Introduction: Recycled Paper Spiral Lamp

By
About: i m an electronics and telecommunication engineer with all my interest inclined towards music lights and art

To shell some tribute to the nature I used my old magazine to make a night lamp.Paper weaving is something new for me and i m happy about how it turned out. One thing which I did not expect were the eye catching reflections.

#whatwillubring2life

Step 1: What You Need

  • old magazine
  • a stick/wooden skewer
  • glue
  • scissors/cutter
  • lamp holder socket
  • binder clip
  • clear lamp (25 watt)
  • wire
  • tester screwdriver

Why a magazine?
-glossy paper
-uniform colour scheme
-looks better than newspaper

Step 2: Making the Paper Tubes for Weaving

Follow the image sequence :

1. You need to tear off a page from old magazine. Fold the page vertically in half, and use a cutter to cut into sections.(i just tore it off and got those uneven edge but it doesn't really matter as 1s rolled its even enough. ).

2.Place the 1st section vertically and a place stick or wooden skewer at the bottom right corner of the section(i m a left handed person :D switch sides if u are not 1).

3. Tuck the corner edge and then roll up with your fingers.Roll the paper as tight as possible,carefully remove the stick.

4.1s you reach the end, glue the tiny triangle and press it gently untill it is secured.

5.Continue doing the same for rest of the magazine. Yes! you will need many pipes (approx. 50+)to make the 10 inches tall lamp and u dont want to fall short of the pipes 1s you start weaving.

Step 3: The Base

Follow the image sequence :

1. For the base, cut out a square 4x4 inches.I have used the magazine cover page as it is thicker than the pages inside the magazine.Since I wanted to upcycle the magazine i have used it almost everywhere possible.

2. Glue 4 pipes on the 4 corners of the square and an extra pipe to 1 corner, so that you get the start point for weaving.Press down and secure the paper tubes in position. Rest it for a while untill its sturdy enough.

3. Use a page this time and make a cover for the base (yellow smiley QR code). The size of yellow square is slightly bigger than the base square,to cover the pipes.Cut the edges of the yellow square diagonally so that there is room for the pipes to stand out.

4.Glue the yellow square on the top of the base.

5.Flip the base upside down and glue the edges of the yellow square on the base.


Step 4: Weaving the Spiral Lamp

1. Weaving starts with the extra pipe (5).Bend the pipe to your left aligned to the edge of the base square.

2.Bend pipe 1 over the 5th pipe as shown.

3.Bend pipe 2 over the 1st pipe.

4.bend pipe 3 over the 2nd pipe.

5.continue counter clockwise(in simple words its just putting the previous pipe over the next and next on further next so on.)

6. Stop once u reach a height of about an inch.

Dont worry about the misaligned edge after the first round of stack up. Because the spiral shape of the lamp has just started to built up :)

Step 5: Extending the Short Ends


1.As soon as you see the pipes are falling short to fold further, extend those with the new pipe.

2.For extension insert the narrower end into the end of the tube which is short.Don't use glue to stick the ends as when you further fold the pipes on each other you will find it stays stiff.

Do this every time you find a short end, I extend the end pipe with same coloured pipe so that the colour pattern is maintained and you wont have to paint it.

Step 6: Fixing the Bulb

follow the image sequence:

1.Make a slit right in the middle of the base for the wires to pass through it.

2. find all the materials required for fixing the bulb

3. Glue the lamp holder socket up straight and pull the wires from the bottom of the base. Adjust the holder vertically and keep to rest.1s secured work further.

4.Place the bulb in the holder before you make the whole 10" structure.

I forgot to put the bulb before making the whole thing, fortunately my hand went through :D

Step 7: Finish Weaving the Spiral Lamp

ones you get the weaving technique right, all that sweat and blood spent on rolling tubes seems worth.

To finish the top part glue the ends and tuck under the next bend. Trim the extra edges for even corners.Weaving is way to simpler and less time consuming than the paper rolling task. Took me 15 mins to finish the whole weaving part.

Finally! Plug in and find this lamp glow beautifully and its reflection is eye catching too. :)

advantage: if you are left with extra pipes, with the same weaving technique for height of 2 inches or so and you have a pencil stand holder.

Have fun making this lamp.I had lil hands of my neighbor for help to roll the pages (she is just 4!) So what are you waiting for? :)

Step 8: Option 2

You can use Christmas lighting inside of the bulb,this is how it looks.