LAMP BUSHING

**mklotz** · Oct 18, 2016, 10:16 AM

I guess I was lucky. My workbench, a product of the previous homeowner, was too thick to allow use of the typical plastic clamp that comes with the articulated lamps. While I'm not a great fan of electrical cords snaking across the benchtop, I decided that, for best illumination flexibility, holes in the (already well ventilated) bench top would be best. I liked the result enough that, later, when I resurfaced the benchtop, I redrilled the holes. I never bothered to put in any bushings because the lamps aren't moved frequently and I consider the benchtop a sacrificial surface.

If you ever need to mount a lamp on the edge of a table, I suggest you replace the crappy plastic clamp with one of the design shown in the picture. It consists of a piece of steel bent into a U-shape with a hole in the bottom threaded to take the clamping screw. The top has a large hole in the top that fits over a tall bushing with a foot on the bottom. The original bushing that came with this commercial clamp was made of plastic and soon broke so I turned one from aluminum. This clamp has worked flawlessly for at least two decades.

**C-Bag** · Oct 18, 2016, 10:45 AM

Bottom line for me is edge clamps are a little too far away from where I need the light and I've let myself get lazy/complacent because the clamp was such a PIA to move. My two benches are so close they overlap so the one lamp almost works for both, but not really. Just drilling a hole in both of them and see if I even need a bushing later is so simple as to be embarrassing. Ideas with the accompanied "dawning" is why I like this place so much. The very definition of outside the box.

**mklotz** · Oct 18, 2016, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by C-Bag

... Just drilling a hole in both of them and see if I even need a bushing later is so simple as to be embarrassing. Ideas with the accompanied "dawning" is why I like this place so much. The very definition of outside the box.

Yes, indeed. Not every "tool" has to be something that is constructed for the intended purpose. In my book, evidenced by many of my posts, "tools" include repurposing an existing tool as well as minor modifications that make the device more useful, more capable, safer, or easier to use. Sort of a "Zen and the Art of Toolmaking" type thing.

**morsa** · Oct 19, 2016, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by C-Bag

..... edge clamps are a little too far away from where I need the light.....

Another drawback of the edge clamps, is that the clamp and the arm of the lamp obstruct the work area. By using the holes for bench dogs (or holes made for this use), the light is right where you need it, and the arm doesn't hinder; a way to solve the mess of the cable is by hanging it out of the way.

On the other hand, a drawback of the wall brackets is that the lamp must stand high, since the wall impedes the flexion of the arm.

**morsa** · Oct 19, 2016, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by C-Bag

My two benches are so close they overlap so the one lamp almost works for both....

I took advantage of a similar layout of my benches and installed a magnifier-lamp in the corner of the nearby table of the lathe. This way it does not interfere when not in use.