Has anyone failed at making your Mickey head lamp?

[marclichon]

SO ANGRY!!!!!

I went to 4 Home Depots, 4 Lowes and countless local shops to find a 12" globe to build my mickey head lamp. Finally I found a Menards that just opened (like, THAT DAY) and found the head for $30 (with stand). Excellent, bought me some 8" ears too! Measured once, measured twice, measured 37 times, planned, debated the ear heights and angles, let it sit and came back (sometimes you get too close and need a fresh perspective)(I'm not OCD, am I?). Special ordered a 3.75" hole saw ($20)(did you know NO ONE carries a 3 3/4"" hole saw? Nope, they don't; they carry 3 1/2", 3 5/8" the 4", because no one on the planet has ever needed to drill a 3 3/4" hole) to cut the ear openings.

I Started drilling, carefully (using a drill press so it would drill perfectly, but this also meant the drill couldn't go in reverse (a trick I read about while drilling in plastic)) and CHIPPED the opening. Crap.... That's ok, the ear and sealant will cover it.

A little battered in the ego but confident in my through planning, I positioned the neck of the ear-globe into the hole... that... is.... too... small.... CRUD!!! Ok, nuts; I thought the material would be a little more forgiving and distort 1/16" so I could use the lip of the neck to secure the ear in place but no... it's too fragile. Snap.

Alright, so I go to the belt sander and sand down (ya ever try to 'sand down' plastic? Don't, it stinks...) the lip so it's a straight neck and can easy slip into the hol.... WHAT?!?!? STILL TOO BIG?!?! FREAK!!!!!

Alright, forget it (oh yeah, I broke the ear globe in the process so this is now being considered a 'practice piece'), I'll just widen the hole. How do you widen a 3 3/4" hole with a hole saw? I KNOW! I'll get a 4" hole saw (because they CARRY those!) and nest the 3 3/4" saw in the center as a guide. BRILLIANT!!!!

I decided to use gloves the next time after the nested 3 3/4" hole saw snagged and ripped mickey's head and thew it across the room. Delicately lining up the nested bit into the existing hole to guide the larger saw into position I slowly slowly made progress. I noticed the more progress I made the more progress a new split made down the seam of the head. Piece ruined. $30 globe busted, $7 ear globe busted, $20 hole saw useless, afternoon ruined, pride and ego in a puddle on the floor.

SSSSOOOOO MMMAAADDDD!!!!!

I've spent hours reading how people on this forum built theirs and how wonderful theirs is and how handy their hubby is and oh-isn't-it-so-grand.... I've seen dozens, DOZENS of them at the Fort.... I'm a smart guy, what am I missing?!?!?! Has anyone else ruined one? I'll await your responses while dousing my burning anger with a few adult beverages.

 

[ynottony99]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. I wonder if the globe you were working with is made of some different plastic? I was able to hold mine on the work bench with one hand and use my 3/8" drill with the other. The material was forgiving enough for me to use a slightly smaller hole saw and then work the globes in.

 

[Tigger1966]

I had the same problem with the globe from Menards the top and bottom are thick but the sides are thin and brittle. I was able to salvage mine with a side flap wheel sander for a die grinder. I rounded out the chipped hole and drilled the second hole with the drill in reverse and it was perfect. I matched the holes and used a glue gun to attach the ears.
On my next one I will drill a 3" hole and round it out with one of these.

 

[retired and happy]

I ordered my globes through the mail. I cut the holes with an adjustable hole saw from HD. It took a long time to ease the saw through the globe and keep it from binding (and throwing the globe across the garage). I have since had mine fall over and break one ear. No problem...I had ordered two sets of globes. But in cleaning out pieces of the old ear, the head cracked and now i have a 4 inch crack in the head, with a small piece missing at the ear hole. At this point I'm considering putting it back in the box and building a new one from the other globes. At least I have the post and base intact.

 

[CampingDad]

I feel your pain. I hate it when a plan does not come together. Here is how I cut mine. I took the ears and marked the large globe with a magic marker. Then I took an Exacto knife and heated it until red hot with a small butane torch. Cut through the globe like butter. Take your time it doesnt stay hot for long. Only a few seconds. Practice on the broken globe. You can even wave the torch on the globe itself for a second. It will harden when it cools. Worked for me. Be careful the exacto knife handle might get hot so where gloves.

 

[Bearikens]

I cut my ear openings with an old soldering iron. I first traced the ear openings and then began poking holes with the iron (slightly smaller than the tracing). Once the opening was completed, I used my Dremel tool (with a sanding tip) to carefully smooth and enlarge the opening to the exact size. My first attempt didn't work so well using a hole saw (cracked the globe).

 

[LarryJ]

After now having made three (one for the trailer, one for our S&B, and a third for a second one for the trailer after the first one did a "header" into the concrete at FW) I found the following to be the best and most accurate.

1. Put masking tape on the head where you are going to put the ears.

2. Mark the cutout size on the masking tape. I made my ears removable so I used a fitting in the head and then attached the ears with screws similiar to how the head is mounted to the post.

3. I then cut out just inside the circle with a dremel and saw blade, but a cutting wheel will also do the job.

4. Then then very carefully sanded out the rough circle again with a dremel and one of the sanding drums. In my case as I got close I had to be very careful since the fitting for my ears needed to fit snugly into the cut out so I could super glue it in and then caulk.

Like someone mentioned the thickness of the globe varies with it being thicker the closer you get to the bottom and is very thin at the top.

The directions for the ones I made are HERE

Larry

 

[whynotme]

What you need is the right tool, and I think Larry has you covered!!!!

 

[TBOLDEN]

I marked mine with a marker, then took a 3/8 drill bit made a hole and inserted my drimmel with a cutting tool and followed the marker line, worked like a charm, no cracks and the lip on my ears fit right in and allowed the caulk to seal around the neck of the ear globe. Good luck to you on your next try.

