Squiggle lamp - Have some questions

[Erin]

Hello! I received my first Squiggle lamp today. Pretty decent lamp, except it smelled like smoke! I have a few questions, so if anyone can help me out, I'd greatly appreciate it.

1) What's the best way to clean a Squiggle base? A few strands of the gold paint are missing and I want to make sure I don't use something too harsh and damage the lamp.

2) This thing overheats quickly. It's got a 30W bulb (one of those spotlight looking ones). I'm hoping there's a 20 or 25W bulb. Thoughts? The lava was all at the top (none in the coil) within a few hours (3).

3) I'm thinking that problem ^ has something to do with the fact there's very little wax in this globe. It might overheat so quickly 'cause there's not much wax. I've heard of liquid evaporating from the lamps, but not wax. Why so little wax in this lamp?

4) Any way to tell the age of this lamp? There's no markings anywhere.

5) Are these screw-off caps, too?

6) The lamp needs new felt on the bottom. What was the original color felt on these? And what's the best adhesive to use to glue a new felt piece on?

Any help would be appreciated. :) Thank you!

[LampHead]

The wax level looks normal for that globe as they used alot less in very early models. Your lamp is most likely a 1966 model or 1967 at the very latest, the tan colored felt bases are the earliest. They did not make the 30 watt flood bulb bases for very long, I use a 30 watt frosted A15 appliance bulb in mine and they run very nice. Awesome lamp you have there !! You can use Sparkle brand (the purple stuff) glass cleaner and it will make the lamp totally white again, spray it down good and wipe with a paper towel..no hard rubbing required.


LampHead

[matt01165]

I have read on here that you can get a small extension cord with an inline dimmer switch from home depot for cheap 3.00 i think

[Erin]

Woot! The 60s!

I cannot fit an appliance bulb in here. I tried.

Thanks for the answer about the felt. I think I'm going with white or gray.

I did have some luck with the Magic Eraser in cleaning the base and cap. I'll try Sparkle, too.

Thank you! I'm one lamp away from 22!

[Erin]

Awesome. Thank you!

[LampHead]

Just to let Erin and you know you can find bulbs that will fit at Menards but they are 40 watters.. like these.. http://www.lightbulbemporium.com/satco_s4976_40k19_2pk.asp . Let me know if you cant find them and I will check next time I go to Menards..they have been phasing out alot of the incandescent bulbs lately. I run mine on 40 watters and they will overheat after 4 hours or so but they would overheat with the 30 watters too, they needed to put more wax in them. The 30 watt bases are the very early versions before they started using the more common 40 watt bulbs. The wax level in all the 30 watt versions is very low but that was normal for the time.

 
Jim said:

I have the same issue.  Having a devil of a time finding a bulb for this thing.  The socket sits too low in the base for an appliance bulb.