Soapz Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Hello and good morning everyone!!!! So, I found these beautiful vintage lamps on ebay - and the first one finally arrived and I am so very happy with it. Some of you might have noticed that I have been more than unhappy with the ceiling lamps that are being sold. They are either ridiculous expensive, or they are cheap knock-offs made of plastic or they are just plain ugly. I have spent weeks to find materials that can be used to built my own. And I think I am getting close. I found 'spokes' for chandeliers: They haven't arrived yet, so right now the sizes are guesstimated. So, yesterday when the lamp arrived and I looked at it, I realized if one can find the parts it can be built. I am taking this as an excuse and will head out to buy a Dremel drill press. I'm sure I'll need it to make lamps. Here is a picture of the lamp: Basically the body of the lamp looks like a hat pin that has a finial or spindle top at the bottom, a brass tablet bead with four holes drilled in crosswise and a brass turning. The arms are brass tubing with a round bead at the end as a fitting for the shade. Rather simple - but very effective. Here is my poor attempt at a draft: I believe I can find the basic parts and fake the brass turning with beads. Does anyone have an idea where to find glass shades or brass turnings? I really think that a quality lamp can be built. So, any tips, hints and advice to find suitable brass and glass are welcome. I will keep you all updated on the progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsmar4211 Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 No idea on the brass (excpet digging through jewelry findings), but for the glass maybe you can get a glass blower to make some? Maybe there's a bead worker around that can help? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 There are sets of shades like these avaliable now and again; Good luck i. Finding what you are looking for! Hugs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapz Posted September 7, 2014 Author Share Posted September 7, 2014 Thank you Anna and Sue, I just now ordered some Lucite flower beads that might work. I also bookmarked some replacement shades like the one above. I will test the beads first (really cheap) and then move on if they don't work. The brass is what gives me the most headache... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 I know that this is a great place to find lots and lots of brass findings and filigrees (in the UK though) http://www.teepeecrafts.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d1.html Hugs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenannediva Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Many artisans that make chandeliers, etc purchase their supplies from them (or at least use to). They use to (maybe still do) have catalogs available I have a couple of very old ones but now with the website maybe they don't do that anymore. The business was sold from the original owner a few years back. Have not purchased from them for many years and have not explored the website. They use to be at some shows (maybe still are). Sorry for all the (use to notes) but things have changed so much since the good old days sometimes just don't know if anything is the same or not anymore. But they were the place to go for miniature findings for many, many years (maybe still are). http://jar-jaf.com/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Way back when MIL and. I visited the Excel show in London this was the stand I invested the most in so to speak, and I still have a few goodies left... Made my suitcase jingle and jangle while checking it in though... LOL Hugs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapz Posted September 7, 2014 Author Share Posted September 7, 2014 Valerie, thank you - that was exactly what I was looking for - how could I not think of Jar-Jaf. Anna, I ordered the spokes from TeePee - I was really happy to find them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Chris, I squirreled some of those spokes along with me back home... Every now and then I get that box of stuff out and ponder what I might do with them.... Hugs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapz Posted September 7, 2014 Author Share Posted September 7, 2014 Anna, I want to use them to hang crystals from for chandeliers. I promise if I can ever figure out how to make a great working lamp/chandelier I will post it here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Chris, there are long pins with a bend at the top that you could modify. More years ago than I care to admit DH & I found a wire bending jig at a Ben Franklin store; Micro Mark caries them now. You can find treble fishhooks in the sporting goods departmants of most big box sporting goods stores and clip off the barbs with wire cutters, and lucite and glass beads can most definitely serve as lampshades/ globes. I think Radio Shack still carries grain-of-wheat and grain-of-rice lightbulbs, as well as wiring and transformers; and hobby shops that carry model railroad and radio-controlled models often carry brass tubing small enough for your purposes; as, of course, does Micro Mark (they also carry tube benders). