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List Price: $139.95
Sale Price: $76.04
Today's Bonus: 46% Off
I love this lamp.
As soon as I opened the box I noticed the vast differences between this lamp and all the so-called drafting lamps I've owned over my long art career. Engineered thoughtfully yet practically, this lamp is made out of quality parts. The two tightening nuts each found on the swiveling joints have an incredible bite. That is, if you even need to use them: I have the lamp fully extended as I type this and I have no concerns about this lamp holding a fixed position for long periods of time, something I cannot say about any other swing-arm task lights I've owned (and I've owned many.) Because of the four firmly bolted, top-quality springs and the thick metal trusses, it has stayed in that position since yesterday without deviation.
I knew even before I ordered that this was no "ALVIN" lamp. One reason why I curse the name ALVIN is because of the consistently crappy desk lamps they make. The base clamp of a task lamp has been a constant ulcer-inducing concern for me because of ALVIN lamps in particular. (*Imagine hearing a crash in the middle of the night and knowing that it was your task lamp torquing itself free from its clamp, destroying the lamp in the process.) The clamp on this lamp has a wide footprint and is bonded with rubber on its underside. It is made out of thick metal and has two tightening screws and a vice clamp. One of the tighteners is slotted through a chamber with rigid metal notches to further change the angle of the lamp, fixing its position with almost no further tightening. Impressive. There is also a three-pronged power outlet included in the base to plug in other things. Another problem I've had with other task lamps is the shade: the plastic handle would easily slip out while adjusting the angle and therefore was prone to becoming lost, leaving your hands to be burned by the hot metal or plastic. The handle on this lamp is literally bolted to the shade and is made out of the same quality metal as the rest of it. I can confidently adjust the shade without worrying about the lamp twisting free of its moorings. It also disperses heat very well, unlike others which seem to trap heat in the area of your workspace with suffocating despair.
I don't buy anything without doing a great deal of research on its quality. When looking for quality products, I look at its overall function and steer clear of planned obsolescence. Finalizing a purchasing decision for me can take weeks. When it came time to look for another drafting lamp, because of some of the disappointments I've listed with other task lamps, I felt I needed to attack the problem of getting a quality drafting lamp with the same amount of conviction. I spent weeks online pouring over page after page related to desk lamps, drafting lamps, and architect lamps. I read hundreds of reviews for lamps touted as "architect drafting lamps." I can say with almost absolute certainty that almost all lamps marketed towards drafting people are egregiously overpriced. Most of them are just expensive designer lamps with no more function than a cheap $20 task lamp. As a consumer unaware of factory processes, this was difficult to discern online as I had to wade through tons of marketing bs geared to offload poorly made foreign overstock. (*I even got the widely lauded craft lamp Ott-Lite L139AB 13-Watt VisionSaver+ High Definition Task Lamp with Swivel Base, Black, which was constructed almost entirely of plastic and would not turn back on after using it only once. Even the tab which held the bulb in place snapped instantly when I tried to remove the bulb to check for any loose connections. I was so disappointed I re-doubled my efforts to find a good drawing lamp. I still await my refund from J&R Music two weeks after returning it.)
Everything inside the packaging box was carefully protected from potential shipping damage with blocks of styrofoam, bubble wrap and cardboard lightly taped around sensitive parts. To my surprise, a 100W bulb was included, despite the print on the manufacturer's box stating that a 75W bulb was included. It was delivered in a box with the words "Made in Thailand" printed on the outside. It is made by APCO, model LC541. The internal warranty paperwork shows "Affordable Products" as the header to their address. (*I don't understand the logic in advertising this lamp as being manufactured by ALVIN when many artists have experienced nothing but similar disappointment in their lamps.) Other info as printed on the packaging: Spring-balanced 46' extension arm with 3-conductor cord, 120V 60Hz.
The local drafting supply store is selling a similar combination lamp for $150, which is the common retail price for a lamp of this kind. There is currently a similar lamp being sold on Amazon (black), but I decided to go with this one because it was being sold by QUINT GRAPHICS (which has a cool selection of stuff) with a difference of a few pennies. I bought it for $63.00. 6,300 pennies. Worth. Every. Penny.
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The lamp I got was not an ALVIN as advertised. It is an APCO, made in Thailand. It is not the lamp pictured although very, very similiar. I have tried the lamp and must say that I am happy with the light quality. I will keep this item, but will send in the warranty because if it fails I will ask for a refund. Again, although false advertising I believe it may be what I need. Hopefully it will swing and yet hold the it's position. And extra bonus that is not pictured, there's an extra plug-in located at the base, next to the clamp.
Best Deals for Clamp Mounting Combination Lamp with Adjustable Metal Arm
The ALVIN combination lamp is exactly what I was hoping for. It sticks in place amazingly well even when stretched all the way out. (I don't even have to tighten the clamps for it to stay in place.) The springs are hidden which makes it look a lot better, and it's completely silent as you move it around. No paint chips, no spring noise. The clamp holding it to the table is very sturdy metal, not plastic, and there's a bit of padding under the top side to prevent scratching the desk (hopefully it works).
It creates an even and bright light that's great for reading (just like in the library -I'm in grad school and need to do a ton of reading), and you don't get that spotlight glare off the pages like you do with regular single-bulb lamps or halogen lamps. The two switches on top are sturdy and clean looking. You don't have to hold down the button like some reviews mentioned for similar lamps. The shipping was fast, it came well-packaged in an ALVIN box within a larger amazon.com box, and the ALVIN box was in perfect condition. I got mine from tiger supplies using the amazon prime shipping.
My only minor gripe is that I thought the lamp would come with both a circular and 60 watt incandescent bulb, but mine only came with the circular bulb. Then again, I just looked at the box and it doesn't say both are included, so I suppose maybe I misread the description on the website.
All in all, very happy with this purchase. It was well worth the cost.
Honest reviews on Clamp Mounting Combination Lamp with Adjustable Metal Arm
I like this light, but it came to me without the the swivel stand which clamps it onto the table. I called the vendor, Tiger Supplies, and they promised to send the stand, but it never came. So I had to try to find one on my own, a lot of aggravation. So if you buy this lamp, get it from a vendor other than TigerSupplies
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Clamp Mounting Combination Lamp with Adjustable Metal Arm
I was looking for a swing arm light that didn't break within a year of purchasing it. The main weakness in the past has been the plastic connection between the arm and the shade. This light seemed so strong, in the writeups, that the connection would be metal, and it is(although not confirmed in any comments or literature I saw).
The product came quickly, securely packaged, and with adequate instructions for hooking it up.
This light is a beast! It is bulky because of the two lights and the very ample construction.
I LOVE IT.
However, it does have a problem in the mounting clamp. I simply tightened it up on 1 " pine at first. I do move the light a lot for multiple purposes, and within two weeks it came loose at the clamp. What I've done now is use two metal plates, 1/16" x 4" X 8", between the clamp and the pine, and tightened it snugly.
I now expect to have a bright, strong, and secure light for the next decade.
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How time flies--a year and a 1/2 after buying this light, my decade passed!
The seemingly solid C-clamp base bent and cracked under the weight of this lamp.
When i went to look for another clamp, i found it was nearly $30!!
I'm going to try and fabricate my own clamp for now, and rather than spend more money on Alvin's poor products if that doesn't work, I'll go looking for another lamp altogether.
