How to re-wire the lamp from Hell...?

Norma_Desmond

I feel I should offer a prize for the solution to this rather trivial but infuriating problem......anyhow, here goes! I have got an antique Chinese mahogony table lamp that stands 2 feet tall and is in the shape of a dragon's head (imagine roughly a walking stick) and at one time it was wired for electricity, with the flex coming out of the mouth. However, when I tried to splice a new flex to the ancient cloth one already in the lamp to feed it through, the old flex just disintigrated. Now I'm stuck - I have tried EVERYTHING to get the new flex through, including wire, washing line and even a thin but heavy chain, and it all gets stuck around where the dragon's neck is and won't go any further. This is driving me slowly insane - I've heard of Chinese water torture but NOT lamp torture How the ruddy hell did the original owners do it?!

Heath_Robinson

Try feeding the wire the other way? Drill the hole to make it a little wider?

Norma_Desmond

Tried both ways, Heath! Won't be able to drill it as it's so curvy. I'm beginning to think the blasted thing was probably made by your namesake anyway!

D'North

Try using a vaccum cleaner to suck it through - push the wire as far through as possible then put the nozzle over the hole at the other end, try to keep it as airtight as possible, and turn it on at full power. Be careful not to damage the lamp with the vaccum cleaner nozzle, though.

24_hour_sparks

try going to an electricial wholesalers and buying a FISH tape costs about 3-4 quid inc and use to pull wire thru, use vasiline and not washingup liquid to lubricate as you pull through.

Norma_Desmond

Brilliant idea D'North - I would never have thought of that, but my DH tried that yesterday - no joy!

Jay-Jay_4

Borrow an endoscope from your local hospital


Sorry.... this would annoy the hell out of me too and I'm the kind of person who would stay up all night every night until I won the battle. I'll keep thinking :think:

Norma_Desmond

Now that's an idea sparks - I've never heard of a fish tape tho'! I'll get DH to pick one up on his way home!

Norma_Desmond

LOL! at the endoscope! There's some good suggestions coming!

Mr_Proctalgia

The lamp may be clogged up with disintegrated old insulation so take it to a garage or tyre fitters and stuff an airline up its **** or down its neck. Don't use one of those feeble 20p machines you need a good blast from a compressor.

HTH

Norma_Desmond

That's a good idea Mr Proctalgia! It would serve it right too for giving me all this hassle!