Light Bulb Lamp: Another Option

Step 2 Hollow out the Bulb!

MIND THE BULB, ITS A BIT FRAGILE!

(I really thought something would pop or explode during this process, but it didn't. Not as exciting, but less dangerous)

1- Using your exacto knife pry up an edge of the brass disk on the bottom of the bulb.

2- Use your pliers to pull it off.

Time to move outside as there's going to be some broken glass. Be safe, clean up your mess when you're done.

3- With patience and care remove the black glass cone that the brass disk was attached to. I used the following methods--
-Resting the threads (not the bulb) on a sturdy surface tap the glass with the pliers to chip/break it.
-Holding the bulb use the screwdriver as a chisel and the piers as a hammer.
-Use the nail as a chisel and the pliers as a hammer.
-Use the pliers to grip and pull out the last few chunks.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT REST THE BULB ON ANY HARD SURFACE WHILE HITTING/TAPPING/CHIPPING IT MAY BREAK THE BULB AND MAKE YOU BEGIN ALL OVER AGAIN

4- Use the screwdriver as a chisel once again and break the glass that hold the filament in place inside the bulb.

5- Use your pliers to break up pieces too big to fall out of the hole but simply squeezing them.

You should have a nice white hollow bulb now.

Comments

[jvet]

Very cool, the only thing i first noticed is that a european lighbulb is different.
the glass blub is completely closed, the electronics are cast inside the glass, its an way to make te lamp more effecient and safe. im only looking for a good solution to refil it !

[honigkuchen]

all the glass that had to break during this process really refused to do anything. maybe for the german lightbulb I used that looked a little diffrent from the one you are using.

[wilderness]

oh, and i forgot to say - you might find the white coating doesn't come off with just salt, too - i guess it's a different material. I got it off with salt and water, but sand and water might be better!

[wilderness]

Hey Honigkuchen,

if German light bulbs are like English ones, then they're much more stubborn than the American ones seem to be, but it's still possible to do this. Use something soft to protect the bulb, grip it firmly by the metal part, and tap th black glass repeatedly, very hard, using controlled force and a small scredriver or other instrument. Eventually the glass will start to crack, and by combining the various tricks mentioned above you should be able to clear out all the black glass. It took me about 20 minutes per bulb, with a 50% success rate (the bits you're trying to break are much stronger than the part you want to keep whole...)

I recommend wearing glasses or goggles and working somewhere easy to sweep!

Have fun,
Jethro