How to attach light shade to conduit?

[greenflash1]

I recently picked up 4 vintage light shades for my shop. I need your help figuring out how to attach them the wall. I plan to bend either ½ or ¾ inch conduit into the traditional gooseneck shape, but have been stumped on how to secure the conduit to the shade.

To give you some background, the shades are 18 inches wide at the base and 2.5 inches wide at the top. The top also contains a 1.5 inch hole through which the original, missing light fixture was attached. I’ve found that a Mogul base light fixture like the Satco 90-428 will fit nicely into the top. This fixture allows me to thread in a ¼ IPS hollow lamp rod. What I need is some way to attach the conduit to the shade or the IPS rod. Unfortunately the ID of the ½ inch conduit is larger than the OD of the threaded rod.

Hopefully the attached picture clearly shows the problem. Any help, tips or tricks would be useful. I’m fairly handy and have a wide variety of tools, including a MIG welder, but unfortunately, I do not have access to a lathe or mill.

 

[bbrown]

I recently picked up 4 vintage light shades for my shop. I need your help figuring out how to attach them the wall. I plan to bend either ½ or ¾ inch conduit into the traditional gooseneck shape, but have been stumped on how to secure the conduit to the shade.

To give you some background, the shades are 18 inches wide at the base and 2.5 inches wide at the top. The top also contains a 1.5 inch hole through which the original, missing light fixture was attached. I’ve found that a Mogul base light fixture like the Satco 90-428 will fit nicely into the top. This fixture allows me to thread in a ¼ IPS hollow lamp rod. What I need is some way to attach the conduit to the shade or the IPS rod. Unfortunately the ID of the ½ inch conduit is larger than the OD of the threaded rod.

Hopefully the attached picture clearly shows the problem. Any help, tips or tricks would be useful. I’m fairly handy and have a wide variety of tools, including a MIG welder, but unfortunately, I do not have access to a lathe or mill.

Have you taken it to an electric shop that sells wholesale to electricians I have done
this in many cases and even though I'm not an electrician they have been very helpful
and answered a lot of questions and have been able find the parts I needed they
have the good stuff let us know how it worked out.

 

[nadogail]

If for some reason you can not follow the good advice of the previous poster bbrown, you can add a male adaptor to the end of the conduit, a bell reducer to the male adapter, and a ****** to connect the bell reducer to the mogul base lamp holder.

bbrown's suggestion is a better solution, but I offer this kluge if all ales fails.

 

[PAToyota]

Typically, you thread the end of the conduit and then use a bushing and lock nut to hold the shade in place.

 

[bb1970]

I had a similar issue with a different style of shade. I found the die-cast piece at a antique store. Then wired it up with a new socket. Search e-bay under porcelain shades or gas station lights. Might find your parts.

 

[PAToyota]

Here you go. Barn Light Electric has the arms and other components.

 

[bb1970]

WOW. Hold on to your wallet buying parts from Barn Light Electric. $$$$$

 

[greenflash1]

I've looked at the Barn Light Electrical site before, after all, they are a Garage Journal sponsor. Their products look great, but are just too much for my price range.

A buddy suggested pipe bushings. I stopped at the big box store last night and it appears that a 3/8 x 1/4 bushing will fit inside the EMT conduit if I grind off the outer threads. I don't think EMT conduit is thick enough to thread.

If I go this route, how hard is to weld the cast iron bushing to EMT conduit? Perhaps I should use epoxy with a couple of set screws to secure it instead.

I'll stop by an electical house next week to see what they have.

Keep the suggestions coming!

 

[greenflash1]

The electrical supply place was a bust. They suggested a watertight compression fitting for the EMT along with a couple of large washers to hold the shade. They did not, however, have a method to hold the fixture securely.

 

[thdewey]

I've posted this link before, but I think for $49.95 it's a good deal. $100 minimum order though.

http://www.affordablequalitylighting.com/docs/outdoor/wall/utility/pwsv925/index.html

 

[foolishpride]

If you're using EMT, just get a compression connector, (or set screw connector, but compression would probably work better) , and attach it to the end of your conduit with your 90 degree bend in it. You can then screw a rigid conduit coupling or a black pipe coupling on the connector. Either coupling will work, since they are the same thread. I think the conduit coupling has more taper than the black pipe. Then get screw a reducing bushing in the coupling. That should do it for you.