How to make Cheap and Easy LARP Lanterns! 

The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1-month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/skilltree03231

I swear your channel has become an addiction

"Add some gears and squint a little bit" is the most accurate description of steampunk I've ever heard.

Adding little spots of green/turquoise paint on the edges would give it a cool verdigris effect. Curiously, I've been working on my own LARP lights recently, I'll definitely be using some inspiration from this video.

for further research, that distortion layer uses fresnel lensing, you can get plastic sheets of the stuff cheap and would probably work really well in the halloween lantern.

I’ve been toying with the idea of an LED version torch. This is a great way to start! You guys come up the greatest props!

My favorite mocktail is half and half ginger beer and Apple cider over ice with a squeeze of lemon juice. Be simple enough to use hard cider instead if you wanted it alcoholic.

Would be cool to see a magic themed light to explain why it's so bright and can be instantly lit.

Who else loved the Halloween lanterns ? Those cats were adorable

Ooh I’m excited for this one! I actually made one out of a lantern that I found at a yardsale with a solar light.

Super fun video. I love taking cheap finds from places like the dollar store and figuring out how to make them way cooler!

How have 80% of viewers resisted subscribing to your channel?! I found you a year or so ago and binged every episode!

For cleaning that white paint use either acetone, rubbing alcohol or mineral oil

At 2:59 with the handles removed that's no longer a lantern at all; it's a freakin' Dalek toy from Dr. Who. I see that an all I hear is "EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

I can't grasp how anyone can watch your videos and not subscribe. I just love the spirit of looking at a finished product as parts. Public thank you to those who can afford to support you via Patreon so us poors can freeload on their generosity.

I've done a few of these with harbor freight lanterns for fallout and star wars cosplays. It might not work with those lanterns since they plastic defracts for the "flame" but for the cheaper lanterns I like to sand the inside of the plastic lens to diffuse the light. If I need a specific color light I'll paint the inside with an translucent acrylic paint and it works great.

Did you know that a lot of historical lanterns used thin slices of horn instead of glass? Horn was used for almost everything that we use plastic for today including spoons, cups and anything that needed to be translucent yet tough.

After you hit your project with the base metal color, you wanna dry brush a lighter metal over that to give it more depth. Aside from that I'd say they look perfect.

Okay these I am one THOUSAND percent making, with help from the kids. I have some dollar tree solar lanterns I may strip for the panels and batteries, and make something like this that's solar rechargeable. We are actually about halfway done with our Ruana cloaks for Ren Faire this year, using instruction from yourself and Living Anachronism. Going great so far, just got to remember how to use my sewing machine, or mentally prepare myself to hand-stitch them all. I was thinking of embroidering a symbol, maybe even initial as well, into them before we waterproof them with the wax. I have also saved the circles cut out of the neckline and am going to experiment with making them into small pockets for the inside, or save to repair tears as patching.

Ooo, looking forward to this one! There are so many lanterns on the market that look fine, but a medieval fantasy one is what I've been looking for!

And another I plan to use as inspiration. Your videos are awesome.

Loving the new Plastic skill recently! Living in a college apartment I can't work on much, so this is super accessible with the super minimal tools I have! Love the work Cl3ver, Skill Monkey till the day I die!

Maybe you should do a short for the drinks you have during the videos

These look freaking awesome!! I want a bunch to hang around my patio and place around my house.

You’re fire wand is One of the best inventions I have ever seen in my entire life i’ve learnt how to use the fire stuff and I’m going to make one for my own

I modded the crap out of those collapsing lanterns when the first came out. Kyber crystal containers, spooky swamp lanterns, red klaxon beacons. Sky’s the limit.

If you copy this make sure you get Paintable caulking, and if you don't have a belt sander Flush Cut Pliers are pretty cheep go through little plastic bits like butter.

Embellishments idea: after my first larp I decided I really wanted a hooded lantern so I could see what was ahead of me without blinding myself with my own lantern. Love the video and I'll definitely be trying this out!

