Vaporetta Table Lamp

When I say that anything that gets near me is usually bound to suffer a transformation, I mean anything.
Including one of those 'Vaporella' iron machines attached to a big water deposit: it was one of the first home models that appeared, it didn't work anymore due to rust and calcium crusts.. and it looked awfully interesting! I had to open it and take a look...

Yup. Once I got all the guts out (not that easy), it was clear to me that I could make two lamps out of it- one using the base part of the iron machine, and another one -a floor lamp- using the water deposit!

So this is the first 'Vaporetta', the table lamp. Industrial looks mixed with kind of Art Deco lines, all metallic and shiny and full of slick details.
It is 50cm high (with the shade pointing downways), the base measures 22x10cm and it weighs around 1kg.

In the picture on the left, finishing the dismantling of the original Vaporella. It took a couple of hours (and some mild cursing due to a cut in a finger..)
On the right, 'the cooking process': I was about to pout hot vinegar on the lower part of the base, to get rid of the maximum calcium crusts possible.. recycling is a long, dirty, scratchy and even smelly process! All the work involved in cleaning and preparing the parts is never seen nor appreciated -but as necessary for the final piece as a good design.
Also, another unseen work: the connections inside had to be able to fit in the space available (not that easy, neither), and I protected all the wires from getting rubbed against sharp edges or touching metallic bits. I like it neat inside and out!.

Apart from the base made out of the Vaporella iron bit, the lamp includes the shell of a recessed spotlight as the shade -with a plug hole cover on top; and a flexible neck plus metallic pipe from an old work lamp and a vintage sconce.
I added two rubber rings under the plug hole cover and an also black rubber ring in the trim of the 'shade'.

Because 'Vaporetta' is all about elegant details: there is also the porcelain lamp socket, a new industrial toggle switch with an 'old' look next to a couple of lovely shiny bolts, very decorative; metallic washers with a black bakelite one in between to create a sleek transition in the neck of the lamp...

I covered the original holes in the base that weren't 'used' with pieces of metallic sheet, and sanded the hole for the electrical cord, then protected it with a black rubber ring.. even if the cord is like the ones for iron machines, wrapped in cotton. It is  not only for safety reasons, it also looks good!.

By the way, you know how annoying is with the average purchased table lamp: their cord is so short that it seldom reaches the socket that is close to the ground... well, Vaporetta's cord is 2meters long. Should be enough, me thinks.

And last (but not least) detail: I carved one of the parts -at the base of the pipe- so it would perfectly fit next to a 'bump' on the base.







And (obvious remark) these are some general views of the Vaporetta Table Lamp: