Tin Type Table Lamp with Shade Ring and Gallery Rewired

As we've seen over the years and even mentioned in this blog, lamps are made from everything. Some things are turned into lamps and other lamps are made to look like things. A customer brought in this patient the other day and it fits the later criteria. It appears to be a tin can but was probably always a lamp. The customer wanted this lamp rewired so it would be safe to use again.

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.

DIY Lamp Made From Stacked Books

Many of us have great old hardcover books lying around that we've either read and didn't like, or never got around to. There are wonderful decorative projects you can do with old books, and you can even grab some really cheap books from the thrift store for creative projects.

Creating a lamp from stacked books is beautiful symbolism, for it is often a lamp that keeps us company while reading. Imaginative lamps light up a room in a different way, providing a spark for further creative ideas.

Here’s how to make an eclectic styled lamp by using stacked books:

You will need:

·         7 or 8 old hardcover books

·         lamp kit from a hardware supply store

·         lamp shade, old or new

·         spray paint

·         drill

·         ½ inch drill bit

·         ¼ inch screws

·         2 inch screws

·         screwdriver and box cutter

1.    With your choice of spray paint colors, paint the lamp kit and fittings.

2.    Arrange your chosen stack of books the way you want them to look.

3.    After stacking the books, place the lamp kit’s thread rod next to the stack because you will need to make sure that at the top you have one inch of clearance.

4.    With your ½ inch drill bit, drill a hole about halfway through the center of the bottom book.

5.    Now open the bottom book, about halfway through, and with your box cutter, cut a channel for the electrical cord. Make sure that the channel is wide enough for the cord.

6.    Your lamp kit should contain a washer and lug nut. Attach the threaded rod to the bottom book into the drilled hole.

7.    Close the book and then tighten the top lock nut.

8.    Now slide the electrical wire through the threaded rod, leaving about 2 inches of wire at the top of the rod. You will be attaching the lamp parts to this exposed wiring.

9.    Using approximately 4-6 screws, 1 ¼ inches, drill the bottom book together to secure it.

10.  Drill a hole into the center of each of the remaining books using the ½ inch drill bit. Then slide the books, one at a time onto the threaded rod, using 4 two inch screws to attach each book to the one underneath it.

11.  Open the cover of the top book and secure it to the stack with four 2 inch screws.

Now you can assemble the parts of the lamp kit and attach the shade. You now have a creative and personal lamp to sit table side in the living area or family room, or in the bedroom for your nighttime reading. 

Hemp String Pendant Lamps

These rustic looking hanging lamps have become very popular among the DIY community, so we are going to share with you the inside scoop on how to create these beautiful additions to your room’s décor.  

What You Will Need:

·         Bouncy Balls of varying sizes

·         Clear craft glue (1 bottle per ball)

·         Hemp string, 20lb. weight. (Amounts: 16” ball = 400 yards, 14”=300 yards, 9”=100 yards)

·         Trash bag or drop cloth

·         Permanent marker

·         Ball inflating needle

·         Light fixture and hardware

Step One:
Draw a circle on the ball using your marker. The circle represents the space that should have no string on it. The empty section will be fore putting together the light fixture and give you access to the light bulb.

Step Two:
Get out your trash bags/drop cloth; this will get messy!

Step Three:
The easiest way to go about this is to squeeze a quarter sized amount of glue onto your fingers (consider using some gloves for this part!) run the hemp string through the glue and them wrap it around the ball. The string should easily stick to the ball.

Step Four:
Keep gluing and wrapping. Try to do this as randomly as possible and avoid using criss cross patterns. The more densely its wrapped, the stronger it will be. Avoid wrapping the string over the circle area. If a certain area looks weak then you can add more glue to it.

Step Five:
Repeat these steps in order to create multiple lamps. Once finished with more than one lamp, let them site and dry for 48 hours.

Step Six:
Use the ball inflating needles to deflate it.

Step Seven:
Remove the deflated ball from the rest of the lamp.

Step Eight:

Follow the instructions that come in the manual for your light fixture. When installing the light strong, feed the wires through the circle hole of the lamp and up through the top so that the bulb can hang down in the center of the sphere.

