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    Home » DIY And Crafts

    How To Turn A Vintage Thermos Into A Lamp

    Published by Pam Kessler | 899 words. · About 5 minutes to read this article. - 38 Comments

    I have a real love affair with vintage Thermoses, so when I found this sexy blue one at a yard sale a few weeks ago I knew I wanted to do something fun with it.

    Like repurposing it into a Thermos lamp!

    And it was really quite easy.

    Super easy DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    Thermos Lamp Tutorial

    Supplies needed:

    • Thermos - vintage is good, new is just as good (did I just say that?)
    • Make-A-Lamp Kit by Westinghouse
    • Drill with ⅜" drill bit
    • ⅜" rubber grommet
    • Safety glasses - Be safe. Keep your eyeballs.

    I found this Westinghouse Make-A-Lamp Kit At Home Depot.

    Westinghouse Make-A-Lamp kit used in DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    Warning - you will suddenly want to make every last thing in your house into a lamp after seeing how easy it is to do this. Hide the wine bottles. Hide Aunt Edith's heirloom china teapot. Hide the dog for that matter.

    In case you're not sure what a grommet is, it is a rubber thingie you insert through a hole to protect your electrical cord from sharp edges.

    Grommets used in DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    Yes, I have a whole box of them. Never know when you're going to need a rubber grommet (like twice in the last five years).

    Before I get all Bob Vila on you and go through the steps, we have to discuss thermoses. The thermos I had found at the yard sale was broken. When you picked it up, you could hear glass rattling around. That's why I used it for this project.

    Some older thermoses are lined with glass on the inside like mine was. Other thermoses are lined with stainless steel or plastic.

    DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    Since mine was lined with glass, I needed to get rid of the glass before drilling into it or I'd have a real mess (and safety hazard) when my drill hit the glass section.

    So I just broke the rest of the glass with a screwdriver, put the lid back on, shook it up to break the glass bits into even smaller pieces and then poured out the glass shards. Please be very very careful when breaking the glass and removing the glass from the thermos. Very, very careful.

    If you do not have a glass lined thermos, this step is, of course, not needed. OK, so on to the real tutorial.

    DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    Instructions:

    Step 1 - drill a hole for the electrical cord

    I marked the spot I wanted to drill with masking tape just in case the bit slipped. I didn't want to gouge Mr. Blue's gorgeous body.

    Drilling into thermos - DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    A ⅜" drill bit was used for the hole.

    Drilling into thermos - DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    Yes, I have ugly thumbs.

    Megan Fox and I both have these abnormally short thumbs. We have soooo much in common!

    Step 2 - drill hole into the top screw on cap with the same drill bit

    Drilling into thermos lid - DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    You'll notice I sliced off the rest of the red stopper before I drilled the cap. Not necessary, but I thought it would be easier to drill if it didn't have the red part on it.

    But really, it's plastic. Plastic is pretty darn easy to drill anyhow, so feel free to leave the red stopper on.

    Step 3 - insert grommet into hole to protect the cord.

    DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    Step 4 - Run the cord up through the hole you made

    DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    and out the top.

    DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    At this point, the cord and the socket are not attached to each other.

    Step 5 - Tie a knot for strain relief approximately where the cord is going to be sitting at the bottom of the container.

    This is just an added safety thing, so if the lamp cord gets accidentally yanked on one day, by let's say your dog, it won't come undone from the socket.

    DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    Step 6 - Add some stones to the bottom of the thermos to give it added weight.

    It's not super tippy on its own, but still could use a little bit of poundage to it. I grabbed a pack of stones at the dollar store, before realizing my driveway is full of gravel that would have done the same thing.

    Step 7 - Grab your Make-A-Lamp kit and read the instructions.

    Really. Read them.

    They do a much better job of describing how to attach the socket to the bare wires and then onto the top of the screw on thermos cap than I ever could here. It is a very simple process though. I promise.

