I learn something new every day!

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

I feel as though I should have wondered about this before, but I did not... 1960s 2000-series models (Consort, Princess, Night Lite, Med. Series, Executive) all take a 15-watt "sewing machine" type bulb, which has an intermediate (c-9) base. The Consort and other table models use a ceramic C-9 socket. The 4000 or Royal series models (Regency/Royal, Empress) use a 30-watt R-type reflector bulb, same as goes in a squiggle Aristocrat or Decorator - this is a "medium" base bulb. The Empress base I've examined has a special medium-base plastic socket which has a rotary switch as part of the bottom mounting bracket. But I've never seen a socket of this type for an intermediate/C-9 base. I examined my Princess, which does use a C-9 "sewing machine" bulb. Anyone guess where this is going...?

...yeah... it has a medium base socket, same as the Empress, with an ordinary medium-to-intermediate reducer screwed into it. Creative thinking by the factory to get around this little issue. Having never removed the metal reflector in mine, I had never noticed... until just now. I think this is the only example of this sort of thing I've seen in Lava.

P.S. Also notable how many different bulbs the lamps have used.
1960s Aristocrats/Decorator and 4000 series: 30-watt medium-base R-20 flood
2000 series, all GemLite models: 15-watt C-9 base tubular "sewing machine"
Century, 1970s-and-newer Aristocrat, Lava Coach Lantern and all Enchantress/32 oz. models: 40-watt medium base "appliance"
Imperial: 500-watt medium-base reflector flood
Carlisle, Saturna, Aladdins Lamp: 40-watt C-9 base "hi intensity"
Mediterranean, Capri, Mystique, Continental (lava only): 25-watt C-9 base tubular
That's a lot of bulbs...

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

Levitz Furniture Stores are closing out. At the local one, I bought about 50 tubular 25-watt bulbs (think china hutch light, or lamp over a painting) plus 25 40-watt hi-intensity and 10 40-watt intermediate flood (like goes in import "bullet" or "peace" lamps) plus a few others, all for about $25! If you have a big Levitz warehouse/store nearby, get down there and grab some cool stuff! I also bought, among other things, ten power strips, at $2 each...

In news that won't help lava collectors, I also got one of those LED scrolling message boards. Came right off the wall of one of the offices. What I need, however, are the sign-to-computer cable, the remote control/programmer, and the software CD. Anyone got parts for one of these? Mine is a Pro-Lite 2" tall, model Tru-Color II, Model number PL-M2014R, and it seems to work fine with tghe message already programmed in. Being that it was incomplete, they sold it for $5 - I'm not sure what these cost new, but it's around 27" long, made of metal, a slightly heavy for its size. Feels well-built.

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

P.S. My LED scrolling marquee sign repeats: "Welcome to the shop. Home of the best techs ever!", "We rock!!", "Welcome to Seattle's fix all shop!!", "Happy trails to: Roy, Steve, Frank and Yen... Later!", and "Dave is hisory! See ya" in various combinations, along with occasional animated rocket ships, fish, insects, turtles, Pac Man monsters (and Pac Man himself) and other silly unrelated stuff.

The sign was in a Levitz furniture warehouse/store. Mounted on the wall in a small private office off the back, adjoining the furniture reapair workshop. Store's closing, and they did fix stuff there, but it also seems a bit odd. Maybe the "See ya" and "Later" and such were mocking the store's bankruptcy, and whoever programmed this took the cord and software with them on purpose? Hmm. Sorry for the off-topic thoughts.