DIY Lamp Tutorials for Fall

The décor-savvy homeowners tend to favor autumn because it welcomes in warm, comforting scents and relaxing aesthetics. If you’re one to change your home’s décor scheme along with the seasons, this is the perfect time to start brainstorming themes and begin any fall-themed DIY projects.

You can create the perfect ambiance in a room by adding or revamping a few key accent pieces. 

Lamps and candle holders are the perfect projects to start with, since they're fun, affordable and easy. Desk and table lamps are key accents because they’re attractive yet functional. Whether it be to enhance light through the darker evenings, or to improve study efforts, lamps are ideal this time of year. If you’ve always been one to march to beat of your own drum, DIY lamps are the way to go. You can create unique light fixtures out of almost any object or material that matches the rest of your room.

Moreover, with so many different ideas and styles, you can make a lamp to represent almost anything that you love, for almost any purpose. If it exists, Pinterest has tutorial for it.

For the common rooms, you can find a myriad of examples based on the look you want. For example, if you want to keep things rustic, you can learn how to restore antique lamps for your specific needs.

Like we said, we have seen it all on Pinterest. You can find unique DIY lampshade tutorials for almost any style or season, and there are even tutorials for making lamps out of everyday objects. There's one tutorial on how to make a lamp out of a stack of books - perfect for cozy reading or studying areas!

For your benefit, we've linked a few of our favorite tutorials below.

·         Old Books= New Lamp

·         Hanging Light Bulb

·         Fun Reading Material Tutorial

10 Tips for Decorating With Floor Lamps

Lighting is one of the most important aspects of home decor. The right kind of lighting not only accentuates the theme of a room, but also helps to create a certain atmosphere and purpose for the space.

In a family room, or reading area; brighter lighting is required, and sets the energetic tone for that room. Meanwhile bedrooms, guest rooms, living rooms and parlor areas are better suited to a softer, more ambient style of illumination.

If you are wondering how to use floor lamps to accentuate your decor; here are a few great suggestions:

1. Floor lamps as accessories: Think of your choice of floor lamp as the jewelry or accessory to an outfit. Use the colors and style to compliment the main theme of your decor.

2. Floor lamps as your defining style element: In a living room or family den use your floor lamp to define your style. Sleek and monochrome styles for a more modern look; floral, colorful, and traditional for classic decor.

3. Floor lamps can create a timeless style in any room: A classic or antique floor lamp can create a style in any room in your home that is timeless and always on trend.

4. Floor lamps as an accent color: Floor lamps are wonderful as accent colors to help balance a room. If your room is decorated in a minimalist style of decor; use a colorful floor lamp to bring in some vibrancy.

5. Make sure that your floor lamp is coordinated: Matching the style of the shade to the style of the floor lamp stand, is important. For modern stands, choose a modern shade; stick with more traditional shades for a more classically designed stand.

6. Choose the right size lamp shade: Consult with your retailer for the perfect-sized lamp shade. One that is too large for the style and size of the lamp stand, can look overwhelmed. A floor lamp should have a balanced look.

7. Decide how much light you need in a space before choosing a shade: If you are placing your floor lamp in a room for work or reading; you will need a lamp shade that will allow enough light to flow into the room. For bedrooms or other quiet spaces; you can go with a more ornate opaque style of shade.

8. Choose just the right corner for your lamp: Survey the room and decide which corner or area of the space is best for your floor lamp. For rooms with lots of activity; place the floor lamp in a corner where it can give off the most light. For bedrooms, the farthest corner away from the bed may be better for a relaxing space.

9. One or two floor lamps? If the space is large enough, it can accommodate two floor lamps; possibly in opposite corners of the room. One lamp may be dwarfed by a large spacious area.

10. Combine floor lamps with table lamps in your decor: Especially for rooms that require ample lighting; it’s stylish and practical to combine floor lamps with table lamps. This also gives you more lighting options in a space. A table side lamp may be perfect next to a reading corner; while a floor lamp is perfect when entertaining guests in the space.