How to make a sky lantern. How to make a sky lantern with your own hands

Many people like to run chinese paper lanterns Ever asked yourself this question: " How to make a "Sky Lantern" with your own hands?", but few received an answer to it. Make your own "Sky Lantern" It won't be difficult, but it will be difficult make a "Sky Lantern", which will successfully take off into the sky and will delight you with its flight. It is difficult to reveal the complete manufacturing technology, but we will give you some tips, after learning which you can make DIY Chinese flying lantern:

1. The paper from which the flying lanterns "Sky Lanterns" are made is impregnated with a composition that prevents it from burning,

2. Also, the paper is soft and thin, but very durable, which must be taken into account when manufactured,

3. Decide on the size, one meter in height is enough for a start, a Sky Lantern of this size will fly well into the sky,

4. Choose a shape for your "Sky Lantern", we recommend choosing a simple shape, for example, Diamond or Heart.

5. After we have decided on the shape and size, we move on to the most important stage - selecting paper. Paper is the most important component of the Chinese Sky Lantern paper ball. It should be light so that you get a flying flashlight and not a fire hazard. The weight should not exceed 25 grams per square meter; with this weight, Sky Lanterns will take off under almost any conditions.

6. We impregnate our paper with fire retardant, this will significantly reduce wetness and fire. Then cut out four pieces of paper 110*110, lengthening towards the bottom and flattened at the top, and glue them together. Then make a frame from any light wood or other material. The flashlight is ready!

7. To make a burner, do the following: melt the wax, take a cloth and soak it in hot wax (there can be different combinations), and the burner is ready.

Thus, you can make a “Sky Lantern” yourself, but it is not a fact that it will fly. Also, homemade Chinese paper lanterns "Sky Lanterns" are very dangerous and are not recommended to be launched, they can ignite and burn you.

If you cannot make a “Sky Lantern” with your own hands, but like to do handicrafts, buy a “Sky Lantern” and color it to your taste. Homemade Chinese paper lanterns are dangerous, so it is better to buy "Sky Lanterns" in our store.

Today it is fashionable to launch hand-made Chinese lanterns into the sky. The lights flying into the sky are a wonderful sight that both children and adults enjoy admiring. So where did this popular fun come from and what rules are important to follow to ensure the safety of others.

Story

For the first time, a Chinese paper lantern was mentioned in the chronicle description of the military campaigns of Zhuge Liang. This legendary Chinese general imitated the intervention of divine powers, instilling fear in his enemies. To do this, he used a paper bag and an oil lamp. The rising cloud of light convinced the opponents that higher powers were on the general’s side.

The history of the mass distribution of glowing lanterns in Europe dates back to 2005. The reason was a tragic event: the 2004 earthquake in the Indian Ocean. A mass launch of glowing lanterns in Thailand became a memorial event for this tragedy and its victims. And thanks to the photograph of this event, which became a World Press Photo winner, the Chinese ritual became popular among Europeans.

Device

The Chinese flying lantern consists of the following elements:

• bamboo frame;
• a burner made of fuel-soaked fabric attached to a thin wire;
• dome made of rice paper impregnated with a non-flammable composition.

The shape of the product can be any - most often spherical or cylindrical.

Operating principle

Chinese sky lanterns easily soar into the sky, operating on the same principles as hot air balloons. Remember the Montgolfier brothers? Their invention is shells filled with hot smoke and capable of flying for kilometers. The fact is that due to heating, the air becomes lighter due to a decrease in density. The difference between the density of air masses inside and outside the shell becomes the driving force.

That is why among the tips for launching flying lanterns you can often find the following: “in order to launch a lantern, choose a clear frosty night.”

Some characteristics

A traditional Chinese lantern has the following parameters:

• approximate weight from 50 to 100 g;
• height size from 70 to 170 cm;
• burning duration is about 20 minutes;
• diameter of the lower ring from 28 to 50 cm;
• The approximate possible lifting height is up to 500 m.

Is it possible to display Chinese lanterns in the city?

Unregulated launching of flashlights often leads to unpleasant consequences. Among them:

• fires, including forest fires;
• disabled power plants;
• death of livestock that accidentally ate a fallen wire frame;
• injury to animals.

Therefore, in some states there are bans associated with this beautiful and exciting event. Corresponding regulations have also been adopted in Russia.

Law prohibiting the launch of Chinese lanterns in Russia

In 2014, changes to the Fire Regulations were approved. In accordance with the document, structures that rise to a height by heating the air inside with the help of an open fire are prohibited from being allowed in cities, other settlements, or near forested areas. Lawyers warn: fines are prescribed for violators, for individuals this is up to 1.5 thousand rubles, for legal entities - an order of magnitude higher.

