Coffee Can Hanging Lamp

For me, necessity is usually the mother of creativity, and it is also my favorite way to kick start the creative side of my brain. I had the opportunity to get into one of these projects last week when I finally had enough of the big ugly lamp that had been taking up space on my dresser for far too long.
I decided that I would create a hanging lamp. I thought I would probably use the shade from the lamp I already had, but I did opt to get all new wiring; that's probably a good policy when making any kind of lamp, safety first and all that. I was able to find a kit at Home Depot that had wire which already had a plug and switch attached, a chain, and almost everything else needed (I did have to purchase the light socket separately. Everything was relatively inexpensive and that makes me a happy gal.


Once I set to work, I realized that the shade I had was too wide across the bottom for what I really wanted, so as you may suspect, I tore it apart to see what usable parts it had. The top ring was a must, because that was how the lamp was going to hang, and it was about the right size that I wanted. I thought about using the plastic part of the shade, but found it difficult to remove the old fabric from it, without destroying the whole thing, so that was out the window. My solution: a coffee can. Not the average sized coffee can, but one of those great big ones that only hardcore coffee drinkers buy. Luckily, I have a stash of coffee cans in my garage because they are so awesome for so many things.
Once I figured out the design of the lamp, the actual construction of it was pretty simple. Using a can opener, I removed the bottom from the coffee can. I then drilled holes around the can using a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the squished marble thingys. I chose a random pattern for mine, but depending on what you are going for, you can choose whatever kind of pattern you like. Also, be sure to clean up any sharp edges from the holes. The next step was to attach the fabric to the outside of the can. I cut my fabric (which was a faux tooled suede)a bit larger than the can; enough to fold over the top and bottom and long enough around to fold one edge under to make a nice clean line. I sprayed the back with 3M spray adhesive and stretched the fabric tight enough around the can so that it would not show the lines from the can. It takes a little bit of patience to get this just right and to have the fabric even, but don't get lazy with this part because it will show. Once everything is stuck in place you will have to use an x- acto knife to cut out the fabric over the holes in the can. The best bet is to cut little x's and push the fabric through and glue it down on the inside of the lamp shade. Once you have that part done, you can attach the little glass marble thingys using clear silicone glue. The holes should be just a bit smaller than your glass pieces.

Here's where I really lucked out: the top part from my old lampshade fit perfectly in the coffee can, just under the ridge at the top opening. If you want to try this project and you are not so lucky, you can probably find what you need by doing an internet search for "lamp shade parts."

Now, I'm not going to get into how to wire the lamp, because I am not an electrician and I don't feel qualified to give that advice, but I'll tell you, it is really simple. There will probably be some form of instructions on the package if you buy one of those kits, or you can check out a book on the subject. One thing I will suggest though, is please, please, please use a chain to hang the lamp. I have seen countless tutorials on the internet that skip this and hang the lamp by the cord. This is not safe! This causes a lot of stress on the cord and at the very least you will end up having to replace the wiring fairly soon. I don't want to think about the worst case scenario.























That is pretty much it. Making a lamp is a lot simpler than you might think.