Hatrack River Forum: A conundrum for you fix-it types

This is topic A conundrum for you fix-it types in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :

While moving into my dorm again this year, I was foolishly carrying a lamp atop the bedside table and it fell off, shattering the light bulb.

The problem is that there's still a brokeny light bulb in the lamp, and I don't have a potato around. Any ideas for getting it out that don't involve potatoes?

Edit: I can't believe I spelled conundrum wrong...

[ September 06, 2004, 09:02 PM: Message edited by: Ryuko ]

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

Do you have needlenose pliers? Note: UNPLUG THE LAMP FIRST!

If you can catch the metal portion of the bulb without catching the socket, you should be able to use the pliers to unscrew the bulb.

Dagonee

Posted by punwit (Member # 6388) on :

You could try a pair of pliers or anything that you can open up and apply pressure to the remnants of the metal part of the bulb.

Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :

No offense, if you don't have a potato...why bother?

Why bother LIVING if you ain't got no POTATO?

Answer me that...and you'll solve a question that's bothered philosophers for 2 centuries...

Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :

Apple? Turnip? Papaya? Old rag wrapped in rubber bands and wedged in tight? [Dont Know]

Definitely unplug first, whether you use metal pliers or fruit or whathaveyou.

Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :

OH MY GOD!!! I don't know why I even continue living, it's such a sham!!! !!! !!! !

Without a potato.... Man.. God... It's a good thing I have the shards of this broken lightbulb to impale myself on and slit my wrists and so on... (down not across down not across)

Anyhow, I'll try the pliers thing, but I dunno if it'll work, the lamp is weird and there's cardboard over the metal part...

Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :

Ryuko,
Apply reverse pressure with the needle-nose pliers. Push out from within the screw-in area and turn.

Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :

WAH HAH!!! No needle-nose pliers, and couldn't get a grip on the regular ones, but I applied torque to the flat-like glass bit in the middle (poised over the garbage) and it came out! YAY!!!

Additionally, since I was moving it in when it broke, I had no opportunity to plug it in. Also, I'd have remembered.. I learned that potato trick from Home Improvement... [Razz]

But now a new conundrum arises. As I was bending to plug in my lamp, I knocked over a bookend I'd brought to... End my books. It fell to the floor and broke, (more than it already was) but when I picked up the pieces I noticed a smell like sulphur. It looked a bit like marble, a dark gray and white kinda thing. Could it have been made of sulphur? O_o

Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :

Ryuko, you seem like a nice kid. So I'll square straight with ya, okay?

First you tell us yo' lighbulb be smashed. Fine. Then you got no potato!!!! Well, that too is *fine*. But now ya' be breaking yo' book stuff?

That not good, man! You gotta be getting outta your place and runna away before the evil ghosts that are obviously haunting you...finish you off.

Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :

It's either ghosts or my large and unweildy bosom... [Frown]

Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :

Ryuko, back slowly away from the breakable domestic items ... yes, that's it ... now stay there. [Wink]

Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :

Don't question the ghosts, Ryuko. Start doing that, and the fabric of society will fall apart. Why, we'll start having people marrying their cars!

Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :

Bosoms have caused a great deal of trouble in the world, it's true.

Posted by DocCoyote (Member # 5612) on :

When you start having multiple clumsies during a moving adventure, it is time to go out for ice cream or frozen yogurt.

No idea about the sulpher smell. Except I always associated that smell with demonic possession. Hmmm, maybe it isn't time for ice cream, but rather a visit from a priest or shaman.

I hope you like your new place.

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

Am I the only comic book geek who thought, "Must be Nightcrawler" when sulfer came up?

Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :

I've read of plaster sulphur textiles. [Dont Know]

DocC, I think it's the fault of the bosom. Her bosom has gone on a wild rampage, wreaking havoc among domestic breakables and men.

It must be restrained. Sports bra, methinks.

Posted by DocCoyote (Member # 5612) on :

Okay, not to put too fine a point on it, but my bosoms haven't gotten me into nearly enough trouble, so I will decline to comment on it. (err, them)

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

*pat pat* Ryuko, been there, done that. Hey, you haven't broken anything really expensive, right?

As far as the bookend, does any of it have streaks of green or yellow? Even if not, small traces of sulfur dioxide are fairly common in rock sample, I think.