Thinking...


New projects...Progress.

Raw cedar beam pot rack 15%

Antique coffee grinder floor lamp 30%

Gear based table lamp 43%

There are actually two lamps in the making shown here. The one in the forefront is made with some sort of industrial flywheel for a base with some really old pipe I found rusting in mud far off in the Texas Hill Country. It will be a table lamp. The antique coffee grinder in the back will be a very high end floor lamp.

Lamps

I have scoured the internet to find vintage components for both; like cloth covered electrical wire, the old plugs you saw on Grandma’s electrical appliances and ceramic bulb holders.

These will be offered for sale when finished. That hard hat is a possible lamp shade after I polish it and see how it would look as a shade.

This is the threaded lamp rod welded to a washer. This piece now gets welded to the top of the lamp pipe so I will have something to attach the light bulb socket to.

Setting up to weld the little lamp rod gizmo to the top of the pipe.

See that tiny yellow box on the table? That is my welder. I love that thing! It plugs into household 110 V and delivers 85 amps. I am using a 6011 welding rod for those among you who are welding snobs and wanna know. Yes I realize my arms are exposed.

Please send me a private message if you are interested in me making up an excuse. (Not you dear. Yes, I understand. Of course dear. I will from now on.)

Here’s a better look at my little welding machine. This thing is an amazing tool and if you are the sort that likes to tinker in your garage, you really need one of these. They are under $200 and there will be no end to what you will find to use it on.

Yes, you could weld your wife’s car doors shut, but would you really gain anything from doing that?

I need to install a toggle switch into the lamp and will need a switch cover to hide the wiring; just like your light switch on the wall. The switch cover starts out as a flat piece of steel. With brute strength and imagination, it starts taking shape.

More brute strength using a piece of pipe for leverage, which is commonly referred to as a cheater bar.

This is the switch cover for the toggle switch, sitting in place. I’ll need to drill some holes and use a tap to make threads so I can use bolts to screw in and hold it on.

This is the same switch cover after oxidizing it in vinegar to give it a nice aged patina.

These two things are what I took out of the antique coffee grinder. They have me intrigued because they look so interesting and I know I will use them somehow eventually. But right now I don’t know how.

These are vintage milk glass lampshades. I need to fabricate something that will attach them to lamps.

This was a strip of ½ inch X 1/8 inch flat steel bar. I bent it around a big pipe to make it round. Then I welded it shut and will now dress up the weld.
Okay it fits. Next?...

Workshop - workbenches

Take a look at the previous page...Various workbenches and workkshop items.