Industrial Pipe Robot Lamp – How To Make Your Own

You can easily make an amazing Unique Industrial Pipe Robot Lamp!  Have you seen these amazing lamps?  Jon-Michael and I have conspired again to make a step-by-step guide for yet another and you can too! Just follow these simple instructions.

Making robot lamp variations from these basic instructions will be easy.  The basics will still be the same but add your own choice of pieces to create a one-of-a-kind lamp.  I will be scouring the thrift stores, flea markets, and yard sales for interesting old pieces to add to future lamps!

 

When you are making these pipe robot lamps, you could need some fittings that your local Ace Hardware might not have in stock.  That is not a problem.  Ace can order the needed fitting and, usually, it will be in a couple of days.  

You should be able to find all but two parts pictured in the graphic above at your local Ace.  However, the two parts indicated with the red arrow were ordered from Amazon.  The Rotary Switch – Creative Hobbies 5 pack of Rotary Style On/Off Canopy Switches, 3/1 amps at 125/250V, Metal Bushing with 6-inch Wire Leads Stripped and the GU10 Lamp Socket – Electop GU10.

(We are an Amazon affiliate and may receive a small percentage of any sales through this link at no cost to you.  Thank you for supporting this website.)

 For this project, you will also need.

Electrical tape, an adjustable wrench,  a plumber’s wrench or vice, and quick-setting epoxy.  You may need Teflon tape.

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Disclaimer – A word of caution here, work with a licensed electrician or a certified professional to help with wiring your lamp. We are not responsible for any action taken as a result of the information or advice on MyHumbleHomeandGarden.com.

Industrial Pipe Robot Lamp Instructions

 

First, thread a 2″ to 1-1/4″ bushing into the end of a 2″ to 1/2″ coupling.

Repeat this step, making two fittings.  These will be the feet of the robot lamp.  The bushings add weight and stability to the base.

Next, screw a 1/2″ – 90° Street Elbow into the top of the coupling from the first step. 

Repeat with the second coupling.  The results should look like this.  You have created his legs and feet.

Thread a 1-1/2″ long 1/2″ nipple into each of the 90° elbows from step 2. 

 This took some elbow grease and the help of a V – Jaw Channel Lock, model #442 at your local Ace Hardware.  This particular tool won’t mar the surface as easily as a pipe wrench will.  (We are an Amazon affiliate and may receive a small percentage of any sales at no cost to you.  Thanks for supporting this website!)

 

 

 

Thread both of these fittings onto either side of a ‘cross’, (aka 1/2″ – 4-way).  If these don’t line up as you like, use some Teflon tape on the threads.   (Each thread can be slightly different from one pipe to another.  Not all the threading starts in the same spot.  If the elbow, once tightened, is not at the right angle, wrap with 2 – 3 turns of Teflon tape and retighten. )

 

It’s not necessary to be a muscle man to do this, although that wouldn’t be a bad thing.  You won’t have to twist the fittings as hard or as far when using the Teflon tape.  Be sure to cut off any extra tape so it doesn’t show.

You will want the raised lines on both of the couplings to line up in the same place.  You can see in the picture on the left above that it doesn’t look so great when they don’t.  Use Teflon tape, as before, if necessary. 

Set this leg assembly aside and pick up the boiler drain valve. Using a pipe wrench or vice to hold the valve in place, use the channel locks to loosen the nut on the valve stem.

Unscrew the nut the rest of the way, turn the valve handle counterclockwise until it stops, and remove the stem from the valve body.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remove the screw from the bottom of the stem. 

You won’t need the screw.

Remove the washer but save it for the next step.

*Some of these screws might have thread locker on them like Loctite.  It may be a little more difficult to remove the screw but it’s doable with a wrench or pair of pliers.  Just grab the head and twist it out carefully.

Following the directions on the tube, mix up a small amount of quick-setting epoxy and apply the epoxy to one side of the washer back.  Place the washer firmly back onto the bottom of the stem. 

 *Let this set for 10 minutes!

 

Using an emery board, nail file, or sandpaper, carefully sand down the black plastic of the rotary switch knob until it can fit and turn freely inside the 1-1/2″ long, 1/2″ pipe nipple.  Sanding this plastic is pretty easy to do, especially with an emery board.

File down the top of the knob just slightly to flatten out the curve.

*We found with our rotary switch, if we filed down the raised ridges to the point we could just barely see the notches in the rotary switch knob, our switch fit perfectly.  Check pictures.

 

 

 

Mix up another small batch of epoxy, glue the top of the rotary switch to the bottom of the washer from the stem.  *Let this set up for 10 minutes. We used some small rubber bands to hold our switch in place while it dried.

 

Be sure to keep the star washer on the threaded portion of the switch, as well as the nut. Tighten the nut snuggly.

Here we are making sure the switch will insert all the way into the nipple and still turn freely.

Be careful not to damage the coating on the wires as you thread them through the pipes.  The plastic coating on the wire is to protect you from being electrocuted!  You don’t want to damage that wire!

**Note some nipples have a larger weld point inside of them that will have to be filed down in order for this to work.  Fortunately, one of the nipples we bought allowed the stem to turn freely.  Check to see if one will work for you, too.

Insert the stem switch into a 1-1/2″ long, 1/2″ nipple and tighten the stem’s nut onto the nipple.  The stem must be able to turn freely.

 

Mix a small batch of epoxy and fill the empty space between the nipple and the threaded part of the switch.

*To make sure the epoxy wasn’t gluing the switch in place, we kept the switch as shown in the picture to the left and gently turned the handle 3-5 times every 2-3 minutes. If the epoxy glues the switch in place and has time to set up, you may have to start the switch assembly over.

 

We used a wooden skewer to put the epoxy in the well made by the nipple and the lock nut.  Keep the epoxy away from the wires.

 

Insert the switch wires through the middle of the Tee and through one end of the tee, being careful not to scrape the sides of the pipe.

 

Run both wires through the same opening.  When inserting the switch nipple, we found this allows the wires to rotate without twisting and putting stress on the wires.

 

Insert a close nipple into the Tee opposite the wires.

 

Fish one wire back through the Tee and out the opposite side (through the nipple from the previous step).

 

 

Taking the Tee/switch assembly, carefully run the switch wire through the leg assembly’s cross and out the bottom. Next, thread the valve nipple assembly into the cross.

 

 

Run the top switch wire through a close nipple and tighten the close nipple. 

Next thread the remaining cross-piece onto the nipple from the last step, making sure to run the wire up through the center of the cross. 

  At this point, one wire should be protruding from the top cross and one wire protruding from the bottom cross.

 

The cross should be positioned as shown in the picture below.

 

Since this post is longer than we had anticipated, the second part covering the arms, the head, the socket for the light, and the electrical cord will follow in Part 2.  (Update – part 2 is finished now.  You can find it here ►Part 2.)