Part 1 – DIY Flower Chandelier (I’m About 60% Confident This Will Work Out)

As a reminder, that is the chandelier that I’m utilizing as my inspiration for making my very own. I didn’t purchase this one as a result of it prices over $2500, and that’s simply out of the query for me. There’s no mild fixture that I’d ever love a lot that I’d pay that amount of cash for it.

So I made a decision to attempt to make my very own impressed by that one. I wanted to begin with a quite simple chandelier with a selected form, so I made a decision to begin with this one. (Please excuse the outdated image!)

I selected this one due to the particular form of the arms, but in addition due to this part on the backside that I assumed I might connect the flower stems to.

So I unscrewed that backside nut holding the underside cap on, and determined to connect the entire stems to this backside cap.

With that backside cap and nut eliminated, that is what I used to be left with. So I needed to remember that the middle of the underside cap needed to be left open within the middle to make room for the wires that join the lights.

I had about 3/4″ perimeter across the inside the underside cap that I might use to safe the stems with out interfering with the wires. and the bolts and nuts holding the sunshine arms onto the sunshine.

First, I needed to mark the place I needed the stems to enter the underside cap. I needed three rows of stems, and it labored out to house them about 5/8″ aside.

After which I used my drill to drill 3/16″ holes on every mark. It’s a bit difficult to get holes drilled completely by way of steel with out a drill press, however I did the very best I might utilizing my hand-held drill.

After which I continued on the following row up.

I made a decision to maneuver the highest row down fairly a bit. It might have been very difficult (if not inconceivable) to reassemble the underside cap to the sunshine with the highest row of holes drilled to shut to the highest of the underside cap.

And with all of these holes drilled, I used to be prepared to connect the stems. I turned the underside cap over and began with the underside row. I used my miter noticed to chop the three/16″ steel rods to about 14 inches lengthy, after which inserted them into the underside row of holes. I inserted about 3/4″ of the rod into the holes, after which I used scorching glue to briefly maintain them in place

I used my utility knife to chop away any scorching glue that squeezed out on the edges of the steel rods and seemed messy.

After which I very gently turned the entire meeting over in order that it was upright, and in order that I might safe the rods from the within of the cap. To do that, I used JB Weld SteelStik epoxy putty.

This can be a two-part putty that comes with the 2 elements in a single roll. You’ll be able to see the grey half on the skin of the roll and the black half on the within of the roll beneath. So long as the 2 elements stay separate, the putty stays mushy. However whenever you minimize off as a lot as you want and blend the 2 elements collectively, it prompts the putty after which you’ve gotten a restricted period of time earlier than it begins to harden.

So I used about half of 1 roll, combined the 2 elements along with my palms (like enjoying with Playdoh), after which smooshed it into the underside properly of the cap, securing these rods. I simply made certain that I left that middle gap open in order that this base cap might be reattached to the sunshine with the threaded rod and the underside nut.

I left that to dry for about half-hour after which got here again and did the second row. I minimize these rods longer and inserted them about 1/2-inch into the underside cap, after which secured these with one other layer of epoxy putty, ensuring that I left the middle a part of the underside cap open to go away room for the wires on the sunshine. I minimize some scrap wooden to carry these off the desk in the fitting place.

Right here’s a more in-depth take a look at what these seemed like earlier than I added the epoxy putty.

As soon as I added the epoxy putty to that row and let it dry for about half-hour, I got here again and did the identical factor for the third and ultimate row of steel rods. As soon as I had the epoxy putty on this final row, I left the entire thing to dry and treatment in a single day.

The following day, the entire meeting was very safe, so I began bending the rods as much as make the flower stems. For the primary row, I used an empty quart paint can, and bent the rods across the can.

That really labored means higher than I had anticipated it to work.

Right here’s what it seemed like with all of that first row finished…

After which to do the second row, I wanted a smaller diameter curve, so I used a twig paint can up in opposition to the primary row to bend the second row of steel rods.

And right here’s what these seemed like as soon as they have been all finished.

That’s the place I ended as a result of I’ve a sneaking suspicion that I minimize the wires for that backside row too brief, and that burdened me out. 😀 So I made a decision to sleep on it and take a look at it with recent eyes as we speak. Additionally, you possibly can inform that I’m going to should do some surgical removing of steel from that piece that the underside cap matches over to make the entire meeting return collectively. My steel cutter/grinder software hasn’t gotten an entire lot of use, so this would be the good alternative to make use of it. I’m additionally going to have to make use of it to chop all of those rods to the proper peak, as I used to be simply guessing on the lengths that I’d want, and clearly a few of them are means too lengthy.