How to make a whisky bottle lamp

Father’s Day is fast approaching. But what do you get for the extraordinary father figure  in your life? You want to give him something unique, just like him. Last year, you bought him that limited edition bottle of whisky, and during the year he finished the bottle.

The empty bottle is now standing with his other half-empty bottles in the cupboard. It was such a beautiful bottle and a release that brings back treasured memories, and he does not want to get rid of even of the empty bottle.

So for Father’s Day 2019, I looked at a cool way to re-purpose those special empty whisky bottles. There are many things to do with empty glass bottles. You can make candle holders, torches or bird feeders.

But the idea I like the most was to upcycle the  bottle into a whisky bottle lamp. That way, the unique bottle get pride of place on a table as a purposeful décor item.

Luckily Builders Warehouse had all the items I needed for my whisky bottle lamp upcycling DIY project.  They also had friendly staff that helped with some good advice.

Making a Whisky Bottle Lamp

Making a whisky bottle lamp is not too difficult; it just takes a bit of patience. John just finished his limited release Three Ships 10 yo whisky and the bottle was perfect. It has a sturdy base, and this was great for stability.

Shopping list

First up was a visit to Builders Warehouse to look for the things I would need.  I have a drill but needed a special drill bit to drill through the glass and a few other items.

Other items needed:

• Diamond Tip drill bit (I used a Ruwag diamond tip 6mm)
• Lamp fitting (Nylon)
• Switch
• Wire
• Plug
• Glue (I used the Everbuild Stixall)

The process

Using the diamond tip drill bit, make a hole in the back of the bottle, somewhere near the bottom.  Having water drip on the drilling spot helps to lubricate it and keeps it cool. This part takes a bit of time and patience.  Slow, steady pressure works best. You don’t want the glass bottle to shatter.

Wear safety equipment when working with glass. I found some nice resources on YouTube with regards to glass drilling and also had a long chat to a friendly person at Builders who had some great advice as well.

When the hole is done, wash and dry the bottle. Thread through the wire and assemble the lamp fitting and the wire as required. Connect the on-off switch and safely add the plug socket. Test to see if it works. You don’t want to glue it all together just to find some wire was not securely connected.

Using the glue, fix the lamp fitting onto the top, making sure it is level. Let it all dry properly. Add a lampshade of your choice.  And you are done.

Finished Whisky Bottle Lamp

And your gift is done. Perfect for Father’s Day. A one of a kind gift for a one of a kind father.

It took a bit of time, but it was so worth it. Last week we finished our bottle of Three Ships Pinotage Cask, another limited release and I am going to change that into a whisky bottle lamp as well. It was the best whisky I had during 2018, and I don’t want to get rid of the bottle.

Not only is this a great gift, but the upcycling of the bottle is kind to the environment too.

Disclaimer: I got a gift voucher from Builders Warehouse that allowed me to buy the items I needed for this DIY.

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