{"id":60085,"date":"2025-08-06T08:21:28","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T06:21:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lion-test-sites.co.za\/mica-new\/?p=60085"},"modified":"2025-08-14T12:57:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T10:57:00","slug":"from-down-pipe-to-up-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lion-test-sites.co.za\/mica-new\/from-down-pipe-to-up-light\/","title":{"rendered":"From down-pipe to up-light"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Okay, first of all we will admit this is no beauty, but it is very functional, and as it makes use of offcuts from earlier projects, it costs nothing to make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what it DOES do, however, is put the light right where you want when you want to read in bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This unit was made to fit a particular bedside lamp with a circular base with a diameter of 125mm, which is why the top is very compact roughly 144x144mm (making it as light as possible). This also serves to put the pedestal\u2019s centre of gravity as far down as possible, and the 75mm downpipe is fitted to a base as large as possible, but keeping overall dimensions as compact as possible. (Yes, we know that sounds a bit contradictory, but think about it.) Hence the 8mm MDF base is roughly 280mm on each side, and the upper 22mm SA pine is about 250mm on each side. This gives the base quite a bit of weight, and hence tends to stabilise the unit a lot better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The downpipe offcut is 600mm long and very light, again helping to keep the pedestal\u2019s centre of gravity as low as possible. So, together with the base and top platform, the total height of the unit is just on 650mm. adding the light\u2019s height to that put the lamp itself at around 850mm, providing light right where you want it on your book\u2019s pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing you really need to ensure you cut accurately is the column\u2026 both ends must be a very precise 90\u00ba in both planes, so that the pedestal stands absolutely vertical. If either end is not, problems\u2026 if at the bottom, the column will be your very own Leaning Tower of Pisa and very likely topple; if \u201coff\u201d at the top, the platform for the lamp will not stand level and will irk you, at the very least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Materials:*<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n