| A lamp out of rocks?...Am I crazy? Actually, I have | | | | are going to drill is relatively flat so the drill bit does |
| been doing this for a few years now and when done | | | | not dance around on you. (Before you drill, make |
| correctly, the final product is beautiful and extremely | | | | sure you have a little water on hand to either spray |
| unique. If you decide to take this venture on, be | | | | the drill bit or splash some on to it as the drill bit can |
| prepared for your family and friends to be in awe of | | | | get very hot and could break if not kept cool). Begin |
| your new wonderful creation. A stone lamp fits | | | | drilling slowly, around 200 to 300 rounds per minute, |
| wonderfully in that cabin of yours in the woods or | | | | and continue until you are completely through. |
| can be placed in that special rustic corner in your | | | | Yeah....you did it! Now, repeat these steps with your |
| traditional home. | | | | remaining smaller rock until all are drilled and ready to |
| Let's get started with the tools and parts you will | | | | put together. |
| need. These tools are essential for getting this | | | | Pre-Assembly |
| project done correctly and may require a little bit of | | | | Take your length of 3/8" rod and cut it down to |
| a financial investment to get started. | | | | about 10" or so. Place the rod into the larger base |
| A drill press. The press does not have to be a large, | | | | and start stacking the smaller rock on top. Since none |
| floor model...it can be a bench top type for now. It | | | | of these rocks are exactly flat, you may have to |
| does have to have a setting on it that will enable the | | | | move them around a little to make sure they fit |
| drill to go fairly slowly through the rock. A setting of | | | | together snuggly so that the inner rod does not |
| around 200-300 rounds per minute is best. | | | | show. After you have completed this process you |
| A 3/8" mortise bit. The mortise bit for this purpose | | | | will most likely have extra rod on top that needs to |
| only has to be around 5" long. DO NOT buy a | | | | be cut off. Taking your lamp parts into consideration, |
| carbide-coated bit, as these seem to not work as | | | | you will have to leave enough rod to hold your |
| well. Home Depot or Lowe's both carry a standard 3 | | | | coupler, your piece that holds your harp, and your |
| 8" mortise bit for around $5.00. | | | | actual lamp fixture base. Usually, this means leaving |
| A lamp kit with a harp included. These lamp kits are | | | | about 1 inch or so above the last stacked rock. You |
| easy to use and will come with everything you need | | | | can test this by getting all your lamp parts out, |
| to put your lamp together. You will want to make | | | | putting them one by one on the top of the extra |
| sure the kit comes with a harp also if you are | | | | rod, and then making a mark just under the first |
| planning on using a shade that requires a harp. These | | | | piece (coupler) to see how extra rod you need to |
| sell for around $8.00 at most hardware stores. | | | | leave protruding out. Mark your rod where you need |
| A 3/8" thread rod around 10 inches long. This rod can | | | | to cut it, pull off the rock one by one keeping them |
| be bought along with your lamp kit in the hardware's | | | | in order and cut your rod to length. |
| lighting section. Usually, the lengths come in 24" to | | | | Final Assembly |
| 36" and cost around $4.00. After you put the lamp | | | | Put your pre-cut rod back into the base and put |
| together, you will want to cut the rod to length and I | | | | some of your epoxy glue around the hole where the |
| will explain how to do that. | | | | rod fits into and around a small area where your first |
| A hack saw for cutting the 3/8" rod to length. | | | | small rock is going to sit. Take your first small rock |
| A good strong epoxy glue that sets within 30 | | | | and slide it down over the rod and put it on top of |
| minutes. | | | | the glued area on your base. (It is important to keep |
| An angle grinder with a wheel suitable to grind rock. | | | | your glue area small so it is not seen after the rocks |
| Your Rock | | | | are placed together). Continue this process until all the |
| The best place to get your rock for your lamp is to | | | | rocks are places tightly together on the rod. Make |
| find a dried up riverbed. Rocks from dried riverbeds | | | | sure the inside of your rod is clear all the way |
| tend to be easier to drill and lend themselves more | | | | through the center without any obstructions so you |
| easily to making a lamp. Please note: We don't want | | | | can slide your lamp cord through it in the next step. |
| to disturb riverbeds that are in use by our natural | | | | You have now completed the most difficult part of |
| rivers and streams but picking up rock from dried up | | | | making this lamp. Let your lamp sit for a couple of |
| sources poses no harm to the environment. You will | | | | hours or so to let the glue set up. |
| need a base to start with. Look around for a fairly | | | | Using the directions on your lamp kit box, assemble |
| flat base that when set down on a table, it won't | | | | the rest of the lamp parts as shown. You will have |
| rock back and forth but will sit stable. For this | | | | to push your cord all the way through from the |
| project, your base should be about 8 inches square | | | | bottom of the base. (Sometimes, depending on the |
| and about 1 inch to 2 inches thick or thereabouts | | | | rock base, your cord will not sit correctly under the |
| (any variation is ok as long it is fairly flat). After you | | | | base and may cause the base to rock a little. This is |
| have found your base, look for smaller rocks of | | | | where you will need your angle grinder with a wheel |
| different shapes and sizes and choose ones that are | | | | suitable to grind rock. Turn your lamp upside down |
| fairly flat on both sides too. This will make it easier to | | | | and take your angle grinder and dig a small |
| drill and fit together on your lamp. These should be | | | | indentation from the middle of the rock where the |
| around ½ " thick or so. You will need about 6 | | | | rod is towards the back of the lamp. Just make sure |
| of these smaller rocks. | | | | the groove is deep enough to hold the lamp cord). |
| Drilling The Rock | | | | Finally, spray the lamp with a satin or semi-gloss clear |
| Now that you have gathered your choice rock for | | | | lacquer to seal the rock and to bring out the natural |
| your lamp, it is time to drill. Place the base of the | | | | colors of the stone. Apply two or three coats of the |
| rock on your drill press and roughly find the center of | | | | lacquer. After the lacquer is dry, you may want to |
| the rock. (You do not have to be exactly perfect in | | | | put a piece of felt on the bottom of your lamp so it |
| finding the center as this is a rustic lamp and if you | | | | will not scratch the table it sits on. |
| are a little off, it only makes it more rustic and | | | | Congratulations, you have now made a beautiful |
| interesting). You should make sure that where you | | | | rustic stone lamp! |