In which Rolanni solicits advice and assistance

[rolanni]

At 4:47 this evening, it was pitch dark on the outside of the house -- a circumstance made more dire by the fact that it was raining.

This had the not-exactly-unexpected-result of making me regret the demise of the reading lamp even more than I already did -- and, believe me, my sorrow on that front is non-trivial, mostly because I am sick to death of buying lamps that promise Forever and keep dying after a couple years. Dernit, I want a lamp I can have a Lasting Relationship with. A Forever Lamp.

So, advice: Where/How can I acquire a decent reading lamp? I can't spend a gazillion dollars, but considering the amount of money I've wasted on these consumptive brass things over the last five or six years, I'm perfectly willing to spend a bit of cash to get something that's gonna be able to keep up with me for years to come.


And! Assistance: Who is going to a convention or a book fair, or belongs to a reading group, has a relationship with a bookstore manager (or, yanno, is a bookstore manager) -- and can take some Carousel Tides postcards to put on the freebie table/in the goody bag/distribute? I have some left over from my various efforts and they might as well go to good homes.

If you can help, drop me a note at rolanniATkorvalDOTcom and I'll pop some in the mail to you.

In other news, I have created an Elegant Draped Effect for my back window, which remains shut all winter. Steve does not understand my drapey thing; especially he does not understand it on one window only. He wonders if I can't cut the existing one in half and drape both windows, in the service of symmetry.

Great Art is always misunderstood.

Comments

[alicebentley]

I would love to help get the word out on Carousel Tides. I will be a SteamCon in a couple of weeks, and there's a bookstore here on our little island that hosts a display of fliers and bookmarks.

Alice Bentley, POBox 2419, Vashon WA 98070

Reading lamps

[(Anonymous)]

Check out the full-spectrum lamps at Verilux (<veriluxonline@verilux.com>). We purchased one for my mother for Christmas a year or so ago and she appears to like it very much.

M.C. Thomson, Harrisburg, PA
11/9/2010

Bookmarks

[missingvolume.livejournal.com]

Toss some in my order if it hasn't gone out and I'll include them with all the chapbook sales I get.

Re: Bookmarks

[sraun]

If they don't have them already, I'm willing to drop some off at Dreamhaven & Uncle Hugo's.

Scott Raun, 3928 11th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407

?

[thomas stewart (from livejournal.com)]

I am puzzled - how does a lamp fail? I ask because its never happened to me, except maybe some cheapo flex lamps back in college. Bulbs fail, shades get a little ratty from multiple moves and indifferent housekeeping, but the lamp itself still works when I turn the knob (barring only the bulb thing). The lamp by my couch is an Ethan Allen I inherited from my parents after I moved once while leaving all my furniture behind, and it's since held up through 7 moves and a some dubious municipal power. So it's at least 12 years old (I don't recall how long they had it before I got it) and was chosen by my step-mother for looks rather than utility. Did I get wildly lucky and other lamps just up and die for no good reason? Weird.

Re: ?

[keristor.livejournal.com]

I was wondering the same, the only time I've known a lamp (as opposed to the replaceable bulb) to fail was using too high power so that it overheated and burnt out (the answer to that, as the doctor said, is "don't do that then").

My bedroom reading light is an anglepoise (the sort seen in the Pixel "Luxo Jr." animation, except it's not that brand) fitted with a 40W R63 'spot' bulb pointed at the ceiling. That diffuses the light, and pointing upwards lets the heat escape which improves the bulb life (I get around 2000 hours from an ordinary tungsten bulb, about twice its rated life, they are rated for downward-pointing fittings). In general I favour ceiling-pointed lighting.

The solutions to bulbs failing are simple: 1) keep a stock of them, 2) use longer-lasting bulbs, like CFL (if you can stand the things) or halogen (and note that the latter produce around 40% extra light and so heat the fitting less for the same light output). But if they are failing regularly at less than half the rated life there is something wrong with the fitting, or they are being power-cycled too much (turning a bulb off for only a minute is a false economy, most failures are when power is applied).

