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Joined: Sep 29, 2003
Posts: 1064
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glad these came up, i love chunk lamps. I have two of the circular orange yellow (fireball) ones in my living room. Though the same color, the chunks on one are rectangular, the chunks on the other are triangular.
having them shipped can be a bitch because the small pebble like chunks on the base have a tendency to fall off, you have to watch for bald spots.
On the notion of making them, i work with resins and have considered making some of these lamps. The chemical thing is an issue. resins generally never completely gas out their isocyanates, and have always wondered if i am getting low doses on a daily basis every time the lamp is turned on and heated up. There resins out now have varying degrees of toxicity, referring to outgasing during its process of hardening and after. So if i get the time to experiment, i would first look at resins that are supposed to be more consumer/hobbyist friendly.
I have looked at the inside of these closely, and judging from drips and slumping on the inside of the lamp, my guess is that they had a negative rubber mold that they slushed or brushed up. Resin in its process of going from liquid to solid has a taffy stage, so some of the drippy slumping may be from brushing up that material when it hits the taffy stage. Then I assume that while the core of the lamp is still tender,it is removed from the mold, the outside is brushed with more resin, and the premade chunks and or pebble bits are attached.
Not big on the spun resin lamps myself, but i would assume there is some machine work involved.
I would love to find out more about how these were made, and any photos and articles from the period. Hopefully this thread will not get buried too far and someone can shed more light. Sven, i think you have another book, Hanging swag lamps of the 60's and 70's.
At the Tonga Hut show on August 2nd I will have some of my new cast/hand built swag chunk lamp mugs. Will post pics up soon.
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