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Cassette Tape lamp with IKEA Hemma base.

Cassette Tape lamp with IKEA Hemma base.
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  • Ikea lamp.tiff
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Make a lamp from old cassette tapes.

I don't have any photos of the making of it but it's fairly simple and I will attempt to explain the steps.
All the items you need to make it are easly available.

I've seen this instructable after building mine
http://www.instructables.com/id/Retro-tribute-CaSsette-TaPes-LamP-with-Joystick-/?ALLSTEPS

Looks cool too

Step 1 Here's what you will need.

• IKEA: HEMMA, Table lamp base, black. Article Number : 501.495.17 (Make sure it's the 13cm width/length base not the 15cm one they also have available)
• Low energy bulb (or one that produces less heat than a normal clear bulb)
• 12 cassette tapes in covers.
(The ones I picked at the second hand store are in clear covers so they let the most light out)
• Hard plastic glue (transparent)
• Universal contact glue/Bond glue.
• A screw driver.


Step 2 Making

The IKEA lamp base comes with a 30cm or so high metal tube that needs to be removed.

First unscrews it from the base. That's the easy part.

Next you will need to remove the light bulb adapter from the top of the metal tube.
It is glued in place but with a little help from a flat head screw driver and a bit of wiggling with a good hand grip it will come off.

Disconnect the wires from the bulb adapter (Take note of which wire goes where) and then you can remove the metal tube.

Reconnect the Bulb adapter.

Using Contact/bonding glue attach the bulb adaptor really well to the base.


Step 3 The cassettes

On a flat surface I first stacked up the cassettes without glue to see what they looked like.
Don't forget to give the cassettes and covers a good clean/dusting. It impossible after you add glue.

After deciding on the layout I set them apart in 3 sets of 4 cassettes.
At this stage you can also add a dab of glue to the hinge to keep them shut. 

Glue the first layer (4 cassettes) with the hard plastic glue to each other. Using the IKEA base as a guide to keep everything square.
Then the second and third in an overlapping style. see pic

Finally when all the Cassettes are glued and dry I attached them to the base using plenty of Universal contact/Bond glue.

And that's it. The IKEA base comes already fitted with a nice on/off switch and a plug.
ENJOY
16 comments
Feb 20, 2012. 8:48 PMgetsomemore says:
what kind of glue did you use? hard plastic glue?
Feb 16, 2012. 4:21 PMGreengo513 says:
I used this idea today but "themed" it. I am an old skool hip hop junkie so I dug out some old hip hop cassettes from the basement (you can get them at thrift store as well).

I followed the instructions. Ikea did not have the model number or size listed for base. I got the closest one. It was a 14 base. Worked fine.

Hardest part was getting the metal tube from the base (what was described as the easy part)......lol.......and I couldnt glue the light fixture in place well. So it is looser than I'd like inside.

Make your own. Kids songs, rock and roll, country, classical, motivational, gospel, .........any theme that fits you!
Feb 5, 2012. 9:26 PMacarden says:
Looks cool. We don't have ikea over here so will have to try and find a square based lamp elsewhere.
Feb 3, 2012. 5:18 PMRich99 says:
hpat -- does this mean that if you don't glue the lids in place, you can still get the tapes out of the boxes?
Feb 3, 2012. 5:21 PMRich99 says:
oh yeah -- great ible, neato lamp!
Feb 2, 2012. 7:38 AMBuffaloBarak says:
Looks Great! one question... does the heat from the bulb not cause the plastic (cassette case and /or cassette tape) to melt?
Feb 2, 2012. 1:08 PMBuffaloBarak says:
Brilliant + Safe! Awesome idea!
Feb 2, 2012. 6:49 AMpeacefulshades says:
this is soooooo great! Thanks for the hefty dose of inspiration!
Jan 31, 2012. 11:38 AMPenolopy Bulnick says:
Great design! You don't see cassettes very often anymore.
Jan 31, 2012. 6:04 AMjessyratfink says:
This is a great idea. :D Looks amazing!

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Author:hpat(Patrick Hickey)
Live in the Netherlands but originally come from Ireland.