Antlers make rustic light fixtures.
A unique way to add flair to your den or living room is by making antler art. Many hotels and inns use this technique to give the lodging a feel of being closer to wilderness. They range from small antler lamps to large chandeliers made from dozens to hundreds of antlers. The art of bringing this look home and creating it yourself is a relatively easy one, and one that is both functional and artistic.
Instructions
1. Clean out the interior of the antlers. Wash it with oil soap and water. Use a pipe cleaning brush to eliminate any dirt, grime or other organic matter. Once you have cleaned the antlers completely on the inside, set them upside down on a towel to allow them to dry.
2. Brush or rub a lacquer or polyurethane finish onto the outside of the antlers. You can use a paintbrush or a simple rag. to coat it evenly and allow it to dry. Do this process with as many coats as you'd like. The lacquer will clean, shine and strengthen the outside surface of the antlers.
3. Set up the antlers in the arrangement you would like. It should be minimal and basic. Make sure you have an inverted antler (one with the base of the antler pointed upwards) to hold the lamp socket in place, and another, longer antler positioned so that it is taller than the socket antler. You will use the second antler to hold up the lamp shade.
4. Turn over the inverted socket antler and drill a hole in the tip of it. When you flip it over and position it correctly again, the newly drilled hole should be as close to the table and toward the back of the lamp as possible.
5. Test your socket kit to make sure it works. Insert a light bulb while the cord is unplugged, and then plug the cord into an outlet. If the light turns on it is working.
6. Thread the socket kit's cord through the socket antler. Push the cord down, through the original base of the antler, and then out of the hole that you drilled in step 4. Pull until the cord is completely out of the antler and the socket rests comfortably on the base of the antler.
7. Place the antlers in your final configuration. Make any needed tweaks or adjustments to the appearance. Use your rubber bands or wire to hold the antlers together. This will allow you to adjust the antlers further as needed.
8. Use the soldering gun to solder the antlers together onto the stack. Start with the socket antler in the center (which should be right next to the lampshade antler). From those two, work outward, connecting the antlers together as you go. Try to hide the soldering connections on the backsides of the antlers so they aren't visible from the front.
9. Once the soldering is complete and cooled, remove the rubber bands or wire and test the durability of your soldering. If you need to apply more solder, do so now.
10. Screw the light bulb into the socket. Place the lampshade over the light bulb and set the entire fixture on your table.
Tags: socket antler, antlers together, base antler, light bulb, bands wire, hold lamp, Make sure