How to make a string ball lamp?

Question

Are there any web sites that can teach me how to make a string ball lamp like the one here?http://www.wrapables.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=C51900

Answer 1

What you need:

- old newspaper/magazine from the recycling bin

- disposable cup & something to put inside to weigh it down (rocks)

- wallpaper paste

- warm water

- Vaseline

- balloon

- string or yarn

1. Cut the yarn or string into pieces at least 3ft long, short pieces do not work for this.

2. Weigh down the cup with something of no importance, like a rock or an old lemon.

3. Cover the entire work area with newspaper… it gets messy!

4. Blow up a balloon about the size of an adult palm (it’s easiest to start out with a smaller size like this) and then slather with Vaseline to prevent the glue from sticking to the balloon. *Rub the rest into your hands… it forms a nice barrier against the glue*

5. Mix up some wallpaper paste with warm water; it should be the consistency of thin oatmeal (cream-of-wheat, if you want to get technical). Be careful… a little powder makes a lot of paste.

Now the tough part…

6. Dip the string into the paste one piece at a time. Take it out and wrap it around the balloon. The easiest way to do this is to put one end of string on the balloon, then spin the balloon. This way the string will wrap automatically.

*Try to overlap your starting point at least once, locking it into place* When you start the next piece, criss-cross it with where the previous piece ended. The trick here, is that if you don’t lock the corners down, they will begin to fall off as you try to put new strings into place.

If you get frustrated, take a break and let it dry for a while, then go back to it when you’re feeling better (like we did!)

Tip: If you are doing this with someone under the age of, let us say…nine, then do it as a team. The kids dip the string into the paste, and the grown-ups spin it on the balloon.

7. When you are all done, put the balloon on the cup to dry and Clean-Up. It needs to sit overnight to harden (turn occasionally, or the part inside the cup will not dry)

8. When it’s all dry, pop the balloon and wiggle it out through an opening.

Enjoy your string ball! The project is hard, but the results are amazing. Put them in a bowl, hang them from the ceiling or give them as a gift this holiday season!

Answer 2

Answer 1 offers a very decent description. I'll offer some opinions similar, but different.

  Obviously a balloon, ROUND, if that's your choice, and to a size you wish.

   Certainly something, as suggested, to rest the balloon on while you work.

   The lamps look sparsely covered, but over a 12 inch balloon, you'll use up 50 ft. of cord, in a short amount of time. I'd probably assume no less than 100 ft. per lamp, and certainly YOU can choose how tight to make the weave, and/or even the pattern of the weave.

   I personally would not use wallpaper paste. I've made them with Elmers, woodworking glue, especially in the hemp or sisal cord. The intent should be to not only soak the cord, but when wrapping, Overlap the glued cord, so that it bonds with others applied.

   Once a decent glue has been chosen, and used, I doubt vaseline will be needed. I never had an issue with the dry cord ball sticking to a balloon. It would be slightly less messy as well. Obviously you should do as previously suggested, and work in an area where nothing will be disturbed, and can be cleaned up after.  I'd allow a day or two at least, for the glue to dry/cure.

   You'll have to think, in your wrapping, a NECK, OR bottom opening large enough to access, for the connection, and light bulb, perhaps as large as a softball? That would depend of course on your hand size, and the hardware used. This may be a moot point if your connection/fitting/hardware is able to be placed in a stable fashion, allowing bulb changing, without damaging the structure. That might assume adding cord to the area where the hardware and bulb will be fitted.

   Once dry, the balloon should NOT be POPPED, but have the air released slowly, allowing the balloon to shrink from the cord. This will also be a critical stage, in letting the glue dry sufficiently, as the cord contacting the balloon will dry slower than at the outer face of the cord.

   If successful, once the balloon is removed, I'd find a decent clear spray, and go over the ball inside and out, with a few coats applied. That can be facilitated by just hanging the ball from a cord. Allow the clear coat sufficient dry time, then carefully work in your hardware and connection.

   Obviously if these are to hang, you may want to know the hardware before starting, and how it may attach, or even how the ball will hang on any flange around the hardware/bulb connection, and re-inforce that area.

Just my two "sense"