I've had this idea for a long time and when I read about the Coffee cup challenge thought this would be the time to let this idea become reality: The coffee cup sphere lamp!
I must admit it isn't completely original. I just saw the same idea posted in another Instructable here, and I can remember seeing something similar in a windowshop as decoration but hey...those aren´t my story, so let get to work!
I must admit it isn't completely original. I just saw the same idea posted in another Instructable here, and I can remember seeing something similar in a windowshop as decoration but hey...those aren´t my story, so let get to work!
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So start drinking a lot of coffee, especially the bad tasting stuff at your work or school. Save the cups.
Ehmm...to be honest...I did not had the time to wait until I had collected about 300 necessary cups so I went to my local supermarket and bought them. (however I drink way to much coffee, in such quantities that there was a time it was my main source of inspirations as you can see on my website)
I rather would have had paper cups but they only had plastic ones, so I sticked with those.
Besides that Instead of using glue I picked up my stapler and ( a lot of) staples.
Further more you'll need electric wire with an attached socket, an energy-efficient lamp (with normal lamps I'm afraid the heat will meld the plastic), some (3 or more) pinbolds, a big washer and some small ones.
Let me list that;
-300+ cups
-a stapler with staples
-electric wire with socket
-energy-efficient lamp
-pinbolds
-big washer
-small washers
-a heatsource (a lighter or something like that)
-A sharp metal pen (for instance a scriber) with the thickness of the wire
Ehmm...to be honest...I did not had the time to wait until I had collected about 300 necessary cups so I went to my local supermarket and bought them. (however I drink way to much coffee, in such quantities that there was a time it was my main source of inspirations as you can see on my website)
I rather would have had paper cups but they only had plastic ones, so I sticked with those.
Besides that Instead of using glue I picked up my stapler and ( a lot of) staples.
Further more you'll need electric wire with an attached socket, an energy-efficient lamp (with normal lamps I'm afraid the heat will meld the plastic), some (3 or more) pinbolds, a big washer and some small ones.
Let me list that;
-300+ cups
-a stapler with staples
-electric wire with socket
-energy-efficient lamp
-pinbolds
-big washer
-small washers
-a heatsource (a lighter or something like that)
-A sharp metal pen (for instance a scriber) with the thickness of the wire
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I like the design.
A single cup in the middle surrounded by six for a total of seven.
I have seen this done on another 'ible but the resulting sphere looked kind of sloppy which is ok for the application. I like smooth and round with no gaps.
The clear cups allow light to be transmitted through the 'Light Pipe' like plastic the cups are made of. Marching lights make it sparkle up high in an outside tree hanging from an unseen branch from a string.
Thank you for your design. It will make a far nicer sparkle ball I think.
I will post an instructable..............
As per request, I put it on for a try before I finish the whole thing.
The ultimate end.
But my plan, as I mentioned, originaly included paper cups, however those where not available at my local shop. I had spring-holiday last week so I couldn't collect paper cups at my work (I'm a teacher so there is a LOT of coffee drinking going on there!). But tomorrow I have to get back to work so I'm thinking about do one with paper cups. The bigger (American) ones would be cool but we only have the small ones there.
I've also seen this done with polystyrene cups - which are horrific on all levels, including to touch, drink from, listen to, and to contemplate the environmental horror...
I'm thinking of making one of these from thimble-sized cups!
But I believe in the post-modern idea that nothing is new anymore, everything is done before so you only can add your version of the story.
The only difference in my construction is that I started by making the middle circle, and went building the ball.
The only advantage in building it from the middle is that you can fix the socket with more ease and if you have someone to help you, you both can work it out in the half of the time!
Greetings