How to Make an Hourglass From Two Lightbulbs

In my first Instructable wilI show you how I made a fancy hourglass.
Lightbulbs are becoming cheaper because they are been replaced by cold light lamps and LED´s .
So ,if you you have two fused lightbulbs ,reuse them into.. an hourglass!!!!

What you will need:

- Two lightbulbs of the same type
- Sand, preferably from the sea shore.
- A screw
- Some wood
- An empty can or any piece of thin metal,alluminun works great.
- Some paint for the base.
- Hidrochloric acid (you can avoid this if your sand is clean)

Tools you may need:

- A saw
- A pin
- A hammer
- A screwdriver
- Some sandpaper
- A pair of scisssors
- a diamond tool for rototool , one of those use for cutting glass and ceramics.

Start cutting the metal screw cap , holding the glass part wrapped in a piece of tissue paper.
Or you can heat it so the cement will decompose and the cap fall off.

Now, use the diamond tool to cut the part that holds the filament

As you may know, sand consist of silicon oxide, calcium carbonate, and organic matter.
The sand inside the hourglass will pass through a small orifice so it is better if is clean and with homogenous diameter.

Rinse with water three times the sand you want to use, removing all the floating stuff.

Slowly, add the acid, BE VERY CAREFUL, USE GLOVES AND A ROOM WITH CIRCULATING AIR,
Decomposing the shell is a quite safe process that only produces bubbling CO2 but the foam can overflow.

Once the bubbling ends , rinse and clean with water until all the mud is out.

I cut a wood rectangle and partially emptied the bottom.
The passing hole is for holding the arm.
Then I fill it with melted lead. (again be careful because it is HOT¡)

With a pin pierce the center of the metal disc. Not too small so the sand can´t pass, not too big so ... you run out of time!

Fill the bulb with the dry and clean sand

Place the disc over the hole and fix it with a bit of glue.

Now you can put it inside an oven to remove all partial humidity it can remind if you work in an humid area as I do.

Place the second bulb on top of the first one. NOW, THE NEXT STEP IS THE NO RETURN POINT SO YOU MUST BE COMPLETLY SURE OF ALL THE PREVIOUS STEPS .

Glue with with epoxi.

When dry , wrap some cotton thread or fabric., so it will look nice.

Mount every thing.

That´s it !

Questions and suggestions are welcome.