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Gallery, Projects and General => Project Logs => Topic started by: wquiles on December 30, 2009, 08:02:25 PM

Title: making a new base for a shop lamp ...
Post by: wquiles on December 30, 2009, 08:02:25 PM

Good lighting helps with the pictures that I take, and I typically use two lamps, one on each side.  About a week ago the weak plastic base of one of them (of course, the cheaper one!) broke off:
(http://m3coupe.com/Tools/DSCF9692.JPG)


I decided to make something a "little" bit stronger by using a small rectangular piece of 6061.  It was also an excuse to try out the higher HP motor on my VFD conversion.  I started taking a 0.5" wide cut, and taking 0.030" and larger chunks to see how well it worked.  Here I am cutting with a two-insert 1" dia cutter:
(http://m3coupe.com/Tools/DSCF9871.JPG)


You can see the progressively larger cuts on the first side (top to bottom, all of them at 0.5"):
(http://m3coupe.com/Tools/DSCF9872.JPG)
 

but on the other side I got more aggressive and cut the 1" inch cut on 3 passes: 0.3", 0.3", and 0.4" (again, all of them at 0.5"):
(http://m3coupe.com/Tools/DSCF9873.JPG)
 

I then finished cleaning up the edges a little (no effort was made to  make the part look pretty):
(http://m3coupe.com/Tools/DSCF9874.JPG)
 

then drill all 5 holes:
(http://m3coupe.com/Tools/DSCF9875.JPG)
 
(http://m3coupe.com/Tools/DSCF9876.JPG)
 

The finished piece next to the broken one:
(http://m3coupe.com/Tools/DSCF9877.JPG)
 
(http://m3coupe.com/Tools/DSCF9878.JPG)
 

and in use, with the original cheap lamp:
(http://m3coupe.com/Tools/DSCF9879.JPG)
 

and with the heavier, much nicer lamp:
(http://m3coupe.com/Tools/DSCF9880.JPG)
 

Will

Title: Re: making a new base for a shop lamp ...
Post by: chuck foster on December 30, 2009, 08:11:54 PM

nice job will  :thumbup:

i had the same problem with one of the lights in my shop..........so i did the same as you.

chuck  :wave:

Title: Re: making a new base for a shop lamp ...
Post by: Divided he ad on December 30, 2009, 08:41:51 PM

Nice job there Will..... Makes me feel all lazy!!

I just drilled a hole through my bench for mine! ::)





Ralph.

Title: Re: making a new base for a shop lamp ...
Post by: Powder Keg on December 30, 2009, 09:47:51 PM

Nice job!!! I buy those at thrift stores and they are always missing the base. You can pick them up for a couple of bucks usually. Here is a base I make. It's wood that's glued and screwed together. Then a coat of paint and your set:o)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Lighting001.jpg)

Title: Re: making a new base for a shop lamp ...
Post by: wquiles on December 30, 2009, 11:17:53 PM

Thank you guys.  I am also happy to see that I am not the only one using these lamps.  It is cool to hear and see how you guys have dealt with the poor/fragile bases - there are many ways to skin this cat  :D