DIY Network

Bent-Laminate Lamp: Finishing Touches From "Wood Works" episode WWK-512

The laminated legs and center-post of this lamp are blended together seamlessly to give the appearance that the curved lamp was carved from a single piece of wood.

In the final steps in the creation of the koa-wood lamp, the joined areas of the legs and center post are hand-shaped to make it appear as if the structure came from a single piece of wood. After that, the electrical wiring and fixtures are added and a wood finish is applied.

Materials:

Band saw
Micro-plane
Pattern-maker's rasp
Flexible sanding strip
Sanding tape
Tung-oil wood finish
Paint brushes
Rags

Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when
working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc.

Safety Alert: Always wear protective gloves, and ensure adequate ventilation, when working with wood stains, solvents and other toxic solutions.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

Finishing Touches

• Once the glue in the assembly has dried, the areas where the legs join the center-post are shaped by hand. Begin by trimming away the excess wood at the band saw.

• Use a micro-plane to begin hand-sculpting the area where the legs and post meet. This is the most artistic portion of this project, and it may take a full day to finesse the pieces to the desired shape.

• Follow up with a pattern-maker's rasp (figure A), then a flexible sanding strip.

• Finally, use a strip of cloth-backed 100-grit sandpaper to smooth and blend the curves (figure B).

  Safety Alert: When you're ready to wire your lamp, go to a hardware or lighting store and ask for assistance to ensure that you get materials that are UL-approved.

• Once you've carefully wired the socket, switch and plug (figure C), you can add a bulb and test the lamp.

• For a finish, we opted to use tung-oil to accentuate the deep cinnamon-brown colors of the koa-wood (figure D).

Check the selection at a lighting store, catalog or website to find a lamp-shade that suits your taste. The one we selected is made from alabaster.

RESOURCES :

Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456

David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com

Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com