Upcycling of an old descendant of rainwater:

Here’s how we did to make an ecodesign lamp with the upcycling of an old metal square tube, a descendant of rainwater, recovered from the accumulated waste from the renovation of the house.

After having cleaned the old metal pipe thoroughly, we stripped it off by removing the old brown paint that covered it. To avoid the formation of rust we protected it with two layers of transparent varnish.
This done we created the base for our lamp echo using an old axis
wood always derived from construction by cutting and obtaining a square 25 × 25 cm.

At the center of the square we made a hole up to half the thickness of the wooden axis and a side hole up to intersect the perpendicular, all this to pass the electrical cable that had to power the light bulb.

Once the base was created, we made alternate cuts along the entire metal pipe, at a distance of about 8 cm from each other, then we slightly bent the pipe near the cuts.

To fix the iron pipe at the base of the lamp we cut a wooden cube of the same
internal measurement of the metal tube and we fixed it to the wooden base.

At this point we stuck the metal pipe to the wooden cube and we fixed it with two screws. Here is our “tangram” ecodesign lamp.

The passion for recovery and for do-it-yourself has given life to a new project. It took an idea to mask the signs of the time of an old wooden beam and the light bulb turned on when the eye stopped on the box containing the precious childhood relics, hidden in a thousand junk, in fact a classic was hidden time, the only object that could repair and recolor the eroded corners of that stub which was about to be abandoned: the precious Lego bricks.

LegOn is born from a union of passions: the reworking of junk that seems destined to destruction and those colored bricks that allow the imagination of every age to “create”.

What are bricks for? To build, and in this project the concept used was just this: rebuild and repair a wooden trunk with the bricks of childhood. And finally, like any good idea, it can not miss its main element, a light bulb.

Two conceptually different projects have been created, LegOn City and LegOn Wow, let’s discover them:

With LegOn City we wanted to build a city with a lot of river, waterfall, hydroelectric plant, pond, buildings and the inevitable source of life, the light! But how do you light a lamp of a recovery and recycling lamp? Obviously thanks to the help of the waterfall! In fact, the rock in the middle of the waterfall hides a power button that will “activate” the central unit at the top and which will provide the energy needed to turn on the futuristic light bulb! And like any self-respecting green city, in addition to the energy produced naturally, you can not miss a green area with a pond for relaxation and to fantasize about a new construction!

We present you how to make a DIY concrete lamp in just a few hours and with little effort. Give free rein to your creativity and your individualism!

We have repeatedly seen them on Instagram & co. It is therefore time to realize our own cement lamp.  And if you follow the basic rules of working with electricity, it’s not even dangerous!

List of material
Cement (we used 2 kg for a lamp)
Bucket
Polystyrene wine shelf
Latex gloves
Protective sheet
Insulating adhesive tape
E27 lampholder
Textile cable / extension
E27 LED bulb
Machinery / tools
Mason’s trowel
Hacksaw
Cutter
Stripping pliers
Side-cutting cutter
Screwdriver (slotted)

Describing the individual phases of work in a precise way is a bit difficult, but you can follow the images step by step. Make sure to perform the electrical installation carefully. In case of doubt, we advise you to contact an expert electrician. Together it’s easier!

For our concrete lamp we used a textile extension cord. But the procedure is almost the same even when using another type of cable. First of all it is necessary to cut the cable socket using the lateral cutter. Make sure you cut the correct end. Then the textile coating is turned back about 3 cm and fixed with a piece of insulating adhesive tape. Now these 3 cm of the cable lining can be removed, leaving the three wires still exposed.

Cut around 1 cm of the insulation of all three wires with the peeling forceps and, with your fingers, slightly bend each of the exposed wires. Then insert the cable into the back of the lamp holder.

Now the individual wires are fixed in the right place on the base of the lamp holder. The yellow-green wire (ground wire) in the middle, the brown wire (phase) on the left and the blue (neutral) wire on the right. After fixing, the base can be pulled towards the lower part of the lamp holder, on which the upper part is then screwed.

Once the base is mounted, we verify that everything has been assembled correctly. To do this, screw a light bulb and connect the plug to the electrical socket. If the bulb lights up, it means that everything is fine. Disconnect the plug from the socket and unscrew the bulb.

