I have been wanting to make an industrial looking sconce for a bare bulb lamp to replace the last of the old plastic fake porcelain fixtures. They are industrial looking but just didn't suit me. I wanted something a little more steamy.I like bare bulb lamps because I like the endless variety of shapes bulbs come in. I think they are beautiful, even the plain old garden variety. I don't find the spiral compact fluorescent to even come close. Most people including SWMBO like their bulbs covered with a shade. I want to see mine. I especially like the elongated clear bulbs of early last century. I have bulbs with shades but the bulb in that case is to show off the shade.
So I happened to have a couple of these water heater connection pipes that I picked up at the thrift store for 25 cents. While looking at them the other day the light bulb over my head went on like it does over a cartoon characters head when they get a bright idea. Shouting "eureka, eureka" I went off to the laboratory (shed) to see what I could fabricate.
This stuff is about as stiff as it can be and still be bent cold. I heated it with a torch just to make it a little more pliable and get some fairly tight turns.
A brass lamp fixture, some lamp cord and a brass wall plate finished it up. The solid brass wall plate is from a half dozen I picked up a year or so ago in a close out sale for $1.99 for the lot. See picture at the top of the page for installation.I must say it's not the best job I've done but it goes with my mish mash of other lights.
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5 comments:
Good.
A quarter turn valve would make a perfect on/off switch!
I like the night light with the candle reflector,hilarious
Man, this is like something from a Jules Verne story coming to life. Lovely stuff.
Are you using the skateboard deck of your longbike as a workbench?
Steve: The light is switched by the wall switch behind it in the picture and at the lamp fixture. I thought three switches within inches of each other would be overkill. I did think of it and have one in the works for a future project.
Northmark: Good observation. It makes a good work platform. I have really come to love that bike.
frankenbiker: I really like that name. When civilization falls all around us or some drunk hits a light pole and we lose electricity the candle reflector can revert to candle with a flick of the wrist. Making things like this makes me giggle which is why my wife keeps the sanitarium phone number handy.
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