A chandelier is an important element of the interior. Hand-made lamps look especially original and beautiful. There are many ideas for creating unusual chandeliers that outwardly are in no way inferior to expensive designer products.
However, in order to create a high-quality beautiful thing, you need to decide on the materials, style, choose the most suitable technique for creating a lamp. To make the work meet your expectations, follow the instructions without skipping a single item.
If desired, the master can make a structure with a remote control.
The frame is the basis of the lighting fixture, on which the plafond or decorative elements are located. It must be strong. You can do it yourself or use a frame from an old chandelier. As a homemade base, they use thick metal wire, wooden slats, a hoop, a basket, a plastic bottle, etc.
The choice of material for the base depends on the weight of the shade, the materials used. If you are creating a chandelier from paper or light fabric, then a plastic or wooden frame is enough; for models with heavy shades (metal, glass), it is better to use metal bases.
We reanimate the frame from the old chandelier
If you have an old chandelier with a metal base in your pantry, then feel free to use it to make your fantasies come true. If the material is a little rusty or the paint is peeling, it does not matter. Alkyd enamel, acrylic paint or enamel from a spray can help to solve this problem. Just repaint the base any color you like to give your old chandelier a new lease of life.
Alkyd enamel stays on metal for a long time, but it has a pungent odor. In addition, several layers will need to be applied to the base so that there are no bald spots. Acrylic adheres perfectly, but in order for it to hold, after drying, you need to apply a layer of varnish. It is very easy and quick to paint with enamel from a spray can, but it is better to do it outdoors or cover all surrounding surfaces with paper in advance. The choice is yours.
After drying, decorate the base with decorative elements or put on a homemade shade.
How to make a new one with your own hands: options and step-by-step instructions for making
Wooden chandeliers look original and natural. The finished frame can be decorated or left intact.
Step-by-step instructions for creating a wooden frame:
- Take 12 slats (length - from 30 to 45 cm), sand them with sandpaper.
- Make holes for the wire.
- Make holes in which you want to fix the shades.
- Treat the workpiece with paint with a tint of natural wood.
- Connect the planks with self-tapping screws into a suitable structure, such as a hexagon.
A strong carbon wire (diameter 1.5 mm) is used to create the wire frame. If not, then use a material made of aluminum, cast iron or copper.
First, a base is created from a thick wire, it can be round, geometric or fancy designs. It is advisable to supplement the base with stiffeners. You should also make a mount for the cartridge.
The frame can be made from a 5 liter plastic eggplant. To do this, cut off the bottom of the container, and then decorate with decorative elements.
What are the techniques for making ceiling lamps?
Ceiling lamps can be created using origami, carving, embossing, decoupage techniques. Lamps made using knitting or weaving techniques also look very beautiful.
Original origami chandeliers will be a great addition to a modern interior.
Important! When creating an origami shade, do not use very thick paper, as it will poorly transmit light.
If you are into crocheting, use a few napkins as a base for your lampshade. A chandelier like this looks amazing and can be hung in the bedroom to create an intimate atmosphere.
Homemade chandeliers with pendant lampshade consist of a frame and decor (paper butterflies, beads, waxed paper, artificial flowers, etc.). These elements are attached to the fishing line with glue, and then fixed on the base.
Chandeliers are very popular among home craftsmen, which are created from a certain material (thread, glue, special paste, ropes, etc.) and a balloon.
Ceiling lamps made of fabric can be painted with acrylics, decoupage technique, or any decorative elements can be placed on the material.
What can you make a chandelier from at home
A DIY chandelier is created from different materials:
- paper;
- threads;
- CDs;
- bottles (plastic, glass);
- cardboard;
- napkins;
- wood, etc.
The selected material must have the characteristics you need: safety, aesthetics, practicality, ease of care, strength, durability, etc. In addition, the chandelier must match the interior of the room. Also consider the size of the room and the height of the ceiling. If the ceiling is low, then attach the lamp to the bar, but if its height is from 3 m, then a suspended structure will do, which must be attached to a hook.
An energy-saving light bulb is more suitable for a homemade lamp, since it does not heat up the body as much as a regular one. An additional bonus is energy savings.
Advantages and disadvantages of materials for decorating a chandelier ceiling with your own hands
When choosing a material for the chandelier body, focus on aesthetic properties and technical characteristics. It is recommended to use materials that do not contain toxic substances, as they spread when heated.
Give preference to shade materials that are easy to maintain. For example, fabric lamps collect dust faster, and plastic is easier to wipe with a rag. And the paper case can be quickly replaced.
The choice of material also depends on the degree of lighting in the room. Transparent glass is best permeable to light. And for a bedroom or children's room, it is better to make a chandelier with dim light.
Lighting devices can not only dispel the darkness, but also give an unusual aura to your interior.
There are many different ideas with which you can make a wall lamp or any other type of lamp with your own hands.
You yourself are able to create a masterpiece that cannot be found in any store.
Creating an extravagant chandelier
A very original item is obtained from the simplest materials, most of which can be saved after a picnic. Lamps from various containers will look spectacular.
To do this, you will need:
- oval plastic bottle with a capacity of 5 liters;
- disposable spoons;
- cable with socket and plug;
- low power LED lamp;
- pliers;
- glue gun;
- screwdriver;
- stationery knife.
To avoid fire, use only LED bulb!
Using a knife, carefully cut the bottom of the bottle, then remove the handles from all plastic spoons. Apply a small amount of hot glue from a gun to the cut site, glue them from the bottom of the container.
You will need approximately seventeen pieces approximately. Place the next and other rows in a chessboard order.
In order to hide the neck of the bottle, put ten to twelve spoons without a handle on the glue so that they form a ring.
