Mission Lamp, Prairie Style: Part Three:

Mission Lamp, Prairie Style: Part Three

Part Three: Planning the Planning:

            As with any plan, there will be guidance that fits your skills and shop tools.  If you do not have a table saw, miter saw and patience, a CCM is probably beyond what you should attempt. Hand tools can only take you so far. I had the equipment and after all the wood projects I had completed, this one was a challenge for the simple fact that angle cuts were not a regular and routine skill that I exercised. And, on top of that, I was probably not so good at angles.  With little more than the White article, I set out on this project.

            After completing this for the first time, I assure you and myself that the learning curve has been conquered and the lack of knowledge has been replaced with experience and understanding the cuts necessary to make the next CCM project more user friendly.
First Considerations:  This Blog is a bow to the White Article for its insights and introduction.  At the same time  I provide my comments and opinions.  Once you have built a few I am sure you will have your own thoughts. 

                      Initial Thoughts.  I had built lamps before. Southwestern look and feel with a Kokopelli image at the front, store bought lamp shade.  So, I had some experience with lamp hardware.  The White article called for  stained glass to fit the inside of the shade. I knew that was heavy as, well, sheet art glass, times four sides.  White recommended the harp style hardware that you have in your home lamps.   My planning based on prior experience  and using lamps pointed me to threaded pipe dedicated to lamp use.  I have used harps before on southwestern style lamps. No doubt that they work well and will be used into the future.  Still, if you are going to the effort to research, design and create a Mission lamp, prairie style, consider using the best material for the project.  The lamp hardware should be of the same quality as the rest of the project.

     With that said,  here are some facts and photos to assist you in your decisions on lamp hardware.  The harp style gets its name from  its shape.

Harp

Harp coupler

  I  like the use of two light fixtures. Pull chain and harp hardware does not offer those features in easily sourced locations.  There are specialty lighting vendors on line that do have a two light cluster, pull chain harp configuration.  As shown, the harp has two spring connections that are covered with collars.

 The result is a connection that is subject to inherent movement, wiggle and, well, sloppy connection.  Adding to the sloppy connection is the connection of the shade to the harp.  As shown, it offers a connection with a nut to the harp.  BUT, note that the harp shade bracket has a friction fit pivot  point.

Harp shade bracket

Low weight paper shade

That feature works well for the use of low weight shades that can be pivoted to allow light  to spill from the shade on your work/reading.

The size of the Mission/Prairie shade  you are building is not designed for tilting. AND, if you plan on using art glass, the harp will NOT support the shade and

the slop of the fittings will make for a flimsy final product.

Threaded pipe coupler, nuts and lock 

  Here is single fact to consider as defining the use of  threaded pipe and all the related fittings and not the harp.  In one word, HEIGHT.  The harp  is a fixed height. From the  spring coupler  bracket to the shade bracket, there is just one height.  With threaded pipe,you can adjust the height from the base to the light cluster and at the top of the light cluster, to the underside of the shade.

Mission Lamp, Prairie style, amber mica, .030 gauge, two light  bracket, threaded pipe

A single bulb, electric light socket sitting on top of the base is not very stable or strong and certainly not stable enough for a large wooden shade structure and art glass.   I knew I would be using different hardware and you should to.  The White specified harp is under engineered for the White shade in my opinion. It will work I am sure. There are more stable solutions that merit investing in some time and effort.  

Next: Part Four: Sourcing Sources.