Make your own twig lamps

I have found so many uses for twigs and branches from the garden. Instead of throwing these away, I have created quite a few decor projects that put these to good use.

 

After pruning shrubs and trees I was left with a pile of branches that would normally get tossed onto the rubbish heap. It seems such a waste and I decided to put on my thinking cap for ways to use these trimmings. One idea that immediately came to mind was to make rustic lamps with the twigs and branches.

YOU WILL NEED:

Trimmed branches – you can use almost any type of branch
Chrome pipe
2 metres electrical 2-core cable
Lampholder
Block of wood for base
Superglue

TOOLS

18mm spade bit
8mm wood bit
Drill/Driver
Jigsaw
Clamps
Dremel MultiTool and cutting disk
Safety glasses
Craft knife
Small screwdriver

 

 

TIME: 1 day

COST: Price of a lampshade

 

HERE'S HOW:

1. Select nice straight branches if you can and then cut these all down to the same size of around 400mm in length. Use a jigsaw, cut-off saw or mitre saw to trim them down.

2. To remove any offshoots, so that you have nice clean branches, use a Dremel MultiTool and cutting disk to cut them off. Clamp the branches to a workbench and be sure to pop on your safety glasses before you begin.

3. Cut a length of chrome pipe to 400mm using your Dremel MultiTool and cutting disk. If you don't own a Dremel MultiTool you can use a jigsaw or hacksaw to cut the chrome pipe to length.

4. Use a drill/driver and 18mm spade bit to drill a hole in the centre of the block for the base. Drill to a depth of around 10mm. Use an 8mm wood bit to drill a hole right through the rest of the block.

5. Thread the electrical cable through the base and out the top of the pipe.

6. Connect the lamp holder to the top end of cable with a small screwdriver, inserting wires neatly into connectors and ensuring they are firmly in place. There should be no stray wires anywhere, as this can cause an electrical short.

7. Pull the cable through the bottom so that it is fairly tight and apply 2-part epoxy glue around the drilled hole before inserting the pipe and allowing the glue to cure.

8. Now you can start adding the twigs around the outside of the pipe. Apply hot glue gun to the base of each twig, and working quickly, place on top of the base. Add more glue to small gaps between the branches for additional support.

GOOD TO KNOW
Use a sharp knife to cut and scrape away any excess glue around the base of the twigs.

9. Apply superglue around the lampholder and pipe top to secure the lamp holder in place. Pop a plug onto the end of the cable and you’re ready to go.