Making Electric Lamps

Description

What is the course about?

You're a maker in your favoured medium - ceramics, wood, metal, glass or whatever - and you want to make electric lamps.

This course will tell you everything you need to know beyond using your existing skills in making the lamp base: design considerations; bulbs, bulb holders and lampshades; wiring; testing; and all the standards and regulations that you need to conform to (covering UK and EU requirements).

Note that although I am a potter, the course is not centered round the use of ceramics (or any other material) in making your lamp base. 

The course is run over three weekly sessions, 19:00 – 20:30. These are recorded and put onto the course web page so you can view them at other times.

An additional discussion session will be set up at a time when most students can attend, even if not able to attend the live sessions - this will be scheduled at the start of the course.

In addition, a number of videos show the stages in wiring up and testing many types of lamp, and these can be watched from the course page.

The course page also has links to additional information that you may find useful.

What will we cover?

Lamp proportions and design considerations; basics of lighting; bulbs and bulb holders, switches and lampshades; electrical considerations and wiring up your lamp; testing your lamp; standards and regulations.

What will I achieve?

By the end of this course you should be able to…

• Be familiar with the design proportions and considerations for different types of lamp, e.g. bedside, desktop, floor standing, wall or ceiling
• Be familiar with the various options for light bulbs, bulb holders and switches
• Understand the pros and cons of making a lamp that runs directly off the mains, or that uses a transformer
• Be able to select the necessary components, and wire up, a lamp
• Know how to test your lamps, what instrumentation is needed, and how manufacturing tests differ from PAT testing
• Understand the standards and requirements and how they affect the design of your lamp
• Be able to produce the necessary documentation to accompany your lamp, and know how to make it eligible to use the required CE / UKCA mark
• Understand the principles behind WEEE, and the requirements this imposes on the maker and the retailer

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

Intermediate. You should have the skills to make the lamp base in your preferred material, as that is not covered in the course though obviously necessary to make a lamp. 

What do I get?

• Three live sessions with questions and discussions, lasting about 90 minutes each week
• Recordings of all sessions for later viewing on the course page
• Downloadable PDFs of all presentations
• A set of videos on the course page taking you through assembling, wiring and testing of lamps
• Additional optional online course material, giving background info and greater depth
• A discussion session where you can ask anything related to the course or related matters - the date and time will be scheduled so most students can participate, including those unable to attend the live sessions
• Premium level access to the Tech part of my web site, containing much more information, references etc.
• Course completion certificate