Shopsmith Forums

So here is the real one that you can buy.
Now if one were to make one of these it seems pretty strait forward. All the parts except for the wood base you can buy. So guess what I get to do? I get to make the base, were you right with your guess?

Need less to say I have only this picture to go on and since it is my nature to over think things I thought perhaps some discussion here might make for some clarity, muddy the waters even more.

As you can see the base on the store model could be made by a simple turning. Keep in mind that the electrical will go through the base and out the side. This means some counter bore on the bottom of the base for access.
It was suggested that the wood be 1-1/4" thick and about 8" round. The dome is in the range of 5-1/2" x 10". I haven't seen the dome but I will measure it when I do for actual diameter before turning.

I've come up with 3 ideas of how I might want to do this.

The first is like the picture.
The issue I see with this method is that the recess will be limited to how deep it can be due to the hole that needs to be in the bottom for the wires. It must be able to be done as that is what we see in the picture.

Second would be the compliment. I sort of like this as the glass of the dome is more prominent.
The other idea that I like is this.
So now it your turn, what ideas might you have in addition to these 3? Do you like one of these better then the others and why?

Now is the over thinking part. The glass dome will be pretty stable but the wood will move. It will move like wood does and what I would not like to see happen is for the wood movement to damage the dome as that is the expensive part of the project ($25+). Now I can make the fit pretty loose, that wouldn't provide much support for the dome but maybe that is OK? Any other ideas on this subject?

BTW the bulb will be a LED so we are talking like 8 watts of heat load.....

Ed

I think the recess as shown in the pix is preferable, but with a 'twist'.(Jehosaphat, are those staples?)

The twist being a combination of the recess and the 'groove', but the groove being very wide. The groove OD should provide for wood movement(plenty of clearance). Not so wide however so that it's diameter(ID) is larger than the recess underneath. That recess underneath need not be very large anyway.

As for the wire 'exiting', either a hole or a trough will do. A hole at the periphery to a trough inside would look nicer and be easier than a through hole.


Inline switch?

I think JPG has it correct. You could glue two 3/4 pieces of stock together and cut it almost round on the band saw and true it up on the lathe. The bottom has to be deep enough to clear the threaded rod from the bulb base as well as the wire going through the edge.
I would not cut the groove for the dome without having the dome in hand. They will vary slightly in size. The groove can be cut on the lathe using a SHARP parting tool.
The bottom recess as JPG stated does not have to be very large in diameter but does have to be deep enough to contain the stud and the wire.
Glass domes can be obtained from places that supply chemistry labs with vacuum vessels.

If you're worried about wood expansion version dome stability, you could build it with enough slop to allow for expansion and use some of those rubber balls that door makers use to keep panels from moving around to take up the space and keep it from moving around too easily. You'll still be able to remove the dome for bulb replacement when necessary.

Inline switch is what I think was planed. I have some of the hardware here but the switch is while while the cord is brown... maybe that is is it will be easier to find?

I think the dome came from Hobby Lobby as of yet I have not seen it but yes I will wait until I have it in hand before I do any cutting.

The groove might be best done with a router, I have done this sort of thing before for other projects and it is easier then attempting to turn it and keep the groove clean.

Yes I have the carter circle cutting guide for my shopsmith bandsaw so I can get it pretty close then turn to the correct size. I think a very simple radius on the outside edge will work, want the lamp to be the main focus and the wood to just sort of playing a supporting role.

This is the hardware so far:
Ed

I make all the wood bases, for custom lamps, for our local lamp shop. I never cut or rout a groove in the base for the wire. Whether the base is round or rectangular, I always drill a 1/4" hole through the sidewall and into the bottom counterbore. I have drilled this hole in bases as big as 18" diameter. It is much neater looking than a groove.

Check out my friends page for some ideas on some great lamps. The bases in the final lamps are cast resin but he makes the originals in wood.
http://www.jwkinseysartifice.com/jwkins ... tures.html

My opinion the bottom pic the one with the groove to hold the glass is best.
If it were me I would cut the disk out on my bandsaw. Rout the groove with my router and bull nose the out side of the disk. Then rout a recess in the bottom and using a drill under the apex of the bull nose drill a hole for the cord. A nice finish and I think the whole thing would highlight the bulb the object of the whole project.

Thanks all!

We did make some progress on this project. It looks like we will make 3 of these and perhaps one smaller version with smaller conventional Edison style bulb.

I think I'm sold on the hole in the base for the cord. I was leaning that way anyway. This should be really simple with a shopsmith, right?

The hole in the bottom for the wires I think will be done with a 2" drill bit, that looks like it will be a fine size. I think they want to put a piece of felt on the bottom which can cover the hole but be cut out if the cord needs replacing or something comes loose.

After mocking up a few ideas a wife factor will be added. I'm going to turn the base after cutting it round with the bandsaw. then the electrical bits will be added and a dome set over the bulb so it can be examined before committing to final diameter and thickness and dome mounting.

I hope to get started today after I get a bunch of other stuff done. Cool weather is setting in with a projected high of 50 degrees and possible frost tonight. I still have a few outdoor projects that I need to finish before it changes from cool weather to winter.

Ed

The bulb in action.
Ed