Just finished making a rawhide lantern and now this is on my fyp :)

Always love what you come up with Kit

This channel is bad for my bank account. But, good for my heart

I have a little self made cocktail at hand, that would fit this channel. It's a riff on the Revolver. Flintlock (by OJ - 2023) 1,5 oz dark rum (Kraken Rum) 0,5 oz overproof rum (Stroh Rum 80%) 1 oz cofee liqour (Mr. Black or Kahlua if you want it sweeter) Pour in low ball on one big ice cube and stir till cold. Add a small dash of all spice on top (this is your gunpowder)

One really cool screen is the outside portion of an old broken laptop screen. It distorts light when rounded and makes things look magical.

I really love watching your videos and just how excited you get from figuring out a solution to your problems. You could have used 100% acetone to remove the coating on the glass if you soaked them for a few minutes.

Literally exactly what I needed right now! Thanks!

Adding color gel light inserts would look cool layered with the distorted filter

Great build, but a couple tips. To replace the glass, a great up cycle is to use the flat portion of a clear clamshell pastry box like you get from the grocery store. They are usually pretty inconsistent in thickness and even have tiney bubbles like old glass did. Another tip is to just take the electric base and diffuser from the camp lantern and put it in the Halloween lanterns.

Another bonus of using the same parts for different lanterns is you get something of a cohesive look, like they come from the same smith or culture.

For lantern embellishments I would definitely use some leather to act as an insulater to keep you from being burned from the flame's heat. Also, thicken the vertical glass supports by gluing rods to the "glass". Paint them as desired for effect.

I love your channel so much ❤ It reminds me of old-school Indy mogul which had prop builds shown in a very approachable way. Please continue crafting and bring us along for the ride😊

If you have to remove paint from glass again, try goo gone, then wipe clean with an alcohol base.

You should make a new one with the Halloween body and the other lamp’s electronics and light effects.

Another detail i would add is on the inside of the glass panels i would paint the back of it black around the sides and top. That'll give it a used look, like the soot from the candle has built up around the edges of the glass

This drink may not be in your line but we call it a Kuenzle (Pronounced Kinzlee): Glass of iced tea (unsweet), Add apple juice (I used cider and it was better) until you are worried that you won't have enough room, Then add 1-2 ounces of whiskey (bourbon and rum are acceptable). If you did it right it should be full to the brim (slurp the first sip while it is on the table) and delicious. One of my buddies invented this drink and we used to drink it on poker nights. Love the channel!

A 2 for 1 craft?? That's even better. They are SO cute!!

I haven't even watched it yet but exited, thank you for your amazing content!

I'll rewatch videos, not just to remember how to do something, but purely for entertainment. Video's content and quality continue to get better. Keep up the great work!

One of my favorite drinks I made 1 monster or energy drink of your choice Hard liquor I slow boil the monster to reduce it down then turn them into ice cubes to drop in my favorite hard liquor to sip on it helps reduce watering down your drink Given the monster energy drink the name of the drink is "The Bestiary" a drink of refined monsters.

13:40 you could achieve the frosted glass effect with a little sandpaper, or you if you're going to paint it and there's no real flame you could use that flat clear plastic from packaging or really and sheet plastic.

That would be so perfect for this plague doctor vibe I wanna do where I walk with a staff with a lantern hanging off the edge of it. This would be just the prop needed for that!

5.5k more subs lets go!! Getting so close man you deserve 1m at least in my opinion

With rhe copper color, you ought to add a blue-green patina.

OMG thank you for this! I've been looking for smth like this for some lanterns for a while, I'm totally gonna gut those and stick the LEDs and cylinder into a better lantern case with hazy glass to hide the insides!

I wonder if you could use opaque or transparent holiday Easter wrap plastics. Cut them into tiny panels and glue them to the lamp in order to create a stained glass look. Or in general it would be awesome to have a telescoping lantern like the one you have here plus cathedral glass appearance. Additional thought what if the stained glass appearance had holy symbols. That way clerics could use them to drive away the undead. Maybe if the dice are in their favor. Excuse me I have an item I have to go create. lol

I'm excited to watch this video. Beautiful piece of work. 😊😊

80% is a fantastic ratio. Most successful channels are happy with 15-20% subscriber ratio.

