A crack like that on a MA bowl is very unlikely to get any worse unless you are really ham-fisted opening the bowl or storing the lantern. Leave it well alone, it will be fine. The MA bowls are actually quite rigid and robust.

Cracks in metal, when subjected to stress get worse, cracks in lantern bowls seldom do especially if the lantern is "no longer in service" and not exposed to the weather. You aren't going to be opening the bowl that often are you?

What size lantern are we talking about here? Geared MA90's especially, but perhaps also geared MA50's I may be able to get a spare bowl from depending on my luck this coming week.

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Its a SRS201 later bowl with 7 clips. For 180w sox

I think the SRS201 is still being made so there should be some new bowls around.

So long as the bowls are common, then replacements will be easy to get. My GEC Z5590 has a few stress marks on it but I am going to see if I can get a replacement for it.

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From streetlighting to radio, dance through the night whilst the streetlights are glowing outside.

Yup, SRS201 180W aka MA60*GO

I think it shouldn't matter how many clips there are, as they all clamp into the ridge around the edge of the bowl. I have noticed however that some older models seem to have three hinge clips as opposed to two (this model)

Mazeteam, if you are able to pick up a geared MA50 bowl (same as the MA60 iirc) that would be nice even just as a spare in case the current one does break apart; though I'm not sure how it would find its way here. Aren't they too large to post?

Speaking of geared MA50s, I wouldn't mind one of those. I think i'm getting the 'big lanterns' bug.   oh dear ...

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Neon + Sodium =

SOX rocks my socks!

The bowl is now on my list of bits to obtain. If you want a geared MA50 then you'll have to confirm it for certain before I pen it on my list, because I don't have the room for one that potentially I could be lumped with and unable to move on! (as it is I have a gear-in-shoe MA60, a geared MA50 and two geared MA90s). They can be sent by somebody like DHL or Citylink (minus lamp) but would probably be around £20 to dispatch - a bowl on its own may be less due to not weighing as much, but I'd have to pack it well.

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I'll just go with the spare bowl for now, as I need to reorganise the space I have before I know how many larger lanterns I can accomodate. However, I shall remember you are able to rescue MA 90s and 50s Thanks for the offer!

_________________
Neon + Sodium =

SOX rocks my socks!

Rather than glues, has anyone tried solvent welding cracks in Polycarbonate bowls using Dichloromethane (methylene chloride) or Methyl ethyl ketone?

These are commonly used to join plastics like Acrylic or Polycarbonate by putting the edges together tight and applying with a syringe - capillary action draws it into the join and melts the two together in a few hours. I imagine a crack would work the same and have this same capillary action?

I haven't, but I will soon if it will work on an Eleco 'Way' bowl. Depending on how much it will cost and where to purchase the 'sealant' from. If its any good I can use it on my Alpha 1.

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From streetlighting to radio, dance through the night whilst the streetlights are glowing outside.