How to Drill Porcelain Vases for Lamps

Repurpose your vases into lamps.

If you love vases but hate dusty silk flowers or rarely display fresh ones, try transforming your vase into a lamp. Not only will you be able to display your vase all the time, it will become a practical part of your decor. You can also customize your lighting scheme by trolling flea markets for interesting vases to transform into lamps. The trickiest part of the process is drilling the vase for the lamp cord.

Things You'll Need

• Table vise
• Soft, thick towel
• Ceramic vase
• Pencil
• Goggles
• Drill press
• ¼-inch-thick, 1-inch-wide diamond-tipped drill bit
• Spray bottle
• Soft cloths
• High-speed rotary tool

Instructions

1. Open your table vise to about 1 inch wider than the widest part of your vase. Fold a soft, thick towel in half twice and place it like a hammock down between the vise plates. The towel will prevent your vase from cracking or scratching.

2. Place your vase into the vise upside down. Tighten the vise until the vase does not move easily. Don't force it if the vise feels tight and reluctant to move. Too much force may break your vase.

3. Draw a small dot where you want to make your hole. Since the bottom of your vase will become the top, the dot should be in the center of the bottom of the vase.

4. Place the vase under the drill bit on your press. Gently pull the handle down while the drill press is off to line up the bit with your mark. Make any necessary adjustments, and put on your goggles.

5. Drill a small divot into your pencil mark. Spray water into the divot, creating a tiny puddle. Drill a little more and spray a little more water. Continue this way, working very slowly, until you've drilled through the wall of your vase. Wipe down the hole with soft cloths to dry it and remove any sharp ceramic pieces.

6. Turn the vase on its side and carve a ¼-inch-wide U-shape out of the lip with your high-speed rotary tool and a diamond wheel. This is where the cord will sit. Work slowly, and spray the area with water every few minutes as you go.

Tips & Warnings

• Create your lamp with a lamp assembly kit. These kits come with a bulb socket and wire plug assembly, a lampshade harp and a finial to hold the shade on the lamp. You must get a lampshade separately.

• Measure the inside height of your vase before purchasing your lamp assembly kit so you can get a kit with the right wire length.

References

• Folksy: How to Drill Through Vintage China, Ceramic Plates, Crockery, Etc.
• Country Home: 30 Minute Lamp Project
• Home Goods: Make a Chic Vase Lamp