Table Lamp With Busted Plastic Candle Cover Repaired

A customer brought in this lamp the other day with a broken piece on the lamp body. The piece was a plastic candle cover used in the lamp body just below the lamp socket. We are not sure what type of accident caused the break (fall off the table or hit by something), but the lamp seemed doomed to fail with the design. Our repair is going to make a slight modification to the structure without changing the look of the lamp.

First thing to do is unplug the lamp. Then like most other repairs we pry the socket cap from socket shell and remove the socket interior. The lamp cord is pulled from the lamp body so we can remove the damaged parts.

Our mod or change to this lamp is to line the candle cover with a brass tube. This will reduce the stress on the candle cover and keep it from future failure. The lamp parts required for this repair are a 6 inch candelabra white plastic candle cover and brass tube (any material tube would work since it is not seen on the lamp).

The new brass tube is cut to length and slips right into the candle cover.

Back on the lamp we attach a threaded rod on the lamp making it the proper length for the candle cover and the socket cap and harp base. The threaded rod is two rods connected with a brass coupling.

With the rod at the proper length, the lamp is put back together: seating ring, candle cover and brass tube, seating ring, harp base, lock washer, nut, seating ring, and socket cap.

The lamp cord is pushed back in the threaded rod up to the socket cap. Tie a UL Knot in the cord and attach the socket interior. The ribbed wire connects to the nickel screw terminal and the smooth wire connects to the brass screw terminal.

Snap the socket shell back on the socket cap. Add a bulb and test the lamp.

Complete. Total Time < 30 minutes Total Cost < $0.50 (the brass tube was recycled from another project)