom and dad to get one.

[@markofashion1790]

My favorite rain lamp. Your early version from the 60s. I got it from a flea market for $20 made in the mid-70s gold and beige plastic bowl and cap with metal plates and pole, lady Greek. All original. Great job restoring ❤👍🏼

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks for sharing!

[@deliuslyndon8340]

This is why KZbin exists.

[@CrustyRestorations]

Fantastic resto job, love the before and after ..

[@226amw]

My grandparents use to have this lamp. It was one of my favorite things they had.

[@theshowandtellshow]

Yep dust and cat hair magnets are neat ❤ I still love seeing that someone cares enough to do this, as I remember them from the 80s 😊

[@stacie7925]

We had one of these in my home when I was a kid. I could sit for hours watching the rain fall down around the lady in the middle.

[@justmejenny7986]

Back to the 70s. Would love to stay.

[@theoneandonlyowl3764]

That's something that I've never seen before. Lovely job on restoring it.

[@DrRestoration]

Thank you 🙂

[@kabel9357]

I've been low-key looking for one of these for a long time.

[@Homested_Retirement]

Wow! Nice job. I only re-strung my rain lamp

[@meimei295]

Awww, the nostalgia. Thank you for rescuing this '70's Americana art 🙂

[@DrRestoration]

🙂

[@jdaniel11405822]

My mom had a lamp that looked just like this when I was growing up. I used to like to just sit and watch it "rain"

[@RA-uj3nm]

Ahh......the cool 70's... exceptional work. Excellent attention to detail. 👍👍🍺🍺

[@DrRestoration]

Cheers 🍻

[@IndiraSkyeblue]

My grandfather owned a small appliance repair shop for around 50 years... I vividly remember helping him fix one of these up and I've been fascinated with them ever since. I just wish I could find one locally 😅 thank you for making this video. The nostalgia of seeing the working product almost made me cry. ✨

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks for sharing 🙂

[@appalachianwoman561]

As a kid my mom had this same exact lamp in our house, she bought it from a Service Merchandise and it ran off of a type of oil. I used to love that lamp and watching it, in fact I wish she had kept it as I know they're worth a lot today. I'm going to enjoy watching this restoration.

[@DrRestoration]

Thank you 🙂

[@TCTMO]

My mother had one of these. Brings back memories of me watching it in amazement.

[@KowboiStreams]

My parents best friends had one in there house above all the tropical plants it made it feel cool as a kid. Thank you for restoring this. Was beautiful 🎉

[@katough]

one of the best restorations i've seen. so much nostalgia, as a child i watched one of these for hours

[@dawncastro1697]

My parents had a lamp just like this when I was growing up! Great restoration!

[@DrRestoration]

Very cool!

[@christinedozier4841]

Loved watching, my grandma had one and when I would visit I would always turn it on. Wish they still sold them I would own one for sure.

[@The_Butler_Did_It]

I haven't seen one of those for about 40 years, I'd forgotten they even existed until I watched this video.

[@myperspective5091]

Those were so popular from the 70s into the 80s. I remember seeing them mostly in Italian restaurants.

[@ghostmantagshome-er6pb]

I remember these from catalogues. The ones i remember were called " Diana".

[@greggc68]

Diana is the plastic one from Creators. This is Aphrodite by Johnson Industries. Do I have too much time on my hands or what? 😅

[@dawnikus]

My mom used to work at WoolCo in Manitoba, Canada. When my dad and I would go see her at work, they had these lamps. I always thought they were SO COOL! They went the way of the dodo by the time I was old enough to afford one. :( Loved watching the restoration of this!

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks for sharing! 🙂

[@riclacrl]

I remember my great grandmother having one of these in a corner of the living room. I loved watching this lamp everytime we would visit her.

[@RonaldoSilva-tn8in]

Restaurada lâmpada de chuva 💡🌧😉

[@pwdrpuff49]

Back to fresh from the factory condition. Your dedication to restoring items is amazing. Well done.

[@DrRestoration]

Thank you 🙂

[@aliceputt3133]

I wanted one so bad when I was a kid. I finally got one in a yard sale for $10.00 and it was in great condition. Totally love it. Happy you saved another! ❤

[@DrRestoration]

That is awesome! Thank you!

[@Rodville]

My grandma had this exact lamp in dark green and antique bronze. I watched that lamp most of my life. When my father passed it was left to me but my wife didn't like it so we left it in his house when it was sold. Thanks for taking me back in time.

[@mariebelladonna437]

You shouldn't have listened to your wife, bro. Those things are worth anywhere from $600-$900 now. I'd kill to have one.

[@kelliekretzmer4998]

I'd have said, it's mine and a piece of my existence

[@ozwomanid57]

My grandmother had one and just like a lava lamp it provided hours of entertainment!

[@Spicii9896]

My grandma had one of these, it was really nice to see one again

[@DebianDog]

Man I forgot we had one of these in the 70s! It did seem magical as a child. Very cool.