Pull the socket with the lamp and cable through the hole on the bottom of the bottle.
If there is no desire to make this part with your own hands, there is an opportunity to purchase it in any department of household goods - the wire, socket and plug are already connected together.
Make a hole in the lid for the cord by drilling it with a drill or a hot self-tapping screw. Screw the lid back on, put on the previously prepared spoon ring on top. The exclusive LED luminaire is ready for use.
A few ideas for creating lampshades
It is enough just to create a lamp from scrap materials for your home or summer cottage.
Idea N1
- any hollow dish (this can be an old saucepan or flowerpot);
- wire;
- polyurethane foam and gloves;
- paint and brush;
- sharp knife;
- pliers.
Place the object taken as a base upside down. Wind the wire around the product the way you want the lampshade to be, since all the turns copy its shape. Put on gloves and squeeze the foam out a little on the frame so that it completely covers the wire, leave to dry.
Then, using a knife, give the contours more evenness and paint in any color. This option will be the best for a street lamp.
Idea N2 - a classic
- thick wire;
- pliers;
- a small bottle of water.
Note!
To make the top center piece, wind a coil of wire onto the bottle, then remove it and cut off the excess. The ends must be fixed so that they form a ring, the diameter of which should allow the cartridge to be threaded at the bottom, and not to let it come out at the top.
Next, you need to make a large outer ring from the wire. To secure it, you will need four equal pieces of wire. Connect one edge of each with a small, and the other with a large ring. The upper part of the lamp is ready.
The bottom circle of wire will be the largest, it must be attached to the second upper one, evenly placing five identical pieces of wire.
To decorate the frame, pass the wire through the second upper ring, giving it a wavy shape, wind it onto the base. Design the bottom ring in the same way.
Note!
On a walk in the forest, take an interesting branch with you, an excellent wood lamp will come out of it. Wash the branch and peel off the bark with a knife, cover with wood varnish. For good stability, screw the lamp to a heavy stand with self-tapping screws, it can also serve as a tree.
A better option is an oak tree, find a broken branch and saw off a circle at least five centimeters thick from it. Cover it with varnish or paint it too.
Making a lampshade with children
There is an option for making a lampshade with children. For the frame, you will need a canister or bottle with a capacity of five liters. You need to roll the paper strips into a tube, it is best to wind them around a pencil or sushi stick, then glue the remaining edge with glue.
These blanks must be glued to the frame in several layers so that there are no gaps. Once the glue is dry, you can put the lampshade over a table lamp or make a ceiling lamp that looks very unusual.
Experienced needlewomen can knit or crochet a lampshade, decorating it with knitted flowers, ribbons.
To give the product the correct shape, you can use a starch solution or ordinary PVA glue. Look at the proposed photos of knitted lamps, how much tenderness and comfort they have!
Note!
This article told you how to make a DIY lamp. Using the information received and your own imagination, now you can create an exclusive lighting fixture for any room.
DIY lamp photo
Lamp - the item is extremely practical, because, unlike a bulky chandelier, it is very compact and can be placed anywhere, even on the floor. In the process of creating an interior, it is quite often forgotten, since it plays a secondary role. However, in the setting of a small apartment or room, it will be practically irreplaceable, and will also help add comfort and warmth to the room. You can find a lamp for every taste in modern lighting equipment stores, but isn't it more interesting to create it with your own hands? In this article, we will tell you how to make a beautiful and unusual lamp using completely ordinary materials that are found in every home.
1. Garland lamp
To create such a lamp, you will need a base of wire, fishing line, paper or plastic bottles, as well as patience, patience, and again patience.
From the wire, you need to create a frame of the required shape, and cut out circles or figures from paper or bottles. Next, you either simply attach them to the wire itself with glue, or string them on a fishing line. The thinner the line is, the more weightless your design will turn out, so that from a distance it will seem that your butterflies "flutter" by themselves.
2. Lamp made of beads
To create such a product, you will need wire, as well as, if desired, fabric. In a simpler version, you simply string colorful beads on a wire and bend it in a chaotic manner. Then an ordinary light bulb is fixed in the center.
If your soul desires something softer, with an oriental flavor, you can create unusual fabric shades decorated with beads. To do this, you will need old CDs, to which you will attach both fabric and beads, strung on the same wire. - an irreplaceable element, stock up on it in excess!
The fabric should be translucent: organza or tulle will do. It is sewn from one edge and secured only from the top. Then you can string a wire with beads on it. Please note that it is better to choose transparent or "chameleon" beads, otherwise they will look too gloomy when the light is on. Instead of a light bulb, you can place a flickering Christmas garland inside the lamp: this way you create a festive atmosphere in the room.
3. Cloud light
An incredibly cute and gentle option that is suitable for both children and adults. It may seem that it is quite difficult to execute, but this is not at all the case.
To create it, you only need a paper "Japanese" flashlight, cotton wool and a lot of glue. A large amount of cotton wool is glued to the flashlight to make a lush ball. Additionally, it can be decorated with pendants in the form of stars, crescent or raindrops. That, in fact, is all.
It's better if the cloud sticks to a thin line, - in this way you will create the effect of weightlessness in the room. This is a great idea for a theme party, so grab some cotton and go!
4. Lamp-lock
A similar solution is suitable for those who, as a child, loved to cut pictures from magazines. A surprisingly simple lamp that will create a mysterious, almost mystical atmosphere in the room.
You will need to find a photo (or print a picture) of an ancient castle, carefully cut it and roll it into a kind of tube. Then you fix the structure with tape, and put a small light bulb inside. On dark evenings, your castle will be illuminated from the inside, and mysterious shadows will flicker against its background ... how can you not tell a terrible tale? Also in the castle, you can cut "windows" through which the light will pour out.
