Alvin Swing-Arm Lamp Reviews

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List Price: $25.00
Sale Price: $16.59
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The plastic attachment device to affix the lamp often breaks when tightened. If you don't tighten it enough the lamp is unsteady. This has happened several times over the years with Alvin swing lamps and is the result of supplying and using a supposedly hardened plastic attachment rather than one made of steel. Be prepared to drill a hole or otherwise jerry-rig some other method to mount this lamp. It is a great lamp when it works but getting it mounted is sometimes a problem and is the result of the cheapening and plasticization of many products.

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I bought this lamp about 1 month ago and have been using it regularly since then.

Pros:

The lamp has a lot of reach and flexibility, can be easily clamped to the end of a table. The tension in the springs is good and each joint can be tightened further to lock motion. The electrical components like the switch and wire seem to be of a good quality and should last.

Cons:

There is no handle to move the head of the lamp when the lamp is on. When it is on, the head gets really hot because of the bulb, and moving it to a new position becomes difficult because of the temperature of the head. The work around is the use the black plastic baffle to move the head, but this is inconvenient.

Overall a it is a good deal especially compared to other similar products that are priced much higher.

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I'm an architecture student. We were required to buy lamps for our studios and most of the students bought this one. Most of them didn't last an entire semester. The bases often broke, switches didn't work, the works.

I actually still have mine because 1) it was installed in a corner and rarely moved (which is not the point of this type of lamp) and 2) I saw the quality of these lamps so when I did move it I was super careful.

Regarding the heat and moving the lamp: I'm using my lamp with a 25 watt fluorescent daylight bulb. It doesn't get too hot to move and I like the whiter light. It didn't screw into the lamp easily though because the socket was at an angle so the ballast wouldn't fit. Angling the socket, by moving the switch, solved that problem.

In general I find all of Alvin's products to be subpar and do my best to avoid them.

Honest reviews on Alvin Swing-Arm Lamp

The Alvin lamp; and other brands, but especially Alvin have been around about as long as I can remember, and I am going on 66. I used these lamps for all of my 40 year work carrier as first, a drafter (yea, I actually drew with a pencil) and then into graphics and CAD, but this lamp was always around.

Because of this 40 years (and now more) I can give you a few hints about its use and misuse.

First, do not yank the lamp around like its a garden hose; parts will break.

Second, mount the lamp where you have proper clearance in the directions you plan on moving the swing arm.

Third, move the lamp to the position or general area you will most likely use it the most and then do your

adjusting.

Fourth, (and this is a little secret) you can use the cord as leverage at the lamp head by pulling some of the

cord back through the swing arm assembly and in doing so this will help hold up the lamp head and not put all

the strain on the tightening screw (which is plastic). This (besides the main plastic clamp) is one of your two main stress areas.

Fifth, loosen the middle screw more than the others and the swing arm will flex much better and you will let the

springs do there jobs.

And lastly, Yeh, the friggin clamp is made of plastic; if you can't live with it, drill a hole in the desk and

shove in the post.

I do have at least 4 or 5 of the old metal clamps laying around this place and I guess it would be a good time to go find one.

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I bought this lamp for a dorm room, where my desk is under my bed. It fits my needs perfectly. It clamps on (the clamp can be mounted on a sideways plane) the support brace for my bed, and is highly articulate. It's also very steady, if you tighten down the screws, and doesn't droop too much if tightened. My one problem with this lamp is that it has the tendency to droop slightly if not tightened, and the clamp may wear out (but is probably replaceable.) If you're looking for a cheap swing arm lamp that still looks professional, look no further!