Help - how do I get the lampshade on the light fitting?

[PickleFish]

I have moved into a flat that has no lampshades yet. The fittings are pendant fittings that look like these, fixed to the ceiling.

s7g3.scene7.com/is/imageae235?src=ae235/22210_P&$prodImageMedium$

The lampshades have a hole in the centre of the metal supports. From what I read online, I'm supposed to unscrew and remove the cylinder bit below the grey dividing bit, and then put the lampshade on over top and put it back together.

But I can't figure out how to do that. When I unscrew the cylinder bit at the bottom, it doesn't come away from the cord in any way - it's totally attached to the cord. The only bit that moves is the dome shaped bit above it, which then slides up and down. None of that helps me get the lamp shade on!

If I take out the plastic ring that makes the hole smaller, then I can fit the lamp shade over the whole fitting, put the bulb in, and the bulb kind of holds it all in place - but I'm sure that's not right.

I am missing something obvious here!

Would a video help?

m.youtube.com/watch?v=H8cvpbL4kA4

I suspect if you hold the top part dome bit so it can't turn and then try and twist the bottom part off it might go. They can be a bit stiff sometimes.

When you unscrew the bottom bit of the cylinder, it should come right off, then put lampshade metal hoop on and 'sandwich' it in when you screw the bottom back on....

Thanks, maybe I will try again holding the dome part tighter and twist the cylinder harder. Because the cylinder bit didn't seem to move, whereas the dome did, so I didn't want to do anything dangerous by trying to get it off. It looks like it's just the white plastic outside bit that's meant to come off, and leave the inner metal cylinder attached, yes? That video (and what Beachy said) is what I was expecting to do, but I just couldn't figure out how to do it, because mine never seemed to look like that - the plastic bit of the cylinder just stayed attached. But it sounds like I need to put a bit more force into it...

(I turned off the fuse, which I hope is enough to cut the electricity to it!)

Yes you only unscrew the white outer ring not the fitting.

I'm still not getting it off. When I unscrew it, it unscrews above the black divider bit - maybe it should unscrew beneath? I tried to hold the dome part still and unscrew the bottom but it just spiralled around and the same part came unscrewed.

It's getting a bit dark now when I turn the other lights off, so I might have to try again in the morning when the sun comes in!

Yes the part below only.

Try unscrewing the black bit from the white bit it is currently in, and screwing the black bit back into the white bit that is currently loose at the top.

If you can do that you should then be able to put the lampshade on. If you can't you might need a new fitting or a bit of superglue if you want to bodge it.

You need to screw that bit back onto the black bit. If you imagine in the bottom bit is exactly the same black screwy tube so you need to work that white bottom section off the black screw!

Try holding the bottom part with a rubber glove to give you a better/tighter grip.

Thanks - ok, I'll have a go at that tomorrow when it's light.

It's all brand new, so really hoping I don't need a new one ,and I'd rather not glue anything yet as I don't even know if I like this lampshade! It looks very different in situ than in the shop.

The old lampshades in my rented house had kind of wire clips that you just bent and wrapped around the cord, so no need for unscrewing for that. If all else fails, I can try to find some like that. But it just seems like it shouldn't be hard!!

The insides!!!

thanks - at least I know that the bit I am trying to get off is called the shroud! :) Or, the bottom half of the shroud I guess

I think I can see little nibs on the sides of the black part that you are meant to be able to grip when you unscrew the bottom collar. I expect it has seized with heat from incandescent bulbs. When you get the white collar off, clean the screw thread and wipe it with furniture polish.

Modern energy saving lamps and LEDs run much cooler so this problem will become rarer.

oh I see, I wondered what those were for. I'll try gripping them with a rubber glove/jar opener and see if I can get it off.

It should be modern as it's all newly built, but the builders might have screwed it on far more tightly than I can undo!! The build isn't LED but is one of those energy saving ones, so hopefully not too hot.