So I’m not that excited about the lamp currently in our front hall, and I wanted to steampunk it up. I decided a while ago to make a zepplin lamp. It’ll be lit with LED bulbs.. so.. it is technically a LED Zepplin.
I started with a three and a half foot dowel and many two foot lengths of 1/2″ x 1/16″ basswood. I glued and threaded the pieces together with brown fishing line (Power Pro!) to make ten 5 foot struts.
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| Close up of one of the joins in the basswood |
I cut out end pieces from brass sheet and screwed them into the dowels, and then used machine screws and nuts to attach the struts to them.
I also cut a propeller out of the brass and used a longer screw and some wooden spools to make it look pretty good.
I used basket reed for the ribs, again gluing them and tying them with fishing line.
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| Close up of the join |
This is where it’s at right now, after adding the inital wiring for the lights inside.
I still have to cover the frame with rice paper mache, and make the gondola. I have a good start on the net that will go over the top and attach to the gondolla:
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| Waxed linen thread net |
I’ll hopefully update after this weekend with a much more complete LED Zepplin!