Universal lamp shade polygon building kit

Step 5 Other Ideas

I think the design i've presented is my favorite because it is reconfigurable into lots of shapes, but i thought i'd put some links to other styles which can also be made from sheets of paper or plastic.

the lampshade shown below i spotted hanging from the eaves of a hotel in china. it is made from i think 6 identical pieces (possibly 7 or 8). each piece is a large diamond shape with slots cut in it to allow sliding the pieces together. it looks like each diamond is slid into itself to form one of the central vertical tubes, its free tips are then slid into the other pieces to hold the whole thing together. (i have not actually made one yet, so please comment if you have).

also see:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Flower-Calender
http://www.yasutomo.com/project/paperlampshade.htm

you can also usually find one or two polygon-inspired lampshade designs at your local designer lighting store, and at Ikea.

Comments

[jtp139]

oooooh! How do you attach it to the light?

[kwoodham]

Here's mine, I used 65lb/95g paper for it; the template I scaled to fit on A4 paper. it's about 18" in diameter (and much more white than in the photo), and I'm really happy with it! Thanks for the tutorial!

[lucymo91]

Awesome design! How many pieces did you use for that?

[jwestenberg]

Just to be sure, is it 18" in diameter or radius?

[ababa3]

kindly tell me how to cut a paper in the right shape.or send me the design of diagram.
my id is [e-mail]

regards

Muhammad Ali

[kwoodham]

The design template is provided above - download the 'polypiece.dxf' file at the bottom of the instructions and open it in Illustrator (I don't know what else it opens in, I used Illustrator). You can resize it there and print it in the desired size, and make a cardboard template or trace it onto your paper.

[wearingpink]

I was thinking of trying to make this. Do you have any idea how big it is?

[dan]

it can be any size you want

[wearingpink]

I was talking about the red one, and I just wanted an original size to go off of.

[dan]

they were outside a building, probably close to 1m

[wearingpink]

So I made my own version of the red one. It's a little over a foot tall, and made out of mylar. It was a learning process. I'll add a photo when I find it.

[wearingpink]

Ok here's a picture:

[wearingpink]

So I finally made an instructable. Its here!: http://www.instructables.com/id/Modern-Lamp/

[CheesesOfNazereth]

Very nice

[neonack]

So do you have your diagram on that? Thats an awesome design.

[dan]

ooh good work!! was i right about the number of pieces and their shape? i was kind of guessing about it with only the photo to go on (i forgot to look very close at the time i took the photo). how many pieces did you use?

[emalcar]

That is amazing! Nice job! Please post even a general Instructable. I love this!

[nabau]

wearingpink...WOW nice work!!! are you going to share your pattern? ;)

[infinitysnake]

Can you post some other shots, or a pic of your pattern?

[omendata]

I dont often comment but superb - simple , inspirational and looks superb much better than most of the lights I have seen in shops in the UK.

Well done!

[jackhg]

TOOOO COOOL on the red shade,

does the red shade use the same pieces as given in this instructable?

Please let me know, I can see these as gifts for December

thanks

Jack

[Radobot]

This is very nice instructable! It is very simple system, it inspirates my.

[dasblattlaus]

That's very pretty, wearingpink. Can anyone tell me how you actually attach these to the bit that's hanging off the ceiling and has the bulb in it? When you buy a boring lampshade it has that metal bit that you hang it from..

[faiseaux]

Well, I tried to make one, it really dont see like in the picture but is very close to it, I use 6 diamond shapes, actually it was two equilateral triangles, I hope to make this instructable soon but I need to try diferent measures first. Thak you for the inspiration!

[yetunguez]

this is awesome! i've been searching for a way to make a cool and unique lampshade and I found it. I have about 4 or 5 of those ikea lamp sockets that need a shade I'm thinking this could be done 'green' and eco-friendly by cutting up plastic milk jugs or vinegar bottles for the parts...I'll put my results on here when I get around to trying it, lol... Great project, and very simple.