5. A lamp made of old things
Old dishes, pieces of furniture and even old, shabby lamps are in every home. It's good that you didn't throw them away, because now they will function again, you just need to decide on the style. In some cases, you don't even have to decorate anything, you just need to put the lamp (or what is left of it) in a suitable environment.
Most often, the matter is limited to a drill or glue with a dead "grip". Such lamps can be located in any part of the apartment, the main thing is only to observe the general compatibility.
And a few tips in the end:
1. Use only energy-saving bulbs in your luminaires! You don't want to see flames ni in the place where your beautiful creation just was?
2. Make sure that the material of your choice does not obscure the light - after all, first of all, the lamp should illuminate and only then decorate the room.
3. Do not be afraid to experiment, you will succeed! Who knows, what if a designer-decorator is sleeping in you? It's time to wake him up!
Photo: homedit.com, millax.com, museum-design.ru, idejnik.ru, reduktor-union.ru, happy-giraffe.ru, magdekor.ru, secondstreet.ru, decorateme.com
There is no doubt that the right kitchen lighting sets the tone for the entire interior. A chandelier can become a central element in this cozy and warm room.
Using materials at hand - or even junk - you can make a lampshade out of threads, an eco-style lamp from jute twine or plastic bottles, or you can make a real masterpiece - a beautiful chandelier made of wood or glass beads.
And also a hand-made lamp can not only be hung in the kitchen or in the dining area, but also presented to loved ones.
Method 1. From scrap materials - everyone can!
The simplest DIY lamp is made of threads. Indeed, even a child can handle such a design. So, to make a thread chandelier, we need:
- Threads - you can take ordinary jute twine or thick cotton threads, with a total length of at least 100 meters, the color is chosen based on your imagination and the existing interior;
- PVA glue and a brush for applying it;
- Petrolatum;
- 2 balloons - one for work, the other for testing; it is better to take a ball not ordinary, but round, then the shape of the lamp will be of the correct shape.
Advice! A baby or rubber beach ball is also suitable. For very large fixtures, a fitball ball, for example.
Work on creating a ball of threads is carried out in the following sequence:
- Inflate the balloon of the required size. Do not forget that the resulting thread lampshade will repeat the shape of the ball. Draw with a marker one or two circles at the top and bottom (you can get more at the bottom).
- Pour the glue into a container and carefully process the threads. And the ball itself can be coated with petroleum jelly with a brush.
Advice! You should not immediately apply glue to all threads - it is better to move along the winding site.
- This is followed by winding the thread on the ball, taking into account the drawn holes - the winding density depends on how your lampshade will end up.
- After the ball is wrapped, you need to leave the future chandelier to dry for at least 24 hours.
- The ball bursts and its remnants are easily removed from the now solid structure. The result is a solid thread lampshade.
- A hole is cut from above - under the cartridge.
- It is necessary to check the strength - another ball is inserted into the lamp and inflated. This will demonstrate design flexibility.
Thus, you can also perform local lighting in the kitchen by creating several thread lamps with your own hands. Or you can hang it in the dining area, as shown in the photo.
Do not forget that for a ball of threads you can make additional decor in the form of interesting coloring, beads, butterflies or artificial flowers, or you can make a whole bunch of balls of different sizes.
By the same principle, you can come up with your own unique lamp design. For example, lace, or a ceiling lamp as in the photo below.
Method 2. Create a masterpiece - you need to try!
Excellent lighting of the kitchen will work out even if you make a lamp from beads or fabric with your own hands. You get a lamp in style or a real chandelier-chandelier.
For such work you will need:
- Old hoops, garden basket, hanging metal pots, or wire to create a frame;
- Decorative chains;
- Beads, beads, ribbons, strong threads;
- Lamp holder.
The luminaire will be a two- or three-level structure of rings arranged one above the other and connected by chains or wires.
Rings can be taken in different sizes, creating a lampshade in the spirit of vintage classics, or the same - this is the kind of lighting that is performed in.
The base of the lamp is certainly painted, wrapped or decorated, after which they start stringing beads.
The consumption of beads in this project is as follows:
Bottom part: beads with a diameter of 16 mm, 15 pcs. on a thread;
Upper part: beads with a diameter of 12 mm, 31-32 pcs. on the thread.
Here you can vary the amount of tension and the number of threads.
Advice! The work should be carried out by first hanging the chandelier and inserting a cartridge into it.
By analogy, you can create an artificial fruit chandelier for the kitchen. And dim lighting will turn out if you use fabric for sheathing the frame. As a rule, such a lampshade is made for country styles and.
Method 3. Lamps from waste materials - for a modern kitchen!
The most original lamp can be made from such waste material as plastic bottles and disposable spoons - it's beautiful, cheap and environmentally friendly!
We make a lampshade in the style of minimalism and - no additional embellishments from threads and beads, only matte white or colored plastic. To make such muted kitchen lighting with our own hands, we need:
- Base from a 5 liter plastic bottle;
- Socket with wire and lamp;
- Adhesive for high-quality fixation;
- Many disposable spoons.
To make a chandelier with your own hands, cut out the bottom of the bottle and cut off the handles of the spoons (not completely, so that a small stalk remains). With the help of glue we fix the cut spoons on the base bottle. They need to be arranged evenly, orderly, then the lampshade will look attractive.
Advice! Each next row is overlapped, without gaps.
The resulting chandelier will resemble fish scales. However, it should be remembered that such a structure is quite dense, which means that additional lighting will definitely be needed in the kitchen.
The shape of the lamp can be different, for example, in the form of a lotus.
Such decorations can be made from disposable spoons.
A lamp made from plastic bottles, or rather from their bottoms, made by hand, may seem lacy or consisting of many small flowers.
