Metal farolitos - metal lanterns for use as holiday ornaments

Sunset, Dec, 1997 by Daniel Gregory, Peter O. Whitley

Albuquerque artisan Victor Sandoval makes farolitos like the one shown below with soldered tin; call (505) 275-0904 for order and price information. You can make similar candleholders without soldering by using epoxy and aluminum flashing, which is sold at most hardware stores.

TIME

About 30 minutes per farolito

WHAT YOU NEED

* Scrap plywood

* 25 inches of 12-inch aluminum flashing (about $1 per foot), enough to make six farolitos

* A nylon-tip pen

* A ruler

* 3-inch-wide strip of wood or hardboard with sharp, square edges

* A metal cutter or snips

* Masking tape

* A simple shape or pattern to use as a template for the puncture pattern

* A hammer

* A 16-penny nail

* Epoxy

* Paper clips

* A tea candle

DIRECTIONS

1. Using scrap plywood as a work surface, lay out a 12 1/2-inch-long strip of aluminum flashing. With the nylon-tip pen, draw two parallel lines on the aluminum 3 and 3 1/2 inches, respectively, from one 12 1/2-inch-long edge of the flashing. Starting at one 12-inch edge and using the wood strip as a guide, trace four 3-inch-wide segments onto the flashing, leaving a 1/2-inch band at the end.

2. With the metal cutter, cut the aluminum along the outside long line (a); use caution with the sharp metal edges. Draw lines on the back of the aluminum to align with the ones on the front.

3. Tape your template (photocopy or original) on one of the middle two rectangles. Lightly punch holes about 1/4 inch apart through the aluminum using the hammer and nail (b).

4. Turn aluminum over so edges of punched holes face up. Using ruler or wood strip as a straightedge, fold the top band over and flatten (c).

5. Working from one end, use the wood strip to bend the aluminum 90 [degrees] on the vertical fold lines to create the farolito's four corners (d).

6. Using epoxy, glue the 1/2-inch band to the inside edge of the opposite end of the aluminum to enclose the rectangle (e). Use paper clips to hold the pieces together until the epoxy dries.

7. Set the aluminum box on a saucer and place a tea candle inside.