Throwing a little light on the subject
I felt that the village needed a few streetlamps dotted about the place, and having looked at various companies ready to plant offerings decided to have a go at making my own.
I began with making a paper template for the lamphouse and when I felt that this was near enough right, I measured up and transferred the plan to my favourite drawing program (Xara Designer). After a couple of test runs, I printed the design out onto overhead projector film, as you can see above.
The resulting shape, when scored and cut out, folds up into the lamphouse you can see above. Some strips of tape hold it together, and further tape strips make up the frame. A dot of superglue holds the lantern roof in place.
The main post is made from a plastic cotton bud with the fluffy bits removed. A small cube of foamboard forms the base for the lamphouse. A grain of wheat bulb was chosen in preference to an led as when suitably under run they produce a nice gaslight glow - I shall fit a suitable resistor in series with the lamp to drop the voltage.
The ladder rest is a simple twist of wire, the decorative ends are the 'bobbles' from a length of bath plug chain, superglued on. After a bit of thought trying to find something to represent the cast iron base of the lamppost, I found that the first inch or so of a tapered pipette was just the job.
Decorative bands around the post are represented by strips of tape.
So here's the finished lamppost ready to erect outside the Tudor tavern. That's the first one I've made, and subsequent ones may have their proportions adjusted slightly. also, I may try making the lamphouse roof from carved foamboard, as the ohp film is a litle bit relucant to form a nice pyramid with four sides to align and glue accurately.
Anyway, I'm happy with it, and as I always say "It ain't Pendon"
