Have you ever thought about recycling old light bulbs? Do it yourself (DIY) experts know well that any object can be transformed and start a new life and glass bulbs that no longer work are certainly no exception. But how are they prepared? How are they cut? How are they cleaned? Here are 10 steps to make burnt out bulbs suitable for new use.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
You still have the le old incandescent bulbs, are you retiring now? Unlike the new energy-saving lamps, they lend themselves very well to creative recycling, becoming original vases, decorations for the Christmas tree, spice holders and even micro-gardens.
The only difficulty that must not limit your imagination, however, consists in being able to cut and clean them without breaking the glass jar. We came across this tutorial that will tell you in a simple way how to do it and make them so suitable burnt out bulbs ready for a new use.
1) You will need some common tools: a screwdriver and pliers. Of course, any broken light bulbs on hand as well, except the fluorescent ones. The powder used to coat their interior is made up of phosphorus and is quite toxic. Better to have also mask to protect the eyes and gloves, both useful in case of glass breakage
2) Grab the little one spot welding with pliers and give it a good squeeze. You can thus free the bulb by hand
3) Carefully break the sheath insulator, being very careful
4) With the insulation removed, you can see inside the bulb, where the wires, filament and supports are
5) Use the screwdriver for break the gas fill tube
6) The fill tube could be kept aside for a later project
7) Now you can shake the filament holder, sliding it out of the bulb. If the tungsten filament is still intact, you could probably find a new good use for it
8) The light bulb needs one good cleaning. Kaolin can be used, being careful to keep it away from your mouth and from food and drink
9) Remove dust with a piece of blotting paper. If there are still items to remove inside the bulb, you can fill it with a little salt and shake
10) Indulge yourself with the imagination and reuse as many bulbs as possible:
For more ideas on how to recycle old light bulbs click here
Roberta Ragni
READ also:
- Creative recycling of incandescent bulbs
- How to cut the glass bottle with a thread in 10 steps
