DIY Pulley Light Fixture

I always wanted a pulley light fixture since the first time I saw one. They look amazing in industrial and farm style designed rooms. But, they are a little pricey to buy. I swore when I got a pulley that I would make one.

Well, the time has come! I scored a pulley from a yard sale. While I'm in the middle of redoing the kitchen, the timing couldn't be better!

It was a little dirty and rough.

So I cleaned it up and sanded it down to smooth it out.

Then rubbed coconut oil into it.

Since the pulley was ready, I grabbed my electrical light fixture stash for parts to put this whole pulley lighting together.

I had a flush mount canopy and a mounting bracket that was do-able. Worried about weight, I bought some toggle bolts for mounting them.

Then I needed two identical corded sockets and didn't have any on hand. So after looking around I ended up buying 2 mason jar cord kits. Perfect, because the lids are vented for heat. I also bought 2 Edison Style light bulbs.

As for shades, I was cutting bottles and jars with hopes to use milk bottles. After cutting several to get a couple of them with smooth cuts, the jar was too narrow for my hands to screw in the bulbs.

Ugh. I ended up with mason jars which was fine because it was my second choice.

It's important to use open bottles and jars due to fire hazards. Those jars just screwed onto fixtures without venting scares the BeJeebers out of me.

Once I had all of the parts prepared, it was time to assemble the whole fixture.

I mounted the bracket with 4 toggle bolts into the ceiling. According to the manufacturer, each can hold up to 50 pounds, I just wanted to make real sure that nothing was going to come falling down on anyone. Once the bracket was secure, I mounted the canopy. ( It came from another ceiling fixture in my junk stash.)

Before hanging the pulley from the canopy, I fed the corded sockets through. Then added some linked chain to weave the cords through. The chain was another security measure. The links were easy to open and close back with two pairs of pliers as I attached it to the canopy.

At this point, I was able to hang the pulley from the mounted canopy and run the cords to the wall where the outlet is located.

Then the exciting moment... adding the shades and the bulbs!

Ha!!! I did it!

It is so pretty that it makes a great accent light in the room.

Little accomplishments bring such joy, don't they?

Little things that make life fun are worth the time.

I'm so excited to finally have this little dream come true.

Have you wanted to make one of these or similar?

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Yard Sales and Junk Yards

It's great when your husband shares the same interests. He needed to find something at a salvage yard and I went along for the ride...
... because you never know what I'll end up with. ( huge smile )

Or him.
Look at what he found! This manual fire extinguisher. Manufactured from the Underwriters Laboratories in Ohio.
I plan on cleaning it and hanging it on the outside of his garage when I redo it.
It'll be a nice nostalgic touch.
(Now if I can find a cool old gas pump to go with it and his cars.)

I found this mechanic's oil can and funnel. Again, really cool garage decor, isn't it?   After all, he has a few classic muscle cars he is itching to finish.

And that freezer bin makes a nice organizing bin... something his garage always needs. If I get enough of them and paint them all the same color, they would be awesome on a shelving unit.

Then, we stopped at a yard sale... the awesome kind with vintage and old junk.

I saw an oval cast iron griddle with a handle right off the bat and I went right for it. I picked up that 70's New York license plate during the stroll over.

Ironically we had power failures over the weekend and instead of making toast and coffee the regular way at home, I toasted bread on a griddle and perked coffee.
I told my husband it's the best tasting coffee ever and if I wasn't in such a hurry for drinking it in the morning, I'd always make it that way.  My parents used to all of the time. Especially when we went camping as a family. They also made toast on a little gadget that held four slices of bread over a burner ...

whoa... on one of those right there!

This yard sale had lots of interesting things.

I loved this old typewriter and the one next to it was on an old typewriter stand. (I had one of those years ago but tossed it as old fashioned when I got my first computer and opted for a wood desk.)

Crates of awesomeness were everywhere.

 And others contained great subjects for repurposing ideas.
(Sports themed room?)

I got a kick out of this iron crib. It's certainly outlawed for baby use these days.

The wooden ironing boards brought back memories of my first one ( Mine was a hand me down with cotton batting and 3 layers of old fabric on it.)

I loved how this one had a hot plate on it for old heated irons.

I wandered around taking everything in...

windows, shutters and fences... OH MY!!!

This old fire hazard can be repurposed. Those milk glass shades are sweet!

Here's an old push mower that probably still makes that whisk-whisk noise if it was sharpened, oiled and cleaned.

I gathered a few pieces for projects and we headed over to my favorite junk yard. The owner has a heart of gold. He has stories that keeps you there along with all of the treasures. The one that has things reserved for me. Today it was leather horse collars... among other things.

Like this bench and tractor seat. He's cleaned out a lot since my last visit and put these aside.

Canning jar heaven. I took a few last time in a gorgeous big old galvanized tub. Those big square ones make nice canisters for rice and pastas.

A horse cart... but I have other wheels for it. These wheels are perfect for the 1901 Horseless cart frame I bought last fall. Obviously I'll replace some of the wood, but so glad to see some of the original paint job so I can keep it that way.

And there are these awesome lights on this old fire truck piece. Replacing them with electric lights for lamps are on my idea list. I did get some vintage motorcycle lights and plates shoved into a galvanized bucket last time. (Can you see why I love this place?)

This 55 Chevy hood. With hinges, mounted on the wall and shelving behind it, this can make a great storage unit while sporting the vintage garage theme. ( a sucker for vintage and classics, the ideas are flying around ) Oh my, the color with rust looks amazing the way it is, but I will enhance it.

You've got to check this out!

If I was allowed to have these big boys... I'd probably play in them like an overgrown kid. I love this box truck. It's in great shape! Can you imagine turning it into an awesome hot dog vending truck? If I did; it would have a red, white and blue paint job. The base in this color blue and the vintage lettering in red with white border. 

Something like that. I dream big, don't I?

I love his old dump truck too.
Oh look, an old steering wheel!!! Mount that decor and hang some hand wiping rags on it, I think!

This big red excites me.
Those side vent windows... that horn on the roof, the curved windshield... and check out the door handle! I'm thinking of ways to preserve it.

 

After settling up, we went on our merry way to yet another yard sale.

An old bed frame. I'm fond of four poster beds myself and find this one kind of creepy. I don't care for sleigh beds either.  These big over bearing and dark types just scream "huge coffins" to me. Especially before nursing home days and many laid in them to pass on. (shiver)
Unless they are painted cheery and happy, I'll pass!

It was mostly overpriced broken antique furniture and some missing parts at this yard sale. We passed on everything but a whiskey crate (which is broken as well), a framed mirror that didn't sell with it's dresser and a wooden picture frame.

What managed to find it's way home during today's little haul from two junk yards and two yard sales is...

a framed mirror (not photographed yet), a whiskey crate, horse collars, antique wood picture frame, a skeleton key, cast iron griddle, a wooden pulley, license plates and door knobs.
The reserved items will come home next time.

The old 1960 license plate is junk, but it's really cool decor. I can remove some of the surface rust. The knobs are junk, but the glass set is in very good condition. I'll turn the whole lot of them into hangers/hooks or maybe large drawer knobs.

I have to go back for the rest... with a trailer...

and looking forward to it with excitement! ( also knowing something else very awesome could come in!)

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