20/6/2016
I would like to apologise sincerely for my long absence from the blogosphere. We lost our internet connection at home for several weeks which curtailed my ability to load photos to this website. I also missed out on shop time for over a month due to traveling and other challenges. At the moment though, I am back in action working on several exciting projects.
As you might remember from a previous post, we had a wonderful week in Thailand some months ago. We picked up a whole heap of coconut shells in Ying’s (our cooking class teacher) backyard. They were then smuggled in our luggage via Hong Kong back to Namibia. A few of them were damaged during the arduous trip, which I then turned into spoons. The rest were lined up to become lights.
It is quite a mission to get rid of the fibrous material on both the in and outside of the hard shells. I used the wire bits pictured to do just that.
For the other halve of the light I used empty tin cans from household use. The big hole is for the light fitting.
The cans were then snipped into four strips to allow it to flare open.
Each of the four strips are attached to the edge of the coconut shells with one self-tapping screw.
In order to allow light to shine through the shells I drilled sets of “carefully messed up” holes. The inspiration for this is Aboriginal art from Western Australia that I saw many moons ago while at a Congress in Perth. As I am sure you can imagine, this took ages to accomplish.
One coat of Woodoc enhanced the beautiful natural colours of the shells.
I decided not to include any photos of how the lights were wired up as it might become a legal liability for this website, not to mention the myocardial risk in might impose on people like Jonathan White. So here they are hanging off the roof of our Shebeen called “Wamboland” located in the backyard.
An accidental arty photo.
As an added bonus I include a few picks of super hot Namibian chicks hanging out at the Shebeen a while ago. If some of the photos are less than perfect it is because they were not able to keep still for long enough given the slow shutter speed in such a low light setting. Certainly not as a result of anything to do with the photographer!!
Gerhard,
Sorry for the delay on commenting here. Work was crazy busy, and then I went to the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival yesterday.
Wow… Wow… Wow… What a fantastically creative idea. When you said that you were going to do this, I figured that the hole that the light bulb was mounted through would be cut through the coconut shell. Making the shell the lampshade, and the bulb exposed hanging inside. My idea would have been awful. Yours is awesome.
It’s funny, I find when you view other people’s projects on the web, you often think how you would’ve done things had you been making it (at least I do). I know myself (faults and all), and I think I would’ve picked one pattern for the coconut shells, and drilled them all the same. Again, your idea is soooo much better. My hat’s off to you.
Now I want to go and hang out in “Wamboland”.
There’s always a collection of good looking girls in your posts. What are you using for bait? I must be doing something wrong…
All the best,
Jonathan
Your comments made me smile mate.
Thank you for the complements, but I often feel inadequate when admiring your work. Your are incredibly thorough and meticulous.
I have no doubt that we will have a few drinks together in Wamboland at some point in the future. Rest assured, the Wamboland Cherries will be in attendance.
In Namibia we use Jägermeister as bait. It works a treat.
Cheers my friend.
Gerhard