We have a brass floor lamp and it won't stand upright because where the top/bottom rods of the lamp screw is stripped. It is brass... does anyonoe have suggestions how we can stablize the lamp and make it stand upright and rigid?

Pam McCommom, June 2008

use jb weld

Barb, April 2022

I have the same problem with a regular aluminum rod. I read in another help column to use plumbers tape but i found it to be too thin and it did not work, i read also to use electrical tape so i will (have not yet). last thing I read also was to cut the tip of the pipe and use from there, as I do not want my lamp any short I will probably do this only as a last resort using a hack saw

tony, October 2011

Really the stripped thread needs to be recut using a die - dead simple to a machine shop! However, you could use a glue such as Araldite if the threads aren't too slack. The parts could be soldered permanently together too - again dead easy if you know someone with plumbing skills.

John, July 2008