DIY Lighthouse Rotating Light

I love to work in my shop in the summer and build outdoor Funniture. Yes it's spelled wrong but I make Fun Furniture.

So my wife wanted me to make her a lighthouse. So I got some plans and worked away at making her a 7 foot lighthouse. This house looked very naked without a light I didn't want to just stick a light bulb in the lighthouse so I went on Tinkercad and started designing a light that will simulate a real lighthouse with a rotating light. The light house I made has a housing for the light and I use small pieces of plexiglass for the windows.

This is my first time publishing an Instructable, and I am sure I will have to make some edits.

1 - Extension cord to connect your light to your outdoor outlet. This cord can be any length, depending on where you place your lighthouse.

25 Foot Extension Cord from Amazon

50 Foot Extension Cord from Amazon

1 - 4.75 square electrical box, Buy from your local hardware store

1 - 4" Square cover for electrical box. Buy from your local hardware store

1 - Motor 18 RPM/Min which seems to be a good speed for the light to turn. Purchased on Amazon.

There are other speeds available. I find that 18 RPM/Min works well.

1 - Led Bulb Purchased on Amazon.

4 - Wire nuts. Purchased from local hardware store.

Wire cutters, 1/4 or 1/2 Sheetmetal screws and screwdrivers, 1/8" , 1/2" drills

Small bolts to attach the motor to cover.

2 6" lengths of electrical wire.

Soldering Iron.

Round wooden toothpick or something similar to attach gear to shaft.

Nothing special here. I printed my files with a 0.3 resolution and they work fine. You can print yours at any resolution you want. There a no supports needed. There are 5 parts to print out. The Large gear and lamp housing is a little fragile. If someone can make it thicker please let me know. I was able to make the lamp hood thicker, by using a 0.8 nozzle instead of the 0.4. If you do this, remember to make the changes when you slice the file.

You can use any color filament. you can paint the inside of the cone silver if you want, it may help focus the light out of the cone

Important step in aligning the motor to fit on the cover properly. Place motor on the cover with the shaft towards the center.

Make sure that the motor will fit properly in the box when you put the top on.

With a marker mark the holes to attach the motor. Drill the mounting holes with a 1/8 " Drill. Also drill a 1/2 " hole for the shaft. The red colored image represents the cover plate and will give you and idea of where the holes go.

Take notice of the 2 small holes that are use to attach the spacer and motor to the plate.

The 1/8 " or slightly larger holes will allow you the use small bolts or screws, you will also have to make holes in the spacer plate for these.

Attach the small gear to the motor shaft. I used a bit of a small round toothpick to place in the hole and its been working fine.

With the motor mounted you can now align and mark where you are going to place the main gear base. Place the Gear base on the cover and also place the Main lamp housing on the base.

Now move the base and housing so that it aligns with the small motor gear. With this done mark the location of the base on the cover with a marker. With the Main lamp base out of the way, place the base in position again and make the location for the large hole to pass the wires through.

Drill the larger hole and also drill 2 1/8" holes so you can put screw from the inside and fasten the base to the plate. To make it easier to mount the base also pre drill small holes in the base so the screws go in easier.

Next step wiring.

Time to wire things up.

Youtube video of cone assembly.

Lets get the extension cord ready. Cut the plug end off the cord. Not the end with the prongs. Expose about 5" of wire.

Now for the lamp holder. Pass the 2 wires through the lamp holder. Solder the wires to the lamp and then push the lamp fully into the holder.

Place the lamp holder inside of the lamp housing, passing the wires through the plate.

Take one wire from the lamp and one wire from the motor and connect it to the white wire from the extension cord. Use a Wire Nut to join and hold the wires together.

Take the other lamp wire and remain wire from motor and attach it to the black wire on the extension cord. UUse a Wire Nut to join and hold the wires together.

If you have a green wire, attach it to the electrical box using the ground screw in the box.

Youtube video of cone assembly.