Beachcomber lamp - General Tiki

J johntiki Member MD Joined: Mar 31, 2002 Posts: 1528	J johntiki Posted posted on Tue, Dec 31, 2002 11:42 AM Thanks for all the compliments – I will enlighten those who wish to build their own Beachcomber lamp. Materials… A pair of matching plastic lampshades – I found mine at the Goodwill for $.99 each. One tapa print shirt or fabric – I used an Old Navy end of Season, too small to fit, sale shirt for $3.99 One spool of jute twine One roll of .22 gauge steel wire One bottle of contact cement One magic marker 4 small gauge bamboo poles 4 sand dollars 4 starfish 1 drill with a tiny bit and a slightly larger bit 1 saw (to cut the bamboo) Steps Cut the shirt or fabric in two long strips, coat the lampshade with the contact cement and slowly apply the fabric, smoothing as you go. Once both shades are covered place bottom to bottom, using a marker place dots along border, alternating in a zig-zag pattern – using the drill with the slightly larger bit, drill out the holes (Be careful to apply pressure so as to not pull the fabric Now take the twine and stitch the two halves of the shade together – tying tightly when completed Now take a bamboo pole and hold against the side of the shade to get the proper angle and length and mark a line to cut off the bamboo – repeat as necessary – Now using the drill with the tiny bit, drill holes through the bamboo and two tiny holes in the shade (one set at the top, one set at the bottom) Cut off a decent length of wire, thread through a hole in the shade, through the bamboo and into the other hole – tighten by twisting the wire – repeat for each piece. Now drill holes in the sand dollars and starfish with the drill and tiny bit (Be careful and let the drill do the work – don’t push!) Place the aquatic life where you want and drill holes into the shade – using the wire to thread through and fasten from inside Remove the inner shade holder from one of the shades and you are complete… I displayed the shade as a table lamp but I am planning on getting a hanging bulb fixture and making it a hanging lamp. Will post photos whenever I get a chance to hang it! :drink:

Thanks for all the compliments – I will enlighten those who wish to build their own Beachcomber lamp.

Materials…

A pair of matching plastic lampshades – I found mine at the Goodwill for $.99 each.
One tapa print shirt or fabric – I used an Old Navy end of Season, too small to fit, sale shirt for $3.99
One spool of jute twine
One roll of .22 gauge steel wire
One bottle of contact cement
One magic marker
4 small gauge bamboo poles
4 sand dollars
4 starfish
1 drill with a tiny bit and a slightly larger bit
1 saw (to cut the bamboo)

Steps

Cut the shirt or fabric in two long strips, coat the lampshade with the contact cement and slowly apply the fabric, smoothing as you go.
Once both shades are covered place bottom to bottom, using a marker place dots along border, alternating in a zig-zag pattern – using the drill with the slightly larger bit, drill out the holes (Be careful to apply pressure so as to not pull the fabric
Now take the twine and stitch the two halves of the shade together – tying tightly when completed
Now take a bamboo pole and hold against the side of the shade to get the proper angle and length and mark a line to cut off the bamboo – repeat as necessary – Now using the drill with the tiny bit, drill holes through the bamboo and two tiny holes in the shade (one set at the top, one set at the bottom) Cut off a decent length of wire, thread through a hole in the shade, through the bamboo and into the other hole – tighten by twisting the wire – repeat for each piece.
Now drill holes in the sand dollars and starfish with the drill and tiny bit (Be careful and let the drill do the work – don’t push!) Place the aquatic life where you want and drill holes into the shade – using the wire to thread through and fasten from inside
Remove the inner shade holder from one of the shades and you are complete…

I displayed the shade as a table lamp but I am planning on getting a hanging bulb fixture and making it a hanging lamp. Will post photos whenever I get a chance to hang it!

:drink:

Post #17640 by johntiki on Tue, Dec 31, 2002 11:42 AM