M.-J. on mon 5 may 97
Dear ClayArters,
If any of you who make lamps from your pottery would be willing to help me
out with the basics of lamp-making, I'd be grateful. Where and how did you
learn the wiring part? Are there any on line resources I might find
helpful? Are there any books you'd recommend?
I am grateful for any words or wisdom or information you are willing to share.
Thank you.
M.-J. Taylor
Cindy on tue 6 may 97
M.J.
There's no wiring to learn--well, not much, anyway. You purchase the lamp
parts (Aftosa even sells them as a kit) and put them together. If it makes
you more confident, get an old lamp from a yard sale and take it apart. The
only wiring (if you want to call it that) is to attach the cord to the
light socket. You wrap one section (stripped to the copper wire, of course)
around one screw and tighten it, then wrap the other stripped section
around the other screw and tighten it, then put the socket back together.
Voila`. Yep, that's it. Oh . . . and don't plug it in until you're
completely finished, but you knew that.
Okay, I admit the idea intimidated me, too. But that was before the dog
broke my favorite lamp. :( I decided to take it apart in order to use the
electrical parts--that was when I discovered how very simple it all was. :)
Usually, you can't see inside because of the felt on the bottom of the
lamp, and so it all seems very occult and mysterious. So there you have
it--the felt peeled away and all. Nearly as simple as a flashlight.
Cindy Strnad
Dennis G Evans on tue 6 may 97
At 08:55 05/05/1997 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Dear ClayArters,
>
>If any of you who make lamps from your pottery would be willing to help me
>out with the basics of lamp-making, I'd be grateful. Where and how did you
>learn the wiring part? Are there any on line resources I might find
>helpful? Are there any books you'd recommend?
>
>I am grateful for any words or wisdom or information you are willing to share.
>
>Thank you.
>
>M.-J. Taylor
>
I don't know where you are from but lamps must meet national standards both
in the USA (UL) and here in Canada (CSA). If your lamp burns down someones
home and it was not approved you become liable for the damages and costs.
Dennis Evans
6203 Longmoor Way SW, Calgary, Alberta, T3E 5Z8
1-403-249-5619
email evansdg@cadvision.com
homepage http://www.cadvision.com/evansdg/INDEX-1.HTM
Charles Williams on tue 6 may 97
M.J.,
Go to your local crafts store, Home Depot, bookstore, etc. You can find
books on wiring just about anything. Wiring of lamps is simple and much
easier than the production of the piece.
Hope this helps.
Charles
Fay & Ralph Loewenthal on wed 7 may 97
We were told how to wire our lamps by the supplier of
the electrical fittings. Whoever you buy your fitiings from
should be able to explain the basics, the rest you learn
from experience. We bought fittings that had the switch
built in and not separate to the bulb holder. This is the
lazy way of doing it. We subscribe to the KISS slogan.
Hope this helps Ralph in a lovely warm autumn/winter's
day in PE SA
David Hendley on wed 7 may 97
At 08:22 AM 5/6/97 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
The
>only wiring (if you want to call it that) is to attach the cord to the
>light socket. You wrap one section (stripped to the copper wire, of course)
>around one screw and tighten it, then wrap the other stripped section
>around the other screw and tighten it, then put the socket back together.
>
Wiring a lamp is very simple, but there is one other important point:
Since the indroduction about 15-20 years ago of polarized plugs, it
makes a difference WHICH wire is connected to WHICH screw.
Notice that one of the socket screws is a silver color. This is the
ground (neutral, white) connection. The other screw is a gold color. This is
the hot (current, black) connection. Now notice that the plug on the end of
the cord has a wide blade and a narrow blade. The wide blade is the ground
side and the narrow blade is the hot side. You need to make sure you connect
hot to hot and neutral to neutral. The plastic wire covering will either be
clear with 2 colors of wire or will have a series of small ridges on only
one of the sides. This is so you can tell the hot from the ground side at a
glance when looking at the other end of the wire without having to trace it
back from the plug end.
All new electric products have polarized plugs and they do add an
extra measure of safety.
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
M.-J. Taylor on wed 7 may 97
Hey! Thanks!
That's helpful, and it ha begun to be less mysterious to me... but I also
want to know the names of all those parts, so that I can order them.
There is one store about 150 miles from me that carries lamp parts at
reasonable prices, but they are unhelpful and rude, even, if you aren't
real clear on exactly what you're asking for.
I know some of the pieces ... like the 'finial' which goes on top ... etc.
but what is the 'harp' .. is that the piece of metal that reaches from the
socket around the bulb to the finial?
