Saturday, June 6, 2009

RECYCLED PLASTICS LIGHTHOUSE


A simple fun project using drink cup, fruit cup, desert cup, and part of a water bottle.
Materials:
1 Toco Bell 32oz. drink cup
1 Schwans desert cup(black cup)
1 Delmonte fruit cup(clear cup)
1 neck and cap section of a 10oz. Sam's water bottle
12 Toothpicks
1 piece of white string
Hot & supper glue, red, white, and black paint, black felt marker
Tools:
Scissors, side cutter pliers, and ice pick
Steps:
1. Paint the drink cup as in photo or similar to make the basic tower(from bottom up the black, red, & white area)
2. Glue the 2nd black section(Schwans cup) to the 2nd white section(Delmonte fruit cup) with the top rim of the cups being sealed together as in photo.
3. Using ice pick punch a series of small evenly spaced holes(to accommodate toothpicks) around the assembled rims of the 2 cups.
4. Cut a number of toothpick about 5/8" long and insert into the holes punched with ice pick.
5. Using the black marker darken the grooves that are in the bottom section of the Demonte cup(this makes the windows).
6. Paint the rest of the Demonte cup white including the toothpicks and the rest of the black cup rim where it attaches to Demonte cup, as in photo.
7. Paint the tips of the toothpicks black where they stick down through the black cup.
8. Cut off the very end of the water bottle(including the threads & cap). Glue to the the fruit cup on the end next to the grooves you colored with marker.
9. Using ice pick punch a small hole in the center of the water bottle cap and insert a toothpick(this makes the lighting rod for the top)
10. Paint the water bottle & toothpick black, making sure to paint all the way to the edge of the grooves in the window section.
11. Using the marker draw a window or 2 on the sides of main tower and a door for the light room as in photo.
12. Using the supper glue attach the string to the tops of the toothpicks you inserted into the rims(this forms the railing for the light room area).
13. Using hot glue attach the top asembly to the base tower(drink cup), being careful to center the 2 pieces.
14. Display as is or attach to a heavy base like a flower pot saucer or wood disc.

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