Inspecting the lamp we notice the cord does not have polarized plug and the socket looks worn. The only lamp parts we will need to repair this lamp are the cord and socket. We start by blowing the dust off this lamp with a simple can of air.
We remove the socket key from the socket (it will be reused) and the felt from the bottom (also will be reused).
We push a little cord into the base of the lamp and remove the socket. Most of the sockets we encounter are the cap and shell type sockets. The socket is a little different. It connected to the lamp with a small metal hickey on the bottom and has a paper insulator on the top. The customer wanted the same style so we are going to replace the socket with another keyed phenolic style lamp socket with bottom hickey.
Using a pair of piers, the old hickey is removed from the lamp shaft.
With the socket and wires removed it is a good time to tighten the lamp body.
This lamp has a gallery around the socket so the socket key has to line up directly in the key hole. Our replacement socket came with a hickey, but it is too tall so we are using the old hickey on the new socket. We test to make sure it will work and then put the lamp back together the same way it came apart. The hickey goes on by itself first.
With the new lamp cord, we tie a knot in the cord in the base of the lamp and add a plastic bushing to the threaded rod. The new lamp wire is pushed through the lamp. The socket is added and wired to the lamp cord. The smooth wire connects to the brass screw and the ribbed sire connects to the nickel screw. The socket is attached to the hickey. The socket key is attached and the paper insulator is replaced.
The the cord slack is pulled back through the lamp and the knot in the base is adjusted. We add a bulb for testing.
Great! The lamp is perfect. Total cost: < $15 Total Time: <30 minutes
For fun here is the lamp with a student glass shade.
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