Power Drill Lamp

Black+Decker didn’t invent the power drill, but they revolutionized it. Early power drills were bulky, two-person machines, but in 1916, while reworking the Colt .45, Duncan Black and Alonzo Decker had a breakthrough: the pistol grip and trigger of a revolver could make power drills compact and easy to handle.

Fast-forward to the late 1950s, and the U-100—a staple in the long-running Black+Decker Model 100 line—hit the market. Decades later, many are still going strong. As they say, they don’t make 'em like they used to! Ours was already well-worn, a testament to years of hard use.

Rather than buff it to a shine, we embraced its natural patina and paint splatters. The internal mechanics have been removed, the chuck replaced with a standard socket, and the drill now sits atop a pole wrapped with its original power cord, all mounted on a wooden case from a set of Cleveland Twist Drill Company bits.

The lamp operates via two base-mounted switches, each capped with red wire nuts. The left switch turns the lamp on and off, while the right is a dimmer. But there’s a twist—flip the left switch the other way, and a hidden light inside the drill glows through the vent holes, perfect for setting the mood or serving as a nightlight.

(Note: The internal light is a dimmable 4W G9 LED bi-pin bulb, which should last a long time, but which can be replaced, if necessary.)

We used a brand new cloth-covered twisted cord and polarized plug to continue the retro look, and a base made from a cork desk blotter protects your furniture. We'll include the retro incandescent tube bulb shown, but you can use any standard dimmable light bulb up to 60 watts.

MEASUREMENTS (including shown bulbs): 14" x 4.5" x 15".

PLEASE NOTE: Because of the weight and packaging necessary to safely ship this item, it is not eligible for free shipping. Ships to the U.S. only.