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannonc60 Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 The JAR-JAF people have books to make lights, one of which I have a copy of. It has some great ideas. Making chandeliers is something that I'll be having a go at too in the near future so would be interested to see how you go with this. I think they will be a lot of work, but I can't afford the really fancy ones either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 I happened to notice tiny brass tubes, both round and square, at the Ace Hardware in Algiers (New Orleans), and I'm pretty sure I remember seeing this kind of stuff in other hardware stores. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapz Posted September 7, 2014 Author Share Posted September 7, 2014 So far I have: - brass tubing - lucite flower beads - hollow beads for the lamp body - metal odds and ends for lamp bodies in general - mini glass beads - Czech and Svarovski - spokes What I still need: Dremel drill press - hahahaha wire bulbs/leds I'm hunting on ebay for the bulbs - I'm going to make a few test purchases to see what is there and how it looks and how it all fits together. Thank you everyone, the light situation has been driving me nuts for some time now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 I've ordered from jar jaf in the past year and had no problems, nice lady on the other end of the emails. Definitely wish they (along with hanky panky for flower kits)would go to a regular website format with a shopping cart, rather than having to wait a day or two sending emails back and forth. Sounds like you're having fun, good luck with your lights! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Chris, DH found me a drill press stand for my Dremel at Sears. The little vise to hold material to be drissed is available at Harbor Freight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 You can purchase a bundle of 100 gow or gor bulbs from Micro Mark. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapz Posted September 8, 2014 Author Share Posted September 8, 2014 Holly, I think the wire bending jig needs a new home.... thanks for the tip. There is an online store called Tyler tool that sells the drill press and a fitting vise for Dremel. I'll check the one at Harbor Freight first though. Gayle, I am watching bulbs on ebay - I'll try to buy them as cheap as possible.... hahahaha. Thank you. I'm trying to prevent going on the Mirco Mark website - there is too much stuff and way too many tools that I want.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennybee Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 This place has some lights, lamp shades, globe cover thing-a-ma-bobs and stuff here. Only thing is you have to have a minimum $$ to purchase. Its probably why I have not ordered from them yet. but I do like that more and more places are offering DIY. I wish places offered more popular furniture in a varnish or bare option. I think I need to buy sanding paper in bulk! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapz Posted September 8, 2014 Author Share Posted September 8, 2014 Jenny, I strip most furniture and refinish. I don't like that overdone lacquer look, also most furniture has not been sanded properly - I want my furniture to look real. I try buying cheap on ebay and then redo - right now I am working on an armoire which came out beautiful. I only need to find a micro mirror pane and press the back panel of it straight.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gee Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Also thinking about making my own light fixtures. But that's for the future. However, I am always on the lookout for parts that I can use. Teepeecrafts and jar jaf sells some nice parts, Marijke Bindels does also. www.bindelsornaments.nl also, some bead shops sell nice glass beads that you could use as shades(? or I believe that is the right word) I like to browse the sites of shops that sell stuff for making journals, scrapbooking. The thingies with arms you show in the picture are very useable as the arms of a chandelier. You could also use a fishhook, the ones with multiple hooks, sharp end removed, for a non working chandelier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Chris, if your mirror needs are small enough mylar works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gee Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 forgot to mention you can find how to's on pinterest; but even if you don't look at those, you'll manage as long as you remember just 1 wire through a tube. It is a lot of fiddly diddly though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennybee Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Jenny, I strip most furniture and refinish. I don't like that overdone lacquer look, also most furniture has not been sanded properly - I want my furniture to look real. I try buying cheap on ebay and then redo - right now I am working on an armoire which came out beautiful. I only need to find a micro mirror pane and press the back panel of it straight.... I have done the ebay route too and the discount/scratch and dent section at the local show.good luck finding the mirror. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summersethomes Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 this is good news and exciting stuff, it's like you read my mind because I too want to make my own lights I'll be watching to see how this turns out ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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