« Kiddo the Airship Kitten
Glovackij – Flights of Fantastic Artwork »

Sourcing Steampunk Bulbs

Older, squirrel cage style bulbs

A while ago we looked at a rather impressive Instructable on how to make a mad scientist light – and it looked very fetching indeed! But I where to get appropriate bulbs – a few people made suggestions after that post and I looked into it myself, so we’ve got a couple of places that might take your fancy:

Tube Depot has some rather impressive, but also distressingly pricey antique style bulbs at about $18 a pop.

Signals has a smaller selection that I’ve seen, but the prices range more too – $16 to $28!

And Lightbulbs Direct in the UK will sell a squirrel cage style bulb for approx £11 each.

[Edit - Oops!  Missed one from Mr Adams - Walgreens does some too, though not as pretty, much cheaper at $7]

Thanks to both Mr Bowden and Mr Hildebrandt for finding some of these – if anyone knows other places to find these rather handsome lightgivers, a note in the comments would be most helpful!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 28th, 2007 at 11:28 pm by Tinkergirl and is filed under Uncategorized.

  • intimmers
    In case anyone is passing though, my current favorites are made by "Ferrowatt" (http://ferrowatt.com ), and can be purchased directly from them, with a minimum order of $25 (order via phone number from their website)

    OR, I bought mine from this ebay seller:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Reproduction-Edison...

    Good price, fast shipping!

    -kurt
  • thanks for this mate!!! =)
  • n00beR
    Hi I have only found one store in the UK who sell the desire tubular bulbs required for this project.
    Not to say there is not anymore, but it's the only one "I" could find.
    Not a bad price either

    http://www.bltdirect.co.uk/cat71_1.htm
  • von Zarkov
    kilokat's antique light bulb site (http://bulbcollector.com/) is full of information about electric light bulbs, Geissler tubes, and the like.
  • von Zarkov
    The mad scientist light instructable (http://www.instructables.com/id/EECBH5S42FEP287...) shows the use of display case lights, also known as aquarium lights. We have been pleased with these, especially when dimmed down.

    The Rejuvenation Hardware link includes two flicker bulbs. While we do not approve of the appearance, one might be pleased using flicker filaments in a display case bulb. My laboratory will research this option.
  • Magnus
    actually, i read recently some company had managed to double the effciency of standard filiment lamp bulbs, perhaps we will see a manufacturer implement it in this form factor.

    just wish there were somewhere cheaper to buy them in the UK..
  • Colonel Curtz
    Rejuvenation Hardware has a decent selection of Victorian style bulbs at $11-$15 each.

    http://www.rejuvenation.com/typepageLight%20Bul...
  • Kabuki
    Shoot... Too bad there is no compromise between the aestetics of these older style and the efficiency of the newer bulbs. Or even CFLs. It's too bad that thing that are good for us (read: less bad) must be so.... ugly.
  • What I'd like to know is where to find bulbs like these:
    http://www.frankbuchwald.de/serie_05.html
  • Mad Salvage
    These good people have all manner of lamp and light parts that may interest the interested.

    http://www.antiquelampsupply.com/
  • The Infernal Mr Adams
    Tube Depot sounds like it should be a Subway supply place :D
blog comments powered by Disqus