Here's the thing... I have a halogen torchiere lamp in my living room... In this case it is one of the 300 watt models... You used to be able to buy a 500 watt version of them in the 80's and 90's, but then there were some fires, and UL decided that 300 was the max... Well I'm not crazy about that limit as I never had an issue with a 500 watt unit, but fine... Unfortunately, my current fixture is killing lamps at a fast rate, which means the lamp socket is no longer good... Having a background in lighting, I understand these things, and its no big deal... So off I go to buy another fixture...
Nobody stocks the damn things any more... I've been to 12 different stores today... Apparently the retail industry has decided that I can't be trusted with these things, and I'll burn my house down, or get hurt at the very least, because all I can get around here (and remember I'm in NJ, not some backwater little town) are either fluorescent versions that really are a joke despite the marketing, or 3 way incandescent versions... My girlfriend has those incandescent things and they suck... There is no chance in hell of me ever putting a fluorescent fixture in my living room, never... NEVER!!!
Ok, I acknowledge that there are safety hazards with this style lamp... I am also not a friggin moron... I don't intend to let anything except a stray fly fall in to the open top of the fixture... Mine location is such that nothing can get near it to knock it over... I don't have wild drunken parties that might lead to something stupid being done to the lamp... Hell I'll sign a waver if I had to to get one...
Now, I can order them online... So I do have an option... The problem there is 1) I can't evaluate the quality of the fixture before buying, and 2) I don't want to pay $20 to ship a $30 fixture to my house...
What am I left with?... I'm not sure at the moment... I know I could go out, buy a 500 watt work lamp, rape the lamp holder, and repair my current fixture... That will work, but it seems kinda silly... I could make my own from scratch, also having to rape a work light to get a base, but it would be built better...
I'm tired of this Nerf world... I don't need all the sharp edge in life removed... Stop protecting the people that natural selection is trying to get rid of...
Posted by Backstage at January 5, 2007 04:10 PM | TrackBack