I have been messing around with making some custom lamps. My current designs live in a wood box made of 1/2" plywood. I am looking for a way to add a switch, hard mounted to the box. I don't like the inline cord switches that are always falling behind stuff, and always in the wrong spot along the cord. I'd love a simple twist-knob like a traditional lamp socket, but it needs to be inline and something that I can secure to a 1/2" piece of plywood. Any ideas?
Examples:
All of the metal toggle switches I find seem to be panel mount, targeting thin sheet metal. Can I mount a traditional wall socket to the back side of the lamp and just cut out the rectangular hole for the switch?
Can anyone point me to UL or any other requirements for building a lamp?
Right now I have a piece of lamp cord, going through an inline toggle switch, feeding directly into one of these (with some strain relief before connections), which is mounted to the bottom of the box. Is this legal, or does it need to be mounted to a metal box?
So, your electrical connections on the back of that base are directly against the wood? Yeah, that's not cool. Add a low profile pancake box.
Are you thinking of selling these? Don't go there.
UL won't help you- they do not give standards. They test products and systems. Your lamp base is already UL approved, but not if you put it inside a wooden enclosure.
I bought a nice little twist-on switch recently at HD. It probably won't mount in 1/2" wood. Can you make a metal or plexi plate to mount the switch in?
Have you considered LED puck lights? They'd be cooler and brighter
Ah panacke box, thats exactly what I was looking for for the bottom, thanks.
SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:
Are you thinking of selling these? Don't go there.
I have been asked if I would, but I don't want to for this reason. I think if I did I would just do this, so none of the electrical stuff is on me. It seems safest.
What do you mean by LED puck lights? Honestly, brighness isn't much of an issue, half of the time I am just looking for a soft glow. The moon lamp has a 1 watt led bulb in it... its a nightlight.
I don't have a way of making a metal plate.
In reply to ProDarwin :
Sure you do!
Cut to size, drill a hole.
Haha, fair enough.
Ok, let me ask another question. If I were going to sell them, is there any situation where I could safely assemble the electrical parts, or do you know of any kit-type things that would offload all the risk (aside from what I posted earlier)?
LED puck lights
Often used for under cabinet lighting. Sometimes battery powered, with touch sensitive on/off
In reply to ProDarwin :
You are on the right track to find a unit completely assembled. You can't do ANY wiring.
I'd be concerned about putting it in a flammable enclosure.
You can't EVER offload ALL the liability.
If I was gonna sell those, I wouldn't call it a "lamp". I'd sell it asa "cool unique box/ enclosure". Show pictures with a light source inside, but don't supply it. Let the buyer figure it out.
Understandable.
The snap-in style is what is commonly used for stuff like this (super common in xmas decorations), but I was hoping for something a little better integrated. I'll see if I can dig up some cleaner versions (without a white cord) of that, or maybe find a way to wind the cord so the switch stays in a convenient spot.
Super helpful as always, thank you.
A short string of Christmas lights literally dropped loosely into the box might do the trick.
