Matt's Replica Police Box Lamp

[galacticprobe]

Okay, Matt. Now take what I said here (http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=5555.msg70813#msg70813) and multiply it by a thousand! Truly amazing; it looks like you've taken that right off of a real Police Box!

Dino.

[matt sanders]

Thanks guys, glad you like it 


About the heat build-up:
As you'll see in some images, I was trying a "vintage" style bulb, which works well, and is fine for flashing on and off.  But if left on for more than half an hour it does indeed build up heat inside.  The top dome gets hot, and the lens actually softened slightly, but went rigid again once cool.

The original lamps (and therefore this one too) have a 1/4" gap around the top of the lens, due to the cap's concave interior, to allow hot air to escape.  And I made my base with little feet, and   gaps on all sides, to allow air to circulate, but it seems that isn't enough to stop the heat building up.  I suppose on a real lamp it wasn't a problem, as the parts were made of metal and glass, and were outside, with the wind blowing around it.

So anyway, in order to use this indoors, as a table lamp, I've put in an LED bulb for now, which works fine.  It's a whiter, cooler light, than the warm vintage one, but works fine as a bit of interior furniture...

[matt sanders]

By the way, it may be difficult to judge the size from these photos, but here are a few stats:

BASE:     10" / 25cm square
DOME/CAP:     10" / 25cm diameter
LENS:     Approx 8" / 20cm diameter, slightly more than 6" (15cm) tall
TOTAL HEIGHT:     Approx 9.5" / 24 cm

When Mark and I climbed the ladder at Crich, our first reactions were surprise at just how BIG it is!

[galacticprobe]

Matt, have you considered putting a PC-type cooling fan under the box and having it blow air up through the lens? I'm sure there's a way of getting the bulb's wiring around the fan's housing so the two don't interfere with each other. That should more than keep enough air moving to stop the bulb from heating and softening the lens.

Dino.

[matt sanders]

I'm not that clever!   

[galacticprobe]

OH! After looking at how you went about building that lens and housing? I seriously beg to differ!

You're cleverer than you think, I think!

Dino.

[deafeningsilence]

What do I have to chop off to commission you for one for my own Metbox? I was going to try and find an antique 8" fresnel off ebay, but this seems easier and faster.