Pipe Photo Frame
Intro: Pipe Photo Frame
A steampunk photo frame made out of copper tube, elbows, T's and brass connectors.
Because I live in Europe and all the hardware is in cm/mm I won't use the "inch" standard, but this project can be made in different copper and fitting sizes ( as long as they all fit together).
Because I live in Europe and all the hardware is in cm/mm I won't use the "inch" standard, but this project can be made in different copper and fitting sizes ( as long as they all fit together).
STEP 1: Materials, Tools and Dimensions
Materials:
1. A piece of copper pipe about 1 m long. I used a pipe that had 15mm on the interior and the width of the wall of .7 mm.
- 4 pieces, 12 cm long each.
- 2 pieces, 3.5 cm long each
- 2 pieces, 3 cm long each
- 1 piece, 12.5 cm long
- 1 piece, 6 cm long
- 1 piece, 2.5 cm long
2. 6 elbows that fit exactly on the pipe ( first picture)
3. 2 T connector that fit exactly on the pipe (first picture)
4. 2 copper tube caps that fit exactly on the pipe.
5. a brass connector that fits on the pipe ( second picture)
6. 2 plexiglass pieces each 14.5 cm / 14.5 cm ( third picture) that are 2 mm in width.
Tools:
- Dremel 300
- Copper pipe cutter( 4'th picture)
- fine sand paper
- file
- torch for soldering ( 5'th picture)
- solder
1. A piece of copper pipe about 1 m long. I used a pipe that had 15mm on the interior and the width of the wall of .7 mm.
- 4 pieces, 12 cm long each.
- 2 pieces, 3.5 cm long each
- 2 pieces, 3 cm long each
- 1 piece, 12.5 cm long
- 1 piece, 6 cm long
- 1 piece, 2.5 cm long
2. 6 elbows that fit exactly on the pipe ( first picture)
3. 2 T connector that fit exactly on the pipe (first picture)
4. 2 copper tube caps that fit exactly on the pipe.
5. a brass connector that fits on the pipe ( second picture)
6. 2 plexiglass pieces each 14.5 cm / 14.5 cm ( third picture) that are 2 mm in width.
Tools:
- Dremel 300
- Copper pipe cutter( 4'th picture)
- fine sand paper
- file
- torch for soldering ( 5'th picture)
- solder
STEP 2: Making the Frame
Use glasses, gloves and a mask because of all the splinters and fumes!!!
Bottom part:
1. First make a groove in all the pipes that are 12 cm long using the dremel tool. The groove should be 4, 4.5 mm wide so 2 plexiglass pieces and 1 photo between them fit exactly. ( first picture)
2. Solder 2 of those pipes on a T connector( like show in the second picture) but be carefull to aling the previosely cut grooves .
3. After the welding use the dremel tool to cut a groove into the T connector like shown in the third picture.
4. Do the same on the other side and we obtain the bottom part of the frame.
Upper part:
1. Insert the bottom part onto the upper part using 2 elbow's and aling all the grooves so the plexiglass will slide freely( 4'th picture).
2. Weld the elbows to the upper tube( 6'th picture) but do not weld them to the bottom part because you want to remove the upper part when you want to change the picture.
Use a file to remove the excess solder and if you like a cleaner look use sandpaper to polish all the pipes and connectors. The end result should look like in the 7'th picture.
Bottom part:
1. First make a groove in all the pipes that are 12 cm long using the dremel tool. The groove should be 4, 4.5 mm wide so 2 plexiglass pieces and 1 photo between them fit exactly. ( first picture)
2. Solder 2 of those pipes on a T connector( like show in the second picture) but be carefull to aling the previosely cut grooves .
3. After the welding use the dremel tool to cut a groove into the T connector like shown in the third picture.
4. Do the same on the other side and we obtain the bottom part of the frame.
Upper part:
1. Insert the bottom part onto the upper part using 2 elbow's and aling all the grooves so the plexiglass will slide freely( 4'th picture).
2. Weld the elbows to the upper tube( 6'th picture) but do not weld them to the bottom part because you want to remove the upper part when you want to change the picture.
Use a file to remove the excess solder and if you like a cleaner look use sandpaper to polish all the pipes and connectors. The end result should look like in the 7'th picture.
STEP 3: Making the Legs
Use glasses, gloves and a mask because of all the splinters and fumes!!!
1. Connecttwo pieces of 3.5 cm copper tube, two pieces of 3 cm copper tube and 2 elbows like it was done in the second picture.
2. Solder them to T connectors like shown in the second picture( perpendicular to the frame and oposing each other) the result should be like in the third picture. The longer pipe( 3.5 cm) should be connected to the frame.
3. Using the 12.5 cm long tube, an elbow and a cap solder them like in the 4-th picture. Solder to one of the legs created before.
4. Using the 6 cm pipe and 2.5 one, the brass connectors and a cap solder them like in the 5-th picture . Solder to the remaining leg.
After the soldering the legs should look like in the 6'th and 7'th picture picture.
Like in the previous step use a file to remove the excess solder and if you like a cleaner look use sandpaper to polish all the pipes and connectors.
1. Connecttwo pieces of 3.5 cm copper tube, two pieces of 3 cm copper tube and 2 elbows like it was done in the second picture.
2. Solder them to T connectors like shown in the second picture( perpendicular to the frame and oposing each other) the result should be like in the third picture. The longer pipe( 3.5 cm) should be connected to the frame.
3. Using the 12.5 cm long tube, an elbow and a cap solder them like in the 4-th picture. Solder to one of the legs created before.
4. Using the 6 cm pipe and 2.5 one, the brass connectors and a cap solder them like in the 5-th picture . Solder to the remaining leg.
After the soldering the legs should look like in the 6'th and 7'th picture picture.
Like in the previous step use a file to remove the excess solder and if you like a cleaner look use sandpaper to polish all the pipes and connectors.
STEP 4: The Screen and the End
Use glasses, gloves and a mask because of all the splinters and fumes!!!
Cut from a piece of plexiglass ( 2 mm width) 2 pieces each 14.5 cm by 14.5 cm.
Between them put your desired picture and a white or black background, take out the upper part of the frame( because we created it removable), insert the plexiglass with the pictures and put the upper part back in.
Voala, you have a nice photo frame like in the second picture.
Of course in time the copper oxidizes and gets draker. If you desire to keep the brighter aspect of the copper you can put one or two layers of laquer after proper cleaning. But the oxidized copper looks way cooler for me.
Many thanks,
Greg
http://www.unomodo.net
Cut from a piece of plexiglass ( 2 mm width) 2 pieces each 14.5 cm by 14.5 cm.
Between them put your desired picture and a white or black background, take out the upper part of the frame( because we created it removable), insert the plexiglass with the pictures and put the upper part back in.
Voala, you have a nice photo frame like in the second picture.
Of course in time the copper oxidizes and gets draker. If you desire to keep the brighter aspect of the copper you can put one or two layers of laquer after proper cleaning. But the oxidized copper looks way cooler for me.
Many thanks,
Greg
http://www.unomodo.net
Comments
gregorescu 12 years ago
Dunno, i kind of like the oxidized aspect.
That stand looks very smooth.