Advice! Such a lampshade can be made not white, but colored - which means that you need to take colored bottles or paint it with paint of the original color: copper, gold, steel, pink, black, etc.
The resulting lampshade can be hung in the kitchen or over the dining table.
Let your kitchen be cozy and light! We wish you creative success and present some more great ideas for making kitchen lamps with your own hands from improvised means.
In this article, we will figure out how to make a complete and safe lamp with your own hands. In the initial publication of the cycle - - the general requirements for quality, methods of forming the luminous flux, as well as how to choose a light source and - safety first of all - the rules for connecting a stationary lamp to the mains were considered. From the previous article, we learned how to make the main lighting parts of the lamp -. Now is the time to take on a solid, reliable and beautiful constructive foundation for all of this.
About LEDs
LEDs as light sources are gaining more and more popularity: they are very economical, durable, almost do not heat up, which gives ample opportunities for independent construction and design. In addition, the low voltage power supply makes the LED light sources safe. Therefore, in this article a significant portion of the material is devoted to how to independently make an LED lamp.
However, the quality of light from LEDs has not yet reached ideal: his spectrum is quite tough. It can be softened by various lighting techniques, which was discussed in previous articles. But thanks to the low-voltage power supply, an outdoor or garden LED luminaire can be made independently without special precautions, as well as be autonomous; then voluminous earthworks and cable laying on the site disappear. In this section, we are more concerned with LED lamps.
Some examples of what can be achieved by taking up lighting equipment with your own hands are shown in the photo. Anyone who knows how to use the Internet will compose a similar selection "for ideas" or "for inspiration". And here we will deal with things that are not so aesthetic: how to embody all this in the material. Cheap, reliable and practical. Desirable - at home, "on your knees."
Materials, tools, equipment, technologies
You don't need expensive and / or hard-to-find materials to make a good lamp. Previous technologies are focused on incandescent lamps, which are very hot and consume a lot of current. Current homemade products have economy and LED lamps that emit little heat, which simplifies the design.
For the manufacture of a lamp, which is not inferior in appearance or quality to industrial designs, we need cuts of metal tubes, steel wire with a diameter of 1.5-2.5 mm, galvanized sheet steel with a thickness of 0.4-1 mm and pieces of plastic or inexpensive plastic products, see below. And in many cases, to achieve the desired result, it is possible to do with unnecessary trash. Wood processing for a complex lamp is a special case, and we will not bypass it either.
Note: good old glass is also not to be discounted. Take a look, for example, a master class: diy.ru/post/3916/... This is what you can achieve by working at home with such difficult material. Only one small "but" - what the author of the product (a person, without a doubt, very skillful and sharp-witted) calls a cut, in fact, an edging. However, how to call is a matter of literary experts, and it is enough for a master to make a good thing.
Quite simple but tasteful
Examples of excellent lamps made from scrap materials, namely, scraps of wood and paper - well-known Chinese lanterns, see fig. When using modern light sources, their fire hazard is negligible, much less than that of an electric kettle. The base is most often a rack frame, pasted over with paper, pos. 1. For the frame of what is in pos. 2, thin bamboo sticks are better (you can split an old rod into strips), or the ends of modern fiberglass rods; sold in fishing shops. The joints are wrapped with thread and glued. After pasting, paper (preferably rice) is lightly sprayed with water from a spray bottle. When dry, it will stretch. After that, for strength, the paper is varnished.
A Chinese lantern can also be made entirely of wood: chopsticks or table skewers (wooden twigs on which kebabs and kebabs are served to the table). Both are made of light wood that reflects light well enough. And its slightly rough surface effectively diffuses light, which softens it.
From the chopsticks, placing their broadened heads alternately to the left and then to the right, pick up the side light-transmitting panels, pos. 3. And from the table skewers you get a good ceiling lamp for the kitchen or hallway, pos. 4. The ends of the sticks (they are made of soft wood) are simply pierced with a sewing needle with a fishing line threaded into it.
Plastics
But back to the materials, they are not finished yet. Excellent details of chandeliers, table lamps and floor lamps (cups, caps, see below) are obtained from reusable plastic dishes - bowls, glasses, saucers: the rim on the bottom is carefully cut or grinded. Then this place is passed 2-3 times with increasingly fine sandpaper; the last pass - "velvet" - and polished with felt with GOI paste. The decorative, lighting and technological (ease of processing) qualities of such parts are very good.
The second type of plastic that allows you to make a very original lamp (see fig.) Is polymer clay or just plastic. In terms of lighting properties, it is not inferior to light wood, and in a thin, 2-3 mm layer, it is translucent, like milk glass, i.e. softens light very well.
Polymer clay is available in various colors immediately-plastic in plastic bags and bars, like plasticine. The latter are at first quite hard, but soften when kneaded. To speed up and facilitate softening, you need to put 3-4 drops of vegetable oil on the bar, and start crushing when it is absorbed.
Lampshades are molded from soft plastic on a mandrel greased with petroleum jelly. Immediately, if necessary, fill the texture with a brush, at the bottom right in Fig. To obtain an openwork shade, the tip of the package is cut off and the mass is squeezed out with a sausage. After about a day, the product will dry out, then you can, while not removing from the mandrel, cut out figures, scallops, frills. The product dries completely in 3-7 days.
Bar plastic is used for the manufacture of lamp stands. Having formed the workpiece, it is baked in the oven at 120-130 degrees. When a brownish crust forms on the product, the gas is covered to a minimum and “baked” for another 1-3 hours, depending on the size of the part. It should cool completely in the oven, which is undesirable to open. The baked workpiece can be cut, sawed, drilled, polished, painted. In this way, the bodies of the lamps are sometimes not just original, but also quite piquant (see Fig.), And even frivolous on the verge of decency, or even behind it.
Ceramics
Since we are talking about stands, let's try to make a lamp from a bottle. Ceramic drink containers, designed by brand designers, deserve better use than trash, moonshine or recyclable materials for a pittance.
There are 2 problems here: stability and openings for cable entry and a switch. The first is solved with sand, poured into the bottle by 2/3 or 3/4. To solve the second, it seems, you need a tubular diamond drill, which is expensive, quickly wearing out, and requires a high-speed drilling machine. And we can do without all this:
- Let's select a copper tube of a suitable diameter.
- We will securely fix the vessel that we will drill so that the drill enters normal (perpendicular) to its surface in this place.
- Around the place of the future hole, we will mold a roller with a height of 4-6 mm from plasticine.
- Rub a couple of pieces of fine skin together over a tray to get about a teaspoon of corundum powder.
- Pour it into the hole and drop 3-5 drops of machine oil - you can drill.
For drilling, it is better to put a drill with a copper tube clamped in a chuck in a bed, which turns it into a desktop drilling machine. These stands are sold at tool stores; the prices are divine, the benefit to the artisan is invaluable. Moreover, you can buy a turntable with a degree scale for the bed.
They drill ceramics with copper and corundum with jerks: slightly pressed - raised - pressed again - raised. The abrasive particles are first eaten into the copper and drilled, but then break off and crumble. Pulse drilling constantly renews the corundum "sputtering" on the copper, and the oil prevents the powder from scattering and speeds up the work. The main thing is that the tube, with each feed, falls exactly into the already selected groove.
Electrical fittings
For a novice lighting technician, perhaps, it is best to use sockets for lamps for a regular E27 base with fastening with union shaped nuts (threaded flanges); its designation begins with E27H, and the drawing is shown in Fig. It will not work to fasten such a cartridge, or a regular one with a skirt, with a threaded fitting in the lid: if there is a M10x1 or M12x1 die, then at home, with a hand crank, it is very difficult to cut a thread on a thin-walled tube without cutting it or twisting it, even with lubricant. For mounting with flanges, you will have to make a fastening ring, as described in the article on lampshades, this is much easier.
Note: if a wall lamp is made, in which the lamp is located along the base, then cartridges with a side bar are usually used, see Fig., but they are more expensive. In this case, you can also do with a flange chuck: an Ω-shaped clamp is bent from the wire and fastened to the base with self-tapping screws.
The second thing you need is a screw terminal connector, or a terminal block, or just a terminal block, to connect the luminaire to the wiring. For a chandelier, it is mandatory not only for the sake of ease of installation, but also according to the safety requirements: suddenly the chandelier will break, its thinner wires will break out of the terminal block, and the ceiling wiring will not suffer, which will prevent an accident and ceiling grooving repair work.
It is better to take a terminal block of the "scallop" type, see fig .:
Such are compact, reliable, exclude an accidental short circuit, and by biting the jumpers between the sections, it is elementary to get a connector for the required number of wires. It is allowed to enter into each terminal no more than 2 stranded wires with a cross-section of copper up to 1.4 sq. mm in total and not more than 1 single-core, regardless of the cross-sectional area of its conductive core.
About wooden lamps
Wood, on the one hand, is easy to process and looks solidly finished. On the other hand, in order to make an elegant wooden lamp, you will have to use some special technological methods. Which we will consider.
Cable ducts
The first problem that arises in the manufacture of a wooden lamp: how to make cable channels in long parts. To do this, without special equipment, "on the knee", you can use a wood drill with a tapered 6-sided shank, see fig. A metal tube is tightly put on it, squeezed, and the opposite end is bent in a T-shape to make a manual crank; for easier and more accurate work, it is better to take a two-tape drill.
Through axial holes in long wooden parts are drilled in advance, before bending:
- At both ends of the workpiece, blind holes of the required diameter are drilled, with a depth of 30-40 mm, trying to make them go as accurately as possible along the axis of the part;
- Drill with the described manual crank alternately from both ends, passing each time no more than 3-4 thicknesses of the part;
- The shavings from the holes are carefully removed after each pass;
- After connecting the jumper, the hole goes through twice, from one end to the other. This is necessary to remove the step inside, which the cable can catch on when tightening.
How to bend a tree?
It is quite possible to make a lamp made of bent wooden parts with your own hands: aged fine-grained wood softens under heating, without delamination, but after cooling down, retains the shape given to it. Bamboo, walnut and soft wood, eg. Linden. More difficult - wood of medium hardness: maple, ash, hornbeam. For bending oak, beech, mountain ash and other hard species, it is better for a novice cabinetmaker not to take it. MDF also bends well.
Wood is bent either steamed in boiling water, or heated dry to more than 150 degrees. The first method is simpler, but it is suitable, except for bamboo, for few species. The second is more difficult, but more accurate, because wood does not swell and, when cooled, does not shrink.
To bend wood, you need a piece of steel pipe: with a welded end for steaming, or with both open for bending dry. The steaming pipe is installed obliquely, the workpiece is placed in it, poured over with water and boiled. Boiling water must be vigorous so that the workpiece bathes in bubbles of steam. The process continues for 10-120 minutes, depending on the thickness, species and condition of the tree. You can take out the workpiece for a few seconds to check its readiness, but you only need to add boiling water instead of boiled water. Dry bending, blowing the workpiece in the pipe with a construction hairdryer. First, on a sample of wood, you need to check what temperature it can withstand without charring and cracking.
How to tighten the cables?
The cables in the tubular parts of the luminaires are tightened using a guide rod - "fishing rod" - made of copper wire with a diameter of 0.5-0.7 mm. The "rod" must be completely flat; a smoothly bent wire wound from a spool can also be crumpled in a narrow channel. The wire of the "fishing rod" is straightened by pulling it through a rag tightly clamped in a fist. The best guides come from enamelled winding wire, which is smooth and slippery.
The "fishing rod" is introduced from the far end. Before this, its tip is tightly bent, see fig., So that it is rounded. The traction is pushed into the curved canals, slightly feeding and turning. When passing from channel to channel (see below), the running end is directed with thin long tweezers or a screwdriver.
When the end of the rod appears from the opposite side, it is cleaned by 20-30 mm and tinned. Cable wires are stripped and tinned by the same amount, up to 3 for 1 "fishing rod". Then everything is twisted and soldered together. The twist is bent in the opposite direction of tightening so that it does not cling. Tighten by alternately feeding the cable and tightening the guide. When tightening, the cable in the duct must not be pulled all the time! If caught, pull it back a little, turn it a little and pull it again.
Note: in a straight metal tube with an inner diameter of 12 mm, you can tighten up to 4-x 2-wire cables in double insulation with a cross-section of copper conductors up to 0.5 sq. mm. In a channel of the same diameter in a tree - only 1 of the same cable.
Starting from the ceiling
Suspension of the luminaire to the ceiling or wall is the most critical and vulnerable node. Hanging lamps at the 1st point is allowed only if the base is a tough, durable material, for example. oak beams, pos. a) in Fig. In other cases, you must either use at least 2 suspension points, or the luminaire anchor must press on the material from above, i.e. the ceiling must be in compression, pos. c) - e).
A chandelier weighing up to 5 kg is suspended using a fixing bar, see fig. on right. The distance between the centers of the fastening holes in the strip must be, for a concrete ceiling, at least 9 of their diameters. If the ceiling is gypsum plasterboard, or suspended, or tension, then the suspension is lowered from the main ceiling to the decorative level with the help of wooden or metal crosspieces or plywood plates, at the top in the same place. How to make a suspension in some other cases, see below.
The main requirement for the suspension is that the luminaire should never hang on wires. It should be held by either a rigid bar, or a strong cord / rope, or a cradle made of chains or the same cords. The power cable must be in a loose loop under the top suspension dome and must not be pulled, pinched or pinched anywhere.
How to make a lamp?
Now he will try to bring the information received into a single piece, at the sight of which the guests will gasp as sincerely as the master expressed himself while working. We will be guided by the following principles:
- Complicated and / or requiring special skills, technological operations are avoided in every possible way.
- We use glue or solder joints only for auxiliary ones, which keep the abutting parts from displacement. Assembled without gluing and soldering, the product should, in the absence of external influences, be kept intact in the normal position for an indefinitely long time.
- From an additional tool, we will try to do with a manual electric drill and a small removable bench vise with a screw clamp for attaching to the table.
Let's start with a chandelier as the most sophisticated type of household lighting fixture.
Chandelier
On a cord
The simplest suspension of a chandelier weighing up to 5 kg is on a cord, pos. 1 in fig. In this case, 4 additional holes will have to be drilled in the lampshade mounting ring (see article on lampshades); marked in green at pos. 1a. The knots of the cord must be knitted that do not slip and do not open, for example. any fishing hooks. Cord - any rotting strand (eg linen) with a loose diameter of 8 mm. Spiral cords and ropes are not designed for continuous tensile load!
The most important detail is the suspension hook (red gearbox). It needs to be bent from steel wire with a diameter of 4 mm; a hook made of 6 mm wire rod will withstand a weight of up to 35 kg. Of course, if you buy a ready-made chandelier hook, it won't get any worse.
Suspension rods with the same weight - from 4 mm wire; with a weight of up to 5 kg, you can get by with 1.5 mm, and with a weight of up to 12 kg - 2.5-3 mm. The ring is made of galvanized sheet 0.4 and 0.8 mm, respectively, or, for a weight up to 35 kg, 1.4 mm.
Note: the technology of brazing steel at home is described in.
In this case, it is better to secure the upper cup from slipping with a rubber ring, because the spring washer can transfer the cable underneath. A good pallet comes from a computer disk. Depending on whether the lamp is in the lampshade or in the shade, it is turned downwards, respectively, with the painted or mirrored side. Radial cuts are made under the lampshade extensions in the pallet.
The top cup and cap are made of plastic dishes, see above. The cap lies loosely on the pallet. Glue - any mounting glue.
Note: the bottom nut of the chuck fastening should go into the hole of the pallet, and not press it down. Otherwise, it may be difficult to repair or clean the chandelier.
On the tube
In a chandelier suspended on a rigid tubular rod (pos. 2), firstly, it is not necessary to bend the suspension rods so that it is convenient to knit a knot on their crosshairs. Secondly, the number of rods can be any from 3. Accordingly, the ring can be made without an additional row of holes, such as described in the article on lampshades.
It is preferable to fix the cap in such a chandelier with a shaped (decorative) spring washer. It can be obtained from a thick plastic button by drilling a hole in the center 0.5-0.7 mm narrower than the outer diameter of the tube and making an oblique cut from the side at 45 degrees to the washer axis, a round link of a plastic chain with the same cut, etc. NS.
An eyelet for a hook in the suspension bar is obtained by flattening the tube and drilling a hole in the resulting lamella (petal). After that (and not before) a hole is drilled for the cable laying, otherwise dangerous mechanical stresses may remain in the material. A rod for a luminaire weight up to 15 kg can be made of the following types of pipes:
- Steel one-piece - inner diameter from 6 mm, wall thickness from 0.5 mm. Finishing - painting or covering with a heat-shrinkable tube (HERE) of the desired color.
- Steel with a seam - int. diameter from 8 mm, wall thickness from 0.7 mm. The finish is the same.
