Make a table lamp from a wine bottle

Wine bottles make lovely table lamps and won't cost you an arm and a leg. All you need is a decorative shade and a few accessories to finish it off.

 

YOU WILL NEED:

Wine bottle
Clamps
WD-40
Prestik
Masking tape
Drill/Driver
Glass/Tile drill bit
2-core flex
Wire strippers
Screwdriver
Lampholder and globe
On/off switch
Epoxy glue

 

 

HERE'S HOW:

1. Make sure the bottle is clean and dry. Clamp firmly to a table or workbench.

2. Place an 'X' of masking tape where the hole for the cord is to be drilled.

3. Roll the Prestik into a long sausage and then make a circle on top of the bottle. Spray a small amount of WD-40 into the 'reservoir' you have created. This assists the bit in cutting cleanly through the glass and prevents it from overheating too much.

 

4. Place the tip of the glass/tile bit where you will drill and hold the drill/driver vertically and firmly in place. Press down gently so that the tip of the bit is lightly embedded into the masking tape and slowly start to drill the hole.

GOOD TO KNOW
Watch as you drill so that you can slow down as you start to go through the glass.
Stop immediately you feel the bit go through and pull the bit back up.

5. Cut a length of cord that is long enough to be threaded into the bottle and out of the top (for connecting to the lampholder) and be long enough to reach the closest plug point.

6. Unscrew the lampholder and thread the cord through the base. Use wire cutters to remove the sheath from the ends of both wires. You don't need more than 5mm to be removed. On each cord, twist the filaments together so that there are no loose strands.

7. Attach each cord to a terminal on the base of the lampholder. Pull gently to ensure that the wires are securely fastened to the terminals.

8. Screw the base back onto the lampholder.

9. Use epoxy glue to attach the lampholder to the top of the bottle. Mix according to the manufacturer's instructions and leave to dry - undisturbed - for the specified amount of time.

10. On the main length of cord, cut and strip the ends of one wire only where you want the on/off switch to be placed. Twist the filaments on each cut end to ensure there are no loose filaments. Place the cut cord over the on/off switch and screw each cut end onto a terminal. The uncut cord rests along the opposite channel of the switch. Screw the cover onto the switch.

 

Now all that is left to do is attach a plug and screw on your lampshade.

To decorate our new table lamp we used Rust-Oleum Stone spray. Use in a well-ventilated space and shake the can well before lightly spraying on the first coat. Let this dry before spraying on a light second coat.