Chapter X: Lamp (for Electricity) with Shade

_Material:_ Piece of copper, No. 16, 8 ins. square (base). Piece of copper, No. 24, 10 × 5 ins. (post). Piece of copper, No. 20, 2-1/4 × 2-1/4 ins. (cap). 3 pieces of 1/4-in. round copper, 7 ins. long (for shade holder). Solder. Borax.

_Tools:_ Raising hammer, hard wood block, anvil stake, drill press, piece of discarded broom handle, dividers.

_Directions:_ Make a 2-1/2-in. circle in the centre of the 8-in. square plate. Drive this centre up about 1/2 in. above the level, tapering on the top to about 1-1/2 in. in diameter. To do this, place the centre over a hole in the wooden block 1-1/2 in. in diameter and drive the metal into the hole to the required depth. (See design.)

Draw a line with the dividers 1/2 in. all around the edge. Be sure the line is an equal distance from the centre. Bend the sides down 1/2 in. all along this line at almost right angles to the surface. This bending is done in the vise. Measure off 1/2 in. in either direction from each corner for the feet, file out a section 1/4 in. deep and 7 ins. long, as was done in making the feet for the square box.

_Centre post:_ Take the 10 × 5-in. piece and bend it around the piece of broom handle (or any other piece of round wood the size you wish). The two edges must meet. Scrape and solder, being careful that the solder runs into the joint. File it off flush with the top of the metal and make the column perfectly round. Place the column on the raised part of the base and mark around the column on the base with a pencil. Saw out a hole along the marked line. Push the end of the column in so that it is perpendicular to the base and perfectly true all around. Tie it in place for soldering, with the binding wire, by fastening the wire on the extreme top of the column, and carrying it to the four corners of the base. This centres the column ready for soldering. Wash the joint well, place pieces of silver around the base and column, and heat. The base should be crowned from the centre to the outer edge. To do this, place the centre on any round top wood block. Strike on the outer edges with the wooden mallet until the desired crown is formed. See that it stands plumb and does not rock. If it does rock, tap the base gently on the outer edges with the mallet until it stands firm. File and polish until the surface is perfectly smooth and free from marks of all kinds. The beautiful colours that form on the surface of copper depend much upon the finish. The body of the lamp is now ready for the cap and arms that hold the shade.

_Cap:_ Take a 2-1/4-in. disc. Draw a circle in the centre of this disc, having a diameter equal to the diameter of the top of the column. Place this disc on the edge of an anvil stake and drive the edges of the metal over, forming a cap as described in the making of the lid of the rose jar. Divide this flange equally into three parts, drilling a 1/8-in. hole in each one of the three divisions. Take the three pieces of 1/4-in. round copper. File the ends of each one, making a shoulder on the end 1/8 in. and 1/8 in. in diameter to fit the holes in the flange. Put the end of these rods into the vise with the shoulder close to the top of the vise. Put the cap on the projecting pin, and rivet. Repeat this for all three rods. Wash the rivet joints with borax, and solder. File off any projecting parts so that the inside is flush, as this cap must fit over the column. Place the cap over the column and between the projecting arms drill a small hole through both the cap and the column, and rivet as before.

_Shade, 4-sided or 6-sided:_ This design is for 6 sides. That gives a good proportion.

_Dimensions of each side:_ Side (on a slant) 9 ins., top, 2-1/2 ins. Bottom, 8 ins. (See drawing.) Cut out a pattern for one side. Use stiff card board. Lay this design on a piece of copper large enough to cut out the whole lamp shade. Mark around the pattern. Lay the same pattern against one side of the marked design. Make it fit exactly along the margin line. Repeat until you have done six sides. You have now a fan shaped pattern with six divisions. Cut this along the top and bottom lines.

If folded up along these division lines it would shape up into a lamp shade. All lamp shades have glass for light. We provide for the glass by cutting out a section of each of the six faces. Take your card board pattern. Mark a line all around from 3/4 in. and parallel to the sides, 1 in. from the top and 1 in. from the bottom. Cut out the inner section made by these lines. Place the pattern on the copper and mark each section. Cut it out with the cold chisel on the wooden block. File up the rough places left, make the edges square and smooth. Bend up each section along the centre line in the following way: Get two pieces of wood, 2 × 1/2 × 20 ins. Place the two pieces in a vise and slip the copper between the pieces down to the line where it should be bent. Tighten up on the vise, press the copper over with the hands and tap gently along the lines with the mallet, keeping the angles about 60°. Do this on each of the six sides. If carefully done the shade will have a hexagonal shape. The open parts should come together, one side overlapping about 1/4 in. Hammer down the overlapping part and rivet.

_Glass:_ Cut a piece of card board 1/4 in. larger all around than the opening in the sections for the glass. Take this to a glazier. Tell the dealer just what is wanted and he will make suggestions as to colour, kinds of glass, etc. Cathedral or opalescent glass is very decorative.

_To set the glass:_ Place one of the panes of glass on the inside of the section, over the open space. Mark all around it. Take 4 pieces of copper (3/4 × 3/8 in.) and bend them in a double angle.

These are to be soldered or riveted on the rim. One is placed on either side, one at the top and one at the bottom. This glass rests in these brackets and keeps it in place. Repeat for the six sections. Push the brackets down against the glass after it is in place. They hold it firm against the side of the shade.

The design for this shade lends itself to many variations. It may be square, five-sided, six-sided. The edges can be escalloped both top and bottom, and a sawed out design may be made to fit over the glass.