My friends and I are going to the PA Ren Faire this October. I think I'm going to do this for our group to find each other easier after the sun goes down.

The inner light core would look good as the top of a healers staff, use clear or colored resin to look like a gem shard.

i will surely do this for my little tent

I bet you could add little beads, charms. embroidered ribbons. or teeny potions vials with glow in the dark beads or liquid to make it more fantastical! also, if you were going for a more dystopian or dark elf/techno vibe, you could add glow in the dark runes or gaffers tape to the outside - that way, if you're returning to a campsite after dark, you will be able to find it super easily!!

I'm amazed how often your videos seem to be relevant to the project I'm working on at the time they come out.

Cl3v3r, I love, love, love this project! I just found your channel TODAY, when I was looking for how to make a quick and easy book press. I have been binge watching in my workshop for about four hours now and I. Am. HOOKED!!! I love everything about your channel! You are so enthusiastic about what you do, just like I am, and while I do not yet LARP, my husband and I finally got our group hooked on D&D during the shutdowns when we were finally able to go camping, and now have this whole camping D&D extravaganza going. While we do play once a month in my home, we also do dress up as our own characters on these camping trips (8 per year since 2020), so your content is right up my alley. These lanterns will be perfect for our next camping trip! Heck, I may even try the Harbor Freight camping tent (I am an avid seamstress and I can already see me making that tent. I am also going to make the hemp/linen bikini for sure). Anyway, I am so happy I found your channel! It has taken me away from my work today, but totally worth it! And, by the way, I think it's dope that you're having a cocktail(s) while you do your videos. 😂😂

I have one of those little pull out lanterns! A good few passes of paint on the body and some glued on moss and flowers help a LOT if you can’t afford or justify big mods just yet!

Awesome as always. Just an FYI, I found the background music was up a bit too loud and I had a hard time hearing what you were saying.

My LARP group was just talking about this!

Been watching alot and I've seen a large amount of sweet larp gear at this point. I'm surprised you haven't made a small cart to drag it all to camp easier. The larp tarp tent, folding vanity, and the kitchen chest are on the bulkier side. Save yourself a trip from car to camp and build you a collapsing cart. Heck go further and have it shift to a mobile repair station for any adventuring mishaps.

Frosted glass is more than good, it's greaaaat!! Another great video (I just couldn't resist the pun).

For a cheaper frosted glass effect, turns out that half wood lue and half water does wonders. 😉

similar to this vein of modern convenience dressed up to be medieval, I made a handheld battery operated torch. using one of the garage lightbulb things, a flickering fire LED lightbulb, and wired the plug it came with to take a USB power source, and fit a rechargeable battery in the handle. BAM, a flickering flame torch you can carry without being dangerous

Those lanterns look awesome! I placed my order and look forward to deploying them in the not so distant future. Great video, keep em coming! :)

I wouldnt call it a signature drink but, one of my favorites is a shot of Southern Comfort and a shot of Captain Morgan in a pint glass topped with a dark soda of your choice, usually I use root beer which gives it its name, "Boot Rear." Super sweet and SO GOOD!!

Perfect for enjoy a nice mulled wine or mead under.

Thanks!

Love the lanterns.

Long time lurker here. I've actually shared your banner video with my wife because she watched Lord of the Rings recently and she wanted a flag like the Riders of Gondor. Honestly, I appreciate your ingenuity with the idea of "form with function". I'm also a home-bar newbie mixologist but I love cocktails. Since your show revolves around leveling up skills (which requires obtaining experience) Why not make a drink that looks like an XP Potion/Skill Potion/ Potion of Learning w/e. I took a look at a bunch of other recipes that have a green color to them and one that seemed to stand out was one called Tokyo Tea. I made it and while I wasn't a fan of the honeydew/cantaloupe taste, it was rather refreshing! Perfect for going into the summer or you need a little break after working away in your workshop, forge, what have you.

