If you are someone who likes to have unique furniture in your home or office, consider creating custom pieces to display. Lamps made from interesting objects can be a great way to create something that is unique and useful out of an item that may no longer be useful for the job it was intended to do. Creating a lamp out of an old fire extinguisher is a great first project to try when you want to create unique pieces for your home. The following guide walks you through the steps to take to create a fire extinguisher lamp.
Take the Extinguisher to Your Local Fire Department
The first thing you want to do is take the extinguisher to your local fire department to have it inspected. You want to be sure that it does not have any charge left in it before you try to remove the hose from the canister. The pressure inside of the extinguisher when it is fully charged could cause the nut and hose to fly off when you try to remove it.
Remove the Hose from the Extinguisher
Next, you need to use a wrench to loosen the nut that is holding the hose to the top of the canister. Turn the nut counterclockwise to loosen it. Unscrew it completely and remove the hose and the nut. You should now be able to look down into the extinguisher.
Drill a Hole in the Extinguisher
Hold a drill bit next to the wire for the lighting kit to ensure you drill a large enough hole in the side of the canister for the wire to fit through. Attach the bit to the drill and carefully drill one hole into the side of the fire extinguisher roughly half an inch from the bottom of the canister.
Thread the Lighting Kit through the Extinguisher
Push the end of the wire that the bulb assembly will attach to into the hole that you created in the side of the canister. Keep pushing the wire through until it comes out of the hole at the top of the canister where you removed the hose.
Attach the Lighting Kit
Push the threaded rod that comes with the kit into the rubber stopper that fits into the hole at the top of the extinguisher. Pull the end of the cord through the rod and then attach the end of the wire to the bulb assembly by tightening the screws so that the two are firmly attached to one another. Plug in the lamp and screw a bulb into the assembly. Test the lamp to make sure it turns on. Clip a lampshade over the top of the bulb to make the light less harsh.
Once the lamp is created, you can place it on a nightstand, desk, or side table to add a unique look to the room. The lamp will shine ample light into the room and create a statement piece when guests come to visit. For more information about fire extinguishers, contact a supplier like Tri County Fire Protection.
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