Who would have ever looked at a Mason jar — a mere glass container used almost exclusively for home canning purposes — and predicted its utter dominance in the crafting world? Why are Mason jars so appealing to us? Is it their shape? Their two-part, screw on lids? Is it the way the cool soda-lime glass feels in our hands?
Or is their appeal due to something else? Something less tangible…
Invented and patented in 1858 by a Philadelphia tinsmith named John Landis Mason, Mason jars have been a distinctive part of Americana for over 150 years. A Mason jar can take us back to a romantic time before we were born when people made things with their own two hands. They can also be linked to our own childhoods — back when we caught fireflies in the summer or watched our mothers dip butter knives into Mason jars of our favorite jellies and smooth the sweet, fruity spread over a warm piece of toast.
Nowadays, antique aqua-colored mason jars called “ball blues” are sold at auction on eBay, and people create all kinds of flights of fancy with the clear jar variety like soap dispensers, cookie cutters, and some people even use them as wine glasses.
But the Mason jar project below, by Imgur user mounttod, blows all of the others out of the crafting room. It is truly magical — and elegant!
Check out the amazing process below and please SHARE if you love amazing projects like this.
All that’s needed is a thick sheet of birch plywood, glue, nails, a wooden box, cord wiring, a couple nuts and bolts, sockets, bushing, and, of course...
...a few Mason jars.
First, use brad nails and wood glue to join all the pieces.
Then drill a few holes into the wood.
Drill some more holes into each jar's lid. There should be a center hole surrounded by a few smaller holes.
Then thread a nut under each lid’s center hole.
Place a bushing on top.
Then pull some wire through each lid.
Now, here comes the tricky part — creating an underwriter's electrical knot.
Tie the underwriter's knot and then connect the lids to wires on sockets.
Pull the wires through the wood box and tie knots for strain relief.
Each bar needs to be wrapped in a ton of electrical tape to ensure they won't short out.
When done, close the electrical box.
Then bask in the light of your final product…
…a Mason jar chandelier!
Please SHARE this amazing project with everyone you know and inspire others to unleash their creativity!