Operational safety

But even in places where it is allowed to run flashlights, it is important to follow the rules that ensure the safety of others. Launching Chinese lanterns is allowed in open spaces where the location of the fall can be controlled. There should be no residential buildings nearby. You should not use flashlights in windy weather.

Responsible fans of launching sky lanterns recommend: use a small amount of fuel, this way you can control the crash site and can not only make sure it burns completely, but also clean up the debris.

Kinds

Chinese lanterns can vary in both shape and purpose. Often Chinese lanterns are used simply for decoration. Such hanging options often decorate Asian cafes and restaurants, oriental shops. Glowing hearts can often be seen at wedding celebrations. And the simplest paper crafts will decorate your home for the New Year or another family holiday.

DIY Chinese lanterns made of paper

A Chinese lantern can be easily made at home. Teachers recommend: involve children in joint creativity, because they so love to participate in the creation of a fairy tale.

Option for children

The simplest craft, resembling a flashlight, was carved by almost everyone in childhood. To make it, you only need one sheet of colored paper, as well as scissors, glue, a ruler and a pencil as auxiliary materials.

The process consists of several short steps.

1. You need to cut a strip two centimeters wide from the sheet.
2. Fold the remaining piece in half.
3. Draw the workpiece: draw a horizontal line at a distance of 4 cm from the edge and from the fold draw many vertical lines to it, located at the same distance from each other.
4. Make cuts along vertical strips and unfold the sheet.
5. Glue the edge and attach a handle from the strip cut at the beginning on top.

According to all traditions

For such a hanging lantern you will need a template. You can find it on the Internet or draw it yourself. For the drawing you need to take a sheet with an aspect ratio of one to two. The long side is placed horizontally and three horizontal lines are drawn: one in the center and two at a short distance (the same) from the edges. Then they divide the sheet with vertical lines into six sectors and draw another line in the center of each sector. Circles with a diameter of approximately 2 cm are drawn around the points of intersection of the central vertical lines with the outer horizontal ones. Then rounded lines connect the center of the upper circle, the points of intersection of the vertical lines limiting the segment with the central horizontal ones, and the center of the lower circle.

As a result, the template should consist of six identical segments connected along the center line. A blank is cut out of it from red cardboard. Important note: the workpiece cannot be divided into segments!

Next, you need to connect the outer segments together. Then combine the lower circles, stitch them with red thread and decorate them with a tassel formed from threads. The same thing needs to be done with the upper circles, only instead of a tassel at the top we leave a thread by which the flashlight will be suspended.

sky lattern

To make a Chinese lantern you need a frame. It can be made from wooden fruit skewers wrapped in foil. As a simple fuel, you can use candle tablets or cotton wool soaked in alcohol. The candle or cotton wool is attached to the frame with metal wire.

The shell can be made as was traditionally done from rice or tissue paper. But on the Internet you often find another piece of advice: use a regular garbage bag for a flashlight.

Decor for products

It makes sense to decorate lanterns that are intended for decoration, not for launching. One of the decor options can be done as follows. Using a hole punch, we make many, many (several dozen) holes on the decorated paper. We glue the fallen circles onto the already made lantern according to the principle of husks. Important: the circles must be distributed evenly, making sure that the product is completely covered.

Today, anyone can make a Chinese paper lantern with their own hands. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a luminous object soaring into the sky or decor for interior decoration. The main thing is that ancient traditions are alive and make everyday life fulfilling and beautiful.

- a very beautiful and breathtaking sight, so once again, having come across an offer to buy flying chinese lanterns, somehow I suddenly remembered that you can quite simply make them yourself. It’s funny, but for some reason it didn’t occur to me to look for instructions on the Internet. However, I once read a similar instruction, I even remember trying to repeat it, but it didn’t work out, because it was necessary to make neat tubes out of foil for the frame... which, of course, my impatience did not allow me to do. In addition, they were very delicate and did not tolerate large overloads, which was also not very pleasing. But now, I suddenly wanted to try again. And then I remembered that I have an excellent and convenient substitute for these inconvenient tubes...

Safety precautions

I'll come back to it again at the end, but for now highly recommend

Required materials

So what do we need:

Manufacturing

Using tape, glue two sticks together crosswise.

Next, wrap the sticks in the center with foil. This must be done to protect against fire. Otherwise, your flashlight won’t even have time to take off. If you want, you can do it more beautifully than in the photo, but to be honest, the flashlight is actually almost disposable. Either it will burn up in the air, or it will fly so far that you will lose any desire to go looking for it.

We straighten the bag and find the extreme points of the neck.

We attach the frame to the edges of the neck with small pieces of tape. You don’t need a lot of tape, because the weight of the frame, even with cotton wool and foil, is very small. The photo shows a piece of cotton wool wrapped in a crosshair.

Assembled flashlight

I checked - I have making a flying lantern it took about 4 minutes. Including photographing the process.

Launch!

By the way, it's freezing outside now. This means that the flashlight will fly perfectly, because the large difference in temperature inside the package and outside gives greater lifting force. However, I tested a similar flashlight at room temperature - and it flew quite well. True, I still don’t recommend running it in an apartment... it quickly stuck into my ceiling - it immediately flared up, it’s good that I kept a mug of water with me

Hmm... I think I got distracted. We take with us alcohol (you can use it in a syringe - it will be convenient to “refuel” our flashlights), a lighter, otherwise you’ll have a hard time with matches... and besides, for matches you need two hands, and we also have ours flying lantern hold. However, you can take helpers with you: friends, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren... wife (or husband). In general, I got distracted again.

Unfold the dome of the flashlight, moisten the cotton wool with alcohol (don’t overdo it... I didn’t really check, but it looks like half a cube should be enough). Trying not to melt the bag, set fire to the cotton wool and hold the flashlight until you feel something begin to tear upward. This will happen in a couple of seconds. You let go and admire how the flying lantern you made with your own hands rises higher and higher.

Safety precautions (repeat)

Since you are essentially launching an open flame source into flight, do not do this near buildings, power lines, gas stations and other flammable objects. If you are not sure that the flashlight will not set anything on fire, it is better to refuse launching.

The best thing is to fill a Chinese lantern with a small amount of fuel (alcohol) so that it flies for a short time. In this case, the most correct decision would be to monitor the flashlight until you are sure that the flame inside has gone out. In addition - there is also the issue of cleanliness and order - an extinguished flashlight after it falls is an unsightly piece of garbage. Therefore, after all, use less fuel so that it doesn’t fly far

Afterword

DIY flying flashlight in five minutes- this is quite real. Yes, it will not be as beautiful as the store-bought one. And probably smaller in size. But it will be made by your own hands.

This story about sky lanterns is more of a legend, but a very beautiful legend. In the 11th century, many monks lived in one of the Chinese villages. Their life was hard, they had to work most of the day in order not only to feed themselves, but also to maintain life in the village. Like most peasants, they were engaged in agriculture. Unfortunately, the local climate and soil did not allow growing a decent crop. In addition, the situation worsened every year; they received less and less rice.

Watching all their efforts go to waste, the villagers began to give up. The leader of the monks, respected Mr. Zhi Ling, realizing that this could not be left like this, tried in every possible way to raise the spirits of all the residents. To prevent the growth of lawlessness and theft, Zhi Ling, together with his monks, began to pray every evening. Along with prayer, torches were lit throughout the village. People believed that the flame from torches cleanses the soul, gives peace and gives strength. Soon, all the villagers, without noticing it, lost their worries, lost their stifling boredom and gained strength not only to work but also to live. Life in the village slowly began to improve, and rice harvests increased. The ritual with fire began to be carried out every week; this helped maintain the life of the village in a stable direction.

Observing the benefits the rituals bring, Zhi Ling decided to add a little symbolism and beauty to them. Having gathered the monks, Zhi proposes to build a small balloon out of rice paper. It was this moment that marked the beginning of the history of the Sky Lanterns. The lantern consisted of a bamboo frame covered with light rice paper. Having made several dozen balloons, the monks distributed them to residents. At the end of the week, the long-awaited ceremony took place. Residents split into pairs. One of the pair held a sky lantern, the second from below brought an open fire. The flame of the fire illuminated the flashlight with a soft light. Dozens of “fireflies” illuminated the entire village; it was a truly mesmerizing sight. As soon as the structures were filled with hot air, they took off for a few seconds, after which they returned to the hands of people. This went on again and again. Watching this action, Liin thought about how to attach the torch to the frame so that the flame of the fire would support and raise the flashlight constantly. The monks suggested stretching a thin wire onto the frame and fixing a small roll of paper, thoroughly soaked in wax, in the center. As a result, the monks got what they wanted. The Sky Lantern, illuminated with a beautiful light, soared into the skies, bestowing joy on all residents.

This ceremony developed into a custom that was performed at every paznik, be it a birthday, a wedding or a harvest festival. Each ceremony filled people with new strength, gave them joy, peace and confidence. The village prospered happily. Residents began to grow new crops: cotton, tea. The news of magical Sky Lanterns gradually spread throughout Asia.

During these times, the territory of modern China was dominated by the Mongols. In the famous village there lived one guy, Zhu Yuanjang, the son of an ordinary peasant. He really didn't like this situation. Having matured a little, the guy decided to organize an uprising and finally drive out the invaders from his land. Having taken a blessing from the village elder, Zhu began to prepare for a hike to find like-minded people. One of the monks approached him and gave him his horse along with a box of Sky Lanterns. Zhu thanked the monk and asked what the lanterns might be used for. To which the sage replied: “The spirit of every warrior grows stronger and loses anxiety when launching a Sky Lantern. In addition, they will be useful to you to give a silent signal.”

