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Lamp hacked out of Ikea fiber-optics and watering can

Cory Doctorow at 10:31 pm Wed, Aug 26, 2009

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I like this lamp, the "Pour Lighting," made by stuffing an Ikea fibre-optic Vedum lamp into an Ikea watering-can:

Here's what I did:

(1) sawed off the tip of the watering can with a hacksaw.

(2) cut off two of the legs of the base tripod (couldn't cut them all off because the wire runs through one of them and I didn't want to risk damaging the rubber shielding).

(3) Pushed the fiber optic spray portion of the lamp through the spout, hiding the tripod inside the can.

Pour Lighting (via Ikea Hacker)
Previously:
  • Hacked Ikea table sculpture - Boing Boing
  • HOWTO Make a giant spherical metalamp out of dozens of cheap Ikea ...
  • Boing Boing: HOWTO make a cheap coffin out of Ikea parts

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE:  design • Gadgets • maker

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  • Anonymous

    @ Stratojoe You really pissed off my roomates! making me LoL and all…

  • Sparrow

    It’s more art than reading light, but it has quite a cool effect, since it really does look like the light is pouring out of the can. I expect the fibres would move if there was a breeze, which would make it look even better in person than in the pictures.

    I’m even more amused by the Doglamp http://www.creativereview.co.uk/images/uploads/2008/06/doglamp.jpg linked on the site.

  • Thad E Ginataom

    Very nice!

    Even if I do hate Ikea, it looks like its possible to make good things by cutting up their products.

  • Anonymous

    I hate to burst any bubbles or anything- BUT… in most communities that are ‘hack’ oriented a ‘hack’ is loosely defined as using an object for other than it’s intended purpose.

    If using that loose definition, this is most certainly a hack. Might not be the most technical hack, but still a hack none the less.

  • stratojoe

    I agree, Thad.
    Also, that’s how I feel about most parents.

  • Anonymous

    it indeed provides “pour” lighting…

  • Anonymous

    That totally reminds me of when this clamp broke on a lamp I have, and I had to use duct tape to keep it together.

    Lamp hacking is awesome.

    Another time, I couldn’t find a screwdriver, and used a knife to drive this screw into a wall. I totally hacked that screw.

    When someone said I couldn’t touch my nose with my tongue, and for a moment I thought they were right — but then I used my right index finger and just bent my nose down a little, and I could totally touch my nose with my tongue. I hacked my nose — hell, I hacked my face, actually!

    I think we should make a concerted effort to hack anyone’s face who use “hack” in lieu of “I’ve done something vaguely clever.”

  • treq

    really, this is quite wonderful and ingenious. it inspires me to explore the lit-fiber-as-water concept in other forms as well.

  • nosehat

    It looks less like a “lamp” (used to provide useful amounts of light) and more like a sculpture or objet d’art (used to look most cool).

    Regardless, it looks most cool. :)

  • Anonymous

    another more x than y comment here, minor point of usage these days I guess but I’d call this more assembled than hacked. Ok, a “hack” saw was used, but it seems like the hack would be, stuff a lamp into a watering can because the container resonates at a specific wavelength, and now it’s an rfid jammer or something. Utility rather than art, ?

    Nothing wrong with assembly, tin of octopus* into a pan of ramen kind of thing, the novel combos that are possible now.

    Very nice result, cut two holes in the base for a pc cooling fan maybe, variable resistor in series with a 5v wall wart?

    *only the dull ones are caught