Thursday, September 18, 2014

Tennessee Vols Lamp

Lamps should be fun. Often the lamps that come in the shop are just as odd and unique as the people who bring them. It is fun to have a lamp that sets off an emotion and sometimes sports can be very emotional. This University of Tennessee lamp came in the other day (we are in Big Orange Country) and the owner wanted the lamp to have a glass ball shade. I can already hear "Rocky Top."


The lamp parts needed for this conversion include: brass gallery, turn knob socket, extended socket key, iron weight, brass shade holder and threaded lamp rod.




First the lamp will need to be unwired and the old parts removed. The felt is taken off the bottom.



The socket shell is pried from the socket cap and the socket interior is clipped from the lamp cord.



The cord is pulled through the lamp body.


The socket cap is removed and the parts of the lamp are removed as well. Since this lamp is going to have a gallery and we are removing a neck, the threaded rod will need to be replaced. The height of the lamp has changed so the new threaded rod will need to be the right length.




With the new rod, the parts are placed in order on the lamp. The new rod is marked for cutting.




Using a saw, the rod is cut to the desired length.


With the new rod cut, the lamp is ready for assembly. The new cast iron loader weight goes first, then the brass base, the lamp body, vase cap, neck, gallery, and socket cap. TIP: Lamps can tip over. Since we are adding a heavy glass shade to the top of the lamp a loader in the base will help reduce the tipping problem.





With the main parts together, the lamp is leveled and tightened. Now is the time to make sure the turn knob, body, and base are in the correct orientation with each other (cord in back, decoration in front, turn knob on side).



The lamp cord is threaded through the rod and up through the socket cap. A loose knot is tied in the cord at the base. A UL knot is tied in the cord at the socket cap. The socket interior is attached to the lamp cord. For polarity, the smooth cord is attached to the brass screw and the ribbed cord is attached to the silver screw.



The turn knob is attached and the cord slack is pulled through the lamp.




Some glue is mixed to reattach the felt bottom.


The lamp is complete with an Opal Glass Ball Shade.


"Wish that I was on ole rocky top, Down in the tennessee hills. Ain't no smoggy smoke on rocky top, Ain't no telephone bills." 

Total cost <$45.00  Total time < 45 minutes

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