Step-by-step guide

Step 1: After cutting all the necessary pieces for the lamp, begin its construction. Start with the two 500mm round bar lengths, which will be utilised for its feet. Bend each 500mm length into what resembles the number ‘6’. Remember to match the two with each other.

 

Step 2: Turn your attention to the two 800mm round bar lengths from which you will construct the lamp’s body. Take one of the pieces and bend one of its ends into a scroll. Curve the remaining part of the round bar. The second 800mm length gets the same sized scroll as the first 800mm length in one of its two ends. The other end also gets a scroll, but a bit smaller. Once finished, it should resemble the letter ‘S’. See photo 2.

 

Step 3: Start welding the various parts together. First, place the two scrolls that will be used for the lamp’s feet together, as shown in photo 3, and weld together.

 

Step 4: Place the two remaining pieces together, as shown in photo 4, and weld together as well.

 

Step 5: Weld the body of the lamp onto the feet (see photo 5). Make sure the lamp’s body and feet are square with each other before welding, otherwise the lamp will be skew.

 

Step 6: Drill a 6mm off-centre hole in the metal cap. Next, weld the cap onto the top of the lamp, ensuring that the hole in the cap is perpendicular to the lamp’s body.

 

Step 7: Place the lamp on its side so that the hole in the cap points upwards. Take the remaining 470mm piece of round bar and weld it onto the back of the lamp’s body. This will be used to hide the lamp’s wire.

 

Step 8: Feed Twin-flex electrical wire through the hole in the cap and make a knot in the wire about 50mm from the end. The knot will keep the wire in place as well as ensure it is long enough when you need to connect it to the light fitting. Depending on the colour you want the lamps to be, choose the colour of the Twin-flex wire accordingly.

 

Step 9: Determine how long you want the lamp’s electrical wire to be and cut it to size. Depending on where you want the on/off switch, separate the two wires from each other and cut only one of the wires. Next, remove the insulation from the two ends and connect them to the on/off switch (see photo 9).

 

Step 10: To connect the wire to the light fitting, you first need to disassemble it. Next, feed the wire through the centre hole of the light fitting’s base plate. Separate the two ends and remove the insulation. Then connect the ends to the light fitting by means of the screws. Finally, reassemble the light fitting.

 

Step 11: Place the light fitting on top of the metal cap and use a marking pen to transfer the position of the hole in the light fitting to the metal cap. This is the hole without the electrical wire. Drill a second 6mm hole in the metal cap.

 

Step 12: Use a 6mm nut and bolt to secure the light fitting to the metal cap.

 

Step 13: Use a hot glue gun to stick the Twin-flex electrical wire onto the 470mm length of round bar to give the lamp a neat look. Then connect a three-prong wall plug to the other end of the wire.

 

Step 14: Give the lamp a coat of paint, add a lampshade, screw in a light bulb and you are ready to spread some light.