Introduction: A ByProduct Lamp-shade
or how to make an (almost) effortless unique lint lamp-shade.
as you all have probably noticed while you dry your clothes in a drier there is a fair amount of lint (which is actually short fibered felt that is created by fibers from you clothes mixed with water a soup leftovers from the washing machine) accumulates in a special compartment. in industrial driers this interesting looking felt has a fairly large container. I came up with an idea how to put this useless by product into use !
Step 1: Ingredients
this project is as much about the process as its about the final result !
you will need :
a metal sieve sheet (usually used for windows) or a ordinary kitchen sieve.
water based glue
a spray container
an second hand lamp and lamp- shade or a lamp-shade frame from a hobby shop.
and the most important ingredient - a very kind local laundromat that will allow you to use their industrial drying machine.
Step 2: Getting Started
find the container that collects the driers lint.
cut you metal sieve sheet into a piece that could fit into your container.
fit it in and leave it there for a couple of days.....
if you are using a kitchen sieve just lay it down in the container
(you need to let the lint accumulate till you have a thin uneven layer of lint)
Step 3: Not a Must
after you get a thin uneven layer of lint you can use glue to make sure it stays on the sieve.
take a water based glue and dilute it with water inside a spray container ( mine used to be a window cleaning solution spray container).
you can spray you linted sieve and return it back to accumulate some more.....
(once is enough cause the lint attaches to the glued pieces and holds the whole thing together)
Step 4: Well Done !
you may take our you sieve according to the amount of lint you wish to have on it. the amount of lint will determine the way light will be seen through it and also obviously the overall looks of your soon to be finished lamp-shade. just take it out, trim the edges and,
if you are using a kitchen sieve all you need to do is place the sieve on your lamp
if you are using a sheet you can shape it as you wish or just roll it over an existing lamp-shade frame
and there you have it !
Step 5: Variation
this is meant to be an (almost) effortless process. however if you find it enjoyable, if your local laundromat owner makes good conversation or if you are just feeling creative you can go on and play with your shapes.
the sieve sheet bends really easy - you can shape it with your hands or mold it with any object and create new patterns and exciting shapes.
enjoy !
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18 Comments
6 years ago
This could be a great idea for a personal (and friends and family) dryer lint, but laundromats. .. yuck! I have found syne of the most disgusting remnants of stuff in public washer and dryers...dead bugs, etc...
11 years ago on Step 2
Instead of lint, you could as easily use newspaper + cotton + water in a blender. Blend it till you get a paste and then use it. Its better than this lint since you can control the percentage of cotton and colour as well. Just a thought :)
13 years ago on Step 5
does the "lamp shade sit on top of the light bulb?
Reply 13 years ago on Step 5
no it doesn't. I have made a minor adjustment to a lamp-shade frame in order to hold it. I'm sorry maybe i should show that as well....the lamp are in an exhibition in Berlin, once they get back ill be sure to add that to my Instructable.
Reply 13 years ago on Step 5
Congratulations on having the lamp in an exhibit. I will wait patiently to see your adjustment scary man ;0)
13 years ago on Introduction
Love your use of non-traditional materials. I think the strainer lamp shade without the lint would look cool too (then there would be no worries about lint fires.) BTW,your bio picture is a tad scarry (I am a fraidy cat)
13 years ago on Introduction
its a very interesting idea, but wouldnt this be a fire hazard? I mean lint in your dryer can be a fire hazard, so i would assume that lint over a 60 watt bulb would also be a fire hazard.
http://homerepair.about.com/b/2009/02/14/lint-the-silent-fire-hazard.htm
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
I think the barrel shade would be far enough from heat, but the over top one does raise an eyebrow too My suggestion to saronpaz is to insert the words "compact florescent" somewhere easy to notice, or your probally going to see a bunch of FIRE!! messages ;)
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
If you use a dryer sheet, it adds a flame retardant to the lint, and it doesn't work for fire starters (personal experience at camp). Adding anything to the lint, or even just felting it/turning into paper reduces the fire danger to that of paper (and heavy paper at that). Adding glue makes it nearly fireproof.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
We use to make fire starters in boy scouts with dryer lint and saw dust. they worked amazingly well.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
YES, this. Lint is so flammable that it makes a fantastic camping firestarter. Please be careful. The strainer shade in particular makes me worry.
13 years ago on Introduction
Years ago when using dryer lint to make paper was all the rage it was discovered that the lint consisted of quite a lot of skin cells. At first I thought your 'ible was joke but maybe the "common knowledge" about the contents of dryer lint is - can a paper maker step in here with a comment please about why no one uses dryer lint anymore?
13 years ago on Introduction
This is a pretty cool idea, IF you have access to commercial dryers you could probably get close to the same effect by collecting the "lint" mixing it with water and dipping the screen into the resulting mixture. Dryer "lint" has many uses from making paper to firestarters, you can bleach it white or dye it just like any other "cloth", mixed with water and paper confetti or plant material to make paper, make a flat sheet and coat with wax, roll it up and cut into chunks for firestaters or even a semilong burning fuel for small campstoves, mixed into planting soil to hold/release moisture... and the list goes on....
13 years ago on Introduction
When I was a kid my mother took the lint from our home dryer, and instead of throwing it away as most do, she stuffed it into grocery store bas. When she had a few bags full of the lint, she would sew a small decorative pillow or stuffed animal and use the lint as filler. It can be soft and plush if lightly packed, or hard and firm if tightly packed. It worked as well as any cotton batting!
13 years ago on Introduction
Lol... It looks too dirty for me xD
13 years ago on Introduction
If you gathered a whole load of reds and dried them do you link that you might get enough lint that was a nice colour? L
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
I washed and dried a bunch of purple bedsheets a few days ago and I noticed the lint had a purplish tinge so that could work.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
thanks a very interesting question I have asked myself as well (i plan to do more tests and get back to you on that)