Cheap DIY Imitation Fresnel

[simon australia]

Due to gusty winter wind, which smashed my glass tardis lamp (whilst my tardis whilst it still being built).

I needed a super cheap, quick and easy alternative lamp - to fit the existing frame. The following is my idea/tutorial.

 

[russellsuthern]

eerr...Sorry, I can't see your tutorial?

Would love to see it though, as I am currently trying to attempt something similar....


Russell

 

[simon australia]

The process:

I bought some chocolate milk - which came in a plastic bottle with a bulge in the neck.


Cut out the bulge part of the bottle with a blade.


Found some clear vinyl tubing (I had some left over from an old fish tank water filter, about 1.5m) - but you can pick some up at a local hardware shop for a few dollars.


Measured the circumference of the bottle and cut the tubing to six equal lengths (to the same length of the bottle circumference)


Found 2 old biro pens - the clear cylinder type and cut 6 to short 1.5cm lengths


Insert the pen bits to the ends of the tubing to make it a joiner. Make rings out of the tubing


Build up the rings, add the bottle into the centre and glue each layer together with silicone adhesive.


There you have it, a cheap imitation fresnel lamp job done in about half an hour - I think it looks pretty good, plus it won't smash.

 

[mark]

That's pretty convincing, I like it.

Once its in its housing/cage it should be pretty solid shouldn't it?

 

[russellsuthern]

Agreed- That's brilliant!

Russell

 

[simon australia]

It is much lighter than glass, but surprisingly pretty solid Mark.

The tubing also allows for a little bit of "squish" wiggle room so you can wedge it tightly between the top and bottom of the housing/cage/frame.

 

[angelus lupus]

That is very ingenious! Well done!

 

[Volpone]

I'd considered a similar solution.  I'd figured I could find big plastic bangles as jewelry or something.  Turned out to be impossibler than I thought.  The tubes are a clever option.  If you could make them hold water (or alcohol if you live in a freezing climate) they would actually function like a lens and amplify the light.  (That was another reason I was trying to find plastic rings.)