How to Make a New Lamp from an Old Teapot

You have just been to the flee market and someone is selling an old metal teapot. You know you can make that Old Teapot into a one of a kind lamp to accent any room in your house. None of your friends will have the same lamp and you will know that you did this all by yourself. Here is how to Make a New Lamp from an Old Teapot

Things You'll Need

• Metal Teapot or Coffee Pot ( one that has a knob on the top that can be removed or unscrewed) , lampshade, 3/8 inch thick thread lamp rod, cord ,1 hex nuts, plug and a socket with switch( these are available from a craft store or the lamp center at Home Depot or Loews) hacksaw, drill with 3/8 in bit, rasp and metal polish, safety goggles, ruler and pencil

Instructions

1. Before starting clean the teapot with soap and water both inside and outside and dry througoughly.

2. Take your cleaned old metal teapot and remove the knob from the the top of the lid. Set the lid aside for a few moments.

3. Pick up your ruler and your pencil, take the lid and measure the lid. Place a pencil mark in the center of the lid. Put the ruler and pencil away for later use. Pick up your drill and make sure you have your safety goggles on, then take the lid and drill a hole for the rod through the marked center of the lid. Put the lid down set it aside so that you can work on the teapot.

4. Now turn your teapot so that the bottom faces upwards. Take your ruler and pencil and while the teapot is upside down, measure to the center and mark that spot on the bottom of the teapot with your pencil. Put your ruler and pencil away. Steady the teapot in your hand. You will now be using your drill to make a hole in the center for the placement of the rod. After you have finished drilling the hole in the bottom of the teapot you may now put your drill away. Put the lid back on the teapot so that you can measure its entire height. Use your ruler, measure the height of the teapot with the lid in place and write down the measurement on a piece of paper. Set the teapot on the side.

5. Pick up your rod and with the measurements that you have made for the height of the teapot add three inches to it. Mark your rod . Now take your hacksaw and cut the rod according to your measurements, make sure that you have added three inches to the height of the teapot and lid. Put your hacksaw away. Now take the lid off of the teapot, and install the rod inside the teapot, starting at the bottom screw the nut to the outside of the pot, the insert the lid over the rod.

6. Run the cord up through the hole at the bottom of the pot and up through the rod.

7. Separate the socket parts and slip the bottom section onto the rod. Separate the two wires and slice off the plastic at the ends to expose 1/2 inch of wire. Attach one wire to each screw in the socket. Reassemble the socket to the rod.

8. Attach the pug to the cord.

9. Polish the metal with a soft clean cloth. Insert the light bulb and the shade.

Tips & Warnings

• You have created a unique item that no one else has. It is inexpensive and looks great.

• If your pot seems to tilt, open the lid and put in a few marbles or small stones to stabilize the weight