Can't remove light fixture

[junebug29]

So, I need to twist the white disperser off to change the bulb. Unfortunately, the black plastic thing it is threaded into seems to not be fixed to anything. The gap is not wide enough to get my fingers in and, besides, I don't think i could get enough force on it.

What are my options? I thought to drill into the plastic and put a screw into it (of course I would turn off the mains). Is this a bad idea?

I guess this falls into the general category of how to fix or hold a circular object.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Need to see the whole thing, really. But I guess the white thing at the bottom is the shade? Does the chrome bit unscrew a bit so you can get to the inner?

i wouldn't go drilling stuff, there's live wires inside there.

 

[SFK]

I once had a similar light (BUT YOURS MIGHT NOT BE THE SAME).
On mine the black thread was to screw the chrome bezel on and had nothing to do with the glass shade. Instead two C shaped springs came from the black section, and these held onto the Glass (fish bowl shaped) shade by springing open onto the inside of the glass bowl shade.
You put on the shade by holding the springs together and putting them inside the shade so they spring open holing shade in place with friction.
To take off was always a 'heart in mouth' moment as you simply pulled the Glass Shade away, which got harder and harder as the spring got closer to the neck of the Shade.
So my suggestion, with light on try and see if you can see and C shaped springs against inside wall of Shade, and try simply pulling shade away from body of light.
Good luck, SFK

 

[John D v2.0]

Yes I too had one with the sprung arms and it was basically a case of pulling. That was a rented house so the landlord was the last resort. In your situation in my own house I'd be tempted to turn off the power and just get violent with it wearing decent gloves and goggles, if the worst happens and it pulls out of the ceiling then just patch it up and fit a better design of light.
You could put a bag over the whole fitting before pulling in case the glass breaks too.

 

[junebug29]

I found the installation instructions. It's not a spring or anything. it looks like it is threaded. in any case, I don't see springs.

the point of the drilling is then I could put a screw into the black part to I could grip it. As it stands, I can't twist disperser off because the black part it threads into isn't fixed to anything. the black part is round and I can't get my fingers in between the disperser and chrome top (as you can see the gap is small).

 

[John D v2.0]

Ah so basically the bit it screws into isn't itself fixed apart from with the cable.
Can you get to it from above and see what's going on? Maybe you can secure it there and do something, or get some slack on the cable to drop the whole fitting down from the ceiling if it's not attached anyway.

 

[conny]

Heavy duty plastic bag over the whole thing and smash the glass bowl with a hammer then change the fitting for a new one.

Bit drastic I know but I had a similar problem many years ago and the frustration, and fear of damaging it, became too much so I changed the whole fitting.

Manufacturers don't seem able to forsee these problems when they design them and fit in place remedies to solve them if they did.

 

[Echo the husky]

Its got one of those useless 2 terminal connector things that barely allow the connection of 1 cable. The fitting should be smashed up and thrown away for that reason alone!

 

[junebug29]

So, is my drilling idea bad? I want to drill a small hole into the black plastic neck to that I can either use the drill bit to hold it, or put a screw in so I can grab onto it.

I assume if the hole are small and I don't hit metal it should be ok to do that?

 

[Taylortwocities]

I assume if the hole are small and I don't hit metal it should be ok to do that?

Noboy can tell you that, its guesswork on the basis of a 2-D picture on a computer screen.
Without doubt there are cables in there, and the lamp holder. Its up to you.

Turn the power off (not just at the light switch) before you do anything, but be prepared to need to buy a new light fitting if it goes wrong.

 

[stillp]

Rather than drilling it so you have something to grip, couldn't you superglue something to it? That'd be a lot safer.

 

[securespark]

Smash it, smash it, smash it.....

 

[flameport]

It really is smashing time, since you have been without the light for at least a month and drilling holes in it will inevitably cause damage anyway.
Even if you get it unscrewed, some internal part has obviously broken already so it won't go back together.

 

[Iggifer]

Smash it, smash it, smash it.....

I bought the perfect tool for this job last week

Honestly, the nicest hammer I have ever used. Would recommend it in a second

 

[securespark]

Ooh! I like smashy bashy tools!

How much? [Drool.....]