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So I went to Home Depot yesterday to pick up a couple of those $5 spotlight sockets you stake in the yard. Low and behold they have a new kind I'd never seen before, and they're only $2 each. They only had four of them, so I got all four, but will be going back for more when they get them.
Not only do they have a screw on stake, but you can choose to leave the stake off, and mount it on a base, or the side of a prop, a tree, or a wall. The old ones don't have that option. If you look, you can see a screw hole on each side and if you look even closer, you can see that once the socket is staked into the ground, or mounted to a base, not only can you tilt it like the old ones, but it will also swivel 180 degrees, so you can aim it properly. Yes, they're made of plastic, but for $2 you can't beat it.
So, here's how I made some really inexpensive light cans. I eat a lot of Greek yogurt because it's really high in protein and fat free, and I save the containers for just such a project.
From the spot light socket, remove the little metal ring and rubber gasket by removing the three little screws that hold them on. Then lay the metal ring on the inside of your yogurt lid, being careful to center it as well as you can. With a sharpie, mark a dot through each one of the screw holes. Then I took a scratch awl and poked a hole through the plastic lid where each screw will go. You could use a drill, but a sharp tool like a scratch awl is quick and easy. Then install the ring onto the inside of the lid with the three screws.
Next, take a utility or exacto knife and using the inside of the metal ring as your guide, cut out the center of the lid.
Next, flip the lid over and install the rubber gasket/flange onto the outside of the lid, and twist the screws intil they secure the gasket, like so.
Now install the gasket, metal ring, and lid back on to the light socket. Once this step is completed, set them aside.
NOTE: I was going to install the sockets onto the bottom of the yogurt containers, rather than on the lids, but there happens to be a round indented ring exactly where the screws need to go through, so it caused a less than desireable seal, and been far more of a pain in the butt to make them. So, to make it quick, easy, and clean, I devided to go with the lids. Plus, if you have big hands, it's easy to just pop the lids off to change the bulbs.
Now with your utility knife, cut just the very bottom off of your yogurt container, being careful to stay as close to the bottom edge as possible, and not allow your blade to slip and slice into the sidewalls.
Now just pop the lid containing the light socket onto the yogurt container.
A couple of good coats of flat back spray paint to block any light from shining through, and for barely more than $2 each, you've got yourself some pretty snazzy light cans.
Just think of all the benefits of eating all that fat free, high protein yogurt. A little stevia mixed in, and you've a pretty awesome snack, as well as some thrifty new light cans for your dispay. In total, it took me about 20 minutes to make four of these. I may go back with some silver spray paint and hit the insides of the cans, but the white reflects a good amount of light, so it doesn't seem necessary.


Not only do they have a screw on stake, but you can choose to leave the stake off, and mount it on a base, or the side of a prop, a tree, or a wall. The old ones don't have that option. If you look, you can see a screw hole on each side and if you look even closer, you can see that once the socket is staked into the ground, or mounted to a base, not only can you tilt it like the old ones, but it will also swivel 180 degrees, so you can aim it properly. Yes, they're made of plastic, but for $2 you can't beat it.

So, here's how I made some really inexpensive light cans. I eat a lot of Greek yogurt because it's really high in protein and fat free, and I save the containers for just such a project.

From the spot light socket, remove the little metal ring and rubber gasket by removing the three little screws that hold them on. Then lay the metal ring on the inside of your yogurt lid, being careful to center it as well as you can. With a sharpie, mark a dot through each one of the screw holes. Then I took a scratch awl and poked a hole through the plastic lid where each screw will go. You could use a drill, but a sharp tool like a scratch awl is quick and easy. Then install the ring onto the inside of the lid with the three screws.

Next, take a utility or exacto knife and using the inside of the metal ring as your guide, cut out the center of the lid.

Next, flip the lid over and install the rubber gasket/flange onto the outside of the lid, and twist the screws intil they secure the gasket, like so.


Now install the gasket, metal ring, and lid back on to the light socket. Once this step is completed, set them aside.
NOTE: I was going to install the sockets onto the bottom of the yogurt containers, rather than on the lids, but there happens to be a round indented ring exactly where the screws need to go through, so it caused a less than desireable seal, and been far more of a pain in the butt to make them. So, to make it quick, easy, and clean, I devided to go with the lids. Plus, if you have big hands, it's easy to just pop the lids off to change the bulbs.

Now with your utility knife, cut just the very bottom off of your yogurt container, being careful to stay as close to the bottom edge as possible, and not allow your blade to slip and slice into the sidewalls.

Now just pop the lid containing the light socket onto the yogurt container.

A couple of good coats of flat back spray paint to block any light from shining through, and for barely more than $2 each, you've got yourself some pretty snazzy light cans.

Just think of all the benefits of eating all that fat free, high protein yogurt. A little stevia mixed in, and you've a pretty awesome snack, as well as some thrifty new light cans for your dispay. In total, it took me about 20 minutes to make four of these. I may go back with some silver spray paint and hit the insides of the cans, but the white reflects a good amount of light, so it doesn't seem necessary.