DIY Metal Lantern Hook
A metal lantern may evoke thoughts of a bygone era when people carried oil lanterns for light and hung them on wall hooks for storage or as a type of pseudo-lamp stand. In modern times, a metal lantern may be electric, with a battery compartment in the bottom and an LED bulb where the flame would go. No matter which type of lantern you're using, you can make your own wall or ceiling hook on which to hang your light source. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Wall hook
- Patina solution
- Paintbrush
- Rubber gloves
- Bucket
- Hammer
- Pliers
- Blowtorch
- Rag
Instructions
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1
Purchase a wall hook from a hardware store, which is a metal hook with a threaded end that you can screw into a wall, ceiling or wooden post. Choose a hook that is large enough for your metal lantern's handle. Check the hook's packaging and make sure its weight rating exceeds the weight of the lantern.
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Age the hook so it has a patina, which is a dark greenish discoloration, to make it look antique. Sand the hook with steel wool to remove its finish and age it with a patina solution intended for the type of metal from which is it made. For example, expose the hook to ammonia if it is brass, spray it with vinegar if it is steel or iron or coat it with liver of sulfur using a paintbrush if it is copper or silver. Rinse it off with water once the patina is as dark as you'd like and dry it with a rag.
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3
Reshape the hook using a hammer, blowtorch and pair of pliers if desired. Grasp the hook with a pair of pliers and heat it using the blowtorch. Once the metal is warm, bend it using another pair of pliers or reshape it by striking it with a hammer. Dip the metal in a bucket of cold water to rapidly cool it once the hook has been reshaped.
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4
Screw the hook into a wall or post and hang the lantern on it.
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Tips & Warnings
Always wear protective gear, such as gloves, a face mask and safety goggles, when reshaping metal or using chemical substances.
Use liver of sulfur patina solution in a well-ventilated area to avoid exposure to noxious fumes.
