horace scotswomen: PM Saturday: Build This Rugged Iron Pipe Lamp

January 26, 2012 4:30 PM Text Size: A . A . A

1. PREP PARTS

Scrap ?-inch iron pipe and fittings make this stable, rugged lamp. Get a 12-inch nipple, three tee fittings, four 90-degree elbows, one 45-degree elbow, 11 close nipples, four pipe caps, a candelabra socket, a cord, a bulb, a worklight's shade, and a touch-dimmer switch. Use a cobalt bit to drill a 3/8-inch hole in a tee, opposite its center opening. Pull 18 inches of cord through the hole and the tee's center opening.

2. WIRE THE IRON

Screw together the 12-inch nipple, the 45-degree elbow fitting, and a close nipple. Fish the lamp cord through this assembly. Screw the open end of the 12-inch nipple into the drilled tee fitting's opening.

3. FINISH THE LAMP

Wire the lamp socket base to the cord at the nontee end of the 12-inch nipple. Make sure all electrical connections are insulated and not touching pipe. Gently pull the cord from its plug end, tightening up slack until the lamp socket base is even with the nipple's edge. Use a hose clamp to clip the worklight's shade to the 45-degree elbow.

4. GIVE IT LEGS

Assemble the lamp base using two tees, four 90-degree elbows, and 10 close nipples. Insert nipples into the openings of the tee and elbow fittings. Finger-tighten the connections. To make feet, screw the pipe-cap fittings to the nipples.

Screw in a bulb. Plug the cord into the touch dimmer and plug it into an outlet. Hit a pipe to turn it on.