Cool MRI Lamp!!
I created this lamp for a crafty challenge on another site, but it was something that I've been puzzling out for a while.
I was inspired by this and this (can't see those pics though....)
The total time listed for this project does not include the overnight drying time of the glue and paint.
Edit May 7, 2008: It's an honor to be the featured project!! Thank you!!
Share on: Facebook | Twitter | StumbleUpon
Add to a List Add to Favorites Add Your Version
I'm not sure how true this is, but it is possible that xrays emit fumes that can be hazardous to your health. It might have something to do with the composition of the film paper. mri, ct, xrays are all printed on same paper and may contain trace amounts of silver which can be dangerous to touch as well, but that could just be in large amounts.
If you are wary of such things, then don't make this lamp!!
Start by removing the glass and cardboard backing from the frames. Measure the long side of the frame and cut the dowels to that size.
Glue one dowel to one frame with wood glue. Do the same for the other 3 frames and pieces of dowel.
Clamp for 30 minutes, and then let dry overnight.
While the frames are drying, use on of the glass pieces from a frame as a guide to cut your image down to size.
I used my mom's MRI images. Also make sure a plain white sheet of paper is the same size as the glass.
Now that your frame pieces are dry, start gluing them together to form a box. Clamp for 30 minutes, then let dry overnight. I painted the dowels and the outside of the frame box black.
Let the paint dry overnight.
You now have a box. Here comes the harder part. How to hang it on the lamp harp. Take an eye hook and screw it into the frame, I put mine about 3 or 4 inches from the top. I picked the same spot in each corner, so that there is one eye hook in each frame.
Take a piece of wire and lay it across your box diagonally. Make sure to have about 2 or 3 inches extra on each end. I used a heavy gauge annealed binding wire that my dad gave me. I think you could probably use bailing wire.
Fold the wire in half to find the middle. Make a loop to fit around the screw on top of the lamp harp.
Bend the extra 2 or 3 inches of the wire down, so that you can put it in the eye hooks. You want to hang the wire diagonally across the box.
You want to try and get the loop in the center, so that your shade will hang evenly. You might have to fiddle with it a bit.
When I put the images back into the frame, I also used the glass. So here is how the items go into the frame: MRI image, paper, glass. Put the shade on the lamp harp, add the finial and you have a lamp!
See more Woodwork
Popular tags: Dressmaking / Tailoring, Revamping, Painting & Decorating, Clothing & Fabric, Decorating, Halloween, Christmas, and Costumes & Cosplay
Get the latest projects!
Become a Fan on Facebook
or
Follow us on Twitter
Amanda R.
katie
northernstar
Cheebs
Mutantcarrot
Vanna 
Veronika K.
OutsaPop ...
Bambooklyn
Sara A.
bee
Chantel B.
Jadeygirl
Morbidly ...
monkeyfish
Nicole
Lilim
kitschkween
Stumble This
Feeds
Sorry...
You need to Sign Up and log in to leave comments
Amanda R.
06 May 22:44
i love it!
Very Nifty
Amanda R.
06 May 22:44
i love it!
Very Nifty
Holly B.
07 May 16:43
Looks cool, but does your Mom mind?!?
Kat P.
08 May 01:32
Holly - she was tickled that I was making this out of her images! That's why she let me have them :)
Kirsten B.
08 May 03:25
Thats awsome! I'd never think of doing that.
Carli
08 May 14:15
that looks very cool, but with mri's being so expensive (mine cost £500, my dads going for some tomorrow that will cost him £900!) that would be the most expensive lamp I have ever (and probably will ever) own!!!!
No way am I cutting my mri's up.. they cost too much! :)
Kat P.
08 May 18:11
Carli - The doctors told my mom that they didn't need the MRI images anymore, so she gave them to me. But I agree with you - if they cost that much, I never would have made this lamp!
Carli
08 May 19:24
Oh good! Whew, then that's definately a really cool idea :)
Way to recycle too!
Grace M.
09 May 08:26
SO cool
katie
11 May 12:41
could you use photocopies? or do they have to be transparent?
Kat P.
12 May 13:38
K@ti - You probably could use copies, and you would want them to be somewhat transparent so that some light would show through the image.
Some copiers let you make transparencies, so you could totally do it that way and just use any image you like!
Cat Morley
19 Jun 13:29
That is one fantastic lamp!
Candice C.
03 Sep 12:32
If ya don't want to use or are afraid to use the real scans, maybe your could just print the image onto a transparency sheet - heck, you could print anything on one and completely change the look of the lamp
Kat P.
04 Sep 12:52
Candice C. - I had thought about that. I've never printed on transparencies at home. Any special techniques for that? Do they make transparency paper for inkjets?
Candice C.
09 Sep 02:14
Absofruitly they do! I printed images on some and stuck them in clear Christmas ornament balls. They're really easy to print on - don't hafta do anything special besides tell your printer you're printing on a transparency. Ya might wanna reverse your image when ya print it out so the smooth side is facing out from the lamp and the image won't get scratched off or anything, though. As far as the heat from the lamp... maybe you could do a small sample and put it in the lamp for a while and see how it does. If nothing else you could use one of those bulbs that don't put off as much heat? but I think as long as it's far enough away from the heat it should be alright. A tubular shade would be cool...
Steph
04 Dec 07:05
Sooo cool! I love it!
Karrahboo
01 Jan 23:03
You could even print images you like on vellum paper so it would be a little opaque like the x-ray images. I really want to try this! Oh GEEEZ, now I need to go get myself some frames....
Kat P.
05 Jan 20:05
Karrahboo, I like that idea to use vellum! It's sturdy, yet lightweight!
Sue D.
19 Mar 13:42
Ooh, i have some lovely gory x-rays of my broken heelbone. The operation shows a clamp with 2 big screws being inserted into my ankle. Your lamp has inspired me into a project!
Kat P.
22 Mar 05:59
Sue, I'd love to see your lamp! FYI, you might want to use a sturdier container for the base. The weight of the frames and glass turned out to be too much for the oatmeal canister I used. Maybe a plastic coffee container, or an older metal coffee can.
Coreeoreeo
09 May 22:05
this is mind numbingly awesome. i've had so many mri's in the last two years i could make like four of these bad boys.
this is creative as hell. good job
Jet H.
26 May 04:57
great. i have plenty of x-ray pictures from my old cats. so they have in the future a bright place!
Perelin18
20 Jun 07:20
Great! Why not simply use overhead transparencies (copies or google-pictures)?
sparrow is fancy
07 Sep 00:15
my soccer coach's brother had one of those!
I only know this because I ASSUME it was their brothers room. haha.
sparrow is fancy
07 Sep 00:15
my soccer coach's brother had one of those!
I only know this because I ASSUME it was their brothers room. haha.