Juice Lamp
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1/2
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2/2
Posted by ReadyMade
Project by Mark Mulroney
In the Quaker hamlet outside of Akron, Ohio, where I grew up, everything was handmade out of wood. It wasn’t until my teenage years, when my family moved to Orange County, California, that I fell for plastic. Try making this 60s-style Tupperware pitcher lamp that casts a whimsical light.
Skill Level
Moderate
Active Time
One day
Cost
$$
- Plastic pitcher (preferably translucent)
- Plastic bowl
- Light socket with twist on/off switch at the base
- Lamp cord with plug
Materials
- Drill
- Flathead screwdriver
- 3/8" and 1/4" drill bits (we suggest using Forstner bits, but wood bits will work, too)
- Wire stripper or X-acto knife
Tools
Turn the pitcher and bowl upside down. Mark the center of each with a nail or screw.
Using the 3/8" bit, drill through where you marked. (When drilling plastic, it helps to put a block of wood or cardboard on the other side of the surface to prevent it from cracking.)
Using the 1/4" bit, drill another hole toward the bottom edge of the pitcher. This is for the cord. The hole should be just beyond where the bowl meets the pitcher’s base, so the cord has clearance.
Strip the lamp cord. Thread the cord, stripped ends first, through the 1/4" hole. Coil the exposed wires around the socket fixture’s screws, then tighten.
Remove the flange (the small nut just above the on/off switch) and set it aside.
Now run the on/off switch through the 3/8" hole in the bottom of the pitcher and through the upside down bowl. Reattach and tighten the flange. (This step fastens the bowl to the bottom of the pitcher.)
If you want, drill decorative holes through the lid or pitcher for more illumination. Make sure to keep the lid in the pour position to let heat escape.
