ReadyMade Magazine - February/March 2009

Glass Act
An o -the-hook ligh ng fixture
built from o -the-shelf parts.
by Jean Pelle | Photo by Kate Lacey
Illustra ons by Damien Scogin

$75

6' co on parcel-post string, 1/16'' thickness 12 clear 1/8''-thick plastic rods, cut into 2' lengths (wooden skewers would also work) 12 glass bubble balls ( 4'' diameter) from CB2.com 3 clear globe lightbulbs (similar size as balls) 3 porcelain sockets with a ached wires 24' co on parcel-post string, 1/8'' thickness Extension cord Electrical tape Ceiling anchor and eyescrew (op onal)

Scissors
Pliers
Wire stripper
U lity knife

MAKE I T

`BU`QBU DXU RERR\UC Cut the ⁄ "-thick string into 12 6"-long pieces. Tie one string around the center of each rod with at least two secure knots. Insert a rod into each bubble ball so that the ball can be held up by the string.

" QCCU]R\U S\ECDUBC Tie the strings from four balls to the wires of a socket (containing a globe lightbulb) so that the balls surround the bulb. Twist the strings from the balls and the socket wire together to form a single cable. Repeat to make two more clusters.

S_Y\ D_WUDXUB Cut the ⁄ "-thick string into 3 8'-long pieces. Tie a secure knot at the base of the socket cable, and coil the string around the cable un l it is fully wrapped for a length of 2½". Tie another secure knot at the top of this coil. Repeat for each cluster.

ADDI TIONAL PHOTOS COUR TES Y OF JEAN PELLE

DXBUU RUS_]U _^U At this point, you can bring the cables from each cluster of balls and socket together to form the chandelier. Tie small knots between individual strings so that the three cables are securely a ached to one another. Then start braiding the three pieces of ⁄ " string together. Tie the ends so the braid doesn’t unravel. This will produce the coil wrapping for the main chandelier cable.

S_BT UHDU^CY_^ Cut o the outlet head of the extension cord and strip the end about 1" so that the wires are exposed. Twist the 3 posi ve (black) socket wires together, and a ach them to the black wire from the extension cord. Wrap the connec on with electrical tape. Twist the 3 neutral (white) socket wires together and a ach them to the white wire from the extension cord. Wrap the connec on with electrical tape. Secure the two connec ons together in electrical tape to form a single cable.

& Ã ^YCX Q^T XQ^W Coil the braided strings around the cable from the bo om up. Con nue un l you’ve achieved the desired length. At the end of the coil, carefully create a slit in the center of the extension cord so that an individual string can pass through to e back to the cable. Finish by tying small knots around this slit with the braid strings. Finally, insert an anchor and eyescrew in your ceiling to hang your beau ful new fixture, or check out ReadyMade’s pendant lamp installa on instruc ons at readymade.com/pendantlamp.