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

One of the lamps that has lasted the longest is a plain gooseneck lamp. By pointing it toward a wall or ceiling it provides wonderful soft indirect light for reading, especially with a 100 watt bulb.

Stock up on bulbs -- we are about to be cursed with those environmentally destructive fluorescent things.

[amm-me.livejournal.com]

Well, I've had the Ikea lamp I mentioned a couple of posts ago for ... hmmm ... maybe 4 years now, and so far it's fine. Though leaving it on all night at a time when it was placed with the shade less than two feet above a desk was a mistake. Moth got inside the glowing paper bubble, creating a flickering shadow like a laser pointer in reverse, Agate-cat (probably, though it could have been Alabaster) stretched to his full height to catch the fascinating thing, and .... Pointy ends definitely win over paper.

The full-spectrum lights are very nice. You can often score an Ott-Lite (sic) at Hobby Lobby or Michael's with a 40%-off coupon.

Is it the socket that went bad? Sometimes you can get a socket at the hardware store and replace it, if the lamp design is not too weird and inaccessible.

Ott lites

[(Anonymous)]

A lot of my friends that do needlework love the Ott Lites & similar brands. JoAnn's is having a sale on-line at the moment.

My favorite reading lamp is a "torchier" style floor lamp I got at Target. (I probably spelled that wrong - it's the kind that points up rather than down.) I like it because it uses 2 200 watt bulbs and really lites the entire room. I know that sounds like overkill, but it's a big room and there's no overhead lighting at all. I prefer the lamp pointing up, rather than down, because I think it results in less glare.

Mary

Re: Ott lites

[readinggeek451]

Just a data point: "full-spectrum" lighting isn't for everyone. I hated hated hated it and took the lamp back. The color was waaaaay too blue and gave me instant eyestrain headaches.

[doccolt.livejournal.com]

Perhaps a description of that which you are seeking? I too have very old and ratty lamps which still work with an occasional new bulb.

Lamps

[barb-in-md.livejournal.com]

Seconding the Verilux idea. I've had mine 6 or so years. It gets several hours of use a day and I haven't even had to replace the bulb yet. And the light is so comfortable for my aging eyes.

[(Anonymous)]

Burton from Montreal

Just what particular type of light bulb that you preferred? Conventional incandescent, Halogen, compact fluorescent (AKA mercury vapor) or the new fang-go LED bulbs? They all got their pros & cons.

If the wiring in the reading lamp is still good. Try replacing the fail light bulb with an enclosed globular compact fluorescent type that is for reading.

Hope you are not talking about a halogen tube lamp (typically 300 watts) that toasted the sockets & wiring. Those things last about 3 months for the halogen bulbs and about 3 1/2 years before you have to rebuild the lamp. The underwriters preferred these lamps to disappear since they constitute a fire hazard. Is hard to find them in stores now.

Reading Lamps

[(Anonymous)]

I have two Ikea LIVAL 'Anglepoise' style fluorescent desk lamps here. Both came with clamp on table edge mounts, but I bought the extra cast iron base to make one of them tabletop free standing. Both have a 'wallwart' ballast so the lamp itself is light and slim.

The first was bought in 1992 and had a aluminium card reflector behind its roughly handspan long, 1" wide U shaped fluorescent tube. That reflector eventually dropped out of the plastic lamp head and a replacement was made by simply spray-gluing kitchen foil into the shell behind the bulb.

The other was bought as a replacement for one that broke in about 1998. If used daily, they need a new tube about every three or four years, and as they don't have the balance springs of a genuine Anglepoise, you must make sure the joint screws in the arm are snugged up two or three times a year. DON'T overtighten the sideways pivot screw where the stalk meets the head, that's how the other original one broke. One is about 18 years and the other 12 and both are still going strong.

