Fixing a 20-year-old desk lamp

This lamp came from my parents' study. It started flickering whenever someone walked past the desk, which turned out to be a loose contact inside the rocker switch.

The repair

The switch was a common size, so a replacement cost almost nothing. While the base was open I also replaced the cord, because the old insulation had gone stiff and cracked near the plug.

Unplug first, take a photo of the wiring before removing anything, and check the new switch is rated for mains voltage. Nothing clever, just slow and careful.

The screw

One of the four screws holding the base plate was missing. It took longer to find a matching screw in the box than to do the whole repair. I ended up using a slightly longer one and a nut.

It has been on every evening since and no more flicker.