Create a chandelier that uses real candles.
Chandeliers don't have to be made from glass or crystal, and therefore don't have to be taken down for extensive cleaning when the glass gets dusty. Instead, design and make a distinctive chandelier using recycled materials, one that holds real candles instead of needing to be wired to the mains. This chandelier is functional as well as unusual, particularly during winter, when electricity might be affected by the weather, and it sheds interesting light and shadow on the room.
Instructions
1. Strip the tire from the bicycle wheel and remove the inner tube; recycle them. Clean and polish the wheel and spokes, removing rust spots with a pan scourer and protecting the metal with a touch of penetrative oil.
2. Use the bolt cutter to cut three lengths, 18 inches each, of 2.5 mm zinc-plated chain for hanging the chandelier; this will allow for a maximum weight of 30 kgs. Attach a snap hook at three equidistant points around the wheel rim, and attach a length of chain to each snap hook.
3. Join the other ends of the chain lengths to a central snap hook. Measure the distance between the ceiling and the point at which you will hang the chandelier from the top snap hook, and double the measurement. Cut that length of chain and double it. Attach both ends of the chain to the central snap hook.
4. Make sure the tin cans are clean and you have removed the labels and tops. Steel cans are the brightest, but aluminum will do the job just as well. Fill each can to the brim with water and freeze to give you a firm work surface, then use an awl and hammer to punch designs into the sides to allow light through.
5. Remove the ice and dry the cans. Pierce four holes in the lower edge of each can with a can piercer at the compass points. Cut a 24-inch length of crafting wire.
6. Insert one end of the wire through a hole into the can, and bring it out at the next one along. Hook the wire down and round a spoke or the rim of the wheel and bring it back in again through the hole. Feed through to the next hole and repeat. At the fourth hole, twist the two wire ends together and push into the can through the hole. Repeat for each can, spacing them equidistantly round the top of the wheel.
7. Use homemade scented candles, and melt the bottom of each to help it to stick to the bottom of each can. Use spice-scented candles for holidays, or neroli and lavender for special dinner parties.
8. Attach the ceiling bolt and hook above the dining area and attach the top loop of the chain. To raise and lower the chandelier to change the mood, remove one end of the top length of chain from the central snap hook and attach it to an extra snap hook. This can then be clipped anywhere along the length of the chain to give you the height you want.
9. Light the candles and position your dining table directly under the chandelier in a way that provides the best lighting effects.
Tags: snap hook, , central snap, central snap hook, through hole