Star Trek TOS Enterprise Lamp.. (Steampunk?) Done

[Lunajammer]

The little metal Catspaw episode Enterprise has intrigued me since I was a kid.

As an adult, my intrigue has been inspired by some steampunk examples from the web and I knew I had to do something like these excellent examples.

I keep gravitating toward lamps because they are more functional than just a found-object sculpture. Since I want the metal look, I keep coming back to brass, so I'm using second hand lamp parts which are not difficult to find if you're patient.

I started with this box of parts from the Habitat for Humanity Restore, it's a chandelier and ceiling light. Just two pieces and the bulk of what I need is in place. Bought during a "manager's sale," these pieces were about $18.

This pic is from the web, but is a better picture of my starting point.

Three of the five arms have been removed and the remaining two turned 180 degrees. The two end pieces removed. One end piece will remain, the other will be replaced.

 

[Lunajammer]

This will be the disk.

It's a flush mounted ceiling light, so the back is not meant to be exposed. Since it will be exposed on my lamp I need to fill the scrubby part and hide the wiring at the same time.

Since the bottom of the disk will have to join the neck, it needs to be metal. Say hello to a thrift store cooking pan lid.

Holes drilled for mounting to the neck and for holding the underside details. The big brass piece is from the chandelier's ceiling mount.

The hardest part of parts scrounging was deciding what to use for a neck. I ended up using the stem of a piano lamp. The best part is, when I took it apart, the wires remained and were long enough to use as is. Plus, since it's positionable, I can tweak the angles necessary to get it to look right.

The pan lid was spray painted Rustoleum Brass.

 

[Lunajammer]

This will be the underside of the hull. The top hole is where I removed one of the chandelier arms. It will be filled with a brass button office clasp. The bottom hole I drilled out for wiring and mounting to the stand.

This is the top of the hull. I drilled a hole for mounting the disk/neck and for the wiring passage.

This is the front of the hull. Removing the cover reveals this threaded rod, in lamp terminology called a nipple (heh), and it is key to holding the front, middle and back of the hull together.

The half sphere piece mounted to the front of the hull came from a piece of junk I found on the curb during clean up week. Godsend, it fit's exactly right. The other pieces make up the dish.

And looks thusly...

 

[Lunajammer]

Mounted to a brass floor stand I also found on the curb during clean up week. Starting to look like something familiar.

 

[Lunajammer]

The last bits added and final assembly.

...And lit. Just before completion I found 8-inch bulbs on sale for half price. I had previously presumed 6-inchers were the best I could do. I used CFL bulbs in the disk to try to keep temps down. With the ceiling lamp upside down, it doesn't vent heat as well.

I used a rotary switch at the back rather than find a spot for a toggle switch to stick out. That created complications with the hull assembly but wiring was more direct. It comes only in black so I painted it brass and put a layer of clear 5-minute epoxy over the knob so the paint won't rub off from use and will stay glossy. Brass-head office fasteners fill the holes left by the missing chandelier arms.

I'm not sure it concretely falls under the steampunk label, it is fanciful. It's also a bit tippy on carpet, so I've purchased another stand with a slightly wider base that I hope will stabilize it better. Total investment is about $60... (ahem) To Boldly Glow.

 

[AJK001]

That looks awesome.

 

[PHArchivist]

Wow... Speechless... All I can say is WOW

 

[Zombie_61]

Creative, beautiful, and easily recognizable for what it is. Strong work!

 

[Snow Builder]

What a wonderful idea and brilliant execution. Beautiful piece.

 

[eethan]

oh man, this is awesome!

 

[PotionMistress]

That is BRILLIANT!

 

[Lunajammer]

That is BRILLIANT!

I know. Like 100-watts worth.

Thanks for all the good vibes everyone.

 

[rileyreplicas]

That is wicked!