[@DrRestoration]

Cool indeed!

[@Lewellfouch]

Totally one of the restorations on KZbin I enjoyed the most! Love this kind of restorations.. Thanks a mill!!

[@DrRestoration]

@@Lewellfouch thank you!

[@flora_7719]

I remember only ever having seen one of these in my entire life. It was in the side room of a vintage shake shop I frequented often when I was younger. I remember staring at it for hours while I ate. It was mesmerising magic to me as a child.

[@irodriguez062]

OMG, we had this in our living room growing up. Wow, memories. Orange kitchen, avocado green appliances, orange shag carpet. Yuck. Gold leaf, use gold leaf to bring back her shine. My dad would use that on everything back in the day.

[@dreaminlayers]

These were, and still are, my favorite lamps from my youth and I always wanted one but was never allowed to get one. It was considered a "luxury item" 😳

[@singingsparrow83]

I thought only rich people had these when I was a kid. I loved them then and still do. I loved looking through the wonderful magazines filled with color photos of modern homes filled with beautiful ' things ' and dreaming of one day being a wife and mother. Nice memories.

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks for sharing 🙂

[@wendyreynolds8940]

I always wanted one--my best friend in kindergarten had one in her family's rec room, and I thought it was the height of sophistication. Thanks for some wonderful memories and a beautiful restoration!

[@breeinatree4811]

My sister in law had one. It's kind of like a lava lamp i could watch it for hours.

[@circleofthewolfairsoft7419]

I used to have one of these, except a table version. I don’t know what I ever did with it. Brings back a lot of memory’s….thx

[@DrRestoration]

You’re welcome 🙂

[@Evergreen64]

Has to be at least 30 years since I last saw one of these.

[@sarahg3267]

The thunderstorm is perfection! ⚡️

[@DrRestoration]

⛈️

[@jeradblazek677]

Wow!! I haven't seen one of those in YEARS. My grandparents had one in their home.

[@kevinparks8037]

I remember my Grandmother having one when I was younger 70’s, Excellent work!!

[@DrRestoration]

Thank you 🙂

[@regular-joe]

Your restoration work is great, of course - but it's your photography and editing that's just as satisfying to me.

[@DrRestoration]

@@regular-joe thank you, not everyone realizes the work that goes into these videos 🙂

[@ValyTraveler]

I remember these - my uncle had 2 of them... They were so cool - I think I still want 1 or 2 for my house...

[@sweetdreamweaverart]

I remember those as a kid. The one I remember had a music box with it that played 'Rain drops falling on my head'.

[@DrRestoration]

That’s awesome!

[@patimrider]

I was fascinated by these lamps as a kid....lol. Great job!

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks for watching!

[@Jdogjim27]

My grandmother had one of these lamps in living room as far back as I remember. I believe her's had a bronze finish

[@user-sy3ti6nt2e]

WOW, what a difference!! I haven't seen one of these in ages and ages. They're so beautiful and calming to watch. Good job 👍🏻💖

[@DrRestoration]

@@user-sy3ti6nt2e thank you 🙂

[@georgebrown8312]

That is cool. I have never seen a rain lamp before. You did a wonderful job of restoring that rain lamp. It looks much better and it works like a charm too. Excellent work.

[@DrRestoration]

Thank you so much!

[@avoidralph]

They used to have these on display at a store called Service Merchandise back in the day and I have always been intrigued with them! Thank you!

[@DrRestoration]

You’re welcome!

[@ZERODESTRUCTION]

I had no idea that Little Giant pumps had been around that long !

[@Stopthisrightnow560]

Oh... my... God... I didn't realise I needed this until I saw it. 😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@DrRestoration]

😉

[@ValleyProud916]

What amazed me the most is that rain lamp oil is still available!

[@jjryan1352]

Oh yeah there is a resurgence in the market and demand is up.

[@meimei295]

Oh my goodness, the turtle break! ❤❤❤

[@DrRestoration]

🐢

[@yolkyolk3148]

this was simply amazing, you can really tell this was from another time

[@1steelwheel1999]

i remember these from when I was a kid thanks for sharing

[@user-qs8bn3zw3o]

My grandma had one I enjoyed watching it .

[@JustMeUpNorth]

I have a really clear memory of something like this being in a local baker’s shop when I was a kid - it was a Christmas scene, I think (very Irish, with the rain!). Of course I had to touch it, expecting water, but it was oil. Have never seen one since. They’re absolutely beautiful things!

[@DrRestoration]

They are very neat!

[@casskidd1]

This is fantastic work thanks for sharing . I have never seen a rain lamp before..beautiful!

[@jerlynneallison6361]

My husband's grandmother had one and it was GORGEOUS!!!! It had an old mill in the middle that actually turned the water wheel. I was supposed to receive it when she passed but there was a miscommunication and it was sold at a garage sale. 😢😢

[@DrRestoration]

@@jerlynneallison6361 so sorry it was sold!