My old drafting table lamp flickered out during a late night detail session

It was a basic swing arm lamp I've had since my first job in Austin, and the whole thing just went dark around 11 PM last Tuesday. I had to finish a section view for a client, so I ended up rigging my phone's flashlight with some tape to see the vellum. Has anyone found a good, solid lamp that can handle being moved around a lot without failing?

4 comments

4 Comments

price.ben2mo ago

Rigging a phone light is actually a pretty smart fix. Sometimes the simplest solution works fine for a late night. Maybe that old lamp just had a loose bulb or a bad plug. New gear isn't always the answer, a basic repair could get it working like new.

the_susan2mo agoMost Upvoted

My old lamp just needed a new cord, cost like five bucks at the hardware store. What kind of lamp was giving you trouble?

carter.joseph1mo ago

Three dollars for a new cord at Ace is exactly how I saved my grandma's floor lamp from the 70s. That thing was ugly but built like a tank, and now it's back in my living room lighting up the corner perfectly. You gotta love when a five dollar fix keeps a piece of furniture out of the dump.

keith_bennett2mo agoTop Commenter

Yeah, that phone light trick is a lifesaver when you're in a pinch. My old desk lamp had a switch that totally died, so I just wired in a cheap inline switch from the hardware store. Works like a charm now. Kinda like what @the_susan said, a few bucks and a little time can fix a lot of stuff.