make a hanging lamp kit

You don't even need a table to put them on. And you'll see that the results give you a lot of style bang for your effort buck. Lamp Kits. Prop the shade up so it will be easier to see when you're drilling and tape the template in place. Then you can go ahead and proceed with inserting the socket into the shade hole and threading on the second shade ring from the inside. Canomo Silver Finish Make-A-Lamp Kit 3-Way with 8 Inch Harp, 2 Pieces 12" Lamp Pipe, and All Parts Needed and Instructions for DIY Lamp Design or Repair 4.6 out of 5 stars 117 $19.99 $ 19 . You now have a designer pendant at the height of lamp fashion for only a fraction of the couture cost. Use a folded piece of paper towel to run over the edge to check for snags or areas that need more filing/sanding. Get crazy! Pull the lamp cord apart into two strands leaving a half inch of exposed wire at the ends. Having determined which wire is the Hot/black wire, cut it in half. These lamps are meant to represent your style, whatever it may be. Now that you've made this beautiful cord set, it's time to test it!! Slide the socket cap down to meet the strain relief bits, small end first. To keep the paint from getting inside the bowl, tape the hole up from the inside using masking tape. Now that's a great looking plug/cord combo! We can help you put the parts together or you can order the individual parts from the Shop. The great thing about using a zip tie is that you can leave it a little bit loose for minor height adjustments and then tighten it all the way up once you have the pendant exactly where you want it! Lamp Parts and Lamp Making Supplies: Lamp making parts and home décor accessories including lamp cord sets, lamp wiring kits, lamp sockets, lamp making accessories, light bulbs, mason and canning jar lamp kits, battery candles, tea lights and welcome lights. Bulb Recommendation:a (low heat) vintage Edison style LED bulb. If you don't wish to run a rod through your lamp base, sockets are available that allow the lamp cord to come through the bottom part of the socket shell. One of my favorite things is when unrelated objects fit together. But if you do prefer to use Edison style bulbs that produce more heat, it's a good idea to drill some escape holes for that heat so that it doesn't adversely affect the finish on the shade. Reassemble both the plug and the socket as necessary, making sure there is no excess wire sticking out that can short to the other conductor. I want to hang two lights about 3' apart from my ceiling, but I don't want to run two wires and use two sockets. Examine the colors of the wires emerging from the lamp cord from your hanging light, and compare them to the colors of your swag kit's cord's wires. Screw the base into the free end of the threaded nipple. Lamp Making & Lighting Kits for Crafts, Hobbies, Woodworking, Manufacturing, etc. Once done, hold onto the cord with one hand the socket with the other and re-twist the cord all the way up to the bottom of the socket. The Angelo Brothers Make A Lamp Kit has a brass plated 10″ detachable harp and push through on and off switch. Kit says: September 1, ... You must also think it’s a good idea for your kids to make a lamp that will cost about 6000 times more to operate by batteries than it would cost to plug it in the wall. Prep the cord for wiring by stripping 5/8" insulation off, fanning and twisting the wires. Wrap the neutral wire clockwise around the silver (or white) screw, and the hot wire clockwise around the gold (or dark) screw. DO NOT WEAR GLOVES! If you need a refresher on how to do this, refer to Lesson 6 of my Lamps Class. If it's going over a work surface or dining table, you'll want to choose a height that allows for total coverage of your work/dining area. :). But don't worry, it's easy to achieve this in almost all shapes and materials of potential shades. Put on your safety glasses and secure the hole saw bit into the hand drill. Hardware includes: a 2" threaded nipple, hex nut and finial. They can go ANYWHERE in a room because, conveniently, ceiling is everywhere! Question If done slowly and properly, it's quite safe, but if you have any reservations and are uncomfortable with the idea, I would recommend choosing a different pendant to make. Divide that in two to find the radius and set your compass to that measurement. This article has been viewed 786,767 times. Tape the paper circle in place on the bowl base and use the center punch and a hammer to mark the center on the metal bowl. Available with both candelabra and Edison base sockets. This antler will secure your light socket. Wear safety glasses and gloves throughout the project. Use a hand broom or folded paper towel to sweep the remaining metal bits into a paper towel and discard. :). If the wires have two colors at all, the white is the neutral wire and the black is the hot wire. 99 You will have to research the particular sockets needed for this type of lamp, but it is definitely possible. If you have a wood ceiling, you can use a simple screw-in hook (pictured below right), but if you have a drywall/sheetrock ceiling, use a hook with a toggle bolt (below left). thank you! Next, fold a small piece of 220 sand paper in half and sand the edge of the hole, smoothing it even more. Split 2 inches (5 centimeters) of the cut end down the middle to separate the two insulated wires. NOTE: If you're ever trying to find the center