28th Project completed - A pleated Cardboard Lamp base

I can't believe it is Saturday again, the weeks seem to be flying by! This week I have been tidying the living room and trying to brighten it up a bit. I spent a small amount the Ikea sale and brought a coffee table and a side table to replace the existing ones and had a good tidy up. 


The side table looks great but is missing a lamp. So over this week and next, I thought I would make a lamp to go with the décor of the room. Using Paul's offcuts and other bits and pieces I have hanging about in the loft.


This week I made the lamp base and here it is.

Materials required

• Concertinaed cardboard strips taken from offcuts of an organ book (If not strips of cardboard folded lengthways)
• A short section of industrial cardboard tube
• Hot glue gun or strong multi-purpose glue
• Heavy cardboard for base and top
• Lamp bulb holder kit - the type you would use to convert bottles into lamps. Available from good hardware shops or eBay.

Instructions

1. Cut a section of cardboard tube to the same length of your concertinaed cardboard.

2. Cut a top and base the same diameter as the cardboard tube.

3. Cut a hole to fit the lamp bulb holder kit in the top piece.

4. Using a glue gun, stick your concertinaed cardboard to the outside of the tube, allow to set. Use some elastic bands to help hold it all together.

5. Put a few pebbles in the base for ballast and using the glue gun attach the top and base to the tube

6. You can now paint or varnish your lamp base to taste! To finish, push the lamp bulb holder into place securely as per the instructions.

That's it, now all I need is to make a shade to match with the decor of the room!