Convert floor lamp to ceiling lamp
Looking around on the net for ideas I could not find where any one had done what I plan. Folks converting all kinds of stuff to table lamps, or hanging swag lamp but not using/converting floor lamp. I'm sure there are, so heres one more for the next person searching. Its is doable. The difficulty obviously will be how your lamp is built.
So the beginning... after looking at new replacement table lights, most were too low for intended use. Did find some wall mount adjustable lamps that would work. Also some ceiling lamps, adjustable pendants, some with pulleys and stuff- some very cool ones with equal prices. Wow.
Then I revisited our floor lamp. What I saw was part of the pole hanging from ceiling. It would put the light where we want it. Kinda reminiscent of old down pole lights, where ceilings were very high. Because it would be on pole likely need brace to wall. That really was what for some reason intrigued me. The hard mount pole from ceiling with pole to wall.
So I took the light apart to see what and IF I could do something. The main task is converting the weighted floor base to canopy to attach to ceiling. Then figure out how to attach something from lower part of pole to wall. I saw using part of the pole mounted at right angle, notched to fit, joined using threaded pipe thru down tube with decorative knob. Without considering details that need to be worked out appears on the surface somehow it can be done, so proceeded.
First thing I discover is our pole lamp is sectioned and the threaded inserts are pressed into the 30" sections. Hmm, will make the brace more difficult. I was thinking, like many lamps, pieces were slid over lengths of 1/4" pipe. As we don't have a box and this is to mounted on 4x4 on ceiling ceiling mount will need some creative thought. Easiest would be attaching loops and hanging from chain. But cant get past the pole-that's what I want to see.
Most drop lights have a metal strap that's screwed to ceiling box with bolts sticking down, light is put up with bolts sticking thru canopy and secured with small nuts or alternately long screws go thru canopy into the ceiling mount strap. However as I have a pole that needs to be threaded to the strap and I need to screw the strap to ceiling the canopy is in the way. Chicken before the egg ....Possibly could add spacers between canopy and ceiling strap, thread thru both into ceiling. As canopy's to thin to support (rigid mount) light and simple screwing it to ceiling it needs bracket.
Solve- went to hardware and picked up a light hanging kit. Close on canopy color matching the lamp. No pictures but I had to use a few fittings to match lamps thread, but the hanger bar is attached to light down pole. Only difference in this and standard install is I have to screw the hanger bar WITH lamp attached to ceiling. But still simple fix. The new canopy is just decorative cover hiding the hard mount hardware. Once happy took it all down again.
THen I made the side attachment pole. Lamp needs it for stability and help support but mostly its what I envisioned. Somewhere-sometime along time ago this image is something I saw. I took a 1/2 eyebolt 10" long and filed inside eye to slid over tube. Then bushed a 3/8" pipe plate to 1/2-20 thread. After a lot of measuring I got length that eye bolt needed to be once screwed into plate to end up with eye centered with down tube. Not the easiest task. I hung lamp this half a dozen times. When I finally got what I thought right, rehung light to verify it worked. THen took it all down again to cut section of pole to cover side support.
This is second try. Filing fish mouth to match down pole diameter and then slotting for the eyebolt eye. Fist one I cut to length, by the time I had the fish mouths close over all was too short. Once I had a good fit on the pole and eyebolt I slowly cut down to length. The pipe plate is spun on and tightens the section of pole against down pole and eyebolt. As pipe plate has a pretty good radius to center thread boss, it self centers the pole section.
I drilled the poles for lamp cord and then decided I needed a little more tie-in between down and side poles. Plus some decoration. Found this small shelf bracket. Amazing though a bit of hammer tone texture the color couldn't be closer. Riveted to the side pole.
I replaced the 3 way bulb socket that lamp had with a standard lamp on/off socket, added about 12' of cord. Assembling while routing the wire simultaneously interesting but got it. I had added 2 layers of shrink tubing to the wire that's inside tubing so added to the difficulty. There's enough wire inside to pull the bulb socket to remove if needed. The eyebolt and pipe plate eventually will just get painted. The eyebolt would have been nice to cover with something but alluded me. I had picked up a small decorative acorn to add to outside of eye but skipped it. Drilling and tapping the eye at this point just seemed like pushing my luck. Anxious to see lamp hung.
Hung! I am really liking it. Though execution just a tad beyond my ability it works for me. Haven't figured out what to do with cord. Wishing I could find some turn of the century stand offs and use some small tube to go down the beam. Give sort of a gas supplied look but have no idea where stuff like that might be found.
Cord is kinda draped behind chair. I'm going to run behind post and down to floor and plug into the side tables power strip.
Nice fuzzy picture but wire run. Used some wire mold to cover cord. The switch on the lamp is proving to be a bit of a pain. Its on back side of lamp, which hangs over table. Just a pain to use. I was going to add inline switch on cord but means opening the table top to access. Then Margaret left for the day, I pondered the switch.. Lamp is also quite bright as bulb is exposed a dimmer would be nice.
Out of nowhere I decided to build a dimmer switch box.
Good thing Margarets not here to see this on her new carpet-furniture apart and tools everywhere :)
Used a metal wiremold box to house new dimmer switch. Attached its base to table.
Bored the table for cords. Wrapped the wire mold box with matching table paneling, setting on floor just in front of table. Didn't get any pictures but the dimmer switch I prewired. I made 2 sections of cord. One with male end the other female. Wired both halves to the dimmer switch or between the 2 halves. The hot line goes thru the dimmer, the white returns are wire nutted together and the ground are attached to dimmer (and box). So from the dimmer switch are both the male & female ends of cord.
Running both ends of the 'extension' cord to inside the table I mounted the dimmer switch. It plugs into power strip inside of table, the new lamp, with its switch in on position, plugs into the dimmer switch female outlet.
Basically a grounded inline on/off dimmer switch. Worked pretty slick. She now has full control of the light without leaving the "chair". I really debated which chair this should face.
