"Back From The Archives"

 

This is a continuation of Shane's original post which can be seen here.

 

It's not a Delta Retirement Lamp but it sure is close.

 

I have been looking for months for the right light to put on my Enterprise band saw. I bid on a couple of sweet OC White lights but they ended up selling for 600 and 700 dollars ... way out of my price range.

 

Tonight I found a listing for a Delta Retirement Lamp but the pic didn't look quite right.

It's definitely not a Delta No. 882 lamp.

(shown in the catalog cut and pic below .. borrowed from the vintage machinery site)

 

 

But it is very similar. Here's what I bought.

 

 

The hardware and the mount on the shade are the same but the shape of the shade is different and about 2½" bigger in diameter.

 

 

Dan ... Larry ... any other Delta experts recognize this light?

Edited November 7, 20187 yr by Larry Buskirk

Chiwanese knock off?

 

I like it better than the original.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 6, 20187 yr by Larry Buskirk

Shane,

 

I'm thinking Powermatic, I know I've seen it on the Vintage Machinery website.

I saw that one on the bay myself!

 

 

 

Edited November 6, 20187 yr by Larry Buskirk

I got the lamp in the mail earlier this week.

 

It has a nice brass Leviton fatboy light socket.

 

Last night after work I got it all stripped and painted.

The shade is cast aluminum and 5½" in diameter.

 

I polished the hardware and socket. I thought about sanding and polishing the shade but don't have time for that right now so I painted it black, I may polish it later when life slows down some.

 

This afternoon after the paint dried I got it put back together and mounted to the saw.

 

 

I'm still not sure what this lamp originally came off of. I am pretty sure it's not a Chinese knock off and I looked at the Powermatic pics and dirty paper, plus most of the other manufactures on the Vintage Machinery site and didn't see any others like it.

 

Whatever it came off of, I think it's the perfect size for the large band saw.

Edited November 6, 20187 yr by Larry Buskirk

I love it, Shane is that the same socket you started with? Cast aluminum, nice and thick?

It's perfect for your intended purpose.

 

Edited November 6, 20187 yr by Larry Buskirk

Shane,

 

Whatever it came off of, it's now part of the bandsaw Enterprise!

 

It looks like it belongs where it now resides.

 

Edited November 6, 20187 yr by Larry Buskirk

Thanks guys!

John, yes that's the same socket. A couple minutes of polishing it and it looks good as new. The cast aluminum shade is fairly thick, without throwing the calipers on it, I would guess at least an 1/8" thick.

Hi Guys,

 

First time on this site. Ran across the link for retirement lamps. I've been wanting one for my 14 inch Delta bandsaw and finally found one on Ebay last week for only $41, great find but now what I want to find out is  why they call them retirement lamps.

I've been retired for 10 years and don't look anything like them....please help.

 

Thanks in advance. Bill

Edited November 6, 20187 yr by Larry Buskirk

Those are way cool lights. Full of character!

 

 

Edited November 6, 20187 yr by Larry Buskirk

Bill,

 

Joe Potter from OWWM came up with the name back in 2007.

 

Why? Because back in the day you could pick these up cheap, now they sell for up to $100+.

If you stocked up on them in the old days you could sell them off and retire.

 

Edited November 6, 20187 yr by Larry Buskirk

Hi Shane,

 

Thanks for that. It's amazing what those things now cost. My $42 was really a bargain.

 

 

 

Thanks again. Bill

 

 

Edited November 6, 20187 yr by Larry Buskirk

Nice looking lamp. You make such a great restoration of everything you work on.

 

Edited November 6, 20187 yr by Larry Buskirk

"Back From The Archives"

 

 

 

Edited November 7, 20187 yr by Larry Buskirk

What a coincidence, I just bought a used desk lamp that I'm guessing could be made of stainless steel for a very reasonable price that has the same style of lamp shade, but mounted differently. It uses up to a 40W max. bulb. I plan to use it with a piece of machinery, not sure which machine yet. 

Edited November 11, 20187 yr by CharlieL

See my blog for shop made retirement lamp

 

wolfwoodshop.blogspot.com

 

Doc Sawdust

Welcome aboard Ziegler, glad to have you here.  I spent a bit of time on your blogspot, very cool.  Really like those wolf plaques.

I see a few retirement lamps on Ebay now....

13 hours ago, Kevin Beitz said:

I see a few retirement lamps on Ebay now....

Yeah, at $$KaChing$$ prices!

13 hours ago, Kevin Beitz said:

I see a few retirement lamps on Ebay now....

 

I am curious why they call it a retirement light?  I am guessing this was a common gift in previous days for retiree's, much like a watch.  Always wondered why a watch was a good gift.  I don't keep track of time now, once I retire I have even less intention of keeping any kind of track except when it is time to eat.

 

15 minutes ago, Woodbutcherbynight said:

 

I am curious why they call it a retirement light?  I am guessing this was a common gift in previous days for retiree's, much like a watch.  Always wondered why a watch was a good gift.  I don't keep track of time now, once I retire I have even less intention of keeping any kind of track except when it is time to eat.

 

The phrase "Retirement Light" was coined by an OWWM member.

He said if he had a bunch of them he could retire at the prices they were going for.

At the time another member was buying up all he could find at no matter the price. 

 

I myself don't/can't/won't pay the Ebay! lamp prices for mostly/complete machines with the 882 lamp.

 

 

Edited January 29, 20206 yr by Larry Buskirk