Lamps are a necessity, and they are pretty cool too. You can either use them as night lamps, or place them on your desk to use them as desk lamps. Whatever your purpose is, you can make your own DIY lamps with bottles. Here at OneHowTo.com, we are going to tell you how to make a DIY bottle lamp.
Once you have selected the bottle of your choice to make your DIY lamp, take its sticker and label off, and wash it properly. It will be easier if you run hot water under it and it won't leave any marks on the glass.
Cut out a few squares of the grease proof paper, and tape it down on the bottle. This will not only protect your bottle lamp from getting dirty, but will also protect your hands, in case the bottle shatters for any reason.
You will have to make a hole in the bottle, from where you can pass your wire through. So, first mark the hole preferably on the bottom side of the bottle, and start drilling. Keep the bottle on a soft towel so that it can withstand the vibration, and start digging with a 5mm bit.
Take the bottle to your kitchen sink, and run water on the contact point between your drill and the glass. This will provide some lubrication, so that the bottle stays protected against cracks. The speed of the drill depends on the thickness of the bottle. While drilling, you need to slow down if you notice a squeaking noise or see too much white powder collecting on the drill bit.
Once you have made a small hole in the bottle, switch to a 12mm bit and continue drilling. Now, you will have a bigger hole through which you will be able to pass the wire. Try to fit a 12mm grommet in the hole, thus making sure that it is big enough.
An easier way to get the cable to go through the lamp is to cut the bottom of the bottle off directly. Take a look at our tutorial on how to cut glass at home without a glass cutter.
Let the bottle dry, and clean out the glass dust using a bottle brush. You can insert the grommet with the help of tweezers, but do not put too much pressure, as it may break the glass.
Add some WD40 to a match stick or cotton bud, lube the grommet up, and thread the wire into the hole and out from the top of the bottle.
Now comes the time to do your lamp fitting. Fix it on the top end of your lamp’s wire, and fix it by drilling a hole in the bottle’s lid.
To make it more eye-catching, fill the empty bottle with the things of your choice, such as glass beads, jelly beans, marbles or crystals. Don’t just throw them into the bottle, as they may put chips or cracks in the bottle. Try to slide them inside smoothly.
Pull back the wire from the grommet, making sure that it is free, and is not stuck in the marbles. Now fix your bulb, plug it in, and turn it on.
Your DIY bottle lamp is now ready!
For more DIY projects with waste material take a look at the following articles:
- How to make a lampshade with waste material
- How to make a phone holder out of a lotion bottle
- How to make furniture with pallets
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