I picked up this floor lamp base today at auction for only $40. Good colour but it needs work, wiring, and a shade of course. Any suggestions - I'm partial to mica myself - anyone know a source for mica shades (if I have to I'll look into making my own from scratch).

Good Morning Stonecat,
WOOD Magazine had an article with the source of Mica of which I will find out where you can get it and get back to you.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones

http://www.vandykes.com/ Think they still carry it.

quote:

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Originally posted by Yvonne:
http://www.vandykes.com/ Think they still carry it.

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Yes, I checked VanDykes a while ago for another project and they have mica by the sheet, plus lots of other handy stuff.

project log update

I picked up this slag glass and copper frame shade (no makers mark) and plan to use it for this project - comments invited - should I use it as is with an open top or would it look better with some sort of a top (I think it would, either flat with another piece of glass, or peaked)?. I have made a template for a frame to hold it, at the bottom, level with the top of the lamp post and will scroll saw this from thin oak if I can find it. Obviously this a project of 'interpretation' rather than 'restoration', but hey why not, that's where the aesthetic challenge lies

Great find. I suspect you will need to provide a way for the heat to disipate from the light. Perhaps a domed lid with an appropriate pierced design. small tabs would keep it aligned and mounted to the copper and slag item you have just found acquired. Be sure to keep the gauge heavy to match the copper base.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Fred

Fred - my template for the supporting base matches the four 'straps' on the sides of the shade so there will be gaps for air flow through the bottom (and for the light to shine down through), but yes hot air rises so ventilation on top is a good idea as well - domed with tabs would work just fine, but the details need to be worked on - I will post updates and pics as I get around to it

new update

I made a template for the shade support and scroll sawed it out of fir ply (couldn't find the time to scrounge some oak, and its mainly hidden anyways). I also picked up the wiring and pull chain socket, and took this apart and put the guts into an old solid brass socket from my parts box. I also picked up an old copper collander that will work as a top, flipped upside down - vented and creates a diffuse star pattern with the light shining through it! Luckily, an 8inch stove ring fits perfectly over the top of the shade and this will hold the collander top, with a little fine tuning. I now have to 'age' the collander some more, and totally 'age' the stove ring, and I'm planning on adding a finial which will be a mission hammered pyramid shape drawer pull. The new pics were taken quickly without a tripod so sorry for the blurries but I wanted to post a quick update.

It looks great! Thanks for the update...

Fred

another update

After much procrastination I have completed most of the work I want/need to do with this lamp. Here are the results, and then a short description (by the way, the previous pics in this thread are gone so I could free up space in my photo account)

The top piece, an old collander, was hammered a bit to match the surface finish of the main shade. The top was then 'aged' through a series of experimental heating and plunging in cold water, heating and air cooling, application of a patina solution containing selenious acid, and a final coat of a commercial antique glaze product. I added brass bolts to line up with the straps on the shade and to support the top on the edge of the shade and also treated these to the patina solution. I also added blown stained glass rounds (or 'cobachons' I believe they are called)in an offset pattern, just to try to balance out the shape of the top and because I though they would look great (and they do!). The top is finished with a square hammered knob (drawer pull from Lee Valley collection) as a finial. I added new wire and a new pull chain socket in an old brass fixture, using a big brass ring as the pull, and as noted previously, mounted the shade on a scroll sawed frame held in place by the socket srewed in to the existing threaded rod in the base. The base still needs some repair and refinishing but in the meantime I have a pretty good functional floor lamp

Hello Stonecat , Your floor lamp is wonderful . Was there anything that inspired you to use what you did to make it or was each piece chosen for it's own function ? You should be quite proud of yourself .

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Originally posted by skulls:
Hello Stonecat , Your floor lamp is wonderful . Was there anything that inspired you to use what you did to make it or was each piece chosen for it's own function ? You should be quite proud of yourself .

Well it was mainly improvisation and opportunity that dictated how it came out. Per the messages above - I bought the base at an auction, with no real plan on what to do about a shade; then I found a great shade, probably a ceiling fixture, and then I assumed I needed some sort of plate, bowl, whatever, to make the top and voila I found the old collander. I thought it out and put it together in my head, so to speak, and it got done.