| Funky Tin-Can Lanterns |
From "DIY Crafts"
episode DIC-214 |
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Materials (figure A): Various sizes of heavyweight tin cans (vegetable and coffee cans work well)
Awl
Hammer
Heavy wire (mechanical wire works well)
White bonding/rust-resistant spray primer
Brightly colored outdoor/rust-resistant spray paint
Candles
Can opener
Dry-erase marker (any color)
Flathead screwdriver
Needle-nose pliers Note: These tin-can lanterns look fantastic hanging from the boughs of a tree or interspersed in your garden for a festive look. You can create a whole grouping for pennies in just a few hours. Not only do they look great, they also -- if you fill them with citronella candles -- will do double duty keeping the bugs away! - Open the cans you've chosen (that is, if you aren't using a can that's already opened and you're recycling -- yet another great feature of this project: recycling!).
- Soak and scrub the labels off the tin cans. It's a good idea to let them soak in a dilution of bleach water to remove any odor from the cans. Check the interior edges of the cans to make sure there are no sharp edges left from the can opener. You can use a flathead screwdriver to press down any that you find.
- Draw a design onto can with a permanent marker.
- Fill the tin cans with water and place them in the freezer until they freeze. If you don't have access to a freezer, you could fit a 2" x 4" (or whatever size wooden block fits) inside the can. This is to give you something to keep the shape of the can when you hammer the holes into it with the awl.
- Next, place the can on top of a folded-up towel for padding; mark the design that you want to create with a dry-erase marker (think old-fashioned pie safe with tin punchwork on the front panels). Keep the design simple, such as a star or even just random holes all over the can.
- Using an awl and a hammer, begin to pierce through your marked design.
- Make a couple of holes on each side at the top of the opening. These holes will be for stringing the mechanical wire through to create a hanger. This step is only if you want to hang them, but even if you don't put a hanger on the lanterns, the holes still look cool around the top of the cans.
- Make sure that cans are completely dry, then spray them inside and out with a bonding/rust-resistant primer (figure B). Let them dry completely.
- Spray the lanterns with a couple of coats of the outdoor/rust-resistant spray paint. It looks nice to use several bright colors. You can even mask off areas of the lanterns and spray them two-toned. Let them dry completely.
- Use needle-nose pliers and the mechanical wire to create a hanger through the holes that you made earlier.
Products: Most products can be found a retail outlets, craft stores and hardware stores. Krylon makes a line of indoor/outdoor, rust-resistant enamel spray paints in great colors.
RESOURCES :
The Beaded Lampshade Book
Interstellar Publishing Company
La Mesa, CA 91943
Phone: 619-292-8191
Fax: 619-292-0373
Email: interstlr@aol.com
The Paper Shade Book: Simple Techniques for Making Beautiful Lampshades
Model: 1564967530
Author: Maryellen Driscoll
(April, 2001)
Rockport Publishers
Designs for Lamps II: Patterns for 22 Small to Medium Shades
Model: 0919985238
Author: Charles Knapp
Wardell Publications, Inc.
December, 1998
More Lampshade Patterns II: For Medium to Large Sized Shades
Model: 091998505X
Author: Judy Wardell
(December, 1986)
Wardell Publishing
Paper Illuminated: 15 Projects for Making Handcrafted Luminaria
Model: 1580173306
Author: Helen Hiebert
(September, 2001)
Storey Books / Storey Communications Inc.
Website: www.storey.com
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