- Copper gas in plastic sheath - int. diameter from 8 mm, wall from 1 mm. No finishing is needed, and so it shines with copper for years. You cannot solder, you need to remove the plastic cover in that place under the glue joint.
- For air conditioning systems made of oxygen-free copper - int. diameter from 10 mm, wall from 1 mm. It is very easy to solder and stick. To preserve the copper luster, you need to coat the finished bar twice with a clear water-based acrylic varnish, diluted twice with distilled water.
- Plain red copper - int. diameter from 12 mm, wall from 1.5 mm. It is brazed after stripping, you need to use a flux paste with borax. It gets dark over time and under the coating, so it is better to make retro-style lamps from such tubes.
- Taped propylene is very strong, but does not stick and, of course, is not soldered. Decorating is useless, the design is terrifying anyway.
Multihorn
The tubes can be used to make chandeliers with arm brackets for individual lighting fixtures. The device for connecting the arms with the rod is shown in pos. 5. Horns, with their even number, are connected in pairs by through threaded rods M2.5-M4 with nuts and spring washers. Pairs of holes for studs are located at different levels, this must be taken into account when calculating the height of the straight part of the horn and making markings on their blanks. You can use horns, incl. with an odd number of them, fasten with pairs of small self-tapping screws for metal, but then tighten the cables very carefully so as not to tear the insulation on the sharp ends of the hardware protruding inward.
Note: complex / extended bends of the tubes are formed in sections, gradually moving the hand pipe bender along the length of the future bend.
If the free ends of the horns are without squiggles (sorry - volute), etc. curls, then it is better to cover the knot of their connection with the bar with a cap lying on the lower cup (shown with a dotted line in pos. 5). In addition, then the cabling will be much easier: a terminal block will fit under the hood, in which the cables from the horns will converge, and only one 2-wire cable will pass up in the rod.
Multi-arm chandeliers are most often made with switchable lighting. The diagram for connecting lamps to a 2-section switch is shown in pos. 6. Do not forget - SB switches (commutators) must be included in the phase wire! And yet, it is extremely important: if the house is equipped with protective grounding, under no circumstances use a ground wire as a neutral (zero, N) regardless of the power supply circuit (solidly earthed or isolated neutral)! The earthing switch is always in yellow insulation with a longitudinal stripe, and the neutral insulation in correctly arranged wiring is black. But in any case, before starting the electrical work, you need to find the zero and the phase with the phase indicator!
About phases, zero and ground
Safety regulations (PTB), electrical installation devices (PUE) and Codes of Rules (SP) for the production of electrical work for related industries (eg construction) unambiguously regulate the color of the insulation of only grounding wires - yellow with a green stripe; colors for phase conductors A, B, C and neutral are only recommended. The reason is that in countries where the only acceptable power supply system with an isolated neutral (Germany, Japan, etc.), it is customary to designate phase A in white or light gray. Therefore, choose from the commercially available cables suitable for making apartment wiring “without knots, without a hitch ”is not always possible.
The chandelier is heavy ...
For ceiling luminaires weighing 15 kg or more, mounting on the 1st rod or cord is no longer considered reliable enough. These need to be hung on a chain or rope cradle of 3-4 branches. 1 branch should support the full weight of the luminaire with 3 times the headroom.
The cradle is attached to the ceiling using a triangular or square bearing plate made of steel with a thickness of 5 mm, pos. 7 in Fig. The number of attachment points is 4 or 5, respectively. An attachment point in the center is obligatory: without it, if one of the corner attachments becomes excessively weakened, the mechanical load will “bump” to the next weakest one, the suspension will break out according to the domino principle and the chandelier will “all of a sudden” collapse.
Corner attachment points should be located on a conventional circle (red dotted line) with a diameter in centimeters of at least 0.85 of the chandelier weight in kilograms. In any case, the smallest distance between the centers of the holes in the concrete ceiling should be from 9 of their diameters, as in the case of a 2-point suspension on a plank, see above. The lugs or hooks for the branches of the cradle are welded to the base plate. Homemade eyelets can be made from 6mm wire rod.
... and ultralight
Hobbyists make a lot of fixtures out of disposable plastic dishes, PET bottles, and paper. Their weight is negligible, therefore, firstly, it is permissible to mount the cartridge in the lampshade / plafond from the same kebab sticks, see fig. In this case, take the cartridge E17 or E10 with lugs, see fig. left. The "ears" of the cartridge with the help of a sewing needle are simply tied to the crosshairs of the sticks with thread, thin copper wire or fishing line.
Secondly, the suspension of a lightweight lamp can also be made from a cradle, but from a fishing line. In the ceiling cap, its branches are introduced together with the cable, as for a chandelier on a cord. This suspension is almost invisible. If the cable (recall, it should not be pulled, pinched or pressed down anywhere) is twisted or twisted in a spiral, then an ignorant guest may at first be dumbfounded: levitation? telekinesis? superconductor and magnets?
Floor lamp
A floor lamp based on the same design and technological principles is, in general, an inverted chandelier on a rigid rod with some differences, pos. 3 in Fig. above with luminaire designs. First: the rod (which is already a stand) is made of a steel pipe with an inner diameter of 10 mm and a wall thickness of 1.5 mm. Ring - galvanized from 0.7 mm. Second: all joints of steel parts are soldered.
Further, in the lower support of the floor lamp, a sufficiently heavy and extensive structure must be provided for fixing the bottom of the rack. A crosspiece from about 450x450 mm from an oak bar 100x100 mm will go under a standard floor lamp. A blind hole 75-80 mm deep is drilled in it in the center along the outer diameter of the rack, and glued into the socket with mounting glue. They also glue the rack into the shelf of the floor lamp. It will be useful, both in design and in strength, to put on the glue a polished washer with a diameter of 60 mm and a thickness of 2 mm (steel) or 4 mm (aluminum). The described design allows an amateur to do without turned-to-order parts in the manufacture of a floor lamp.
