Let there be light!
We don’t use desk lamps here, not having end tables as such, but we have a couple old torcheres in the living room. They tend to burn out at the same time, and I usually replace them at the same time. So the cycle will probably repeat itself over and over again.
As I’m getting the new bulbs I spot a Walmart sales associate, and ask him where the lamps are, maybe I’ll get another lamp and improve the light.
“Thees way”
I follow him to the aisle I just quitted. “here joo go” he says.
Light fixtures.
“No, I mean lamps. Like floor lamps, desk lamps”
“Jes. lomps. We have many. Choo can see” he does his best imitation of Vanna White, gently caressing the nearest bathroom light fixture with the tips of his fingers.
“No, freestanding lamps. Lamps that you plug in a wall” I indicate a wall outlet on the shelf.
“Like a flatchlite? Reesharejubal? ”
“No, to light a room. To read, or cook, or eat”
“Jess!” he points again, this time to a ceiling fixture, “A lomp for a room!”
Sigh.
So I draw upon my meager collection of Spanish and ask “Donde esta la cosas para la casa?”
he says ‘Ah!’ and directs me to housewares.
There I find they have one torchere, which will not accept a light bigger than 150 watt, and is $70!!!
I have done my best to try not to buy chinese products, I really have. I have no personal animosity for the Chinese, and as a people and as a nation I pray for them that they succeed and that they grow into a democracy. I do not like providing commerce to a nation that has our downfall in mind.
So if I have no choice but to buy Chinese products, I have a rule. Cheapest price, best quality. I’m not going to pay Cabelas to mark up a pair of pants to $140 that I can buy at Walmart for $15. Cabelas does not deserve $125 to sell out our commerce, afaik. I may be wrong on this, anyone who wants to enlighten me do so. It seems that Cabelas could sell Bills’ Khakis and mark them up 10% and do OK.
So the guy at Walmart was trying, and I have to give him that. he had no idea. What kind of house does he live in where all the lights are fixtures?
And now I have to find a cheap 200 watt torcheire. Or three, because these are on their last legs.
Keep an eye out for a 500 watt halogen torcheire on sale. The 500 watt halogen bulb generates so much heat that it will eat up the socket in a year or so. BUT if you replace the 500 watt bulb with a 300 watt, the sockets will last almost forever. I’ve got one in my office going on 12 years old.
There are always yard sales.
Might try Lowe’s or Home Depot.
Nathan nailed it.
They build the upper end of torchieres out of lightweight crap so they are less likely to tip over, but that lightweight crap has little resistance to heat.
There are torchieres that will take a CFW bulb (special bulb, dimmable, spendy), and CFW licks the heat issue.
I’d be tempted to add some weight to the bottom, such as by putting on a 40# weight plate.
Try Goodwill, Salvation Army, thrift shops, dead peoples’ junk. Last good halogen bulb torchiere I found was at Goodwill. Bought both I found and replaced the 150 watt bulbs with 300 or 500 watts, depending on the size of the room and paneling/wall color.
Might be an idea to hit used office furniture stores, too. Last one I looked at in Lowes had a little lightning-bug butt for a bulb. Wholly insufficient. Must be capable of observation from space.
Regards.
Rabbit.
I had to Wiki that word…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchiere
Now I know what you are talking about!
Expensive as hell here in SA and very scarce as well. We have fixtures. LOL