2torial #0927:
Learn2 Wire a Lamp (continued)

Create a glass bottle lamp (optional)

Maybe you've bought a lovely antique bottle, thinking you'll someday find a use for it. How about using it to create a lovely lamp?

Gather your materials. A thick, sturdy bottle with a wide base (for stability) and a fairly narrow neck and mouth (to hold the nipple rod) works best. Bottles with mouths larger than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter won't work for this project. Buy enough lamp cord to reach the nearest outlet, and don't forget the plug attachment, lightbulb, and lampshade (if you want one).

You'll need a special socket that has a side hole, so the lamp cord can enter it without having to travel through the bottle. You can find these sockets at lamp stores if your hardware store doesn't carry them, as well as lamp nipples and shades. Make sure the nipple you buy fits snugly into the bottle's neck, and that the shade works with the bottle's size.

Attach the nipple. Slip the nipple rod into the bottle's neck so the rubber adapter is flush with the top of the bottle's mouth. There should be enough threads on the exposed part of the rod (outside of the bottle) to screw the socket onto, and the lamp harp, if necessary. Tighten the top nut above the adapter with a wrench by turning it clockwise. This will push the adapter against the nut below it, causing the rubber to expand and fit tightly within the bottle's neck.

Wire and assemble the lamp. Prepare the cord and wire the socket the same way you would with a standard socket, outlined in Step 2 and Step 3. Screw the socket onto the nipple (attaching the lamp harp first, if necessary), add a lightbulb and shade, plug it in, and voila! One fully functioning glass bottle lamp at your service.

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