If you don't like fluorescent light, I recommend finding a 50 year old or older genuine Anglepoise light and reconditioning it. Its arm needs to be in mechanically fair to good condition, with the chrome on the springs in reasonable condition, no cracked or broken arm rod ends or missing screws and the spun aluminium shade needs to be in acceptable condition. Have it fully rewired with an all brass and ceramic SWITCHED bulb socket to replace the ratty old Bakelite one. Your tame 'sparks' must check for rough or sharp edges where the cable enters each arm segment and smooth any off he finds. The bulb socket shell and the arm base must both be grounded. You can have the arm and base re-spayed if you must, but if the shade needs painting, you MUST use high temperature paint. Personally, I just touched in the worst scratches on the shade with a black marker. An inline dimmer can be added in the new cord if you wish. You now have a full choice of bulbs, spot or conventional, and with a ceramic socket an all metal Anglepoise will safely take up to a 100W bulb for a really bright work light. DO NOT leave it switched unattended on and pointed at a flammable surface from a distance of less than two feet or, especially with a spot bulb, it could cause a fire hazard. Also if up-rating to 100W tell your tame 'sparks' to use high temperature wire and beware, the shade gets uncomfortably hot. Not hot enough to burn if you move it, but not comfortable to hold for long. Given ordinary care and attention you will be able to will it to the next generation. (May that be many many years away.)

Regards

Ian.M
in London, UK - Ex TV & small appliance repairman.

[dmellieon.livejournal.com]

I too can recommend a "natural" or "full spectrum" light lamp for reading. It was recommended to me by my eye doctor for helping with headaches that occurred during my reading frenzies. I have three OttLite lamps. They are pricey, heavy and use speciality bulbs but I've been very happy with them for the past 5 years. I have friends who swear by their Verilux floor reading lamps that they have had for about 10 years.
If you want to try a full spectrum light but end up getting your current lamp repaired or a finding a "standard" lamp you love, then I can recommend natural light bulbs for standard socket lamps. GE and Phillips both make them. Hope this helps, if not, if you could post what you are hunting for such as a brass floor lamp, or a wood table lamp or metal clamp lamp or what have you, I will gladly help internet window shop!

[saffronrose.livejournal.com]

I love fullspectrum bulbs & lamps!

In our Santa Cruz house (before we moved to Silly Valley) we had two uuuugly boxed fluorescent lighting. Two of the tubes failed, and I went to the hardware store to get replacements. I found some "daylight" tubes, and bought two. I took them home, a tall friend installed them, and I turned around, went back to the store, and bought two more and some new plastic diffuser sheets to go under them. The difference made such a difference in that dimmish corridor we called the kitchen. I do deal with SAD, and I hate being in dimly-lit rooms. Dim outside is completely different!

[isabellag.livejournal.com]

I think there should be some rules around curtain purchasing, the first one of which should be "don't let the men come with you". Men don't get the curtain thing at all. They never understand why you need three times the width of the window to get a decent effect, and they certainly don't understand the 'multiply window width by three & then divide total by one curtain panel width to find out how many panels you need' thingy.

Good luck with the lamp search - I have an Anglepoise I bought years ago at our office supplies outlet - sturdy, reliable, inoffensive looking.

[keristor.livejournal.com]

As a man, I resemble that remark *g*. No, I don't see why curtains need to be more than the window size plus a bit for overlaps (say 6-9 inches each edge). Nor, for that matter, do I see any reason for them to be anything other than black, the purpose is to keep the outside out and the inside in (hmm, perhaps I could see a point of having white or silver on the inside to keep the light in rather than absorbing it).

(Dividing the total by the panel size (including the Finagle factor) and rounding up is what you do, though. A Finagle factor of 3 is excessive.)

