How to Make Ping Pong Ball Lights

If you want to add a decorative touch to your patio or to a room in your home, hang a strand of miniature lights. For a more unique look and to diffuse the glare of the bulbs, you can cover the bulbs with ping pong balls. White ping pong balls are translucent so the color of the lights shines through with a warm glow. Although strands of miniature lights are available year round at home decor stores, they will be least expensive around Christmas. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Place a ping pong ball into the vise. Clamp the vise closed so the ball is secure but don't clamp it so tight you warp or break the ball.

2

Drill a small hole in the ping pong ball. Only drill one hole, do not drill through the other side of the ball.

3

Remove the first ball from the vise. Slip the ball over one of the lights on your strand to test that the hole is large enough. If it won't fit onto the bulb, put the ball back in the vise and use the drill bit to widen the hole until the ball fits over the bulb. You want the ball to fit over the bulb and be snug on the bulb socket. The hole shouldn't be so large that the ball falls off the strand.

4

Repeat Steps 1 through 3 with the rest of your ping pong balls.

5

Place one ping pong ball onto each bulb of your strand of lights. If any of the balls are too loose, squeeze a small amount of glue on the bulb socket to hold the ball in place. Allow the strand to lay flat on your work surface until the glue has thoroughly dried.

6

Hang your lights and then plug them in.