I'm also interested in making my own shades ... so I need to know where
Stuff like that ... any help is appreciated.
Cheers,
M.-J.
At 08:22 AM 5/6/97 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>M.J.
>
>There's no wiring to learn--well, not much, anyway. You purchase the lamp
>parts (Aftosa even sells them as a kit) and put them together. If it makes
>you more confident, get an old lamp from a yard sale and take it apart. The
>only wiring (if you want to call it that) is to attach the cord to the
>light socket. You wrap one section (stripped to the copper wire, of course)
>around one screw and tighten it, then wrap the other stripped section
>around the other screw and tighten it, then put the socket back together.
>Voila`. Yep, that's it. Oh . . . and don't plug it in until you're
>completely finished, but you knew that.
>
>Okay, I admit the idea intimidated me, too. But that was before the dog
>broke my favorite lamp. :( I decided to take it apart in order to use the
>electrical parts--that was when I discovered how very simple it all was. :)
> Usually, you can't see inside because of the felt on the bottom of the
>lamp, and so it all seems very occult and mysterious. So there you have
>it--the felt peeled away and all. Nearly as simple as a flashlight.
>
>Cindy Strnad
>
>
Brad Sondahl on wed 7 may 97
Cindy wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> M.J.
>
> There's no wiring to learn--well, not much, anyway. You purchase the lamp
> parts (Aftosa even sells them as a kit) and put them together. If it makes
> you more confident, get an old lamp from a yard sale and take it apart. The
> only wiring (if you want to call it that) is to attach the cord to the
> light socket. You wrap one section (stripped to the copper wire, of course)
> around one screw and tighten it, then wrap the other stripped section
> around the other screw and tighten it, then put the socket back together.
> Voila`. Yep, that's it. Oh . . . and don't plug it in until you're
> completely finished, but you knew that.
>
> Okay, I admit the idea intimidated me, too. But that was before the dog
> broke my favorite lamp. :( I decided to take it apart in order to use the
> electrical parts--that was when I discovered how very simple it all was. :)
> Usually, you can't see inside because of the felt on the bottom of the
> lamp, and so it all seems very occult and mysterious. So there you have
> it--the felt peeled away and all. Nearly as simple as a flashlight.
>
> Cindy Strnad
Sorry, but you overlooked one detail--the polarity of electricity.
You've probably noticed how plugins have a big spade and a little one.
This is to ensure proper grounding of electrical devices. The big one
is connected to the neutral wire (which is equivalent to a ground). What
it means for lamp wirers is that, if you hook the wires up randomly to
the socket, you will half the time hook up the live wire to the big
metal screw-in socket, and half the time to the little beezer that the
middle of the bulb end contacts. Apparently hooking it up to the screw
in socket increases the danger of electricution. So the best way to
wire a lamp is to connect the wire containing the large end of the plug
in to the large screw-in part of the socket. The best way to do this is
with a continuity tester (a $15 electrical tester available at
hardwares, Radio Shacks, etc.) Hook one end of the tester up to the big
spade end of the plug, and check the other copper ends to see which it
is. Then hook it up to the screw on the side of the socket.
Also you should have some way of retaining the wire inside the socket,
or inside the lamp, so it won't get pulled loose. This can be done by
tieing a knot in the cord inside the lamp, or a special underwriter's
knot inside the socket.
Also, to secure the socket to the lamp, I have always used a rubber
washer cut out of old innertube, as it helps to give a little cushion
when tightening against unforgiving ceramic.
--
Brad Sondahl
bsondahl@camasnet.com
http://www.camasnet.com/~asondahl
PO Box 96, Nezperce ID 83543
M.-J. Taylor on wed 7 may 97
did you
Dennis wrote:
>I don't know where you are from but lamps must meet national standards both
>in the USA (UL) and here in Canada (CSA). If your lamp burns down someones
>home and it was not approved you become liable for the damages and costs.
>Dennis Evans
>6203 Longmoor Way SW, Calgary, Alberta, T3E 5Z8
Thanks, Dennis.
That's an excellent point. At the moment I have no plans to make lamps for
anyone but me ... but I am just as concerned about burning down my own home
as anyone's. So I am trying to get as much good advice as I can. You seem
to know about regulations. Do you know where I can get a copy of those and
the specifications I must meet?
Thanks for your input.
M.-J.
