Cube Cardboard Lamp
There is not much to say except that this lamp is COMPLETELY made with cardboard!
I hope I can make this instructable easy enough for all of you to try it.
I needed a lot of patience to make this lamp but the results are worth it. I can't tell you enough how rewarding it is! :)
I hope I can make this instructable easy enough for all of you to try it.
I needed a lot of patience to make this lamp but the results are worth it. I can't tell you enough how rewarding it is! :)
Draw many little strips 5mm x 8cm (0.19 x 3.14 inches) on a thick piece of cardboard and cut them.
I can't tell exactly how many you need because it depends very much on how thick your strips are but you can make some now and some later.
To obtain the effect of this lamp, you need corrugated fiberboard.
I can't tell exactly how many you need because it depends very much on how thick your strips are but you can make some now and some later.
To obtain the effect of this lamp, you need corrugated fiberboard.
Take one of the strips you have just cut and spread some glue on one of the smooth parts, then put another strip on it.
Spread glue on it too and add another strip and continue this way, always leaving the wavy part on the side, until you obtain a 8x8cm (3.14 x 3.14 inches) square.
Try to be as accurate as possible for a better effect: keep the best edge down on a flat surface while you glue the pieces together. This down edge will be the outside face of the lamp, this way it will be smoother and most of the possible rough parts will be hidden inside.
I used super glue to glue the strips together.
You will need 20 squares like that one so continue to make strips until you finish to make the last square.
Spread glue on it too and add another strip and continue this way, always leaving the wavy part on the side, until you obtain a 8x8cm (3.14 x 3.14 inches) square.
Try to be as accurate as possible for a better effect: keep the best edge down on a flat surface while you glue the pieces together. This down edge will be the outside face of the lamp, this way it will be smoother and most of the possible rough parts will be hidden inside.
I used super glue to glue the strips together.
You will need 20 squares like that one so continue to make strips until you finish to make the last square.
Now take 4 squares and glue the thin sides with each other using hot glue to create a bigger square:
2 squares on the top and 2 squares on the bottom. Reverse them so that the ones that "touch" each other are positioned on the other way and create a different effect, as you can see in the picture.
Do the same with all the other squares until you have 5 big squares.
Make sure that you always make the same pattern for all of them, this way the result of the lamp will be better. In case you don't, you can use the other side of the square when you glue the lampshade together.
2 squares on the top and 2 squares on the bottom. Reverse them so that the ones that "touch" each other are positioned on the other way and create a different effect, as you can see in the picture.
Do the same with all the other squares until you have 5 big squares.
Make sure that you always make the same pattern for all of them, this way the result of the lamp will be better. In case you don't, you can use the other side of the square when you glue the lampshade together.
Take 2 of your big squares.
Put some hot glue on one thin side of a square and position the side of the other square on it, creating a right angle.
You have to create a cube and your big squares are the sides of it, so glue another square to the second one just like you did with the first 2, always creating a right angle.
Add the fourth square gluing one side to the first square and the opposite side to the third square.
I know this probably sounds like a mess but look at the pictures, it should be clearer that way! :)
Now you have 4 sides so glue another square to the top to "close" the cube.
The bottom is still free but we will need that space for the lightbulb.
Put all this aside for a while now.
Put some hot glue on one thin side of a square and position the side of the other square on it, creating a right angle.
You have to create a cube and your big squares are the sides of it, so glue another square to the second one just like you did with the first 2, always creating a right angle.
Add the fourth square gluing one side to the first square and the opposite side to the third square.
I know this probably sounds like a mess but look at the pictures, it should be clearer that way! :)
Now you have 4 sides so glue another square to the top to "close" the cube.
The bottom is still free but we will need that space for the lightbulb.
Put all this aside for a while now.
Take another piece of cardboard and draw then cut the scheme that you can see in picture A: there are 2 big squares 17x17 cm (6.69 x 6.69 inches) and 4 rectangles with 4 little squares around the first one. These are 2x2 cm (0.78 x 0.78 inches). The rectangles are 2x17 cm (0.78 x 6.69 inches).
The whole length is 38cm (14.96 inches).
This will be the box that contains the lamp holder, so now you have to bend it and cut some parts of it (picture B): the red lines are the ones that you have to cut and the green lines are the ones that you have to bend.
Now glue the little squares with the rectangles as you can see in the pictures. The box is done!
The whole length is 38cm (14.96 inches).
This will be the box that contains the lamp holder, so now you have to bend it and cut some parts of it (picture B): the red lines are the ones that you have to cut and the green lines are the ones that you have to bend.
Now glue the little squares with the rectangles as you can see in the pictures. The box is done!
Cut a little piece of fabric about 8x2cm (3.14 x 0.78 inches) and glue one of the short sides of it to the inside of the box, as you can see in the picture.
Take a piece of velcro and glue it to the other side of the fabric.
Close the box and glue the other side of the velcro to the opening side of the box. This way you will be able to open and close the box.
Remember that this will be the bottom of the box/lamp.
Cut 4 little circles from cardboard with a diameter of about 2cm (0.78 inches) and glue them on the 4 angles.
These will be your lamp's "feet".
Take a piece of velcro and glue it to the other side of the fabric.
Close the box and glue the other side of the velcro to the opening side of the box. This way you will be able to open and close the box.
Remember that this will be the bottom of the box/lamp.
Cut 4 little circles from cardboard with a diameter of about 2cm (0.78 inches) and glue them on the 4 angles.
These will be your lamp's "feet".
Get a lamp holder and trace the outline of it in the middle of the top of the box, then cut it out. You will need this hole for the lamp holder.
You also need another smaller hole in one of the thin sides of the box, for the cable to pass through.
You also need another smaller hole in one of the thin sides of the box, for the cable to pass through.
Cut 2 little squares from cardboard 2x2cm (0.78 x 0.78 inches) then cut a diagonal to obtain 4 little triangles.
Glue these triangles on the top of the box, at about 5mm (0.19 inches) from the angles as you can see in the pictures.
Now you can finally put the cube structure you made previously on the box and these triangles will keep it still.
I recommend using LEDs or at least an energy saving bulb because regular light bulbs get too hot and might burn the lamp. Remember that it's made with cardboard so be careful! If you use LEDs there won't be any problem.
All you have to do now is connecting the cable and trying it!
What do you think? :)
Glue these triangles on the top of the box, at about 5mm (0.19 inches) from the angles as you can see in the pictures.
Now you can finally put the cube structure you made previously on the box and these triangles will keep it still.
I recommend using LEDs or at least an energy saving bulb because regular light bulbs get too hot and might burn the lamp. Remember that it's made with cardboard so be careful! If you use LEDs there won't be any problem.
All you have to do now is connecting the cable and trying it!
What do you think? :)