DIY Welding Project: Holiday Tree Lanterns | MillerWelds

DIY Welding Project: Holiday Tree Lanterns

Print Article
Share
In this step-by-step homemade welding project for beginners, Alisyn Palla, artist and owner of Meraki Metal Works, guides you through the process of creating a holiday tree lantern using the Miller® Multimatic® 220 AC/DC multiprocess welder and Spectrum® 625 X-TREME™ plasma cutter.

 

Download Project Plan

 

SKILL LEVEL: Beginner

TIME COMMITMENT: 1 - 2 hours

Here's what you'll need to get started.

Tools and Materials

multimatic 220 ac/dc iconMiller® Multimatic® 220 AC/DC multiprocess welder
grinder icon Grinder/air grinder – for blending
ruler icon Square/ruler
pen icon Pen
scissor icon Scissors
cardstock icon  Cardstock/paper – for template
safety lenses icon Clear safety lenses
sheet metal icon 16- to 22-gauge sheet metal
safety lenses icon
 Safety glasses – shade 3 or 5
miller mig gloves icon
 Miller MIG gloves
welding helmet icon
Miller® Digital Performance™ welding helmet
spectrum 625 icon
Miller® Spectrum® 625 X-TREME™ plasma cutter – or may use shears, cut-off wheel, oxy-fuel cutting torch, or other means to cut sheet metal  




smith oxy fuel icon
 Oxy-fuel Smith® torch — for heat coloring 

 

WARNING: READ AND FOLLOW ALL LABELS AND THE OWNER'S MANUAL.

Step by Step

step 1

STEP ONE:

Create an isosceles triangle template using cardstock, a square/ruler, pen and scissors. Adjust the height and width based on the desired lantern size.

step 2

STEP TWO:

Use the template to trace three identical triangles on the sheet metal.

step 3

STEP THREE:

Cut the three identical triangles from the sheet metal using a plasma cutter, shears, cut-off wheel, oxy-fuel cutting torch or any other suitable tool.

step 4

STEP FOUR:

Draw designs on each triangle for the lantern light to shine through. Simple spirals are shown, but any design will work. Just be mindful of the material size being removed.

step 5

STEP FIVE:

Cut the designs into triangles using a plasma cutter or another tool to remove the material.

step 6

STEP SIX:

Clean and prep the metal for welding using a grinder, air grinder, or hammer and chisel.

step 7

STEP SEVEN:

Tack the three triangles together, aligning the top tips and edges to form a tree shape.

step 8

STEP EIGHT:

Weld the seams of the tacked triangles.

step 9

STEP NINE:

Clean and smooth the seams of the triangles to the desired finish.

step 10

STEP TEN:

Optional: Sign your art using a Multimatic 220 AC/DC on the lowest setting to write your initials on the sheet metal.

step 11

STEP ELEVEN:

Optional: Use an Oxy-fuel Smith torch to heat and color the finished lantern. Let it cool before handling.

step 12

STEP TWELVE:

Light a candle, place the lantern over it and watch the magical glow fill the room!

Alisyn headshotAlisyn Palla is an artist and owner of Meraki Metal Works. She has also been a licensed attorney for the past 20 years. In early 2023, Alisyn decided it was finally time to “jump in” and see what she could do creatively. Since she took that leap of faith, Alisyn has been hired to create for restaurants, public art installations, custom gates, and commissioned art pieces as well as showing her work in galleries and art exhibits. Metal is Alisyn’s favorite medium, but experimenting with other challenging construction materials and obscure mediums has pushed her creative boundaries in ways she never imagined.

Related Products

Spectrum 625 X-TREME 03
Spectrum® 625 X-TREME™ with XT40 Torch Cuts up to 5/8 in. mild steel. The unit offers easy connection to 120V or 240V input with Auto-Line...
Digital Performance Series Model CL2
Digital Performance™ Series Welding Helmets Lightweight helmet with superior headgear for increased efficiency. Features ClearLight™ Lens Techno...
Multimatic 220 AC-DC Model
Multimatic® 220 AC/DC Multiprocess Welder AC/DC TIG, MIG, flux-cored, and stick welder featuring QuickTech™. 120V or 240V input power.
Published: