Tips to thread wire through swivel portion of floor lamp?


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Old 11-16-17, 08:07 AM
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Tips to thread wire through swivel portion of floor lamp?

I'm at an impasse trying to fix a floor lamp for my dad. I need to pull the wire through the swivel (swing arm) portion, but it won't budge. I don't want to pull too hard. I've separated the parts from both ends, but I can't figure out how to access the hinge part in the middle. What look like caps don't easily come off. I didn't try using tools to separate them. That's my only remaining hope though -- if I can access that, I might be able to carefully fish the wire through a bit at a time.

Here's a photo of the swivel portion.

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I'd appreciate any advice you have.

Thanks in advance!
 
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Old 11-16-17, 09:47 AM
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What appears to be a cap, could be threaded & not a "pop off" cap. Did you try to unscrew it?
 
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Old 11-16-17, 12:18 PM
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Donato_: Thanks for the suggestion. I'll explore that. Would you agree it's critical to get access to that hinge area in order to move the wire though the swivel section of the lamp?
 
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Old 11-16-17, 01:50 PM
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I don't see any other way. Do you know the make of the lamp?
 
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Old 11-16-17, 06:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Donato_
I don't see any other way. Do you know the make of the lamp?
Donato_: The label on the bottom says Arcadia Collection Co, LTD. Model: AF39048. The printed instructions say model 074/02/2221. I did a quick web search and didn't find any match or the manufacturer's web site.
 
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Old 11-16-17, 06:26 PM
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It seems to be made in Taiwan. I didn't find an exact model either. What was wrong with the lamp that you need to pull the wire through the structure?
 
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Old 11-16-17, 07:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Donato_
It seems to be made in Taiwan. I didn't find an exact model either. What was wrong with the lamp that you need to pull the wire through the structure?
My dad said something sparked and shorted one day. He thinks it might be the switch. I was just going to replace the switch, but there's not enough slack in the cord to do that. That's why I'm trying to pull the cord through the swivel structure. I also want to find out if the cord inside there had been cut or something.
 
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Old 11-16-17, 07:18 PM
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This is "live" coverage, man (grin). The top end of the hinge was a cap. I was able to pry it off carefully with a putty knife. Now to find a way to carefully fish the wire a bit at a time without damaging the cord insulation.
 
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Old 11-16-17, 08:16 PM
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I got enough wire through, perhaps .5 to 1 inch, to be able to replace the switch (another day). I can't imagine how to get 6 inches or more through. There must be a better way to get wire through these things. Anyway, at least I'm making progress.
 
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Old 11-16-17, 08:39 PM
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Use dishwashing soap as a lubricant.
 
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Old 11-17-17, 04:04 AM
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It sounds like you're making some progress. It also sounds like that thing isn't worth all the trouble.
 
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Old 11-17-17, 04:10 AM
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I had a similar project that I did for a very elderly lady. Had a terrible time threading that wire through the lamp stem. But when I gave it back to her in working order she was ecstatic and could not thank me enough.

If you Dad likes the lamp and it has some type of sentimental value to him then it's worth it.
 
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Old 11-20-17, 07:53 PM
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Had to set the project aside for a while. Back to it now. Ends up I don't have enough wire on the socket end. I'm still struggling trying to thread the wire through the swivel/hinge part. I need four hands or something -- one to push the wire from the bottom, one to fish the wire though the middle/hinge hole, one to pull the wire from the top, one to hold the whole contraption.

Intrigued by the dishwashing soap idea, but I can't imagine how to clean it all up when I'm finished.

Sigh.

And, yes, by the time I'm done putting so many hours into this, it'll be a very expensive repair for a cheap lamp. But, it's my Dad's lamp that he likes, so it'll be worth it. Right?
 
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Old 11-20-17, 08:52 PM
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I rewire lamps all the time. The dishwashing soap acts like an oil and allows the wire to slide thru the fittings easier. It doesn't eat the insulation like oil can.
 
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Old 08-11-19, 05:40 AM
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Rewiring swivel lamp

Did you ever remove the wire from the swivel? My swivel does not seem to come apart and wire isn't moving. Don't know if I should force it out. Any suggestions.
 
 

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