The lampost in my front yard is nice enough; big, sturdy and vintage/attractive.
But the teeny fixture on top is ugly, out of proportion too small, and useless to boot.
I can’t find what I am looking for anywhere, even the web. I have a clear idea of what I want and was wondering where would be a good place to go to see if they can fabricate a design i give them? Have any of you done that? Not looking for specific business names, but types of businesses that might be open to this kind of work. Also not looking for pricey designer showroom stuff, just some sort of metalworks companys. thanks for any and all ideas-
Replies
learn tinsmithing anf make yur own...
what do you want it made out of....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I'm not talking about just the decorative part, but the whole assembly with the nuts-n-bolts of a lamp fixture. am assuming that I'd buy the sockets etc at the hardware store, but I's want my fabricator to make the entire housing to be attached to the pole.
(BTW, pardon me if I'm using the wrong terms. electric is not my 'thing').FYI, I want 3 lights to extend from the top. the problem is the style of shade. Most are clear globes or boxes of some sort that leaves you looking into the light itself. what I want for each fixture is a deep, wide hood that shields the light source from the eyes and actually casts light on the ground below. what a concept, eh?
Also FYI, my house sits right in front of a streetlamp, so I have plenty of too-bright light being shed on my porch and upper part of house.
Post a sketch and I'll give you a price including shipping <G>
You specify materials, if anything pricey like Pt or Ti, material payment up front..........
I'll work for a 10% discount from day job even ?
Seriously, betcha Boss Hog could and maybe would make you anything you'd want, he gets a discount on the parts too?
Hey man - what do you want? I've got tons of leftover stuff here at work I could ship you out. Can't charge you for it, but you're welcome to it for shipping -
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Something like this? Can't have an LED version, but could do MH or incadescent; frosted panels or not.
Forrest
Edited 5/21/2009 1:04 pm ET by McDesign
Hmm- Here's a pic from a web shop of one unit that is functionally similar to what I want, although not in design details. Again, I want a sold opaque shade to come down some distance below the bulb to shield it from view, and just throw light onto the garden and path.Do you have anything more "upside-down" like this?
Edited 5/21/2009 4:07 pm ET by msm-s
I'll look out in the recycle area Tuesday, and see what's close.
Forrest
awesome! In the meantime, I'll try to locate someone who can Frankenstein 3 matching units together for the pole mount. thanks!
http://www.loveitlighting.com/cgi-bin/get_page.pl?cat_page_no=Page_24http://www.loveitlighting.com/cgi-bin/gooseneck_heavy_gauge.plhttp://www.barnlightelectric.com/pendant-lighting/barn-pendant-lights/http://www.barnlightelectric.com/lamp-post-lighting/barn-post-lights/.
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
while most of those were too standard industrial-looking, a few came close, so thanks for the link. I'll print some pix out and ask my electrician if wiring would be possible for mounting 3 to the post.
amd old replica gas lit street lamp....
or one at a train station...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
Okay, let me see if I have this right.
1. What you want, doesn't exist (as far as you know).
2. You have a clear idea of what you want. (Very good).
2. You want what you want, so a custom, single unit is the solution.
3. You are "not looking for pricey designer showroom stuff, just some sort of metalworks companys." Designer showroom stuff or not, a custom single unit is by definition - when others are doing the work - pricey. This may be a small purchase in your world, but its fabrication is how someone else provides for his/ her family.
You can lower your cost by a) making a scale drawing with dimensions for a fabricator to understand exactly what you want, b) investing a bit more sweat equity by shopping for a kit of parts and building it yourself (http://www.grandbrass.com/) or c) a combination of a & b and giving them to someone who is better with their hands than you are.
Heck, I'll even throw another choice into the mix.
d) Go to http://www.olampia.com/ (Sconces) and get something there (or a similar place/ site) that is close to what you want and modify it to your heart's content (see kit of parts above).
I hope this helps,
Frankie
Flay your Suffolk bought-this-morning sole with organic hand-cracked pepper and blasted salt.
Thrill each side for four minutes at torchmark haut. Interrogate a lemon.
Embarrass any tough roots from the samphire. Then bamboozle till it's al dente with that certain je ne sais quoi.
Arabella Weir as Minty Marchmont - Posh Nosh
In my community (which is very far from yours), I am the sort of individual you are looking for. I have an engineering background which helps me figure things out. I'm an accomplished sculptor, with the education to boot. I make my living (if you can call it that) making custom furniture and furnishings. All the things I make are one-offs, very time consuming, very expensive. I've made light fixtures... there is a set of five on my bench right now that are destined for my own house. Look for somebody like me in your community. Call custom furniture guys, artists, sheet metal fabricators (the one's who do custom stuff, not just ductwork). You get the idea. This fixture will be expensive, don't waste anyones time by saying, "I just want something simple...." Unless you can provide detailed fabrication details and a materials list, be prepared to pay your fabricator his/her time to figure out how to actually build the thing you want.
Thanks for all the great suggestions. I'll get back to you individually soon...
I do know that custom work is more $$$ than off-the-shelf.
I can pay close to that amount for something I don't like or pay more and love what I get. That's where I was trying to explain that the service I am looking for is a place that isn't in the design business, but a basic fabrications place... ie, a few years ago a friend had a kick-butt bbq grill custom made for under $40 by "a guy" off the interstate with a sign in his yard that he does welding. This guy just makes grills and mends heavy equipment, or I'd use him! My friend gave him a list of dimensions and features, and it took a rather long time but it was cheap and very cool.
I can definitely do a scale drawing of the light I envision and will go over it with them to check for potential snags.
Edited 5/21/2009 3:42 pm ET by msm-s
Check out salvage yards for a vintage unit that appeals to you !
You're looking for a crafts person. I'd pop by the local stained glass shop, and ask the owner who he thinks might be your guy. They'll probably know people with the skills and artistic ability to pull it off.
Check out http://www.oldcalifornia.com. Kind of pricey but they look better than any others I have seen.