>email evansdg@cadvision.com
>homepage http://www.cadvision.com/evansdg/INDEX-1.HTM
>
>
Beverly Cohen on wed 7 may 97
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Dear ClayArters,
>
>If any of you who make lamps from your pottery would be willing to help me
>out with the basics of lamp-making, I'd be grateful. Where and how did you
>learn the wiring part? Are there any on line resources I might find
>helpful? Are there any books you'd recommend?
>
>I am grateful for any words or wisdom or information you are willing to share.
>
>Thank you.
>
>M.-J. Taylor
>
I make ceramic lamps all the time. I have several styles and am not
the least bit shy when I want to make a lamp from a piece that was not
originally intended to be a lamp. :-)
You can get lamp kits from your local ceramic supplier (the mold shops)
or from a hobby shop, or you can pay out the nose and purchase them from
an electrical supplier.
I purchase my kits from Lou Davis Wholesale in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
They have several styles, and depending upon the piece I am turning into
a lamp, I get one with a short stem (pipe), full length pipe, bent pipe,
etc. The kits come complete with all hardware necessary. The sockets
are very simple to wire. You can also purchase harp assemblies if you
don't want to use a "clip on" lampshade.
Check them out. Their number is 1-800-748-7991. They will send you a
free newspaper-style catalog. Their prices are great. And I have never
had any complaints with the quality of the lamp kits.
Hope this helps.
Beverly Cohen
bcohen@goldinc.com
http://www.goldinc.com/~bcohen/bcohen.html
Kenneth D Westfall on wed 7 may 97
M J,
The best book I know of is published by Time-Life books...it's called
'BASIC WIRING'. It is soft-bound and has a 2-page in-depth instruction
on how to rewire a lamp. There is also basic wiring info that will bring
you up to speed on the do's and don't's related to continuity,
insulation,etc. If you can't quickly find the book on the shelves at
your library, then give the librarian this # to locate it. It is the
number all books can be located by...ISBN 0-8094-2361-8. The copy I have
is old (1976) so there may be a revision. If you can't find it, the
e-mail me your snail mail address and I'll photo copy it and snail mail
it to you. Good Luck... and you'll need a pair of needle nose pliers, a
pair of wire cutters/ strippers to make the job go easier. I buy lamp
parts in quantity from Kirks LaneLamp Parts Co. at 1-800-355-KIRK in
Bensalem, PA.
Tracey Westfall
Pine Hill Pottery
Kenneth D Westfall on wed 7 may 97
On Tue, 6 May 1997 08:22:05 EDT Cindy writes:
>----------------------------Original
>message----------------------------
>M.J.
>
>There's no wiring to learn--well, not much, anyway. You purchase the
>lamp
>parts (Aftosa even sells them as a kit) and put them together. If it
>makes
>you more confident, get an old lamp from a yard sale and take it
>apart. The
>only wiring (if you want to call it that) is to attach the cord to the
>light socket. You wrap one section (stripped to the copper wire, of
>course)
>around one screw and tighten it, then wrap the other stripped section
>around the other screw and tighten it, then put the socket back
>together.
>Voila`. Yep, that's it. Oh . . . and don't plug it in until you're
>completely finished, but you knew that.
>
>Okay, I admit the idea intimidated me, too. But that was before the
>dog
>broke my favorite lamp. :( I decided to take it apart in order to use
>the
>electrical parts--that was when I discovered how very simple it all
>was. :)
> Usually, you can't see inside because of the felt on the bottom of
>the
>lamp, and so it all seems very occult and mysterious. So there you
>have
>it--the felt peeled away and all. Nearly as simple as a flashlight.
>
>Cindy Strnad
>
M J,
I think that wiring lamps is not brain surgery, but I think IMHO that
this response is a bit too lacking in recognizing the serious
implications of mis-wiring a lamp and potentially burning down someones
home and possibly taking thier lives, too. No, its not hard, but to the
first-time lamp-maker, this needs to be approached with some seriousness.
There are issues such as polarity and UL/ CSA approved parts and the use
of a "UL Knot" to be considered. Anyone can learn to properly wire a
lamp, but there IS something to be learned. Let's not toy with other
peoples' lives.
Sorry to be SO SERIOUS!!
Tracey Westfall
Pine Hill Pottery
John Soper on wed 7 may 97
Actually there is a little more you should know. Most plugs are now
polarized, and if you inspect them closely you will notice that one
tine or prong is wider than the other. The wire connected to this tine
must be connected to the silver screw in the lamp socket. The other
wire is connected to the gold screw. The reason for this is that the
silver screw will be at "ground potential" and the gold screw will be at
110 volts. The silver screw is already attached to the ouside of the
socket by the manufacturer, while the centre base of the socket is
attached to the gold screw. Safety is the reason. If you are screwing
in a light bulb and you accidentally touch the socket you will not get a
shock because the socket is at ground potential (0 volts). Reverse the
wires and you will get 110volts. The lamp will work wired backwards,
but it will not be approved by Hydro.
