Industrial Apocalypse Pendant Lamp From an Old Oil Barrel

Hi, my name is Abel, lighting designer from the Netherlands.

In this (first time) instructable I would like to show you how I made this simple lighting fixture with a cool industrial zombie apocalypse like look from an old empty 60L oil barrel for your personal man/woman cave.

Supplies

Supplies:

An old empty 60L barrel.

Edge protection for vehicles from car store or Amazon.

Clear paint and *silver paint (*optional).

Hollow thread rod M10. (Buy it at your D.I.Y. store or savage them from old lamps)

3x Led light bulbs.

3x Lamp fittings & Lamp bolts found also in old lamps, dimmers or at your local hardware store. (Buy it at your local hardware store or savage them from old lamps)

A metal grid for protection of the bulbs and to lower the UGR (Unified Glare Ratio). (I savaged them from an old dog cage)

Bolts and nuts and a bolt with hook. (old and rusty or make them rusty with vinegar and patience)

A chain. (old and rusty or make it rusty with vinegar and patience)

Some old wiring cables.

An old power cable with a ground wire.

Some shrinking wire or electro tape.

Tools:

Measuring tape and a marker.

Sanding machine.

Grinder.

Electric drill.

Saw for metal.

Sanding paper with different grains, a sanding paper flap disc, cutting disc's.

Spray bottle with vinegar.

Soldering iron & tin

Step 1: Measure the Barrel

Measure the barrel with a measuring tape and mark the cutting line.

In my case the barrel is 119cm at top and 120cm at bottom.

I'll be drawing marks at 59.5cm and 60cm.

Step 2: Cut the Barrel

Cut the barrel in line at the markings and draw al line on the top and bottom from the cuttings.

Cut the top and bottom to end up with 2 half barrels.

Clean the inside of the barrel with some soap and degreaser.

Step 3: Clean the Barrel

Clear the sharp edges with sanding paper or a file.

Use a sanding paper flap disc to remove some of the paint to the result you like.

Step 4: Smoothen the Barrel

Use sanding disc with different grains to smoothen the surface.

Wash off the dust.

Step 5: Make It Rusty

Make everything rust with vinegar.

See the effect on the pictures after 10 minutes, an hour and a day.

Keep on spraying vinegar until you find the result you like.

Step 6: Drill Holes

Drill holes for the fittings in the middle line on the outside of the barrel. One M10 hole in the middle and 2x 13cm from the edges.

Drill hols for the hanging system in the edge of the top and bottom of the barrel.

Drill holes for the metal grid from about 1.5cm from the cutting line and 10 cm from the inner border edge of the top and bottom of the barrel.

Step 7: Protection Layers

Paint the outside of the barrel with a clear transparent spay paint.

(Optional: spray the inside of the barrel with a white metal primer and when all dried; spray it with a silver paint spray.)

Cover the edges of the barrel with the edge protection.

Step 8: Assembly Fittings

Cut some ~1cm long hollow thread rods and screw them in the fitting.

Place the fittings with the thread rod in the holes of the barrels and tighten them with the lamp nuts.

Step 9: Assembly Wiring

Wire and solder 2 smaller pieces of wire in parallel to the power cable; for each fitting 1.

Insert the endings of the cables (except for the ground wire) in the fittings and connect them to the contacts of the fitting.

Assemble the fittings and screw in the light bulbs.

Test your light.

Step 10: Assemble the Metal Grid and Hanging System

Place the bolts and nuts into the holes on the side of the fixture.

Place the Hook or O bolt with on the 2 holes on the top and bottom edges and tighten them 2 nuts on bottom and 1 on the top of the thread.

Connect the grond wire from the power cable to the barrel with a speed tap screw or a bolt and nut.

Step 11: Hang It High

Slide in the metal grid and hang it high with the metal chain or some decorative rope.

The barrel has become a light fixture.

The End