Occasionally, I find things at the hardware store and think, “What can I make with this?”  That was the case with a 12 x 24” sheet of decorative metal. It sat near my desk for over a month before the idea came to me to turn it into a lantern – or two.  But there were a couple of challenges to overcome.  The first was how to form it into an appropriately sized cylinder without creasing or bending the mental.  The solution: wrapping it gently around a very large, magnum-sized wine bottle that I happened to have saved from an event years ago. Alternatively, one could use a jumbo-sized cardboard craft tube from a hardware or hobby store, or perhaps an oatmeal canister for a smaller sized lantern project.

The next challenge was how to attach the ends together easily and imperceptibly.  That proved a bit tougher. After experimenting unsuccessfully with a variety of options, I discovered metal zip ties! Not only did they do the job, they are easily and inexpensively obtained from a big box hardware store. True, the seam side of the lantern is not as attractive as it would be were it riveted, or soldered together. But those methods are beyond my DIY skill set; and when strategically placed, whether indoors or out, it has proved to be an issue.

One 12” x 24” sheet was enough to make two lanterns of different sizes, all for about $16.00.  The silver metal Union Jack design I chose has a distinctly contemporary feel, but you could go more Moroccan in style for example, too, as the metal sheets come in different patterns, sizes, and colors.  Whichever pattern you choose, the result is a simple pleasure :)

Steps & Materials Needed

Materials:      

• Metal Snips for cutting the sheets and zip ties

• Work gloves & Eye Protection – always use as metal can be VERY sharp once cut &/or filed

• Metal file to smooth rough edges

• Straightedge and felt tip pen for marking where to cut

• Sheet(s) of decorative aluminum metal - here’s a Home Depot link to the 12”x24” size. They come as large as 3’x3’.

• 2-3 metal zip ties per seam for closure (such as these)

• Jumbo craft tubes or other cylindrical objects around which to form the metal

• Clips or rubber bands (or somebody else’s hands) to hold the metal cylinders in place while affixing the zip ties

• Candle pillar(s)

Steps:

1.       Once you have all your materials assembled, wrap metal sheet around cylinder form and mark where to cut with straightedge.  Be sure to leave at least a ½” overlap for which to attach zip ties.

2.       Lightly file the cut end(s) of your metal sheet with the metal file, making sure to remove any sharp burrs or points that might cut someone inadvertently once the lantern is in use.

3.       Clip or rubber band the metal sheet back into cylindrical form with minimum ½” overlap.

4.       Attach zip ties through the overlapped seam. Cut off excess zip tie material. File any exposed sharp zip tie edges.

5.       Set your pillar candle in your completed lantern and enjoy!

Post Script #!: It turns out my lantern idea was not so original after all. But, well, perhaps that shows that great minds think alike :)

Post Script #2: After a bit of online research, I found the metal sheets are also available through Amazon .