Removing stuck bulbs from 32oz. bases?

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

I've got a few 32oz. bases where the bulb is really stuck. I've wiggled and worked and they just won't come out. And I've got one where the bulb shattered - and the bulb's base is stuck!

How do you guys handle these?

[Chow]

Needlenose pliers. I clamped on the base of the bulb and started turning untill in came off. I did do it with the cord unplugged. The ones with the bulb intacted I've just worked at it untill it came out. Hope it helps.

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

Thanks! I'll try pliers on the broken one. I've given the unbroken ones a good ten minutes each, just sitting at my desk, twisting at 'em. The bulb will usually turn a quarter rotation or so in either direction, but no more. On one, it finally loosened up, went another half turn or so, stuck there, and now won't twist at all.

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

Great! I got the broken bulb out! Thanks a lot, pliers worked like a charm!

Anyone know what to do when a 32oz. has a NON-broken bulb stuck in it? I have two like this. In one, I can turn the bulb about a quarter-turn in either direction, but no more. In the other, it won't budge at all. I thought I might have more luck with the pliers trick, so I *tried* to get the bulb to break... and nothing I tried worked! A screwdriver touched to the bulb and banged repeatedly with a hammer just bounced off.

[Autumn]

I had to break a bulb once and it was a challenge. What I ended up doing was finding the smallest phillips screw driver I could find and I hit it hard with a hammer at the center of the bulb and it finally shattered.

[LampHead]

Tip # 1 is only use brass base bulbs as they NEVER get stuck. Tip # 2 is to use as little pressure as possible when trying to get out a stuck bulb. Hold the base upside down and as lightly as you can keep trying to turn the bulb, the less pressure the better. I have never had to break a bulb to get it out using this technique. Use brass base bulbs only and they will always come out easily.


LampHead