DIY Copper pipe lamp

Muahahaha

I'm gonna begin a copper pipe lamp project soon, bit of a DIY novice here so looking for some pointers. What I'm hoping to create is this design, but made entirely from 1 inch copper pipe and copper elbows. www.nelliebellie.com/diy-pipe-lamp/

I want this lamp to be around 6ft tall and have the ability to be free standing if possible. So the base is important, to begin I had thought I'd need something pretty heavy and about a foot tall to support the piping. I've no idea what cold fit the bill, a friend suggested making a base from 9 bricks, 3x3 rows cemented together and then drop the piping through the holes in the brick and cement it up. Not a bad idea but the downside is the base would be quite heavy.

So after seeing this design
https://www.behance.net/gallery/12851961/DIY-lamp I'm kinda leaning toward making a square base from the piping. I guess it would be about 1.5 feet squares. My question is do people reckon doing it like this will end up with a free standing lamp that is both stable and upright ? Aesthetics are important here, the thing will look like a dogs dinner if it is even leaning over slightly. If I had to I could use copper straps near the top to pin it to the wall but I'd prefer not do that if at all possible.

The other question I have is about connecting 1 inch pipe to a light fitting. I'd hope to use a brass fitting at the end of the copper pipe, not sure how to go about connecting them together and I'm obviously also wary about a current running right throughout the piping. Any ideas how to achieve this in a safe manner?

Tokyo

Muahahaha wrote: »

The other question I have is about connecting 1 inch pipe to a light fitting. I'd hope to use a brass fitting at the end of the copper pipe, not sure how to go about connecting them together and I'm obviously also wary about a current running right throughout the piping. Any ideas how to achieve this in a safe manner?

If it were me, I'd be looking at a light fixture such as this:



Cap the end of the pipe, braze/bolt the threaded part to the cap (might be easier to do this before capping the pipe) and thread the light fixture onto it. And make sure that everything is well earthed.

Muahahaha

Thanks Mike, that's exactly the type of fitting I'm after. Given I'm using one inch pipe is there a specific size of that light fitting I should be asking for ?

Also when you say to braze the cap with the bolt do you mean I should force the bolt over the cap by hand and trying to twist it so the threads on the bolt dig in and create a thread on the cap ?

jack of all

A steel plate say 400x 400 with small rubber feet would probably be able to support the pipework (use a tank connector maybe to connect pipe to plate?). Each to their own and all that (I don't like the design myself, think the turned wood base in the pic looks wrong), but you might want to price the plumbing fittings before you start this project, reckon each of those 1" elbows must cost close to €5 (maybe less for solder fittings?), could work out an expensive lamp.

lgk

You could make a mold and cast a base out of concrete? Might fit well with the look you're going for. Plenty of videos on YouTube how to do it.

Tokyo

Muahahaha wrote: »

Thanks Mike, that's exactly the type of fitting I'm after. Given I'm using one inch pipe is there a specific size of that light fitting I should be asking for ?

Also when you say to braze the cap with the bolt do you mean I should force the bolt over the cap by hand and trying to twist it so the threads on the bolt dig in and create a thread on the cap ?

If it were me I'd be picking up an end cap like the one pictured below, drilling out the centre and tightening up the thread part onto it, and then solder the end cap onto the end of the pipe. Once everything is all together you can run your cable and thread the lightbulb fitting onto the threaded section.



For the base I'd either go with a blackened piece of steel plate, or a square base made from piping similar to what you have linked here. You could fill the tubing that forms the base with sand or concrete if you want to add weight to it. And grommet where the cable enters the piping - you don't want any sharp edges fraying the cable.

Muahahaha

jack of all wrote: »

A steel plate say 400x 400 with small rubber feet would probably be able to support the pipework (use a tank connector maybe to connect pipe to plate?). Each to their own and all that (I don't like the design myself, think the turned wood base in the pic looks wrong), but you might want to price the plumbing fittings before you start this project, reckon each of those 1" elbows must cost close to €5 (maybe less for solder fittings?), could work out an expensive lamp.

Yeah I bought a couple of 1 inch elbows yesterday in Heaton Buckley. They were the solder fitting ones, €2.60 each which wasn't bad. They can do a 3m length of copper pipe for around €28 which isn't too bad. Do you know with solder fittings when you go to connect it to the pipe and heat it up with a blow torch does it scorch the copper black at the joint ? Would be keen to prevent this if possible or somehow rectify it afterwards.

mike_ie wrote: »

If it were me I'd be picking up an end cap like the one pictured below, drilling out the centre and tightening up the thread part onto it, and then solder the end cap onto the end of the pipe. Once everything is all together you can run your cable and thread the lightbulb fitting onto the threaded section.



For the base I'd either go with a blackened piece of steel plate, or a square base made from piping similar to what you have linked here. You could fill the tubing that forms the base with sand or concrete if you want to add weight to it. And grommet where the cable enters the piping - you don't want any sharp edges fraying the cable.

I reckon I'll go with the square pipe base, filling it with weighty sand is a great idea and I'll do the grommet bit too. Thanks again for the tips

Tokyo

Make sure you take photos of the finished product

Muahahaha

mike_ie wrote: »

Make sure you take photos of the finished product

Provided it turns out well I will

jack of all

I thought the fittings would cost a lot more tbh, not too bad at all. You'll need a tin of Powerflow flux to use with the solder fittings. Pipe shouldn't discolour too much with heat (otherwise it's too hot) but you can clean the assembly when finished (and you should as the flux is corrosive) with hot water and a nylon potscrub, good luck with the build and please disregard my initial skepticism!

Muahahaha

Yeah well I guess Heaton Buckley are probably a bit cheaper than the DIY shops as they expect to sell in bulk to builders and plumbers rather than the tiny quantities I need ! I did go into B&Q as well and while they didn't stock copper elbows the brass ones they did have were €4.75 a piece so yeah at those prices I would have been looking at €60 or €70 just on elbows alone.

I checked out the Powerflow flux and will get a small tin of that. When handling g that stuff are normal rubber kitchen gloves okay or do I need something more heavy duty?

I don't mind your scepticism at all ! In fact I'm not a fan of the matierals used in the pipe lamp I linked above. I don't like the way they've used all sorts of wooden spools and the base looks ugly IMHO. I find it hard to believe that people pay £2,000 for that but each to their own I suppose. But what I do like about the pipe lamp linked is the design, dimensions and proportions of each component. It looks like one side is counter balancing the other and I just like the way it snakes up the wall. On my own version I'm unlikely to use a lampshade at the top because again I think it's a bit to shabby. I'm after the clean and minimalist industrial look so what I'll likely do is have the last bit of pipe and light fitting at the top facing down towards the floor and then finish it off by just installing an exposed squirrel cage bulb from the Thomas Eddison era, like this


If I can get a dimmer on the line too then a bulb like that should work really well against the copper piping, the soft light from it will give the copper piping a really nice effect when lit up at night time, I hope !

jack of all

Muahahaha wrote: »

I checked out the Powerflow flux and will get a small tin of that. When handling g that stuff are normal rubber kitchen gloves okay or do I need something more heavy duty?

I've never used gloves, it's not an issue really unless you have an open cut on your hands. I use a child's paintbrush to apply the flux. Cool lightbulb, never seen one like that.

Muahahaha

Yeah I love those filament bulbs, I first noticed them popping up in cafés and restaurants in Dublin about 18 months back. I have one already on a light in the living room and they give off a really low soft light, the filament inside it even changes colour slightly as you dim it.
http://www.industrydesign.ie/shop/luminaries/2/page/2/ on Drury St, Dublin 2 have a good selection of them