The Lamp Room

I like the idea, but I dread to think what the cost would be - that would be the problem

Most of the cost of the project is in the general application machines - In my case 2 eccentric presses (30T and 60T), 2 mini presses, a tape straightener, and 3 hydraulic pumps (though one of them i managed to get for free). Everything that's actually unique - machines, press forms, .... went for scrap value or at most "parts you could rip out of it" value

I'd expect, that lamp making machinery would contain even less machines that could be repurposed for any other use. It is not outlandish to expect to get most of it for scrap value. They would be happy to get rid of it to free the building

Just out of interest Rich, what do wholesale say to you when you complain about this?

It ranges from:

'LED is better' 'but no-one wants old lights any more' 'we can't get hold of any of that any more' 'LED is the future' 'you just don't like change' 'LED isn't that bad' 'the old stuff won't sell any more'

And so on......

This is half true

Some customers want LED and will mention and insist. Out of interest, one time i walked out of the back of the shop and asked why. The customer (he thought me being staff, this was intentional from my side to some extent) said that ofcourse LED are the most energy efficient lamp

Some customers just ask for a lamp, and even bring with them an old CFL as sample or describe the lighting they have currently, and it is the shop that tells them to move to LED. They absolutely would take non LED if they would not be pushed to it at the last moment

In the end, many of the LEDs sold by said shop (and other shop) barely get 70 Lm/W, so they are hardly even doing the promised energy saving. It is LED being a buzz word, nothing more. If you would manage to suddenly make HID a buzz word, peeps would be mad buying MH's and screwing them in their home sockets

Tried it, nothing happens

Before CFLs, the 160W MBFT lamps were all the rage here. Peeps would screw them in pendants, chandeliers, you name it. The lamp have the exact same appearance as 125W MBF and there were indeed cases of confusion. Sometimes even the stores would order the lamp by the picture in the catalog without actually checking which one it is, or knowing about the presence of 2 different lamps

So I'm told today by one of the wholesalers I use that they can't get me ANY type of fluorescent sign light now (only LED) and that they also can't get hold of the Thorn Piazza range other than in CFL and LED. No SON option now it seems. Not sure if it's them just not wanting to order, or if Thorn have genuinely stopped making them. Probably find it's been replaced by some LED pile of crap called Priscilla....

Just looked on the Thorn website. The ONLY non-LED products they now offer are the Pop-Pack & Aquafail range of fluorescent battens. That's it! No discharge anywhere....

Yes, it's a disgrace!