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By Mark Champkins on

Shedding Light On The Matter Of Rubbish

The second phase of The Rubbish Collection exhibition is open at the Museum until 14 September. Having documented every piece of waste that passed through the Museum for a month, this second phase is a chance to see what would have been thrown away.

Of the material that hasn’t been selected for display, I collected a small box of bits that I hoped to turn into a product that we might sell in the shop. I like the idea that with a little bit of effort and imagination, items that would otherwise be chucked, can be turned into something desirable. Unfortunately the collection of items in the box that I had gathered didn’t look at all desirable. A couple of umbrellas, some bits from a light fitting, an old copper funnel, an ash tray, some plastic cutlery, some glass cups and a selection of ball bearings didn’t look very promising.

A box of bits © Mark Champkins
A box of bits © Mark Champkins
An old copper funnel © Mark Champkins
An old copper funnel © Mark Champkins

The germ of my idea came from digging out the copper funnel and investigating it further. It was heavily corroded and covered in green verdigris, but underneath was structurally solid, and a beautiful shape.

I read somewhere that vinegar could be used to clean copper, so I popped down to the café, to get a couple of sachets to try out. It turns out it does a reasonable job on lightly tarnished areas, but can’t handle the extent of corrosion on the funnel. However, it did encourage me that the funnel could be saved.

Next I pulled apart the umbrellas, lined up everything from the box and had a think what I might make. A happy coincidence was that the handle from the umbrella fitted exactly into the top of the funnel.

My first thought was to make some sort of loudspeaker people could shout through. Next, I thought the umbrella handle might plug the funnel to make a water-tight vase or container of some sort.

Finally, looking at the shining clean patch of copper I thought, coupled with a 1950s-style squirrel cage bulb, it might make a really nice light fitting.

The next step was to recondition the copper funnel.

In the basement, the Museum has metal and wood workshops responsible for building, installing and maintaining the structures for new exhibitions. Amongst their equipment is a sandblasting machine, which I used to blast the corrosion from the funnel.

Sandblasting the copper funnel © Mark Champkins
Sandblasting the copper funnel © Mark Champkins

I decided to leave the matt finish left from the sand blasting on the inside surface, and polish up the outside. Using Brasso and eventually a buffing wheel I polished up the outer surface. To ensure the lamp remains pristine, I decided to use a polymer based lacquer, applied in the workshop’s spray booth.

Using a buffing wheel © Mark Champkins
Using a buffing wheel © Mark Champkins

Finally I added the umbrella handle, and a lighting flex and fitting. I think the finished light looks rather good. It’ll be available for purchase in the Museum shop from mid August.

The finished light © Mark Champkins
The finished light © Mark Champkins
The lamp made from Museum rubbish © Mark Champkins
The lamp made from Museum rubbish © Mark Champkins
The light will be on sale in the Museum shop in mid-August © Mark Champkins
The light will be on sale in the Museum shop in mid-August © Mark Champkins

Mark Champkins is the Science Museum’s Inventor in Residence. Phase 2 of Joshua Sofaer’s The Rubbish Collection runs at the Science Museum until 14 September 2014.

One comment on “Shedding Light On The Matter Of Rubbish

  1. That’s.. amazing!

    Please, do send our sincere compliments to Mr. Champkins! The things he does are so simple, yet so far from most people’s minds. I’m seriously in awe every time I see some upcycled goods, especially well-done such.

    So, congrats and thanks for being awesome!

    Lucas.

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