 

[mkrober]

Marked mine as well, pierced a hole inside the line and used a router bit to remove everything inside the line. It helped to have someone hold onto the globe securely while doing this. I would think that a dremel would work as well. While my hole was not perfectly round, ultimately, I believe that is inconsequential. I use clear silicone adhesive to bond the ears, which are glass to the head, which is plastic. I've had no problems. Also, use tent stakes to secure the post to the ground in case of windy conditions. Good Luck!

 

[LarryJ]

The reason I did mine the way I did was some of the comments about the ears being not as well lit as the head and I wanted to be able to change the color of the ears and head and also not have them bleed too much between each other. Normally I now have three white 13W CFLs in the ears and head, but below is a take on some holiday ears.

Christmas (didn't care that much for this combo, and might try a green head and red ears the next time)

Halloween and we do this both for the trailer and at home and looks great. This pic is of the Mickey Head on our home S&B permanent lamp post.

Either Lowes or HD has a good variety of colored CFLs to use and when I redid one head and did the other I used normal Lamp sockets and not the candalabra type sockets since those are only available in white.

Larry

 

[marclichon]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and experiences. I've found the wherewithal to try again with all this encouragement

This has so far been the most helpful thread on this subject I've seen; others have been all pics and final-results but I could only find one or two play-by-play examples. The resounding tool I hear used is a good Dremel. I thought the hole saw and drill press might be a little over-the-top, but I've been known to over-engineer a solution or two. I'll letcha know how I make out, but in the mean time if anyone has more pictures, examples or suggestions I'd love love love to hear them!

 

[brat]

I have not done the Mickey lamp post but I have done a snow man one.Ugh did I fail in a simular way on my first attempt! Mine was also problems with brand of plastic globes.
Good luck!

 

[Fort Fanatics]

My DH had a similar problem with the first "head" globe cracking while he was drilling out the holes for the ears. We got the globes at Home Depot. Looks great now, after many attempts and a few choice words said! Only thing is that the ears are just a tad bit crooked, and I didn't have the heart to tell that to my DH!!! We too have different color lights in the ears, at least my DH was able to pull that one off!!!

 

[Shan-man]

I drilled my heads with a drill press and a hole saw without problem. One of the keys to my success, I think, was I made a cradle for the head with a plywood table over top of the normal table. A piece of 1/2" plywood elevated with a couple of 1x2s and firmly attached, then drill the plywood with the same bit you'll drill the head. That will give you a cradle that will perfectly center the sphere under the bit. You definitely want even contact all around the bit. I used high speed and fed the bit as slow as possible. The bit did as much melting as it did cutting, and I got 4 perfect holes in probably 30 seconds a piece which has got to beat the heck out of a Dremel.

 

[marclichon]

I drilled my heads with a drill press and a hole saw without problem. One of the keys to my success, I think, was I made a cradle for the head with a plywood table over top of the normal table. A piece of 1/2" plywood elevated with a couple of 1x2s and firmly attached, then drill the plywood with the same bit you'll drill the head. That will give you a cradle that will perfectly center the sphere under the bit. You definitely want even contact all around the bit. I used high speed and fed the bit as slow as possible. The bit did as much melting as it did cutting, and I got 4 perfect holes in probably 30 seconds a piece which has got to beat the heck out of a Dremel.

Excellent idea! I was trying to figure out how to make a jig or something, that's so simple it's perfect! Uneven contact, I think, is what caused the binding and the throwing Thanks for your idea! Now, as soon as I can make myself (potentially) throw away more money for a ruined globe I'll try again (how's that for positive thinking? )

 

[starbuc71]

I drilled my heads with a drill press and a hole saw without problem. One of the keys to my success, I think, was I made a cradle for the head with a plywood table over top of the normal table. A piece of 1/2" plywood elevated with a couple of 1x2s and firmly attached, then drill the plywood with the same bit you'll drill the head. That will give you a cradle that will perfectly center the sphere under the bit. You definitely want even contact all around the bit. I used high speed and fed the bit as slow as possible. The bit did as much melting as it did cutting, and I got 4 perfect holes in probably 30 seconds a piece which has got to beat the heck out of a Dremel.

Shan-man, I belive in one of your older post you showed a pic of the inside of your mickey head. I'm trying to figure out how to run the 3 bulb system

 

[AuntBJ]

You have inspired me to try to make one too. I am going to check Home Depot tomorrow for the globes. It is actually reassuring that others have experienced some difficulties. It will probably keep me from throwing things when something goes wrong.

 

[CDNCruiser]

I drilled my heads with a drill press and a hole saw without problem. One of the keys to my success, I think, was I made a cradle for the head with a plywood table over top of the normal table. A piece of 1/2" plywood elevated with a couple of 1x2s and firmly attached, then drill the plywood with the same bit you'll drill the head. That will give you a cradle that will perfectly center the sphere under the bit. You definitely want even contact all around the bit. I used high speed and fed the bit as slow as possible. The bit did as much melting as it did cutting, and I got 4 perfect holes in probably 30 seconds a piece which has got to beat the heck out of a Dremel.

I agree Shan-man - I've made about a dozen, always using a drill and hole saw, go slow and easy. I don't use a cradle, I just hold the globe and take it slow.

I've never had a problem.

My only concern with some of the pictures I see is the base. You need a heavy base. I gave a lamp to a friend who used a Christmas tree base. It blew over and shattered the first night.

I use a patio umbrella base (about $20 at Walmart) and I've never had a problem.

 

[brat]

Thank you CDNCruiser, you just solved a problem of a lampost for another project I am working on as a gift for a friend.I have had other blow-over.