How to Make: Solar Powered Lamp
by lmrandall in Workshop > Lighting
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How to Make: Solar Powered Lamp
Everyone's heard the saying of "going green". Over time people have invented solar powered houses, solar powered cars, and given ideas on how to use recycled material, etc. For example, there have been lamps made out of recycled material. However, what if you wanted to make a recycled solar power lamp in order to completely "go green"? Well, by following these steps, one will be able to make exactly that, an Earth friendly solar powered lamp that is great for any home!
Materials Needed
2 pieces of pre cut wood (
4 pre cut circular dowels (
12 Dasani 16oz water bottle labels (get extra incase of further overlapping or mess ups)
Hot glue gun with glue strips
1 can of wood spray paint (maker's color choice)
scissors
8 one inch nails (if it is a little more than one inch, that will work too)
hammar
small door hinge
Mpowerd's Luci inflatable solar LED lantern (can be purchased on Amazon.com)
4 pre cut circular dowels (
12 Dasani 16oz water bottle labels (get extra incase of further overlapping or mess ups)
Hot glue gun with glue strips
1 can of wood spray paint (maker's color choice)
scissors
8 one inch nails (if it is a little more than one inch, that will work too)
hammar
small door hinge
Mpowerd's Luci inflatable solar LED lantern (can be purchased on Amazon.com)
Steps to Creation!
After gathering your materials, you are ready to build! carefully follow the steps below:
PAINTING THE WOOD
1. Lay out some newspaper and place the 2 wood bases and 4 dowels down. If the wood bases are not already cut to precise measure, take them to a place like Lowe's to get them cut. If the dowels are not already cut to precise measure, use a simple wood saw and cut them.
2. Take your choice of wood spray paint. Paint each side of each piece thoroughly (recommend to hold the can upright to get best painting results). Let the first side dry. After each piece is completely dry and not sticky, flip it over and paint the other side (recommended to paint and dry wood outside, but watch out for grass and leaves that might stick to the paint. If it is windy, it is recommended to paint another day). After each side is dry, remember to get paint the edges of each wood piece.
​CONSTRUCTING THE FRAME
3. Turn the bottom base piece onto it's side. With a permanent marker place a dot 1/2 inch away from the edge of the base wood. Do this on top and bottom. Do this to every corner of your bottom base. Also, with your dowel, place a dot in the center of the bottom. Do this to every bottom of your dowels.
4. Once your bottom base is in a secure position on it's side, take your nail and start to hammer into the wood where you placed your dot. When you see the nail come through to the other side, STOP. Next take one of your dowels and place the center onto the tip of the nail. Finish connecting the dowel by hammering the nail all the way through.
*If the wooden dowel should split, it will become loose. Using wood glue, seal the crack and place glue where the dowel and base meet. If the dowel splits to where it is unstable, it is advised to take another one and start over with the dowel connection process.*
5. Repeat step four until all of the dowels are connected at every corner of your bottom base.
6. Take your permanent marker and this time place a dot 1/2 inch from the edge on the top base. Do so on the top and bottom. Also remember to place a dot in the center of the top of each dowel.
7. Repeat steps 4-5 until your dowels are secured to your top and bottom bases.
GLUING THE LABELS
8. Gather your Dasani water labels. With your hot glue gun, place a strip of glue onto one of the dowels equivalent to the width of a water label. Quickly place the water bottle label onto the glue before it drys. MAKE SURE THAT THE LABEL IS GOING ON STRAIGHT!! Also, it is advised to leave about 5cm of space between the label and the top base.
9. Next, place a strip of hot glue onto the adjacent dowel that is equivalent to the width of the water label. Quickly place the label on before the glue dries. AGAIN MAKE SURE THAT THE LABEL IS GOING ON STRAIGHT! ALSO REMEMBER TO PULL ON THE LABEL TO MAKE IT TIGHT AROUND THE DOWELS!! If there is any label left that is hanging over the edge, place a small strip of glue onto the inside of the dowel and wrap the label around so that none is hanging over.
10. Take your next water bottle label. Estimate how much you will need to overlap (when you estimate, remember that the sides need 4 labels each with 5 cm of space near the top and bottom). Then take your glue gun and attach that Dasani label by repeating steps eight and nine.
11. Repeat steps eight through ten until three of your lamp's sides are complete. LEAVE THE FOURHT SIDE OPEN!!!!!!!
ATTATCHING THE SOLAR PANEL AND LIGHTING
12. Next get your door hinge. With your glue gun, place a strip of glue on the under part of the top base on the open fourth side. The strip of glue should be equivalent to the door hinge length. With one of the door hinges sides, quickly place it before the glue dries. WHEN YOU PLACE THE DOOR HINGE, LEAVE THE OTHER SIDE HANGING ON THE BACK SO THAT THE HINGE'S SHAPE IS LIKE AND UPSIDE-DOWN BACKWARDS L.
13. Get your inflatable solar lantern. With your scissors, cut off the plastic around the lighting part of the lantern so that you are left with just the solar powered top.
