Show HN: Lamp Carousel – DIY kinetic sculpture powered by lamp heat (2024)

by Evidloon 12/24/2025, 8:56 PMwith 21 comments

I wanted to share this fun craft activity for the holidays that I've been doing with my family over the last few years. I came up with these while cutting up some cans trying to make an aluminum version of paper spinners.

There are a variety of shapes that work, but generally bigger+lighter spinners are better. Also incandescent bulbs are the best, but LEDs work too.

They remind me of candle carousels I would see at my grandparents' house during Christmas. Let me know what you think!

by yialon 12/25/2025, 8:52 PM

This is such a charming project! I’ve been quite taken for years by the “Christmas” decorations that spin using a candle.

I quite like these more - mainly because they could be added onto a lamp that puts off heat, and be kind of a perpetual decoration with subtle motion.

I love your “dad turbine” design, and the flying wing has some magical quality to it.

Thank you so much for sharing!

by blacksmith_tbon 12/27/2025, 8:19 PM

It wouldn't (just) be convection, but it would be easy to have a spinner over the top case fan on a PC... though going the other direction, convection off a fanless PC (I have a little Zotac) might be enough to spin a very light spinner (mylar might work, though to get a pivot without friction won't be easy).

by chewson 12/26/2025, 2:00 AM

It's like an on demand do-nothing machine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv6YvKPXQzk&list=RDkv6YvKPXQ...

by lgvldon 12/25/2025, 11:56 PM

So cool, thanks for sharing.

We used to do that as children as well: a spiral cutted out of paper on top of a long skewer stuck into a potato. Felt like perpetual motion somehow.

It works if you put it on top of a radiator btw.

by danielblnon 12/25/2025, 8:29 PM

These look fun, I'm partial to the dad turbine. Too bad (for something like this) that basically none of my lamps produce much heat these days.

by dpflugon 12/26/2025, 12:11 AM

This feels like the delightful oddities one would stumble across on the Old Internet. Thank you for sharing!

by andaion 12/25/2025, 9:54 PM

Delightful, thank you for sharing. You have added a little bit of whimsy to the world :)

by IshKebabon 12/25/2025, 10:39 PM

Do people still use incandescent bulbs in America?

by gridphpon 12/26/2025, 4:49 AM

I thought it's something about LAMP Stack! lol

by darubedarobon 12/27/2025, 11:27 AM

How can i make on that creates water light ripples on my roof?