New to the creek & question

[Marcus Wood]

I have been reading and looking around for awhile now. I have learned alot from this forum. I have a few questions about making table lamps. Do any of you make them? If so where do you buy the parts? Can I use green wood or should it be dry? My wife is wanting me to make some for her and also for christmas presents. Any help would be appreciated

[Steve Schlumpf]

Marcus - Welcome to the Creek!

I've made a few lamps out of White Birch and they turned out really nice. You don't list where you are located - so suggesting a place for parts may or may not work in your area. I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and we have a local home improvement store called Menards - bought everything I needed from them. Go in the electrical/lamp department and they have packaged kits for the do-it-yourselfers.

You have to think about the wood you are going to use. Green wood with move - warp and crack as it dries. Dry wood won't but you have to glue up what you need or have a source of dry blanks.

Best of luck with your project! Looking forward to seeing the finished lamps!

[Roger Wilson]

... I have a few questions about making table lamps. Do any of you make them? ...

Here's a link to a pdf from a guy who makes lamps. They are glued up and very nicely done. Pics along the way would be interesting.

http://www.lampmaker.net/turning-info/making-lamps.pdf


http://www.lampmaker.net/table/rb&w1.jpg

[Skip Spaulding]

Marcus, welcome. I have turned 4 lamps, all from dry wood, picked up my parts at local big box store. I found by laminating (maple&walnut) I could incorporate a channel and not have to drill. The grain in solid wood will many times caust a bit to wander. I tried several different style bits but still managed to exit the side of one lamp! Good Luck!

[David Walser]

Here is a picture of a lamp base I turned from poplar. (My wife made the lamp shade, but we don't care about that since she didn't even use a lathe!) After turning, the poplar was ebonized. The link takes you to the original thread that has more details and more pictures (including a picture showing all the lamp parts before assembly).

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=90798

[alex carey]

how did she make the lamp shade??? thats totally cool.

[David Walser]

how did she make the lamp shade??? thats totally cool.

Yes, it is totally cool. She used standard copper foil stained glass techniques to make the shade. She took a class a few years ago and our house is slowly being filled up with items made from stained glass -- so much so that there might not be room for my turnings!

[Mike Svoma]

Welcome to the Creek.

I make all of my lamps out of dry wood. Usually laminations. Here are a couple of mine.

Mike