How to Wire a Vintage Lamp
Lighting from a vintage lamp can stir up vivid memories, and the ambiance of a vintage lamp is a nice relief from the fast-paced world. However, the wiring of old lamps may be frayed or otherwise unsafe. To ensure a safe environment, you can rewire a vintage lamp with new and more advanced switches. You can even purchase new wire with vintage nylon wrap that will complete the vintage look of your lamp. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Electric drill
- Drill bits
- Standard lamp kit (with hardware)
- Utility knife
- Lamp bulb
- Saw
Instructions
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1
Flip the base upside down so you can view the inside of the lamp. Measure the length across the bottom of the lamp. Make a pencil mark in the middle of the base and drill a 3/8 inch hole through it. The lamp rod and cord should fit snugly into it without it moving around freely.
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2
Cut the lamp rod to the desired length with the saw. The rod must extend half an inch above the top of the lamp base. Secure the lamp rod with a washer and nut at the bottom of the base. Countersink the washer and nut so the base sits flat.
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3
Guide the lamp cord into the lamp rod from the bottom up through the top, leaving the end with the plug hanging from the bottom of the base of the lamp. The locknut, which is below the neck of the rod, should screw on the lamp rod. Extend the lamp cord through the rod about 3 to 4 inches and screw the neck, larger end downward, onto the rod. Place the harp bottom onto the rod and thread the socket cap onto the lamp rod.
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4
Take the cord and separate it about 2 inches. Use the utility knife tostrip about ½ inch of rubber to expose the wiring. Make sure you don't slice into the wiring.
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5
Make an underwriter's knot in the cord end to prevent it from being undone. (An underwriter's knot is made by taking both sections of the wire and making a loop over the opposing wire. Make a loop in each of the two wires and pull through the loop. Do this with both wires and pull the knot taut.) Pull on the plug end of the cord at the base so the knot fits snugly against the socket cap.
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6
Determine which wire is hot and which is neutral. The neutral wire connects to the silver screws on the socket. The hot wire attaches to the gold screws.
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7
Combine the socket shell with the paper liner and place it over the lamp socket. Retract the cord into the lamp and clamp the shell onto the cap, you will hear a click when the shell locks into place.
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8
Lift the sleeves of the harp and squeeze the harp gently to attach it to the harp bottom. Lower the sleeves to attach the harp.
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Tips & Warnings
You may be able to thread wire through the vintage lamp's preexisting holes.
Make sure to remove and properly dispose of old wiring.