No one remembers how Zhu managed to gather a large army and lead it. But he still used flashlights, not as signaling tools, but to distract attention. In the decisive battle, Zhu and his warriors launched all the lanterns into the sky. The enemy, seeing hundreds of lights in the sky, decided that Loy Krathong (the festival of lights) had arrived, all the warriors were distracted, watching the action in fascination. At this point, Zhong's army struck, winning. Later, Zhu Yuanjang created his own Ming Empire, which he ruled fairly for a long time.

This story has long lost its roots and turned into a beautiful legend. But some Buddhist monks claim that this whole story is true...

How to make a sky lantern with your own hands

Many have seen sky lantern festivals on TV. This spectacle looks simply mesmerizing. Many people have wondered how they can make such a flashlight with their own hands and how difficult it will be. In fact, its design is very simple and easy to manufacture.

You will need:

• Cigarette paper;
• Thin wire;
• Glue;
• Fire retardant solution;
• Wax;
• Paper towel;
• Bamboo hoop;
• Cardboard;

To prevent the flashlight from catching fire when starting up due to high temperature, it is necessary to treat the paper with a fire retardant solution. Tissue paper is used for sky lanterns. We hang the sheets on a rope and use a spray bottle to saturate the paper. After the sheets are dry, cut a small piece of paper and try burning it. If the paper catches fire, it is necessary to re-treat the sheets with fire protection.

Based on this sketch, we make a template from cardboard, from which we will later cut out fragments of the lantern from tissue paper.

Fold a sheet of tissue paper in half, apply the pattern and cut it out (leave a little space, about 1 centimeter, for gluing the fragments). In total you need to cut out four fragments.

We glue all parts of the sky lantern, place a small weight on the gluing points and leave the workpiece to dry for 2-3 hours.

Let's do the hoop. You can buy ready-made bamboo or make it yourself from small sticks, gluing them together. You can also use thin, stiff wire.

The sky lantern burner is made from paper towel and thin cardboard. Melt the wax in a water bath. Be sure to use a water bath, and not just in a pan on the stove (the wax may flare up)!!! Cut thin cardboard into squares and soak them in wax. Cut a ribbon from the towel and soak it in wax as well.

After the paper has dried, fold it like an accordion and place soaked squares of cardboard inside. Then we make four holes in the center through which we thread a thin wire. Leave the ends of the wire long enough to be attached to the hoop. Having attached the burner to the center of the hoop, glue it to the prepared paper bag.

At this point, making a sky lantern (Chinese) with your own hands is completed and the time has come for testing.

How to launch a sky lantern correctly (video instructions)

Well, here’s what happened as a result of our work.

Now you know how to make sky lanterns with your own hands.

Festivals held annually in different countries of the world are a fascinating spectacle that absolutely everyone should take part in.

Based on materials from the site: blog.skylighter.com

A Chinese lantern (another name for “sky lantern”) is a light flying dome that smoothly floats upward under the influence of air heated by a burning candle. Sky lanterns were invented a long time ago - in 200-300 AD. e. and were used to instill fear in enemy troops. Nowadays, no one is afraid of them, but on the contrary, they have become a symbol of faith, hope and love. Every year, festivals with the mass launch of Chinese lanterns are increasingly organized.

We can make a sky lantern, and without much effort and expense. For this we need:

– 30 liter garbage bags (larger bags have thicker and heavier polyethylene);
– straws for cocktails;
- candles;
– tape (or glue).

First, we glue the dome of the flashlight from two or three bags (in winter, on a frosty day, one bag will fly, but in summer, at least two are required). To connect two packages, cut one of them along the solder line and insert one into the other. After this, seal the seam with tape.

Then we assemble a cross from the straws, connecting them with tape. We wrap adhesive tape to a minimum, because the structure must be light so that it can take off.

Then we attach candles to this cross using tape or glue:

We insert the resulting structure into the bag and secure the ends of the cross with tape:

That's all, the sky lantern is assembled, all that remains is to launch it. We call an assistant to us (this task cannot be handled alone). An assistant lifts and carefully straightens the dome of the lantern, making sure that the candles are as far away from the walls of the dome as possible (otherwise they will quickly melt). And we light the candles.

The flashlight does not take off right away, so we wait until the air under the flashlight’s dome warms up enough. To make this happen faster, place the flashlight on the table. We sit and wait for a miracle.

And this miracle happens! The flashlight does not want to take off for a long time, but when the candles burn down to half (lose half their weight), it rises above the table.

And smoothly soars to the ceiling.

The crosspiece and burner of the flashlight can be made differently. We take two pieces of thin aluminum wire (0.5 mm) approximately 40 cm each and twist them around a “tablet” candle jar. At the ends of the resulting cross we make clamps for the dome.

The candle jar is a flashlight burner. Pieces of dry fuel tablets are ignited in it.