DIY Network

Spool Vent Chandelier Make the ultimate industrial-looking light. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-308

Light up the room with this chic chandelier.

One of the best things about lamps is that they can be made form just about anything – even ductwork. Michele Beschen pulls the ductwork out of the walls to create fun industrial-chic chandelier lights in this "heavy metal" how-to.

Some of the materials in this project may be unfamiliar to you, but don't be intimidated: The staff in the heating and cooling department of your home improvement store can help you get everything you need for this project. So scroll down and get started!

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F
	Figure G

Spool Vent Chandelier

Materials:

5" spool vent
4" spool vent
6" diffuser
lamp cord kit with 8' lamp cord
self-tapping screws, 3/4" long
drill or rotary tool with bit for use with metal
11/32 drill bit suitable for metal
metal duct strap
machine screws, 2" long
nuts and washers to fit machine screws
tin snips
lamp rod
keyless light socket
flexible conduit
hacksaw

• Lay the large vent flat on a work surface and center the diffuser over the vent (figure A).

• Find the screw holes on the diffuser and mark their location on the vent. Set the diffuser aside and drill holes in the vent at the marks (figure B).

  Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection when drilling metals.

• Flip the vent over and center the smaller vent over the larger one (figure C). Mark two points on the lip of the smaller vent directly opposite each other, as close as possible to the inner rim. Drill holes through the two vents at those marks. You will use these holes to screw the two vents together with some space in between; if desired, you can drill four evenly spaced holes and use four screws, to reduce the possibility of the light tilting.

• Wearing gloves, use tin snips to cut a piece of metal duct strap long enough to span the hole in the smaller vent.

  Safety Alert: Duct strap has sharp edges – especially the cut edges. Always wear gloves when working with it to protect your hands.

• Secure the strap to a piece of scrap wood with a drywall screw at either end. Use an 11/32 drill bit to drill a hole in the center of the strap (figure D).

• Remove the strap from the board, position it over the top of the vent so that the newly drilled hole is centered over the vent hole and attach it to the vent with self-tapping screws. A self-tapping screw has a tiny drill bit on the end, so it doesn't require predrilling.

• The lamp cord will run through the flexible conduit to the lamp. Cut a 7' length of flexible conduit with a hacksaw and run the lamp cord through the conduit, leaving about 6" of cord sticking out of each end.

• Place a nut over the lamp cord and slide the cord through the lamp rod. Thread the lamp rod, with the wire inside, through the hole in the strap, then place a nut on the rod (figure E).

• Working from the other side of the vent, install the keyless socket according to the directions provided with it (figure F). Tighten the socket onto the lamp rod. Tighten the nuts on the lamp rod to secure the light assembly to the strap.

• Connect the large vent to the small vent using 2" machine screws: Run each machine screw up from the underside of the lip of the large vent, add a nut to the screw, run the screw through the hole on the small vent and add another nut. Screw this nut about 1/2" down the machine screw and adjust the lower nuts so the two vents are held secure and even (figure G).

• Install the diffuser to the bottom vent with screws.

• Tighten all the connections, install a plug on the end and enjoy your unique ductwork chandelier!