To prevent the cement from entering the lamp holder, it is necessary to insulate the lamp carefully. The best way to do this is to use a good amount of insulating tape. Also the upper part of the lamp holder, ie where the light bulb will be screwed, must be carefully insulated. In this case the rule applies: «the more adhesive tape, the better».

Do you want to put the satisfaction of creating an object with your hands? Today, we want to talk about how to make a DIY lamp. A table lamp, or a suspension, which starts from commonly used materials: paper, cardboard, wood. Or, a lamp that comes from the logic of recycling, using old cups or old hydraulic pipes. Or, again, a DIY lamp in the name of art, which takes life from one or more origami. What are you waiting for? Try yourself with a DIY lamp!

A simple do-it-yourself lamp, perfect for the kitchen or the dining room, is the one that features old cups. A very useful idea to recycle the unmatched cups! With an old cup you can create romantic candles, pouring the hot wax into it while holding the fuse vertically. Or you can bundle them together, and turn them into a chandelier. Or, again, you can create a delicate suspension from the single cup: just a small hole (on the cup and also on the saucer, if you want to use it), let the wire go through it and – on the opposite side – the bulb holder. And your kitchen will be extraordinary!

One of the most used materials for a DIY lamp is paper, a material that lends itself to a thousand interpretations. With paper you can make papier-mâché, the soul of the Globe suspension of Crea-Re Studio, created with destroyed printed paper, then crumbled and then transformed into a malleable mass from which semi-spherical forms come to life. With the paper of medium-sized cups you can make spherical suspensions, with a simple sheet of cardboard the hat of a romantic DIY lamp, to be engraved with a cutter creating small shapes of hearts, flowers or butterflies. Or, with paper, you can make simple decorations to be applied to an old lampshade, to give it a whole new life.

To make this paper lamp, I was inspired by the oriental art of folding paper and its principles. It sounds complicated, I know, but do not worry, we’ll make a chandelier and not a crane.

needed:

cardboard – 1 sheet of 50 x 140 cm or 2 of 50 x 70 cm
ruler
cutter
bulb and lampholders
pencil
awl
glue
string

The first step consists in making parallel vertical lines, 5 cm apart from each other. I advise you to take measurements on the paper from both margins.
Once the measurements are taken, we draw the vertical lines. I used an awl to facilitate the folding of the cardboard.
Fold the accordion card.
Flip the sheet to make the diagonal lines. We begin by pointing the pencil at the center of the cardboard (25 centimeters), from where the first lines will be drawn.
We make the diagonal lines directly with the awl. Keep in mind that there are 20 centimeters from one end to the other.
We do it in one sense and another and then we bend them both.
If we used 2 cards of 50 x 70 centimeters, now is the time to paste them. In order to adhere perfectly you will have to join the last 10 centimeters of each end.
We begin to bend the lamp to give it the desired shape. Look carefully at the image and be patient because the card, although it is a resistant material, can break.
We fold it completely. In the picture you can see how it will look when folded.
The next step is to make the holes to pass the thread. We’ll do one every 5 centimeters.
Insert the string into the holes.
We close the lamp, but not completely, and insert the bulb with the lamp holder.
Once put in, close and tie. To keep it fixed to the lamp, I advise you to resort again to the string.

The cage lamps with geometric shapes dominate the scene for a couple of years, in the homes and on the decoration catalogs, but I, instead of spending money on something that will soon go out of fashion, I prefer to make industrial-style lampshades from me. If you think like me try to make this hexagonal lamp, ideal for decorating a modern living room. I have chosen this form but nothing prevents you from experiencing that of a diamond.

If you like the idea, look at our tutorial that shows you how to make a ceiling lamp with straws step by step. I made it with colored straws, easier to distinguish once you have cut the necessary lengths. If you’re feeling skilled enough, you can use the black straws directly. The important thing is that they are cocktail straws, which are thicker and more resistant. What are you waiting for?

Needed:

cocktail straws
ruler and scissors
bulb and lampholders
thin thread
black felt or eva rubber