DYI Vintage Hat Rack

A year ago I came across this project on Sawdust and Paper Scraps. She made this wonderful candelabra out of table lamps and an old chandelier.  I thought it was so creative.

 

As I was working on ThriftChick's room, I was looking for a creative way to display her collection of vintage hats.  I was in Goodwill when I found this four pronged candelabra top. The base was missing.   I remembered the Halloween candelabra and it occurred to me that  the candelabra could double as a hat rack.  I started looking for lamps for the base and just couldn't find two lamps that fit together nicely and had the vintage vibe I was looking for.  I was ready to give up when I remembered that in the basement, I had an old brass lamp that I had purchased at an estate sale because I wanted the vintage shade. I never used the lamp because it was so old, modern bulbs did not fit in the socket.  It was perfect.

I took apart the lamp and then began the task of attaching the candelabra to the lamp stand.  I tried super glue.  No luck.  I tried Gorilla Glue.  No luck.  It just didn't feel secure enough.  (That candelabra is one heavy sucker)  Patient Man volunteered to take it to our local auto body shop to see if they would weld it for me.  Turned out it wasn't real metal, but an aluminum composite so welding was out, but the owner said he had some special bonding material that would work.  He not only glued it together, but he also molded it so it looked as if the two pieces were meant to be together....and he didn't even charge me!

The last step was to give a few coats of spray paint.

The best part is that if we ever need a candelabra, we are set! (you know how many times you just wish you had a candelabra!)  Altogether, the cost of the project  about $20.  $6.00 for the top piece, $10.00 for the lamp (and that includes a cool retro shade) and $4.00 of spray paint.  Can't beat that!


Happy Thrifting

Mama Thrift

By the way, this Saturday is 1/2 off days at our area Goodwill Stores...we plan to hit all five of them!

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