of a round bottom that's not plastic, you can learn how to do this in the instructions for the next project, the Faux Dixon Pendant. (x1 - $3.95) white … I just used this guide to repair a lamp that fell over and broke the plastic housing on the socket. I assume I can, if so, can you tell me how I would do it? You can either measure them out on your paper square, or freestyle their locations. Place an inverted, large antler close to the top of your lamp. Once the hole is cut, slip it over the bulb socket until it reaches the base of the mount and … But feel free to add one (see Lesson 5 of my Lamps Class) if you need it. Give the work surface one last wipe down with a damp cloth. Make a Macrame Wall Hanging Master the age-old technique of tying various knots out of cord to create beautiful pieces of decor for your home. % of people told us that this article helped them. Spray at a 45 degree angle top down to keep the paint from getting inside the bottom edge of the bowl. The semi-translucent plastic the mold is made of is a perfect, lightweight light diffuser and the shape has a Victorian feel that goes well with the antique brass 4" holder that also has a yesteryear look. (pictured above left). If it's going above a couch or leisure chair as a reading light, just make sure it's high enough that you don't hit your head when getting up and down. About: Made in Canada, I grew up crafting, making, and baking. If you enjoyed learning about lighting, you may also enjoy my other lamp instructables: Did you make this project? The shade holder screws hold onto and secure the shade. Before inserting the socket into the hole you cut out, screw the extra shade ring onto the socket with the shoulder facing down. There is a real danger of the plastic melting using incandescent style bulbs. Mark the center with an 'X'. Bring the right wire down so that it's facing to the left, in back of the doubled wiring. Step 5 - Once you've confirmed the height, snip off the excess zip tie. Make sure that the hole is just wide enough to slip over the light bulb socket. Bring the left wire down so that it's facing to the right, in front of the doubled wiring. Recommended bulb: 40W Clear Globe bulb or any other shorter bulb that doesn't stick out below the shade. This pendant is another great example of how almost anything can become a lamp! Thanks for the high five Jetsom! (Like a boss who doesn't have to bend all the way down to the plug to turn it off...). Or part of one anyway. You just need the socket portion of the light kit to fit through the hole. Make the clockwise 'U' shaped ends and wire the Hot/black wire to the Narrow prong/brass screw terminal. How much does a mediocre lamp kit cost on average? I'm a self-professed Pinterest addict. You'll notice that most plastic containers have a mark in the center of their bottoms. Wire up the socket interior in the same way we did for the SVT practice cord set in Lesson 3 of my Lamps Class. Screw the socket cap into the threaded end of the prong half of the relief and use your small flathead screwdriver to tighten the screw inside the cap (like pictured). Use a pencil to mark the center (where the compass point hole is) with an 'x'. DIY Hanging Light – Let there be light The smaller circle below is where socket portion will slip in. Slide the socket cap/strain relief half combo back up the cord until the socket interior is nestled into the cap. Remove the shade ring from the socket threads (if you had put it back) and insert the threads of the socket into the hole of the shade. :(. All you have to do is add 8 mason jars around this frame, and a light bulb in the center. Place the bottle on the cutter and move cutter to where you want to cut it. I went with the one in the middle of the top row and the steps for transforming my tiny sketch into a pattern of holes on the shade, is below: On a large piece of paper, trace the side of the shade. Standard lamps are drilled down the centre to take the wire. Here's how to make the magic happen: Set the bowl face down on the grip mat and in the corner of two pieces of wood clamped to the table. This is the injection site of the material from the manufacturing process, so it's very safe to assume that it is dead center. When installing your pendant light, how high you hang it depends on how you're going to use it. Now, lets get to it! Aside from your lamp kit and ginger jar, you’re going to need: A dremel with a diamond bit. Out of this love for designing and creating, I pursued a BFA in product design from Parsons School of Design in NYC. This is just the beginning of your exploration into the lamp frontier, of you boldly going where no other you has gone before. Use clamps to secure the wood to the table. This depends on the voltage of each light bulb and also how the circuit is run (i.e. To build a lamp, start by getting a lamp kit at your local hardware store, which will come with a detachable harp, a cord set, a socket and shell, a finial, and some basic hardware. Stack the antlers into an arrangement that you find visually appealing. If you're making your own cord set, I recommend putting the line switch 2' from the plug – but of course feel free to put it wherever along the cord will be most convenient for you based on where it will be hanging. Note: Making the shade for this beauty requires drilling a substantially sized hole in a metal bowl. Now it's time to CAREFULLY clean the