Floppy Anglepoise!

[ToneArm]

Hi there, I'm doing up a nice 1227. It's looking good already without needing a re-paint - being black it was easy to just touch up the chips and scratches.

The joints in the arms are now tight and staying put but I can not get the shade to stay up. I have squeezed up the c-shaped bracket but it keeps flopping downwards. I assume the pivots have just worn, however there's a spring available from a specialist supplier, it looks like a curved bit of spring steel. I can't imagine where it would go, but I don't think my lamp has one at any rate.

I'm going to try adding some fibre washers next but all advice gratefully received! Also if anyone knows an easy way to get rusty springs back to shiny, please do tell.

Thanks
Glyn

The springs on an Anglepoise are zero length springs, very interesting, see here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring...length_springs They where designed for proper filament lamps and using LED ones (if one does), which are heavier cause them to droop. In all it is a very ingenious mechanism

[Nickthedentist]

I don't think Glyn's talking about the coil springs near the base though, MM.

Rather, whatever's fitted at the joint between the upper arm and the shade.

N.

[ToneArm]

That's right, it' just the shade being stubbornly floppy. I think i've worked out what the leaf springy thing is, it's part of the clip for the shade bracket and i do have one in the arm tube!

Fibre washers didn't do much, sadly. Maybe it needs stiffer flex.

[Nickthedentist]

Can't you re-tension the leaf spring?

Post some pics for us... It's ages since I've done one of these.

N.

[mark_in_manc]

The spring clip which holds the shade contracts to leave a gap of about 1" between the ends once the shade is removed, on my one. Maybe that will help you find out if the tension is correct on yours.

cheers
Mark

[Station X]

I'm not sure of how the shade is attached to the 'C' bracket. Try inserting screws from inside the shade and then tightening nuts on to the outside of the shade. You could then put the screw threads through the 'C' bracket and use wing nuts and spring washers to hold the shade in the required position.

Counter balancing the shade and lamp by adding concealed weights is another possibility.

[Nickthedentist]

Isn't the attachment of the shade to the bracket merely by virtue of the springiness of the bracket, no nuts and bolts being employed?

[Nickthedentist]

EDIT: Maybe not, see here: https://media-houseologydesign.netdn...177ls2_101.jpg

[ToneArm]

Mine is by springy bracket alone. Now it is stripped of bulb holder and flex it is worse still, I think the weight and size of the bulb holder might be important. The back of the holder probably intended to be the counterweight, Graham. The one fitted was not original, it was metal but very short at the back. I'll go find a more substantial one with a switch today.

[GeoffK]

Originally Posted by ToneArm

I'm going to try adding some fibre washers next but all advice gratefully received! Also if anyone knows an easy way to get rusty springs back to shiny, please do tell.

Have you tried rubber washers to give more grip. Rusty springs would need anti rust treatment and re-chroming.

[yesnaby]

You could araldite on some non-slip metal washers to give a bit of grip.

[ToneArm]

It's all about balance, it turns out. It now has a bulb holder with a bit more mass at the back and my shade is standing proudly. Merlinmaxwell was absolutely right about low energy bulbs being too heavy as well.

Thanks for all comments. Just got the flex to thread now.
Glyn

[Nickthedentist]

Well done, that's interesting to know.

I wonder if they make an 'Anglepoise' designed for the heavier bulbs?

[Boater Sam]

Yes they do. Have a look on anglepoise.co.uk At £3750 it may be a wee bit pricey, and large.

There are smaller ones at just £185, comparable to the price (in real terms) when they first came out.

[ToneArm]

I just added a concealed weight at the back, as Graham suggested this morning (two old collets painted black) and it can now stay up with an LED bulb. I'm sure the new ones won't be as nice as this one.

[emeritus]

I got one (which I still have) in 1968 for my 21st birthday. AFAIR it cost around £7. Its original Bakelite switched BC holder gave out some years ago, and I replaced it by a Brass one.

One minor issue I have had is that the centre of light of the later, smaller, GLS BC bulbs lies deeper in the reflector, affecting the beam distribution, but fortunately I still have a stock of original-sized bulbs that I can use. At present I am using a 40W frosted reflector bulb, having picked up half a dozen from a local charity shop at 10p each last year.

[Herald1360]

I used reflector bulbs in my Anglepoise for years- they solved the overheating of the shade caused by its internal silvering having worn off, nowadays it's a GU10 mains LED with a bayonet adaptor that is both forward shining only and only 10% of the heat. It looks a bit odd but functions just fine.

I've also sorted out some balance problems with judiciously placed solder wire wraps on the various arms. It's a tatty but effective workhorse rather than a thing of beauty, though.