Wenge and copper lamp

[Carlos]

I've lived with a standard ugly chandelier style lamp since we moved into this house, finally got something done about it. The copper is just rolled tube that I shaped, and I found some raw copper sockets. The Wenge was milled to just under an inch square for the frame and thin strips for the crosses. All of it was stuff laying around, lots of small "scrap" got used up. Real tungsten Edison lamps with coiled filaments round out the look. I *really* want to hang it with real manila rope and get rid of the chain, but chasing perfection is always the enemy of good enough. It's going to take scaffolding and real work to reach that ceiling (22-ish feet up).

Next up, some lamps based on a Samson post and big manila rope. They are kind of half done but I need to figure out some construction details.

[capncarl]

Any attic access to thei light junction box?

[Carlos]

Probably, although tight. Are you thinking that I pull it out from up top and then drop the rope down? It's a good point. That will certainly have to wait until summer is over (which in Phoenix means Oct-Nov). But I like the idea. I have no clue what the box would look like up there.

[capncarl]

Some years back I was working on a project where I was trying to use 3 strand manila rope exactly like your are attempting. I wanted the lamp cord inside the rope so I untwisted it and re-twisted it around the lamp cord. It turned out ugly. The rope would not resume its original shape, instead it kinda wadded up, for a lack of a better way to describe it. I removed lengths of manila from each strand in hope that it would reduce each strands size enough it would all go back together like a twisted rope, with no luck. The only thing that I found that would work was a length of hollow nylon braided rope that the cord could be pushed through the hollow inside, then paint the rope with brown plastic spray paint. The knot on each end was much easier that the manila rope would have been, just a loop pulled back into the hollow nylon rope. Then I found out from an electrician friend that this rope wouldn’t pass the building code without a fireproof cable being inside the rope. We scrapped the rope project and used a length of 1/2” emt for the down rod. Everyone was happier with the emt downrod because it wouldn’t collect dust and cobwebs like the rope would have done

[Carlos]

That's useful feedback, thanks. If I can't do the rope, I'd just keep the chain. I've seen some pre-wired rope also, but they weren't as nice-looking. I'd also considered trying the fabric-covered old-fashioned lamp wire just wrapped in the rope's natural spiral on the outside. Since it's a big room and nobody would ever see the rope closely, it might look good.

No exposed EMT around my house...just not my thing. A friend just did it outside to his gazebo and it makes me twitch every time I see it.

[Carlos]

This is the start of some other lamps, which will mount to Wenge and that mounts to the wall.

[WLee]

Real tungsten Edison lamps with coiled filaments round out the look.

Those are pretty cool looking bulbs... Didn't know they made them with the spiral thingees! Looks like they have a LOT of new "retro" designs out.


I picked up some of the LED "Edison" bulbs a while back (similar to this pic at left) -- energy efficient, nice clear glass and great "steampunky" kind of character... plus they're dimmable, and (at least the ones I bought) give off a nice "golden/yellow" glow at low power, and a relatively "warm" white light when cranked up.

Installed them in the fixtures in my loft/home theater area... and the look (and "feeeel") of them is; well rather awesome.

It's sort of like the "finishing touch" that the room has been waiting for.

[Carlos]

The ones in the brass samson post lamps are LEDs with the vertical strips. I wanted the spiral look of real, thin wire for the other lamp. But they are not very bright, and give off noticeable heat, so I may try others. They are pretty, but maybe not practical.