I'm not only a man but also an engineer. Use the minimum quantity to do the job efficiently...

reading lamp

[claire774.livejournal.com]

I have had some experience in finding a good lamp. I live in a tiny town in southern UT so nothing here. And...even if I were to drive the hour and one half to our nearest largish town, St. George, I could run around all the stores which sell lamps and not find the kind I wanted: a torchiere floor lamp which isn't very common. Also called an uplighter lamp it bounces the light off the ceiling to light a whole room. So I went on Amazon which sells lamps itself but also gives space to lots of other merchants who sell lamps. In not too long I found my lamp and ordered it. As you know on web sites there is a photo of each lamp with a description and the price. The lamps sold by Amazon itself have buyer reviews also. It's easy. The lamp arrives at your front door in not too many days. If from Amazon you pay no shipping assuming it costss more than $25.00. Unfortunately for me the lamp I wanted is sold by one of their affliated merchants so I had to wait a bit longer for it to arrive and pay shipping. But it was worth it. I got the most terrific lamp. Very nice design. Was on sale at the time. And I didn't need to leave the house to buy it. Don't know how long it will last. But so far so good. On Amazon probably hundreds of reading lamps await you. I wanted a lamp which takes traditional light bulbs. However lamps taking every kind of light bulbs are available with every kind of shade and switch. Probably most light bulbs are available to you locally which is not the case where I live. That's why the traditional bulbs for me. Happy lamping. Good luck. C.

[saffronrose.livejournal.com]

Joann's Fabrics online, http://www.joann.com/joann/home/home.jsp, has OTT full-spectrum lamps at 50% off most of the time.
This lamp http://www.lumenlight.com/captivadesk.html (out of stock hre, let me k=find another vendor) is my favorite OTT light. It is not ugly! It has a white shade, so that you don't get a bit of light above and below the DARK. Bleah. It also adjusts in height. Here it is at the OTT site: http://www.ottlite.com/p-223-captiva-bedside-lamp-reg-16999-sale-6499.aspx

/www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/ did not impress me. They did have dimmable lamps, and there was one desk lamp that looked good, but $169 plus shipping? Nope.
eBay? Nope.

Oooh--lookie here: http://www.ottlite.com/c-39-desktable.aspx They have a couple of new models, and some are on sale. Then there's the scratch/dent sale: http://www.ottlite.com/c-122-scratch-dent.aspx

I love OTT lights for their true-color aspect, and in a dark room, they act a little like a SAD light therapy lamp. My MiL loves the gooseneck floor lamps for her watercolor classes, esp. since there is no good lighting to that side of the room--she has two for each end of the table.

I hope this helps. I do have my biases where lamps are concerned. Now if you want a Tiffany-style lamp at a price you think is reasonable, that I can find, too. Tiffany lamps and stained glass are some of my weaknesses.

OT: Carousel Tides

[keristor.livejournal.com]

I haz one! After Amazon UK said "we haven't got any from the distributor, it'll be mid December if you're lucky" it arrived at work yesterday. Mind you, Amazon do that, I've gone home in the evening sometimes and found two emails an hour apart one saying "we don't have any" and the other saying "we've shipped it".

[6-penny.livejournal.com]

How reliable is your electricity. If you have small power surges they can wear out bulbs and socket wiring. (Sockets can be replaced.)
It it is the bulb, the expensive incandescent full spectrum bulbs are well worth the price. I put one in a lamp that I regularly whack with the vacuum. It had eaten regular bulbs. The full spectrum lasted three years of constant use. It also made for much less eye strain.

[(Anonymous)]

I find this (http://www.firemountaingems.com/details.asp?PN=H202995TL) daylight-mimicking fluorescent great for reading. You can easily aim it at a ceiling or wall for indirect light. Comes in desktop model or floor stand. The base is heavy enough to make it cat proof over three years of daily use. The light is on 2-6 hours each evening and I haven't needed to change a bulb yet.

Nancy

LampFail?

[(Anonymous)]

Let me add my query to those asking: "What exactly does it mean to say the lamp died?". I think I've had one lamp die on me in the last 30 years; that was a cheap halogen torchiere whose switch stopped switching.

This seems to be a recurrence. What, exactly, do the lamps stop doing?

Power

[spudsmom.livejournal.com]

There was a previous comment on power fluctuations, I have surge protectors on most of my electrical devices because of lightening but it may save any future lamp, whatever no doubt charming device you chose. Also your fondness for antiques is well documented, while I do not discount the possibility for a lamp curse on your head or home, you might want to buy new this time and add a decent surge protector just to see how that goes.