- An old bike wheel (absolute minimum: a rim and seven spokes)
- A matching worn-out tire (new tires might smell)
- An LED garland, either 230 V or battery powered (the LEDs should fit into the spoke openings)
The LEDs in the chandelier design highlight the regular pattern of the spokes in a wheel, resulting in a circle of lights. At least three spoke-openings are used to suspend the rim with a hanger from spokes. These openings are thus unavailable for an LED, as a result of which the circle of LEDs is interrupted at three locations.
The use of scrapped bicycle parts together with the low electricity consumption of the LED garland qualifies the lamp as green design. The power rating of the LEDs is 1.3 W, resulting in a maximum annual electricity consumption of 11.4 kWh (assuming that the lamp is switched on during all hours in a year). Based on electricity price ranges for household consumers in the European Union the corresponding maximum annual electricity costs vary between 1.10 and 3.50 euro (source: Eurostat). Likewise for the United States, based on the range in retail price of electricity to ultimate customers in the residential sector by state the corresponding maximum annual electricity costs vary between 0.90 and 4.20 US$ (source: U.S. EIA).
The chandelier gives enough light to read in the evening, but don't expect to light an entire room. At night the shadows of the three spokes result in a regular pattern on the ceiling.
The use of a battery instead of connecting the lamp to the mains makes it safer to operate the lamp. Also, avoid using a conventional light bulb garland, see step 1 on safety issues for more background.
The circular shape and the considerable amount of lights makes this lamp excellently suited for controlling the LEDs with an Arduino, which offers plenty of new possibilities. This however has not been documented in this instructable.
Previously, openproducts has released two other lamp instructables: the Giant Ceiling Light with Multiple Functionality a.k.a. the UFO (CC-BY, September 13th 2012) and the Double Function Rail for combined hanging of paintings and indirect lighting (CC-BY, January 7th 2013).