Show HN: Lamp Carousel – DIY kinetic sculpture powered by lamp heat

Summary

I came up with these little spinning doodads a few years ago around Christmas, and I haven't seen anything like them online, so I'm writing about them here as they are quite fun to make. I've just been calling these things "can spinners" (ChatGPT suggested "twirluminum"). They remind me a bit of candle carousels that I would see at my grandparents' house, but in this case they are cut from recycled aluminum soda cans and spin on sharpened tips of wire from the heat rising off the lamp. I got my family to create their own this year and it was interesting to see the variety of designs they came up with (see the gallery below). All the spinners shown above are made from sides and bottoms of recycled soda cans. My process usually goes like this: Sharpen pivot wire. The spinners need a fine pivot point to sit on with low friction. I used some steel craft wire that was laying around and sharpened it on a bench grinder. Paper clips and sandpaper would probably work too. Sharpened bit of wire Other ways to make a pivot. Left: Square of aluminum folded over wire and cut to a point. Right: Long strip of aluminum with point at the end. Cut out blank I've made these from the sides and bottoms of cans. Can sidewalls are much easier to cut and bend, so I'd recommend starting with that. Also be careful with the sharp scraps. I've been jabbed a few times making these. Create the central dimple I usually just use a hard, blunt object like a ballpoint pen or pliers to push a dimple into the aluminum without crushing it. Can bottoms are made from thicker aluminum, so I had to gently tap on the back of the pen with a hammer to make the dimple. It's very easy to accidentally pierce the aluminum so be careful! Put your dimple at the center of mass Cut out blades and bend into shape. Small precision scissors work best to avoid distorting the aluminum and for making fine cuts. Trim and balance. Balance the spinner on the pivot wire in your hand. Usually they're lopsided or fall off of thei...