Learning to Make Solar Light Bulbs

One of our possible actions in Munsieville is to introduce the idea of solar soda bottle light bulbs and teach people how to make them. My brother Mark, unlike me, knows his way around a tool box. He kindly agreed to help me learn how to make them. We looked at some videos and read some instructions on line. Mark already had large metal cutters, an awl (which I had never heard of before), a hammer, measuring tools, and markers. We purchased small metal cutters, tin, and caulking. We saved some clear 2 Liter soda bottles. Cutting the tin was a little harder than I expected. (Still, I’m not sure why Mark is laughing at me - what is so funny about my technique?) It took some figuring and calculating to decide how large to make the two circles (a small circle that you cut out and a large circle that you cut slits in to hold the bottle in place). We learned that the small circle should have about a 3 inch diameter and the large circle a 4 1/2 inch diameter. We debated on whether to caulk both sides or not, but decided more caulk was better when it is going on a roof that you don’t want to leak. We also agreed that cutting the metal is definitely not a project for children- the metal was very sharp and a little jagged where it was cut. However, the children could collect and prepare the soda bottles, such as removing the paper, cleaning them, sanding them and adding water and bleach. Mark would not allow me to practice cutting a hole in his roof, so I will have to learn that technique on the job.

Mark, thank you so much for helping me!!!

The next hurdle will be how to obtain the tools and supplies. Mark needs his large metal cutters and it would probably cost as much to ship my small ones as it would to purchase them when we get there. We will also need to obtain tin and caulking. I assume we can find soda bottles to recycle. Does any on have any thoughts or ideas???