Table lamp
A working table lamp based on our principles of construction is even simpler than a floor lamp, pos. 4: a sufficiently massive and solid base (wood, plastic) with a stepped through hole along the axis. The lampshade ring is placed on the step and fastened with self-tapping screws. Then it will at the same time press the mustache of the lampshade extensions and it will not dangle.
Note: for the base of a table lamp made of ceramic or glassware, you need to make a knob-top with a stepped hole fitted on its neck. The most suitable material for this is plastic.
For outdoor lighting
We will leave outdoor lamps for 220 V purchased: it is impossible to make “forever” a sealed cable gland for mains voltage and also a sealed case with glass at home. We will work with voltages up to 12 V, then the cable gland turns out to be quite simple, see fig. And if the light source is powered from a current stabilizer, then no short circuit will be scary.
However, it may not come to electricity: for temporary lighting in a garden or at a picnic in the 21st century, an ordinary candle is often more convenient and cheaper, it is also more romantic. And you can make a candle lantern with your own hands from a coffee can in just a few minutes, see the video:
Video: DIY candle lantern from a coffee can
Such a lamp is also suitable for a light bulb; then there is no need for ventilation holes and the carrying handle can be fixed to the lid, which is more reliable.
The permanent outdoor luminaire must already be electric. The main problem here is reliable sealing. Here again glassware with a screw lid comes to the rescue: an outdoor lamp comes out well from a jar. In this case, since a more powerful light source is required, it is better to take a container from under conservation. The cable gland is made by punching the cover with a round pointed rod. To ensure complete tightness, aquarium silicone is once and for all applied to the rim of the lid from the inside before screwing it down.
The "once and for all" luminaire assumes the use of very reliable and durable light sources. Requirements for its quality and spectrum fade into the background, tk. it is not a living or working space that is illuminated. Taking these conditions into account, it is better to make an outdoor lamp on the porch or, say, at the entrance to the garage, from an LED strip: it will give rather bright lighting with negligible electricity consumption. For an example of making such a lamp, see:
Video: DIY garden lantern in 15 minutes
In the garden and in general on the site, a high brightness of lighting is no longer needed, here, in general, if only you do not leave the path and make out the door to the bathhouse, cellar, shed or bathroom. But it is very, very desirable to have a garden lamp autonomous: here it is not about the costs of electricity, but of the cable, and who would like to chick a well-groomed area with trenches?
Garden lights powered by solar panels (SB) and a back-up battery (accumulator battery) are commercially available but are either expensive or short-lived. Let's try to figure out if we can do it on our own, especially since it is quite possible:
- 4 white LEDs with a current of each 20 mA in a shade made of milk glass or a frosted plastic bottle, more or less acceptable for gardening needs, will illuminate a circle with a diameter of 4-5 m.With a current of 10 mA each in the light spot, it will still be possible to see where the stone is, and where is the pit. Total 60 mA on average.
- The battery, taking into account the weak recharge in winter and the decrease in capacity in the cold, should provide the maximum current of the illuminators for at least 30 hours. Finger-type accumulators for 2500-3500 mA / h, frost-resistant up to -20, are on sale. We take the minimum allowable battery capacity of 2500 mAh.
- Voltage drop across the luminous diode approx. 2 V. To stabilize the total current consumption and the discharge mode of the battery, on which its resource significantly depends, we give twice as much to the quenching resistors, for a total voltage of the battery we get 6 V.
- SB, taking into account the energy efficiency of the Ni-Cd battery of 74%, should provide a current of approx. 75 mA. For winter in mid-latitudes, we take a nominal current of 100 mA.
- Also, taking into account the energy efficiency of the battery and voltage losses during charging, we take the SB voltage of 9 V.
- So that the battery resource does not fall from overcharging, the overcharge current through it should not be more than 5% of the hourly discharge current. With a battery capacity of 2500 mA / h and a short circuit current of 100 mA, this condition is maintained, with a battery of 3500 mA / h, even more so. That is, instead of an expensive and complex charge controller, you can simply put a silicon rectifier diode.
A diagram of an autonomous garden lamp, built taking into account the described conditions, is shown in Fig.:
Despite its simplicity, the battery in it is never brought to the degradation of the active medium due to overcharging and only in exceptional cases can it reach a deep discharge; therefore, its service life remains normal when used in severe temperature conditions. The highlight here is SB. Their internal resistance is large and nonlinear, according to a power law, it grows with an increase in the load current, as a result of which the short-circuit current of the SB is only slightly more than the nominal one. From this point of view, it is more profitable to use less expensive polysilicon SBs in this scheme.
The CU control unit closes the switch S when the SB voltage drops to the “twilight” level. VD1 by that time has already closed and the battery charge will stop. It is connected to the UU battery only for power supply. Switch - diode or transistor optocoupler or electromagnetic relay; in this case, the reed switch is better, because a normal low-voltage coil will take more current than all LEDs. It is impossible to use a thyristor optocoupler as an S in this case: in order for the opened thyristor to close, the current through it must drop to a very small value, practically to zero. Since the current is constant, the thyristor, once opened, will not "quit" until the battery is completely seated.
About aquarium lighting
Special linear fluorescent lamps are used to illuminate aquariums. Not like phyto lamps for flower shelves: the range of aquarium lamps is tailored to the optical properties of the water and the vital needs of aquatic plants. Both lamps are unsuitable for general lighting of premises: light that favors photosynthesis is by no means always useful for human vision.