Jim

	This was my first lantern and three dimensional project. Yes, it is lop-sided :) It was meant to be a prototype for future ones that I would give away for x-mas. It stands 11" tall and 7" wide. The design was later reduced 50% and all other lanterns are approx. 6" tall.
My second lantern, is very basic like my first. Made of basic geometric shapes. The top has some smoked gray glass, good up-light effect!.
	My third lantern, made for my dad who is in the wine business. The grapes are made of matte purple beads that hang off the bottom of the lantern. The grapes were assembled first and the sides were custom made to fit around them. The top is made of numerous grape leaves that also hang off the side. The picture shows it while lit.
My fourth lantern. Made with two half sheets of discount glass. Took about 6-7 hours to make. The brown glass is one of my favorites, not sure of the brand since it was in the discount bin.	Notice the steep pitch of the roof and the small over-hang. Adjusting the dimensions of the panels can produce different styles.
	This is my fifth lantern. I call it the Ohio State Buckeyes Lantern. I learned on this project that clear or translucent glass does not work well with lamps. My first experience with Black Patina. Picture shows it while lit.
My sixth and most complicated lantern . With a total of 108 pieces this lantern took well over ten hours to make. With so many small pieces there is little room for error. The photo doesn't show the green glass very well, but it definitely is the highlight of this lantern when lit. Finished with Copper Bright.
	Another example of what pieces of scrap glass can accomplish. Took me about 7 hours to complete. Finished with Black Patina. This, and the top one are the only lanterns I have kept so far.
My most recent lantern. This was my first experience applying an antique finish to the cap. It worked out great and I will probably finish the rest this way. Finished in Black Patina.

After you make the four bottom panels you need to attach them together. This is very tricky, I roll up a towel into a donut and place the four panels in the center, moving them until they fit together. Once everything is in place I tack it together with beads of solder. I start at the top and allow the solder to roll down the inside of the seam. Once all four seams are tacked together, let it cool slightly. Now use the towel(s) to prop up the bottom assembly so that you can solder the outside seams while they are parallel to the table.

Do the same for the four roof panels.

assembly.jpg (7401 bytes)

First cut off the end of the extension cord, be sure you do not cut the end that plugs in the wall, and then feed the cut end down through the top of hanging loop. Next feed the lamp cord through the top of the vase cap (which is attached to the glass assembly). Thread the locking nut to the nipple, feed the lamp cord through the nipple then split the cord into the two individual wires. Peel about 3/4" of the insulation off each wire, leaving 3/4" of bare wire. Push the exposed wires back into (but not out of) the nipple and thread the light socket to the nipple. The trick here is to screw on the socket so that it is tight but still has enough room for you to push the wires through the sides. Once you push the wire out, screw down the wires to the socket terminals.. If the socket came with a cardboard cover put that on now. Now to tighten everything , grab the lamp hoop and don't let it turn while you reach into the lamp and screw in the nipple and locking nut with your other hand. Allow the cord to spin in the hoop.