Vinyl Lamp: Specifications and Constraints

My main project will consist of making a retro futuristic tableside lamp by upcycling old vinyl records. I have a record player and vinyl collection in my living room in a dark corner and I want to bring some light to the corner in a way that would blend into my collection. I will be drilling holes into the vinyl and connecting them using threaded rods and nuts. I will be using a color changing bulb so I can pick a color when I use the lamp that will fit the vibe I am trying to create. 

As the project progresses I hope to meet the specification goals listed below. I also anticipate running into some constraints. By planning ahead I hope to avoid these but below you will see what I see myself running into and how I plan to avoid them creating any major roadblocks.

Top 5 Specifications

1. Look professional – I want my project to look professionally done and like something I purchased off of Esty. I do not have much experience making a lamp like this but I’m hoping with precision and pre planning I will be successful.
2. Be Original – In my previous posts you can see I take inspiration from existing lamps to create this project. Even though that is the case I still want my project to be original and unique. I hope to accomplish this by using a different light source than the existing projects and using a different lamp base.
3. Show the original record song cover stickers – I hope to still have the original song labels visible in the lamp by not hollowing out the centers too much. This may not be possible for the vinyls in the center of the lamp shade due to the size of the bulb but for the top and bottom vinyls they will be able to stay.
4. Functional Lighting level – I would like the lamp to be bright enough to light up the area but not too bright that it stands out too much.
5. Aesthetically matches the area – I want the lamp to fit into the retro futurism aesthetic and fit in my record collection area nicely.

Top 5 Constraints:

1. Time – As with any project time management will be crucial. Since I want everything to look professional it will take time to complete the project. By following my timeline however everything should be fine. I even left myself a little bit of a buffer since things will get busy as they do towards the end of any semester.
2. Tools – I do not own a drill or the bits needed to complete this project. I plan to take advantage of the ITL and university resources to complete the drilling process.
3. Limited resources – I have enough vinyls for the lamp shade but not more. Because of this I need to drill the holes in the correct place and without breaking any first try. I plan to sketch everything out to prevent incorrect hole locations and after speaking with pod members who used vinyls in their upcycle projects I have some tips to prevent the vinyls from breaking when I drill the holes.
4. Skills – I have never made anything like this before so I anticipate running into some issues I could not foresee and learning new skills. Artistically I have limited experience as well so if I end up painting anything I think it will take some effort.
5. Electrical wiring – I have some experience soldering and wiring things up but not much. I think the wiring will be simple but I need to be careful and precise so the lamp will work as anticipated.

Overall I am excited to see how things turn out. So far things are progressing nicely and although I face some challenges I do not think it will be anything I cannot overcome.