How to Build a Tin and Glass Table Lamp

Create this table lamp with punched tin and beautiful glass rectangles.

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Filed under: Crafts, Lighting, Lamps, How To

Kevin Burgess is a native of New Mexico. His grandfather was an artist there and some actually credit him as starting the art movement in New Mexico. As an "army brat" he has lived all over the world, but his heart was always in New Mexico and that is where he eventually settled as an adult. His rich family heritage and his extensive travels influence the looks of his work to this day.

Materials and Tools:

sheet tin
metal shear
tin cutters
sheet glass
glasscutter
cutting oil
pounding mat
punches
hammer
steel wool
fine-tip permanent marker
acetone
rags
brake (metal folding press)
light socket with cord and switch
soldering iron and stand
flux
paintbrush
scribe
ruler
painter's blue tape
paper design template
cardboard

Figure B

Steps:

1. Cut a 12 1/2-inch piece of tin off the roll with metal shears.

2. On the tin, mark the two sidepieces, the base piece, the bottom, two strips to hold the base together and four strips to hold the glass on the lamp.

3. Cut the tin pieces apart on a metal shear.

Figure D

4. Etch all the fold lines with a scribe. The scribe line is where the piece will be folded.

5. Miter Corners:

Notch out the corners of all the tin pieces with tin snips.
On the base piece, divide the strip into four equal parts.
Notch a triangle at each mark.
When the tin piece is folded the corners will be mitered.

Figure E

6. Place the paper design template on one of the tin sidepieces and tape in place with painter's blue tape.

7. Punch the design through the paper design into the tin with a punch and a mallet, piercing the tin so the light will shine through. When one side is punched, move the paper design to the other sidepiece and punch the design into the second side of the tin piece.

Figure G

8. Mark the center of the table lamp base with permanent marker for the fixture hole.

9. Punch out the hole in the base for the table lamp.

10. Fold the sides and bottom piece on a metal folding brake press. Fold the top pieces on the brake. Fold the base on the brake.

Figure I

11. Soldering:

Solder the inside rail strips to the sides of the lamp.
Apply flux, and then solder the pieces together using a piece of cardboard held vertically to press against.
Solder the sidepieces to the base and the top strips to the sidepieces.

12. Measure and cut the side glass pieces for the table lamp.

13. Clean the tin and glass table lamp with acetone.