metal shavings up. Lay the cord back down onto the switch and trim the Hot wires so that they will nestle into place once pressed in. When doing this, make sure that the bottom of the plug doesn't rub against the rod's sharp edge. Make a beautiful mason jar chandelier in minutes using this really affordable wrought iron canning jar chandelier frame! Easy peasy. Is it even possible? Pendant Light Kit with Switch - Vintage Hanging Lamp Cord with 12.5FT Pendant Lights Socket Set E26 E27 Socket Plug in Hanging Lighting Fixture for Farmhouse Lamp Cable DIY(2-Pack) 4.3 out of 5 stars 50. The larger circle is the outline of the ring that screws on from underneath to hold the light kit to the wire basket. The natural fiber basket shade takes only a fraction more effort. Kits contain all the parts needed to illuminate your craft projects. Fold the square from corner to corner both ways to mind the center point. In order to transform it into the shade we need it to be, we must first drill a hole in it that will accommodate the diameter of the phenolic socket's threads. The lamp shade sits on top of the harp and is secured with a … Secure the bowl by pushing down and toward the wood corner with your non-dominant hand and line the hole saw's pilot bit up with the center punch mark. In my Lamps Class, I go over: Each hanging pendant lamp in this lesson has the above parts (or similar versions with the same function). Attaching the shade to the cord set is very straight forward for the wooden and plastic shades. Large quantity discount pricing is available. And as you've probably guessed by now, I love re-purposing things and troll thrift shops looking for orphaned objects that could be incorporated into lamps. I decided on a 3/4" distance between holes. Just go slow and reposition it as necessary in order to keep it as dead center as possible. Use the small wire cutters to cut away the fiber and connecting threads inside the socket circle you drew on - leaving the threads sticking into the empty circle about 3/8". Remove the clamps and gently shake the wood pieces before moving them to another location. Place the socket threads over the center mark (there usually is one) of the basket bottom. Strip 5/8" of the wires ends off. Draw a circle at that setting on a piece of scrap paper and cut out the circle. Sawing your rod down to size is not ideal. Now slowly and carefully start to drill, keeping steady downward pressure on the drill. The reason for two rings is to better sandwich and secure the thread and fiber ends. If you don't want to buy a lamp kit, and instead want to purchase the items separately, you'll need: Assorted hardware, like nuts, bolts and washers. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 786,767 times. The parts you need to make one of these simple to make pendants lamps are: (x1 - $0-15) waste paper basket made of wood, plastic, or natural fibers (the Container Store has many!) Ta Da! I'll cover three such ways here. There I said it. Use the box cutter to make a tiny cut through JUST the outer cloth cover on one of the wires -- so that you know which one is the Neutral/white wire and which is the Hot/black wire. This is just one of the many possible fun results of mixing a small amount of creativity energy with some elbow grease!! Do not connect them. The Twisted isn't designed to hold that much weight. This is what your finished cord set should look like - unless you decide to add a line switch, then there will be one more 'bump' in the cord road. I used a compass to draw a tidy circle, and then used it again to make equidistant marks all the way around to indicate where to drill. This style of switch is very similar to SPT-1 rotary line switch used in the SPT-1 practice cord set in Lesson 5 of my Lamps Class, in that it has pointy prongs that pierce the Hot wire of the cord. The bulb socket in the lamp kit should have two screws of different colors positioned at the base. If you're unsure, check the manual that came with your lamp kit. Shade holders are designed to hold glass shades. For this cord set, I use a kind of strain relief that isn't covered in my Lamps Class, so I'll give a detailed step-by-step for how to assemble this kind of strain relief. In stock on February 3, 2021. Lamp wiring kits, all you need to wire a wooden or ceramic lamp base to add a light. Make sure there aren't any more metal bits on it before rolling it up and putting it away. Yay! Cut the outlet (the female end) off the extension cord. Instead, try building your own one-of-a-kind lamp using a meaningful object as the base. Slide the cap up the cord so that the socket bottom is nestled in the cap, making sure to line the socket tab up with the cap slot. If you'd like to add air holes to this shade, you definitely can, but it isn't as necessary as it would be for the wood, because you SHOULD NEVER use anything but low energy (= low heat output) bulbs with plastic containers. Use your continuity tester or multi-meter to test the connections before moving on to the next step. If we aren't precise about the location of the hole, the shade will be off kilter/tilted. It's also for the slightly thicker SPT-2 cord (read Lesson 1 of my Lamps Class to learn all about the different kind of lamp cord), so it's perfect for accommodating the added thickness of the cloth cover. Pendant (hanging / swag) lamps are maybe the most versatile of all indoor lamps. Keep in mind that