A semi-retired Boothbay Harbor man had the proverbial “light bulb” go off in his head two winters ago when contemplating how to keep himself busy.

Duane Pinkham, 68, had just finished closing up the cottages he looks after for the season. He suddenly realized there was nothing for him to do until he reopened the cottages next spring.

And then he had his epiphany: “I’m going to make lamps out of bottles,” he remembers thinking.

Pinkham worked as a lobsterman and carpenter prior to becoming a cottage property caretaker. He has always been bit of a handyman. He has had a workshop for years at his home. Pinkham knew his experience as wood craftsman would make assembling lamps rather easy.

What Pinkham didn’t know was whether he was embarking on a hobby or business venture. In his first year, he sold an estimated 100 lamps. Most of his lamps feature an iconic wine, alcohol, beer or soda bottle. These lamps sell for about $25. The more elaborate designs, with a lamp shade, sell for around $50.

Pinkham told his wife, Mary, that he was determined to stay busy that winter making lamps. However, Pinkham wasn’t sure his enterprise would have a market. He conveyed his doubts to her about his undertaking.

“I told Mary if they didn’t sell not to worry because we’d never have to buy another Christmas present ever again,” he said.

It didn’t take Pinkham long to find potential buyers. Upon his wife’s advice, he joined the Boothbay Region Crafters last spring. The group assembles at the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library each Tuesday and Saturday. Pinkham, along with other crafters, have an enthusiastic group of buyers looking for unique items.

“My wife is the children’s librarian and she told me about the group,” Pinkham said. “It has been a great experience being involved with other crafters.”

Pinkham said Boothbay Region Crafters donated $3,000 to the library last year. On Memorial Day weekend, Pinkham and the other crafters had continued success in selling their items.

“We’re already off to a good start,” he said. “We did better this Memorial Day weekend than last year,” he said.

Pinkham believes his enterprise is successful due to the attractive nature of the bottles. He described the bottles as being works of arts. One lamp is made out of a Jim Beam whiskey bottle and is designed to look like a wood duck.

“The marketing done by beverage companies results in some amazing looking bottles. The wood duck’s body is the bottle and you take off its head to pour the whiskey,” Pinkham said.

In creating his lamps, Pinkham’s biggest challenge is drilling holes into the glass bottles. He uses a $30 diamond drill bit to make holes in the bottles.

“It’s not like drilling wood. You drill underwater to keep the bottle and drill bit cool. That is the hardest part. And after that, the rest is simple,” Pinkham said.

Pinkham has two sources for locating unique looking bottles. A friend gave him a special edition Jim Beam whiskey bottle from either the 1950s or 1960s. The Boothbay Bottle Redemption Center saves unique looking bottles for him. Pinkham also credits a local hardware store for electrical supplies.

“Merritt Grover at Grover’s Hardware has been very helpful. He finds the right socket or plug for me and at a good price,” Pinkham said.

Several of Pinkham’s lamps are designed in a nautical motif. Pinkham uses driftwood for a base for these lamp designs.