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Materials:
- Flexible copper tubing - ½" for smaller lamps, ¾" for taller
lamps (Tip: Buy several diameters for more variety in your design)
- Copper wire
- Emery paper
- Hose clamp
- 2 copper washers that will fit snugly on your tubing
- Lamp socket with harp
- Flux
- Solder
- 10' lamp cord (sometimes called 'zip' cord)
- 3-in-1 oil
- Replacement plug
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Tools
- Drill and bits
- Pipe cutter tool
- Compression punch (or hammer and a nail)
- Needle nose pliers
- Wire cutters
- Screwdriver
- Soldering torch
- Safety glasses
- Magnet
- Utility knife
- Wire stripper pliers
- String
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Steps:
Flexible
copper pipe comes in many sizes |
Stretch
the flexible pipe up to the desired height while leaving enough
for a sturdy base |
Cut
the pipe off with a pipe cutter |
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Twist
the smaller tube around the main one and cut it off with a pipe
cutter rasp to distress the corners and edges creating a worn
look |
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Stretch different diameters of flexible copper tubing into
a sinuous,
vine-like assembly. Use a pipe cutter to cut the tubes to the
same height. |
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Some
smaller copper pipes will fit snugly inside larger ones
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Compression
punch |
Drill
holes in the larger pipe and insert smaller pipes as branches
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Select
a drill bit the same size as the smaller pipe for a snug fit
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| Drill holes in the main trunk, and attach smaller tubing to
look like branches. Use a punch (or hammer and nail) to make
a dimple in the metal before you drill. This will prevent the
bit from skating. |
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Drilling into the tubing leaves sharp burrs on the inside
edge of the tubing. Burrs can cut into lamp cord, leading
to electric shock.
Therefore you'll need to leave one piece of tubing completely
free of holes so it can safely carry the electric cord.
Flag it with a piece of tape so you remember NOT to drill
into it.
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Use
needle nose pliers to bend light gauge wires |
Use two screws to make a jig for bending heavy gauge wires |
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| Using needle nose pliers, curl lengths of copper wire into
tendrils. Use the tendrils to bundle the copper 'stems' together.
This stabilizes the vertical trunk of the lamp. |
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Use
emery paper to remove oxidation prior to soldering |
Install
a hose clamp about one half inch down from the top |
Apply flux to the washers and the pipe |
Flux 'Em
Sand and then apply flux to the top half inch of the flagged
tube. Tighten a hose clamp around the tube at the half-inch
mark (this is a temporary jig to hold the harp and washers in
place until they're soldered). |
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Place a fluxed copper washer over the hose clamp, then the harp
base and another copper washer |
Always
heat the pipe from one side and apply the solder from the other
side |
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Place a sanded and fluxed copper washer on top of the hose
clamp. Place the base of the harp on top of the first washer,
then add the second sanded and fluxed washer.
Solder the washers in place with plumbing solder and torch.
Heat the washers from one side and apply the solder to the
other side. This guarantees that the solder will flow into
the entire joint.
After the tube has cooled, remove and discard the hose clamp.
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Wire We Here
To fish the cord through the tube, squirt lightweight oil into
the tube to reduce friction. Then tie a nail to a string and
coax the nail through the tube using a strong magnet. Tape the
lamp cord to the tail end of the string and fish the cord through
the tube. |
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Slide the socket base over the end of the wire and the pipe |
Tighten
the set screw on the socket base |
Strip
the wires back three quarters of an inch |
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Tie an Underwriter's knot to fit in the base of the socket |
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Socket to 'Em
Feed the lamp cord up through the socket base at the top of
the lamp. Split the top 2 ½" of lamp cord by slicing down
the center
membrane with a utility knife.
Strip each of the two wires back about three quarters of
an inch. Give exposed wires a clockwise twist to stop them
from splaying. Tie an underwriter's knot and pull the knot
down into the base of the socket.
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Attach the wires to the screw terminals |
Install
the harp |
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Lamp cord has ribbing (sometimes only one raised rib) along
one side and is smooth on the other. Attach the side with
the ribbing to the socket's silver screw terminal. The smooth
side goes to the brass screw.
Install the harp. It squeezes together like a Thigh Master
and then two locking sleeves drop over to hold it in place.
Screw a bulb into the socket.
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Slide the housing on first |
Squeeze
the plug ends together puncturing the cord and making the connection |
Mag
with finished lamp |
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Plug 'Em
Slip the plug housing onto the end of the cord. Then feed
the ribbed wire into the hole that will be pierced by the
contacts from the flared silver prong. Slide the smooth wire
into the other hole (connecting it with the narrower brass
prong). Squeeze the two prongs together, puncturing the insulation
to make contact with the metal wires inside.
Slide the housing down over the assembly until it clicks
into place. Secure the cord where it exits at the bottom of
the lamp by sealing it with silicone. This will prevent it
from ever getting cut on the edges of the tube.
Plug in your lamp and then ponder the appropriate lampshade.
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Artisans'
work featured on this episode:
(click pics for Artist info and larger
images)
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