*TIP: IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO INFLATE THE LAMP BEFORE CUTTING TO MAKE A CLEANER CUT*
14. With your hot glue gun, place a strip of glue above the solar panel equivalent to the length and width of the door hinge. Then attach the solar panel to the side of the door hinge that is hanging. REMEMBER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SIDE OF THE DOOR HINGE YOU ARE ATTACHING IS VISIBLE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE LAMP TOP. ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE DOOR HINGE DOES NOT COVER UP ANY OF THE SOLAR PANEL.
PAINTING THE WOOD
1. Lay out some newspaper and place the 2 wood bases and 4 dowels down. If the wood bases are not already cut to precise measure, take them to a place like Lowe's to get them cut. If the dowels are not already cut to precise measure, use a simple wood saw and cut them.
2. Take your choice of wood spray paint. Paint each side of each piece thoroughly (recommend to hold the can upright to get best painting results). Let the first side dry. After each piece is completely dry and not sticky, flip it over and paint the other side (recommended to paint and dry wood outside, but watch out for grass and leaves that might stick to the paint. If it is windy, it is recommended to paint another day). After each side is dry, remember to get paint the edges of each wood piece.
​CONSTRUCTING THE FRAME
3. Turn the bottom base piece onto it's side. With a permanent marker place a dot 1/2 inch away from the edge of the base wood. Do this on top and bottom. Do this to every corner of your bottom base. Also, with your dowel, place a dot in the center of the bottom. Do this to every bottom of your dowels.
4. Once your bottom base is in a secure position on it's side, take your nail and start to hammer into the wood where you placed your dot. When you see the nail come through to the other side, STOP. Next take one of your dowels and place the center onto the tip of the nail. Finish connecting the dowel by hammering the nail all the way through.
*If the wooden dowel should split, it will become loose. Using wood glue, seal the crack and place glue where the dowel and base meet. If the dowel splits to where it is unstable, it is advised to take another one and start over with the dowel connection process.*
5. Repeat step four until all of the dowels are connected at every corner of your bottom base.
6. Take your permanent marker and this time place a dot 1/2 inch from the edge on the top base. Do so on the top and bottom. Also remember to place a dot in the center of the top of each dowel.
7. Repeat steps 4-5 until your dowels are secured to your top and bottom bases.
GLUING THE LABELS
8. Gather your Dasani water labels. With your hot glue gun, place a strip of glue onto one of the dowels equivalent to the width of a water label. Quickly place the water bottle label onto the glue before it drys. MAKE SURE THAT THE LABEL IS GOING ON STRAIGHT!! Also, it is advised to leave about 5cm of space between the label and the top base.
9. Next, place a strip of hot glue onto the adjacent dowel that is equivalent to the width of the water label. Quickly place the label on before the glue dries. AGAIN MAKE SURE THAT THE LABEL IS GOING ON STRAIGHT! ALSO REMEMBER TO PULL ON THE LABEL TO MAKE IT TIGHT AROUND THE DOWELS!! If there is any label left that is hanging over the edge, place a small strip of glue onto the inside of the dowel and wrap the label around so that none is hanging over.
10. Take your next water bottle label. Estimate how much you will need to overlap (when you estimate, remember that the sides need 4 labels each with 5 cm of space near the top and bottom). Then take your glue gun and attach that Dasani label by repeating steps eight and nine.
11. Repeat steps eight through ten until three of your lamp's sides are complete. LEAVE THE FOURHT SIDE OPEN!!!!!!!
ATTATCHING THE SOLAR PANEL AND LIGHTING
12. Next get your door hinge. With your glue gun, place a strip of glue on the under part of the top base on the open fourth side. The strip of glue should be equivalent to the door hinge length. With one of the door hinges sides, quickly place it before the glue dries. WHEN YOU PLACE THE DOOR HINGE, LEAVE THE OTHER SIDE HANGING ON THE BACK SO THAT THE HINGE'S SHAPE IS LIKE AND UPSIDE-DOWN BACKWARDS L.
13. Get your inflatable solar lantern. With your scissors, cut off the plastic around the lighting part of the lantern so that you are left with just the solar powered top.
*TIP: IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO INFLATE THE LAMP BEFORE CUTTING TO MAKE A CLEANER CUT*
14. With your hot glue gun, place a strip of glue above the solar panel equivalent to the length and width of the door hinge. Then attach the solar panel to the side of the door hinge that is hanging. REMEMBER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SIDE OF THE DOOR HINGE YOU ARE ATTACHING IS VISIBLE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE LAMP TOP. ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE DOOR HINGE DOES NOT COVER UP ANY OF THE SOLAR PANEL.
Conclusion
Once everything is put together, you are free to do whatever you want with the lamp! For example, you may decide to paint a design on the top base and make it personal. This lamp can then be used anywhere! It could end up being your new desk lamp or bedside table lamp. It could even be a gift to a family member or friend. Who knows? This project may even be used as an Earth Day activity! Whatever your lamps's use is, at least you know that you have created something that is Earth friendly and recycled material. It is important to look at things in a different perspective, in this case, look at something that would be trash and turn it into something useful. Next time you might want to make the lamp, you could even make it your own by using different water labels or soda labels. Just think of all the things you can do with imagination. That is what this project was designed for right? To promote the use of imagination and creativity. Just remember to have fun with this project and carry your ideas with you into the future so that you may be able to create or imagine something great!