wiring electrical circuits carries some risk. Next up is how to find the center, and drill a hole, in a square top wooden container: You'll need a ruler, scissors, pencil, and piece of paper to help you find the center point of the 'shade'. Gently pick up the grip mat, take it to a large garbage can and shake it out (while still wearing your glasses!!). Put the right wire into the loop on the left side. Apply lacquer or polyurethane to the surface of the antlers. Now you have to decide where on the cord you want to put the switch. This is usually anywhere from 28-38" above the surface, keeping in mind you'll want an unobstructed view across the table/counter. Simply put the threads of the socket through the shade hole and thread the shade ring onto the socket from inside the shade, making the two (cord set and shade) become one. And that my friends, is how you turn a 'waste' product into something wonderful! Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. If you are unsure of what you are doing, you may want to prepare the object you want to make a lamp out of for wiring (the mount, the passageways for the wire, the lamp socket and shade mounting) and let someone more skilled in electrical wiring actually wire up the lamp. Thanks! Measure one side of the square, in between the inside of the wooden side pieces. 2 years ago. They cost $5 - $15, depending on what the kit includes. Now you will be able to turn your lamp on and off like a boss. This project, made with a hanging lamp cord kit, is quick and easy and will produce a budget-friendly lighting option for any room in the house. You want to make sure that there aren't any sharp bits that could cut you when handling the shade. I've had a crush on Tom Dixon's Beat Lights (see above) for ages and decided it was time to see if I could make my own version. Once you've decided where you want the line switch to go, un-twist about a 2" section of the cord. You can also use colored mason jars like these with the chandelier frame, or make your own tinted mason jars, see number 22 & 23. (Left) Toggle Bolt Hook For Drywall Ceilings, (Right) Screw-In Hook For Wood Ceilings. References. As a manufacturer, we offer lighting components to complete your antique lamp and chandelier restorations. I'm thinking I would just splice a wire into the end of the long one and then set up two lights. Begin by drilling a small hole through the lid of your ginger jar using your dremel with the diamond bit. Step 1 - One zip tie, preferably a small one in whatever color will be most unnoticeable. To learn how to strip your wires and attach them to the bulb socket, scroll down! Design a decorative lampshade to hang from your ceiling. Choose your pendant kit and then customize the look with shades from our vast selection. It just has a rocker switch instead of a rotary one. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Use the box cutter to gently remove the necessary amount of cloth cover. Thread the shade ring onto socket threads from inside the shade. At home this can be best achieved by using 3 wooden rods, such as broom handles glued together in a triangle. I'd love to make the faux Dixon lamp as a reading light over my comfy chair. Now we'll add the device that makes the on/off magic happen: the line switch. 99. This is a hanging one specifically and includes the chain, electrical assembly and cord. :). In this instructable, I will be showing you how to construct the lamps, but not how to wire them. This set up gives you something to put pressure against as you hold the object in place while drilling and the mat helps keep the object from spinning. If you have any questions while making, please let me know! Use the center punch and hammer to mark the center on the wood. I recommend always using low energy bulbs (LED or Compact Fluorescent) for pendants as they give off very little heat. The most important thing to remember to add to a pendant lamp cord set is a strain relief - whether it's the small metal one that goes INSIDE the socket like the one drawn above, or the exterior one used in the Faux Dixon pendant. :). Slide the paper into place. Wrap the like-colored wires from the swag kit … No, but most lamp kits include one. Approximate parts cost (before taxes & shipping): $37.75. This secures the socket cap to the strain relief. (Using just the ruler and pencil to draw right on the top wouldn't be accurate enough because of that ridge that's higher than the surface to be drilled on.). Don't make it too heavy, and make sure you have a way to attach it to the base of the light socket assembly you'll be hanging. I chose to customize the wooden one by drilling holes in a pattern I designed, so that the light would shine through, highlighting the shapes. If you have a large area you are trying to light, you may need two or three pendants to get an adequate amount of light. Like I mentioned above, the harp lamp kit is used for lamp shades that have a small hole in the frame. The 1 9/16" hole saw I recommend is perfect for the job. Secure the hole saw into the drill's chuck and put on your safety glasses. I squirrel away beautiful photos of beautiful things. We also sell light fixture extension kits for today's two and three story ceilings, especially in entryways. Holding the socket interior snuggly in place inside the socket cap, slide the strain relief cap up to meet its other half and, lining up the prongs with the