Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Transform a wine bottle into a tiki torch

by Debra Anchors

Decorative Tiki - Eric Anderson
Whether filled with lamp oil to light up the night, or citronella oil to ban mosquitoes from your party, these DIY oil lamps are a great way to re-purpose a wine bottle.

Erik Anderson’s hanging lantern, featured on Design Sponge, is a bit  involved to create but not difficult. The table lanterns, over at When The Pigs Fly, are less involved, and are also less expensive to make.












Table Lanterns - When The Pigs Fly
Basically, this is what you will need to create the table lanterns:

 - Empty, clean wine bottles
 Tiki torch replacement wicks
 - Citronella lamp oil (or general lamp oil)
 - A metal washer to fit the opening of your wine bottle
   (most, 1 3/8-inch)
 - Decorative GLASS beads (small enough to fit
   inside the wine bottle)
- A funnel









Basic instructions for creating the tabletop lanterns:

  • Fill your wine bottles ½- full with glass beads in the color of your choice
  • Insert the wick through the opening of the washer; leaving enough of the wick to light it 
  • Using the funnel, pour enough of the lamp oil into the wine bottle to cover half of the wick – do not over-fill the bottle

I have linked to each of the original projects so you can find complete instructions at each location.

Note:  For convenience, I have embedded links into the materials list & instructions that will take you to the products used in these projects.

Recycle, upcycle and do it yourself? Absolutely! Have you upcycled something unique for your garden from recycled materials? Please share it with me so I can feature your creation here.


If you enjoy this website, you might like my magazine, Gardening Life. AND, don’t miss my more traditional gardening website, Gardens Inspired.

I hope you found inspiration today. Remember to subscribe, so you won't miss a thing!

Until next time -
Debra

4 comments:

  1. Good simple instructions and does not involve buying more expensive items in order to re-cycle what you have. Does the metal washer prevent the bottle from cracking or does it not generate sufficient heat to affect the glass bottle?
    Amrita

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The metal washer keeps the wick in place. Keep that flame at a reasonable, short height. It a flame gets hot enough, it will crack the tempered glass.

      Will you use a colored bottle for your project? Please share a picture with us if you make one of these. Thank you for stopping in!

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    2. Followed instructions but they wont stay lit...any ideas?

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    3. Be sure to allow enough time for the wick to soak-in the oil. If you continue to have a challenge keeping the lantern lit, extend the wick from the top of the bottle a little bit.

      Have you tried your oil in a lamp you know works? Perhaps it is the brand of oil you have chosen to use.

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