Prop Fire Hydrant

This is my first instructable so I thought I would start with something simple.

I was in a decorator shop recently and saw a great looking fake fire hydrant / umbrella stand - except it was greenish and cost $80. I like cool stuff but $80 was a bit hard to justify - so i made my own the way I wanted it to look - New York style.

note - Where I live (Perth) all our hydrants are under the surface of the pavement so we don't have these hydrants on the streets - so this is a bit of a novelty.

Materials:
1 cardboard tube I had from a window shade installer, a big postage tube or PVC storm pipe would probably do the trick as well
2 x storm water end caps and connectors
1 x medium to large plastic planter pot - look for one with a dome on the bottom
various hex nuts for detail.

Tools:
large hole saw blade
red spray paint
black spray paint
hot glue gun and glue.

Method:

Cut the cardboard tube to the right height @60cm
about 20cm down cut a hole with the hole saw right through the tube.
push through the two storm water end caps and add the lids. Hot glue into place and add hex nuts for detail
cut the bottom of the planter pot - you need strong shears for this. Place to the top of the tube and add the hex nut on top - the bigger the better. - if you are using it as an umbrella stand add a piece of styrene to the bottom to keep it stable - glue in and use hex nuts for detail.

I left all the shipping lables on mine to give it character and age - hit the base and and joins and corners with the black spray paint to dirty it up - then spray with fire engine red - lightly going over the black bits. There you are done - a piece of your own old fashioned New York street. I think some chains on the end caps would be needed to make this more authentic - next time.

Let me know what you think.