Wooden Block Lamp : 9 Steps

I had some decorative light bulbs, that lost there effect when used with a lamp shade. So I wanted to make a wooden block lamp without a shade so I could see the bulb.

Step 1: Find Your Wood Materials

I did not have any thick wood in my shed so I used some off cuts from previous jobs and glued them all together to get a nice thick block.

Step 2: Cut in Some Grooves

I used a table saw to cut the block to the size I wanted. I was not very happy with just a plain block so tried to jazz it up. I divided out the block and made some shallow cuts with the table saw to give the block a better look. I did this on the 4 sides but not the top or bottom.

Step 3: Router the Corners Off

I used a router to remove all the square edges for cosmetic reasons and using an orbital sander I sanded the block using 180 grit sandpaper. I had to use some filler where the table saw blew out the wood, which was hardly noticeable once filled.

Step 4: Make a Hole for the Fittings

I found the center of my block where I wanted to insert the fittings. I did not have a spade bit big enough to cut out the hole. I used a hole saw first to get down as far as I wanted it to be.

Step 5: Remove Wood From Hole

Then a spade bit to remove the bulk of the wood and used a hammer and chisel to remove the rest.

Step 6: Make a Hole for the Cable

I drilled I hole through the block for the cable to fit through and chiselled out a groove for the cable to pass out the bottom and then to the side.

Step 7: Stain and Varnish

Once the block was all sanded and routered I stained the block using Cedar stain and gave it 2 coats of gloss varnish.

Step 8: Final Product

Not having a clue about electrics, I ask my electrician husband to wire it all up for me. My fittings were just wedged in the hole and secured with epoxy glue.

And TA-DA all done. A bit plain to look at during the day but totally awesome in the dark.