Tracing the wire from the plug to the lamp is not hard even if it is
twisted. Look closely and you will see that the wire is marked some
way, usually a thread on one side of the double wire, or different
coloured wire or the cross-section of one half of the wire is square and
the other half is round.
Good luck,
john
Mitchell Cutler on thu 8 may 97
M.-J. wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Dear ClayArters,
>
> If any of you who make lamps from your pottery would be willing to help me
> out with the basics of lamp-making, I'd be grateful. Where and how did you
> learn the wiring part? Are there any on line resources I might find
> helpful? Are there any books you'd recommend?
>
> I am grateful for any words or wisdom or information you are willing to share.
>
> Thank you.
>
> M.-J. Taylor
Hi,
I just completed my first lamp project and did a teach-yourself on the
wiring. I went to a lamp place and got little sockets that take the
night light lights and have a clip on them. You can also get these from
Aftosa (call 800 231 0397). I got the night lights from Aftosa.
Anyway, the lighting man showed me how to take the wires that come out
of the socket (there are two) and cut them to unequal lengths (about 3
inches from the socket and about 5 inches from the socket) and then cut
the lamp wire in the same unequal lengths. Then take a wire stripper
and strip off the insulation about 3/4 of an inch from the end of all
the wires. Twist the "long" wire from the socket to the "short" wire
that will go to the plug. Tape them together with electrical tape. (If
you like I'd be happy to talk you through this on the telephone. Call
me at 213-664-8306). At first I used a length of tubing to put the wire
through and screwed the socket to the top of the lamp and to the
bottom. Then as I got less fussy I used the clip version as I've
described. Just clip the light to the top of the lamp and thread the
wire through the bottom. One of the versions I went through had a 1/2
inch hole near the base of the lamp. I put a rubber stopper in the
hole, cut a slit in the rubber stopper and then threaded my wire through
that. After the socket is in place and the wire has exited somewhere at
the bottom, then put a plug onto the end of the wire, and a little
in-line switch about 6 inches from the base of the lamp to turn it on.
If you want to use regular lamp sockets with a harp and switch then you
will probably need the tube with a washer and nut at the bottom. All
this should be easily findable at your library. Anyway, call if you'd
like to talk this over.
June Rosenberry
4119 Edenhurst Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Tel: 213-664-8306
Fax: 213-664-8303
Email: JRoseFine@Earthlink.Net
Paul Monaghan on thu 8 may 97
M.-J. Taylor wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> did you
> Dennis wrote:
>
> >I don't know where you are from but lamps must meet national standards both
> >in the USA (UL) and here in Canada (CSA). If your lamp burns down someones
> >home and it was not approved you become liable for the damages and costs.
> >Dennis Evans
> >6203 Longmoor Way SW, Calgary, Alberta, T3E 5Z8
>
> Thanks, Dennis.
>
> That's an excellent point. At the moment I have no plans to make lamps for
> anyone but me ... but I am just as concerned about burning down my own home
> as anyone's. So I am trying to get as much good advice as I can. You seem
> to know about regulations. Do you know where I can get a copy of those and
> the specifications I must meet?
>
> Thanks for your input.
>
> M.-J.
>
> >email evansdg@cadvision.com
> >homepage http://www.cadvision.com/evansdg/INDEX-1.HTM
> >
> >
M.J.
Any electrical supply house will have copies of The national Electric
Code (NEC). It usually runs $15 - $20.
I've read all good points people have sent. One more. When you strip
the ends of the wire twist the fine hair wires tightly - like twirling
hair - so you now have a tight stranded cable. ALWAYS twist the wire
around the screw in the direction it tightens - clockwise!! This helpps
tighten the wire loop as you tighten the screw. Make sure that all the
strands are neatly entrapped under the head of the screw and not
sticking out touching the case.
BTW if you want a FREE computer book you can download it from my site
http://www.web2u.com and click on Secret Book.
Ciao,
Paul
--
Paul J. Monaghan email: paul@web2u.com
WEB2U Productions --- http://www.web2u.com
The "COOLEST" Site on the WEB
"The Computer Secrets are hidden at http://www.web2u.com/secret"
"HOMO CLAYARTUS" is alive at http://www.web2u.com/clayart
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