Lamps are very useful things that we get for our rooms. It provides comfortable light when we need it and can be forms of decoration too. There are a lot of ways wherein you can make your own lamps and add a personal touch on their designs. The key is to know what you want and looking for ways to create them. Do it yourself lamps not only lets you discover your inner ideas of creativity but it’s cheaper than buying a lamp product as well. Do it yourself crafts also help get rid of old things at home that just clutter around. You can take inspiration from using these materials and transforming them into something new and artistic.
So why not start making your very own lamp idea?
What you’re about to create is a cheap however very pretty Japanese style lamp wherein you can use recycled parts that can easily be found around the house. There are many tutorials out there that you can look for when you want more detailed designs; however below are the basics that you might be interested in learning when you want to make a simple yet unique lamp.
Before anything else, make sure that you exercise the steps with caution. Remember that you will be dealing with light bulbs and wiring which is why you also need to be careful.
- Things that you will need:
- Scissors
- Glue gun
- Knives
- Nail clippers
- 2 layer corrugated cardboard
- Bamboo sticks or chopsticks
- Crafting paper
- Light bulb socket
- Light bulb
- Plug
- 2 core meters of flex
The first thing you need to do is to make a frame for your lamp idea. Decide on how big you wish your lamp to be. It could be a smaller lamp or something bigger. This also depends on the materials that you have especially the ones you will use for the frame. You can either go with the same length or shorten them. For this basic lamp you can go with the A4 size. Just make sure that the lamp is taller and not wider because it will make the lamp look disproportional. Cut two sticks for the frame and another stick that will fit the width of the lamp. Create a rectangle with your sticks by gluing the longer sticks to the shorter sticks or gluing the height sticks to the width sticks
Now that you’re done with that, it’s time to decide what design you should go for in that side of the lamp. You can go with abstract designs or stripes which are easier for starters you can even be creative on this one and make your own patter provided you have an idea how to construct them using the sticks that you have. Make sure that you can glue the sticks together and that they don’t fall off when you hold the frame alone.
You can repeat the design on one side and make another for the rest of the sides, or you can duplicate the idea and make it uniform on all sides of the lamp. It all depends on you and what design you might be aiming for. Just be sure that all ends are glued and that the sticks don’t fall out the moment you hold the frame in standing position.
When you’re done with that it’s time to place the skin of the lamp. Place the crafting paper below the frame; make sure that the frame is glued to the frame. Wait until the glue dries completely and when everything is set, carefully cut the edges of the paper to fit the frame. When you’re done with one side, it’s time to do the remaining sides.
It’s time to place the wires. Carefully cut off the insulation of the flex for a few centimeters, any more can cause a short and you wouldn’t want that. Wire the end of the flex into the socket. After securing that no copper part is showing, wire the other end to the plug. Make sure that a fuse is installed. If you like, you can install the torpedo switch near the socket or anywhere else you want it to be. When done, carefully test of the bulb is lighting. Do the checking away from the paper to avoid any incidents of fire.
Now it’s time to make the base of the lamp. Get the corrugated cardboard and cut it to fit the width of your side panels. Add at least two layers or more and attach them with glue for maximum strength. Make sure to cut out a shallow hole where the flex can pass through. Then glue the socket on the base firmly while positioning the flex to fit the hole.
After which, it’s time to attach the side panels together. Glue the sides together, make sure that they fit each other’s edges perfectly or it will look weird when one side is taller than the other. Also make sure that you don’t glue the base on because you will have trouble changing the bulb if you do this.
Then viola! Your masterpiece is done!
Take note that since you’re working with paper on this lamp it is wise to choose a bulb with softer light. Choose a bulb that doesn’t heat up the paper as much under an hour, the lamp is very light and thin so placing it in vulnerable places is a no-no.
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Nice
Thank you for the step by step but I can’t understand how to make the electrical connection inside the lamp. Can you show a photo? Thanks.
Some very unique lamps. The Screw Lamps are my favorite. Anyone know where they found those colored screws and if they are glass or what? I’d love to find some full DIY Lamp Tutorials.