Where to buy desk lamp clamp in Dublin?

Deflector

Hey - anyone have an idea where could buy some of these desk lamp clamp bases? I presume they're relatively standard in size. I have three architect-type lamps and yet only one clamp left! The usual story - the lamp gets moved, leaving the clamp on the desk, and a while later someone finds it on the back and throws it in a drawer somewhere...



It doesn't have to be a perfect fit, as long as it holds the lamps up. Any help much appreciated!

DublinDilbert

I'd say it would be hard to find something like that as a spare part.

I would probably get a G-Clamp and weld on a tube for the light, or even some hose clamps would do to hold a tube onto it.

indie armada

try lxl in dublin ind est, think there part of phibsboro electrical. you could also try cesco in the same estate.

Deflector

Thanks for the advice. I was hoping to get one somewhere in Dublin city centre, but I'm increasingly guessing that to be unlikely...

I will probably try making one from a g-clamp as suggested. Otherwise, if anyone has old desk clamps going spare, do give me a shout!

Industriflow

Found a way to make one cheaper than the $10-15 they charge for these. This is for a desk lamp clamping base with a half inch diameter hole for the lamp's bottom rod. Use an old C-clamp you have around. Buy a short piece (6 inches maybe) of so-called half inch threaded iron pipe. In the U.S. at least, that stuff is actually larger than half inch inside diameter--it's maybe almost 5/8 I.D. That's OK. Buy a length of polyethylene tubing with half inch I.D. The poly tubing is opaque. Clear vinyl tubing is transparent. Shove the poly tubing inside that half inch iron pipe. Now you'll have to really push your metal half inch lamp base into that poly tubing. But, you want it tight. The poly works as a slippery bushing around the metal lamp base. Enjoy.

Industriflow

Forgot to say: I was adding to DublinDilbert's idea, which is to use 2 or 3 metal hose clamps to hold the pipe (see my prior post for pipe & poly tubing size) to the C-clamp.

Industriflow

Just finished making my own desk lamp base. Here's how. The retail ones cost about U.S. 10-20 bucks plus shipping, and many aren't as strong as this home-made design. My previous posts mentioned the poly tubing & iron pipe. After having done it right, I'll rephrase it here, with minor corrections.
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(This is the base for an adjustable swing-arm desk lamp. This assumes the typical 1/2 inch diameter rod on the bottom of the lamp. If you have a different diameter rod on your lamp, adapt this to that diameter.)
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Parts needed (all common at hardware stores): 1/2 inch iron pipe (about 5-6 inches of it), polyethylene tubing (1/2 inch inside diameter), an old G-clamp (a.k.a. C-clamp) you have laying around, and a couple of hose clamps. Rough cost estimate: U.S. eight bucks, or less with your own parts on hand.
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For the base's clamp, consider using a 1/2 inch pipe clamp instead of the G-clamp and hose clamps. Just screw the threaded iron pipe vertically down into the pipe clamp's threads. Woodworkers often use pipe clamps, but they have many uses. (US six bucks from a discount tool store)
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But, instead of a pipe clamp you can use a G-clamp along with two or three (worm gear) hose clamps. The hose clamps will hold the 1/2 inch pipe vertically against the G-clamp's frame. Credit goes to DublinDilbert (in this thread) for this idea.
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Get a short piece (5-6 inches maybe) of 1/2 inch threaded iron pipe. Hardware stores sell it typically in cut lengths of 2-6 inches. If you use a pipe clamp, you could get away with a 2-3 inch pipe, depending on the length of the lamp base's metal rod. If you use a G-clamp, you need about 5-6 inches to brace against the G-clamp's frame. Incidentally, in the U.S. at least, 1/2 inch iron pipe is actually larger than 1/2 inch inside diameter--it's almost 5/8 inch I.D. That's good.
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File down the slight ridge inside one end of the iron pipe. This lets the poly-covered lamp rod slide into the pipe easier, without cutting into the poly bearing we're about to make. Use a round file. You could skip the filing if you want.
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Get about 6 inches of polyethylene tubing with 1/2 inch I.D., and about 5/8 inch O.D. (outside diamater). The typical polyethylene tubing at a hardware store is milky white, semi-translucent. PVC tubing is clear--you don't want that soft stuff. Polyethylene tubing is really LDPE or LLDPE plastic, which is harder and more slippery against metal.
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Put some vegetable oil on the 1/2 inch metal rod on your lamp. This helps you shove the poly tubing over that half inch metal lamp rod. You don't want mineral oil or petro oil because it eventually degrades the polyethylene tubing. The tubing is a snug bearing, and you don't want it to degrade.
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You're done. Just slide your poly-covered lamp rod down into the iron pipe clamped to your table.
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Technically, there's a little looseness between the poly-covered lamp rod and the inside of the iron pipe, but it works just fine. I have a manufactured lamp base that's an even looser fit. It might make a very snug fit if you could find polyethylene tubing with 11/16 inch O.D. (and 1/2 inch I.D.). But I haven't tested that.
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Enjoy. More power to open-source DIY home tech.