Saxophone Lamp

sax lamp
Let your love of jazz shine through with this unique lamp.
Jupiter Images/Thinkstock

Lamps serve a practical function in lighting, but also add to the design statement of a room.  This lamp is surprisingly easy to make, but does require a basic knowledge of electrical wiring.

Preparation: From a hardware or lamp-supply store you will need a lamp-wiring kit, including a light socket, a harp and harp washer, and two toggle bolts. As with all projects that involve electricity, use extreme caution when wiring.

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Instructions:

  1. First and foremost, find an old instrument you are no longer using or purchase one from a secondhand store. Also purchase a lampshade, lamp base, toggle bolts, and lamp-wiring kit (all available at most hardware stores).
  2. Prepare your saxophone by drilling two dime-sized holes in the base of the saxophone. These holes will be used to attach the sax to the base of the lamp so that it can stand on a table. Before you attach the saxophone to the base of the lamp, you must run wiring through the instrument. Remove the mouthpiece from the horn and run your wire through a bass note at the bottom of the horn through the top of the mouthpiece.
  3. To create a stand for your instrument lamp, drill two small holes through your base. Feed a screw through each hole in the base and attach your toggle bolts to the top. A toggle bolt is a spring-hinged bolt that will expand to lock your saxophone into place. While pinching the bolts' hinges, insert the toggle through the holes you have drilled in the base of the saxophone. Once inside the toggle will expand, locking the base firmly in place. Tighten the screws on the underside of the base to ensure that your lamp will not fall over.
  4. Now that your lamp is standing, it's time to wire. The first item you must attach to the former mouthpiece of your saxophone is a harp. The harp is the curved piece of metal that a lampshade is attached to. Slide your harp base over the wires. Next, slip a socket cap over the wires on top of the hard base and screw it down to secure the harp.
  5. Now for the tricky part. Insert a light socket into the socket cap. On either side of the socket are two screws. Separate your two wires and wind one wire around each screw. This will bring electrical current to the socket. Tighten the screws to ensure a safe connection. Exposed wires are dangerous, so twist the entire socket into the socket cap until the wires are safely covered by the metal cap.
  6. Insert a light bulb, and screw on your selected lampshade: Now you have a functioning lamp with a style all its own! 

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