I have a idea for an interesting lamp. The only problem is it would be made out of metal and I don't have the tools usually required for working with metal. So in order to know exactly what I am up against I decided to make a prototype. A first draft of sorts.

Step 1: Materials

Cardboard 6 X 20

Exacto Blade/Knife

Light Bulb or LED light

Light Socket

Plug

Step 2: Plans

First cut out a 6 X 20 rectangle from the large cardboard box you have. I drew up some designs I wanted cut into the cardboard and cut them out. The plans were purposely made the same size as the cardboard so it could be easily posted onto the material being cut.

Step 3: Cutting

With the designs drawn onto the cardboard now all you need to do is use the exacto blade (or knife whichever is easier for you) to cut out the trees. Also make sure to cut out two 6 inch diameter circles for the top and bottom. A little bit more difficult than you may think, the blades are very sharp so do be careful not to cut yourself.

Step 4: Setting It Up

Use a jar or some other cylindrical object to roll and curve up the cut up cardboard and go ahead and tape the edges together to have it keep its shape. Then take one of the cardboard circles and tape it on the top of the cylinder. Take the second circle and cut some flaps into it where the socket will come through.

Step 5: Putting It Together and Testing

The top picture above is sort of what I intended it to look like and I actually wired it up without a switch to see how it would look and was fairly pleased with the outcome. Hope this comes in handy with anyone planning a difficult lamp project.