"Don K" (dk@dont_bother_me.com) writes:
> Its first life began 26 years ago as a "touch-lamp".
>
> After about ten years, the touch-switching became erratic so I removed the
> electronics and connected the power cord directly to the mechanical switch
> at the bulb socket.
>
> Its 2nd life lasted 16 years.
>
> The lamp became intermittent again last week. Cleaning the center bulb contact
> didn't fix it. Before going out to buy a new socket switch, I checked my
> "electrical junkbox" in the cellar.
>
> Fortunately it turns out that I had saved a socket switch assembly from
> a previous lamp, so I saved myself a trip to Home Depot as well.
>
> My Frankenstein lamp now lives again and continues to light up my life.
> Just don't tell the villagers.
>
> Don
>
>
I had a Halogen desk lamp from Ikea, that I really liked. It didn't
last as long, but pieces kept breaking off, which I made subtitutes
for. The fuse blew at one point, making me cut open the plastic
box with the transformer, replace the fuse, and then glue it back
together. Eventually contact was lousy (it used the mechanical arm
to get the voltage to the actual bulb) so I added some wire to
get the power to it.
Finally, something broke that I couldn't quite fix, so the arm
stopped being moveable (well one point couldn't be held tight
enough, so if I moved the rest it would simply tip over). Since
the reason I liked it was its flexibility, I bought a new one, albeit
on sale. Though the replacement isn't as good in terms of
function.
Later, I found the same Ikea lamp at a garage sale for ten dollars,
and bought it, which works better where I had it, and the other lamp
replaces another lamp elsewhere. Plus, I have some spare parts for
repairing the second Ikea lamp when it breaks (though not so many,
given that much of it has broken already).
It didn't last as long as your's though.
Michael
> Finally, something broke that I couldn't quite fix, so the arm
> stopped being moveable (well one point couldn't be held tight
> enough, so if I moved the rest it would simply tip over). Since
> the reason I liked it was its flexibility, I bought a new one, albeit
> on sale. Though the replacement isn't as good in terms of
> function.
> Later, I found the same Ikea lamp at a garage sale for ten dollars,
> and bought it, which works better where I had it, and the other lamp
> replaces another lamp elsewhere. Plus, I have some spare parts for
> repairing the second Ikea lamp when it breaks (though not so many,
> given that much of it has broken already).
> It didn't last as long as your's though.
Probably because the table lamp has fewer moving parts.
I've had a couple of cheap florescent desk lamps that couldn't be adjusted
tight enough to keep from drooping. I like the $60 magnifier florescent
lamp I got from Staples. It seems to be holding up well.
Don
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>
> After about ten years, the touch-switching became erratic so I removed the
> electronics and connected the power cord directly to the mechanical switch
> at the bulb socket.
>
> Its 2nd life lasted 16 years.
>
> The lamp became intermittent again last week. Cleaning the center bulb contact
> didn't fix it. Before going out to buy a new socket switch, I checked my
> "electrical junkbox" in the cellar.
>
> Fortunately it turns out that I had saved a socket switch assembly from
> a previous lamp, so I saved myself a trip to Home Depot as well.
>
> My Frankenstein lamp now lives again and continues to light up my life.
> Just don't tell the villagers.
>
> Don
>
>