3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Print PDF

Favorite

Steampunk Mad Scientist lamp

This is a lamp I made after being inspired by many Instructables (thisone especially) . I used a dimmer and four bulbs in parallel for the illumination. I also used many brass parts, assorted knobs and dials, and vacuum tubes from my parts collection. This lamp took me about an hour or two to construct. The lamp is very bright when not dimmed and also gives a perfect glowing filament effect when dialed down. The locking gas cap on the side actually locks and opens (but serves no real purpose). One dial shows psi and the other is a bulb testing dial (how apt). The tubes were salvaged from an old, dead, stereo amp.

I hope you enjoy it, Please Rate and Comment :) I would be glad to answer any and all questions.

Cheers,
Mspark400

12 comments

Mar 21, 2010. 12:04 PMosiris sr says:

it's alive i tell ya its alive (bride of frankinstein) soo cool

Jan 30, 2010. 8:56 AMLadyLelan says:

Absolutely splendid!! :)

Mar 16, 2010. 9:05 AMmspark400 (author) says:

Thanks!

Cheers,

Mspark400

Mar 12, 2010. 12:41 PMlionface says:

this is epicwin. thanks for the link to the influence. totally doing this lol.

Mar 16, 2010. 9:05 AMmspark400 (author) says:

Thanks,
I'm glad you like it. Best of luck with a design of your own. If you need any specific advice, feel free to ask.

Cheers,
Mspark400

Nov 7, 2009. 6:54 PMsmokeyy says:

GENIUS!! love the creativity! is there anyway you can add detailed steps to creating one like yours? would appreciate it alot!

Thanks

Nov 24, 2009. 8:32 PMmspark400 (author) says:

I may in the future but pieces like this vary alot between each one. the 'ible linked above gave me the basis of the design. The wiring was a simple parallel array of sockets, and the rest was pieced together as i went with superglue and trial and error. Most of it was thanks to my large pile of old equipment and hardware.
Thanks for your appreciation!
cheers,
Mspark400

Nov 18, 2009. 2:11 AMtinkernaut says:

Very nice!!!!

The vacuum tube "bases" are made from actual tube sockets from your old amp, and painted, or are they another type of hardware?

Nov 24, 2009. 8:29 PMmspark400 (author) says:

the gold bases were made from unmodified knobs from the stereo and actually match the other knobs with the exception of the power. they just happened to seat the tubes perfectly.
Glad you enjoy!
Cheers,
Mspark400

Aug 11, 2009. 7:24 PMJakeTobak says:

That's really awesome. Where do you get random gears from btw?

Aug 11, 2009. 10:08 PMmspark400 (author) says:

Thanks! And as for the gears...While vacationing in Maine I visited my favorite place: Its called the Tool Barn. it is full of all kinds of stuff for cheap. aAll antique tools and such, and I picked up boxes of steampunk stuff there including a jar of gears and a box full of watchmakers tools and gears. Cheers, Mspark400

Aug 11, 2009. 6:02 PMmspark400 (author) says:

Just a note: the center gear works the dimmer. cheers, Mspark400