the process
1. A CLEANUP
Hodgert prefers to save the original finish whenever possible. Any dirt and misapplied paint layers may be removed by soaking the piece overnight in hot, soapy water, then scraping it with a stiff nylon brush. He uses a pair of bamboo chopsticks, sharpened into points, as chisels for hard-to-reach corners and crevices. A fine, brass-bristle brush and a dental pick also may be used to remove remaining paint from the metal.
2. WIRING
In most cases, a simple brass backplate is fashioned and the light itself is professionally rewired. To wire the sconce into existing junction boxes on the wall, Hodgert shuts off the power at the circuit breaker, then removes the old wall sconces and disconnects the wires (first the black hot wire, then the white neutral wire, finally the copper ground wire). The green ground screw is unscrewed and removed from the bracket, which is then lifted off the junction box. The mounting bracket is reused for the indicator-light sconce and screwed into the top and bot
tom of the junction box. The ground wire is then reattached to the green ground screw on the bracket, and the bare house wire attached to the bare fixture wire with a wire nut. The white wire is then attached to the one on the sconce with a wire nut, secured with electrical tape, and the black wire attached in a similar fashion. Make sure the wire nuts are properly sized for the gauge of the wire to avoid slippage. After tightening, gently pulling on the wires will ensure both are properly engaged.
3. MOUNTING ON THE WALL
Once tightened, the wires are carefully pushed back inside the junction box through the opening in the mounting bracket, coiled like a spring to avoid kinking. The light is then attached to the mounting bracket with screws and mounting nuts. Once the power is on, the sconce is ready to dazzle.