    So after you screw a couple things on and tightening it to the cap and yada yada yada, you're ready to put a light bulb in it and plug 'er in.

    DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    Wait, no. I'm sorry, you can't plug it in.

    DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    Because I took the lamp out to the PARK to take photos of it 🙂 You'll have to wait until you get back to civilization to light it up.

    I did think the picnic idea was a cute one. But after I got there and set it up, I thought "This doesn't make sense - who has a lamp at a picnic?"

    DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

    And BTW, the park ranger WILL stop and look at you strangely if you bring a whole set up out to the park to take photos.

    I have no idea what he thought I was doing (photographing naked squirrels???), but it was probably a whole lot more exciting then what I was actually doing.

    Super easy DIY tutorial for turning a thermos into a lamp

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. [email protected]

      July 29, 2014 at 11:02 am

      This is a great repurposing idea, Pam! Your contagious sense of humor makes the tutorial one of the best I've read lately! Thanks for making me smile while learning something new!!!

      Reply
    2. mary scott

      July 29, 2014 at 11:10 am

      U R an excellent teacher!

      Reply
    3. Anonymous

      July 29, 2014 at 3:38 pm

      This is fab! I know what you mean about making lamps out of almost anything. I have been using what ever I can find and making some great lamps. I think my kids are afraid I'll put lampshades on their heads! : )

      Reply
    4. suzieQ

      July 29, 2014 at 4:18 pm

      Oh, when I saw this, I thought, Pam has hit a home run with this one. I don't share your Thermos obsession so I will pass, but this would look cute in a man cave or camp. I bet there will be lots of copies of this idea. Thanks for sharing about grommets, never knew about them but now I do, thanks!

      Reply
    5. rush

      July 29, 2014 at 4:45 pm

      You must do something with the cup! You could put a string through the handle and dangle it on the side of the lamp, and maybe a little something could be put in it. Or, it could sit along side the thermos lamp where a small collection of somethings could be added. I'm sure you will think of something! Wonderful project!

      Reply
      • Pam Kessler

        July 30, 2014 at 6:18 pm

        I like the dangling cup thought! Great idea!

        Reply
    6. Debby

      July 29, 2014 at 7:38 pm

      I really like this idea. I have never found a nice one like that one.

      Reply
    7. Loo xx from Jumbles and Pompoms

      July 30, 2014 at 7:36 am

      Squeal!! I love this idea. I'm very tempted to dig out the vintage flask which is festering (not literally) in a box under the spare bed and transform it. xx

      Reply
    8. Elaine Ezell

      August 01, 2014 at 5:47 am

      How fun!! Thanks for sharing!
      Elaine
      heartrocksinmypocket.blogspot.com

      Reply
    9. Anonymous

      August 12, 2014 at 10:52 am

      I was wondering if you used a regular size buld and lampshade??? I am having trouble finding a small enought lampshade which will go on a regualar bulb

      Reply
    10. Betsy Richardson

      August 13, 2014 at 9:20 am

      Hi Pam!
      Just want to let you know I loved your lamp so much I made one of my own...blogged about it with a link to your post here so others can do the same.
      THANK YOU for giving us such clear instructions!!!
      ~Betsy
      (betsyrichardson.blogspot.com)

      Reply
    11. Kristi Kirk Trent

      August 10, 2016 at 8:47 pm

      I <3 LOVE <3 this so much I want to marry it! (Actually, I love everything you post, Pam. Thank you for all of your hard work.)

      Reply
    12. Doreen

      May 08, 2018 at 2:00 am

      Love this idea! I bought a red thermos similar to your blue one. On my way to Home Depot now!

      Reply
    13. Sonya Palacios

      August 17, 2020 at 9:28 pm

      I am now gonna read every post you put out. I love this thermos craft. I bought one that rattles and was unsure what to do with it. I kept coffee beans in it for awhile. I’m unman make me a lamp:)
      I adore your writing. Thank you for today’s smile.

      Reply
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