matching slots on the cap, carefully screw the strain relief back together. $16.99 $ 16. if the lights are in a parallel circuit or not). I decided on these three waste paper baskets to illustrate how to work with a few different materials to make pendant shades: natural fibers, wood, and plastic. :). Learn more... Store-bought lamps are a quick, easy way to add light to a room, but they can also be a bit boring because they’re made to appeal to lots of different people. Slide the plug housing onto the cord end opposite the socket. Step 2 - Make a small loop in the cord at the height you want the pendant to hang, minus the pendent depth measurement. Thread one end of the lamp cord through the middle loop and slip it into the hole on top of the lampshade. Attach metal hanging wire to the glass bottle by drilling two small holes on either side of the neck of the bottle. Then move everything about a foot down the cord, so that it's all out of the way for the wiring of the socket interior. Enter the Faux Dixon pendant lamp. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow. Once you are satisfied with the edge's smoothness, set the bowl aside. This is the one cord making info exception in this 'ible. The plastic is soft, so the pilot bit may wander a bit at the beginning. Use the cutters to trim off any wild/excess cloth covering. Adding the plug for this cord set is exactly the same as the SVT practice cord set in Lesson 4 of my Lamps Class. This one requires only hand tools, no power drill. Try and figure out, based on where you're putting the light, what would be the most convenient place for it to be. And don't forget to test your connections before plugging in! I'd use a drill bit that's 1/4 - 1/2". *NOTE: If you decide to use a glass shade and not the Jello mold, use SVT (18/2 or 18/3) cord instead of the Twisted. Using a half round metal file, clean up the edge of the hole if necessary, removing any burrs. - an Electric Go Kart Homeschool STEM Project, Concrete & Wood Counterweighted Mic Stand, Build Your Dream Car (Alfa Romeo Vintage in Wood), The different kinds of available lamp cord and their best uses, How to tell which wire is HOT and which is NEUTRAL, How to safely wire up sockets, plugs, and switches, How to test your connections before plugging in, (x1 - $0-15) waste paper basket made of wood, plastic, or natural fibers (the, (x1 - $10 -$12) primer and matte black spray paint (any hardware store will carry these), (x1- $2-10) vintage Tupperware jello mold* - thrift shops, eBay.com, etsy.com. When I saw this vintage Tupperware jello mold, I had a feeling it was going to get along nicely with a 4" fitter, and I was right!! Yes, you can. To learn how to strip your wires and attach them to the bulb socket, scroll down! If the wiring is not correct, you can be shocked or electrocuted or the device can cause a fire. Three firm hits on the end of the punch should do it. Minimum Order = $10.00 Follow the manufacturer's instructions on the bottle cutter. Not sure about the rest of the world, but in the US, they were popular for a few years in the 1970's, but not since then. I chose a keyless antique brass socket with uno threads to secure the shade holder to and twisted cloth covered brown cord and antique plug to further secure this pendant's old-world status. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Alternatively, you could use a metal tube, but take care with metal and electricity. A strain relief holds the weight of the shade and protects the cord/socket connections from being pulled out. So easy right? There are so many ways you could customize these shades. To create this article, 45 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. We do several different Lamp Kits which are for the popular lamps however there may not be one exactly for you. You can choose to customize them (like I did the wood one) or not (like the plastic). By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Before threading, tape the wire ends together so that they fit smoothly inside the rod. Carefully slide the other half onto the cord prong end first. Unscrew the plug screws and remove the prong insert. Hand screw a tea hook into the ceiling where you marked and turn hook until tightened. You can use your ruler if you'd like to confirm that it's centered - by measuring from the edge of the socket threads to the edge of the bottom in all four directions (North, South, East, West, or every 90 degrees). Our DIY Electrical Lamp Kits contain high quality UL-listed electrical components and detailed instructions to walk you through each step of the process. This serving bowl was the perfect find for trying to mimic the Beat lamp's look. Next, set up your drilling station. For this first pendant lamp, I went to the Container Store and found about a million options for potential shades. This automatically leaves a space down the centre. Set the screws and the top half aside. Place the grip mat down and secure the two pieces of wood in a 'V' shape in line with the table edge. Then use wire cutters to trim off any wild excess cloth covering. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/27\/Build-a-Lamp-Step-1-Version-6.jpg\/v4-460px-Build-a-Lamp-Step-1-Version-6.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/27\/Build-a-Lamp-Step-1-Version-6.jpg\/aid18187-v4-728px-Build-a-Lamp-Step-1-Version-6.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"