I would have went with a push button to turn it off and on and just put the guts of in the Halloween lanterns. Replaced the Halloween deco "glass" pains with acrylic panels and looked into getting some of the opaque stuff to line the acrylic panels with so you can still have the flickering look or just used the tube from the pop-up part and glued it into place and just got a frosted acrylic sheet and cut out the panels out of that so you can't see the cylinder in the center and still have the ability to use the flicker function. But as for how you are doing it I would have used a bronze or brass rub 'n' buff instead of an acrylic paint. It looks much better on a black background and gives you that natural patina look without a bunch more steps. And a little rub 'n' buff goes a long way.

this is so amazing I really needed this video since I'm makining a kit for my LARP character, smuggler

With the idea of a “skill tree themed drink,” I’m not sure if it should be something complicated, or something that looks complicated to make but is in truth, really simple. Like a good margarita. Super simple to make, like 4 ingredients shaken up, and yet it’s a “difficult” drink to some.

I did something very similar to this with some Halloween lanterns that I picked up for a couple of dollars each at Target last year. They were made of metal and already the right shape and color (a matte black that makes them look kind of like wrought iron). I just needed to pop out the decorative, translucent plastic panels and replaced them with some frosted plexiglass I had laying around from some other project. They already had a decent led candle built in, though I may replace it at some point if I decide I want a brighter light.

If you ever want to remove paint a small amount of acetone on a rag is generally the best way, be careful though as it will melt plastic. You an also calm down bright lanterns with a layer of masking tape and a green/brown watery paint wash.

What about a green-blue wash fir aging the copper?

Really nice

You asked for cocktails, I don't know if these'll suit the channel but here's a few of my preferences. Creamy Nut; 1oz each of amaretto, creme caramel, creme du cacao and whisky then make up with milk. Old Spice; 2oz whisky, 1 each of lemon lime and bitters cordial and ginger cordial then make up with sparkling water. Citrus Splash; 1oz each of gin, triple sec and blue curacao then make up with lemon mineral water.

I´ll be at the Conquest for the very first time this year, can´t wait for it! Your videos really helped me through some trouble I recently had, and I just wanted to say Thank You.

Always awesome stuff!

Lamps ordered and on their way to me... Thank you for the idea~!

Holy crap! I need to make these for my D&D sessions.

Can’t wait for you to reach 100k!!

I LOVE THIS! I looked up the lanterns in Canada... They are 3x the price...

Lol I love your enthusiasm dude!

Man, your content is amazing!

We gotta make this channel famous. We can all say we were here from the beginning.

Hey Skill Tree guy. Just subscribed. Love love love your projects. YT's algorithm works perfectly for me. I don't LARP, but have many friends who do. I do go festival camping (e.g. FaerieWorlds). Bottom line, I just like to make cool stuff. These lanterns are sweet! (as in ultra cool) Speaking of which, you really love a sugary cocktail, don't you. Looking forward to consuming your sweet sweet videos. Thanks for making so many already. It will keep me busy for a while.

Okay, I am making so many of these before Gulf Wars next year. I will have them all around my tent and use one for walking about at night. I'm thinking of using the hammered metal look spray paint, and maybe using my Cricut to cut vinyl patterns to go on the "glass" insert. Of course, this means I'll need to purchase a period canvas tent, but oh, well.

Great Project! and you get 2 for the price of 1! Keep levelling up!

Small googly eyes make great rivets when painted

Tig filler rod between the lens and the refuser would fix your marker bars.

this video was very ... ... ... wait for it... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... illuminating.

Amazing job as always!

I could totally see these being popular with the ttrpg crowd. It’s usually pretty hard for people to get into a game because it’s a bunch of your friends looking normal in someone’s living room or dining room, and the fluorescent lights don’t do much for it. I saw a few channels that made fantasy themed walls out of xps foam. I could imagine combining that with some of these flicker lanterns could really take a game from funny night with friends to a really memorable experience.