concrete lamp

Step 7 Assemble lamp

Put the lamp together. Thread the cord up through the base holes, screw the thing on top. You can put a switch on the cord too, if you want. I'm not getting into wiring here. If you don't know what you're doing, ask someone who does.

Use a bright bulb. I found this fluorescent (incandescents will get the thing really hot - better to use compact fluorescents (and less energy!). This bulb is a 150 watt equivalent, which uses 32 watts. The shade will block a lot of the light.

Notice that you can see through the shade on the thick piece of glass (even when switched off!)

Ok, you're done. Please, if anyone is crazy enough to try this, let me know how it goes.

Comments

[techtable]

 an interesting idea would be to embed fiber optic cables in the concrete, to make it slightly translucent.

[DIY-Guy]

Fiber optic transmission of light through concrete is a good idea that has already been done.

Without the expense of communications grade fiber optics, acrylic rods and fishing line have been used to transport light through concrete in years past.

[ConcretePhil]

Great work! I'm in the decorative concrete field; counter tops, floor overlays, furniture, vertical stamped and hand carved concrete, and on occasion a dinosaur statue :) This is a design I haven't seen. I will definitely be making one of these. Thanks Concrete Phil

[andybuda]

concrete phil i know a concrete pete u 2 should meet up

[andybuda]

I'm thinking of using two pieces of glass and putting a mould on the front to take speaker drivers so the front has the two edges as glass with speakers down the center that would be cool .... the sides could all so have a design in them "its a shame to have all the sides in glass under concrete and not use it" if i get round to doing this ill let u know should work though...let me know what u think... did you use any mould oil on the wood/foam.... or do you think if i used plastic over the inside of the moulds that would work cause i like the very smooth finish it produces...

[Aerospaced]

That is freakn' slick! One thing I learned by casting metal, porcelain, wax and plaster: use a release agent. I find petroleum jelly works best. It's messy, but it will fill any little voids that the material will get into and cause your mold to stick. I think I'll try this one with a twist. I want to put colored glass on top of the large panes in a pattern. Sort of like a stained glass effect. Or maybe a T.A.R.D.I.S. !

[hands_on]

To answer a few questions: It's 16" tall, 4" square. Probably weighs about 15 pounds. Walls of the shade are 1/2" thick. Yes, your formwork needs to be able to release. I used packing tape which works well on flat surfaces and leaves a smooth finish. Petroleum jelly works well but can leave marks. The glass is smooth enough so no concrete will stick to it. The design is intentionally restrained. There's a lot you could do with this technique. Please, modify and experiment. I'd be curious to see how it goes. Thanks for all the nice comments.

[SugargirlDesigns]

This is a GREAT design! I love the "Industrial" qualities, but also that it looks Modern, Sleek, and totally Fresh! I really, really do love it! I might try this, but, I might think about adding that material(s) that they add when making Planters, in order to make it more lightweight and less costly. I don't know. I've been thinking, though, of adding lamps, one of a kind and others, to my list of "products" to sell once I get my website up and running. Even if I altered this design a little, I think I'd feel that I would have to credit it's original design to YOU. How could I go about doing that? Would you have a problem with that?

[Grey_Wolfe]

This is very cool. A nice modern feel without being tacky like most modern art and furnishings.