Lamp Hardware

Suzan · Post by **Suzan** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 11:22 am

Hi!

I've made a fused and slumped lampshade (over a SS bowl mold), 14" diameter at bottom, with a flat top about 4" diameter, and I wish to make a table lamp of it. What kind of hardware can I use for it? I've looked at various lamp parts sites and can't find anything that seems appropriate. What I think I need is a harp which has a ring at the top, so that the flat part of the top will lie steadily upon it. Any advice will be appreciated.

Cheers,
Suzan

Carol · Post by **Carol** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 12:04 pm

You could try using a large washer placed above the existing "stop" on a harp to increase the surface area for the shade to rest on.

Nikki ONeill · Post by **Nikki ONeill** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 4:10 pm

Suzan:
You may want to cut a large hole or drill a few small holes at the top to prevent heat build-up under the lamp. Depending on the style of the lamp, you could look into having a wooden base made with a center post and 3-4 horizontal arms to to support the lamp at the rim. This style, with an open top, was popular when oil lamps were used, before lectrification.
Have a great weekend, all.
Nikki

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 7:06 pm

My sensibility says hang a lamp where nobody can bump in to it and it will be fine. A table lamp or floor lamp will surely fall over and break.

Scrooge

Suzan · Post by **Suzan** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 10:44 am

I had actually intended for it to be a pendant lamp, but it looks to puny. The height is rather small, so I decided it will look better as a table lamp.

steve_hiskey · Post by **steve_hiskey** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 1:25 am

I do lots of blown lamps. I blow the base and the top and do a 3-way switch so that the base can light up too...

I assume that you are drilling a hole in the bowl (1/4") to get the harp to stick through?? If you are 1 sheet of glass, you are not going to be too thick or heavy. You can stick it on a (fairly) sturdy lamp base that you can buy from anywhere.

If you are thicker, you might consider the heavier iron bases that the stained glass people use to hold up their monster creations. Elliot Bay Art Glass here in Washington has a full line of them. Unfortunately, they are expensive... $50+... which translates to $100+ when you put them in a gallery, which is why I started blowing all my bases too.

Email me if you want to wire the base and I will send you a diagram of all the parts that I use. roughly $12-15 worth of parts per lamp.