Introduction: Desk Lamp

If you spend a lot of hours behind your desk in the evenings, than good lighting is crucial. Make yourself this ecological and economical efficient desk lamp.

The total cost of the 10w led lamp plus dimmer plus power supply =26 dollar. All the other parts were laying around in my garage.

Step 1: Materials and Tools

Materials:

  • Four bolts M3
  • Four bolts M6
  • Four screws
  • Wooden board approximately 9 cm x 324 cm
  • Four dowels
  • Heat sink
  • Aluminum disk 20 mm
  • Led dimmer (Velleman MK 187)
  • 10w high power led
  • 12v, 1 amp power supply 
  • Thermal paste
  • Electric wires

Tools:

  • Wood glue
  • Wood wax
  • Jig saw
  • Screw driver
  • Sand paper
  • Wood clamps
  • Drill
  • Drill bit2,5 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm,10 mm, 32 mm
  • Router
  • Router bit 12 mm
  • Solder
  • Solder iron

Step 2: Sawing and Gluing

I got my scrap wood from the dumpster of a parquet company. No worries, I asked permission to do so, most people come here to collect the wood for their wood stove.

All the wood pieces have different sizes. For this project the wooden pieces have to be 9 cm wide.

I don't have a table saw, so I used my jig saw to saw the excess wood off. 

Glue the wooden pieces together 2 layers thick until you have a length of 108 cm.

Glue one layer of wooden pieces together until you have a length of 108 cm.

Saw these long pieces in to three lengths: 65 cm, 23 cm and20 cm.

Step 3: Routing, Gluing and Drilling

Route a slot in every double layered piece.

On the double layered 23 cm piece draw a 8 cm by 4 cm rectangleto fit the led dimmer. Use a jig saw to saw the rectangle out.In the single layered piece drill a 6 mm hole for the led dimmers potentiometer. Glue these two pieces together.

On the double layered 20 cm piece draw a 6 cm by 9 cm rectangle (the size depends on your heat sink). Saw the rectangle out with a jig saw. Glue the double layered 20 cm piece onto the single layered 20 cm piece. Draw a cross in the rectangle and make a mark 1 cm from each corner. Drill a 6 mm hole in each mark and drill a 32 mm hole in the middle of the cross.

Measure 3 cm from one end of the 65 cm double layered piece and drill a 6 mm hole.

Glue the 65 cm single layered piece onto the 65 cm double layered piece. Saw a 45 degree corner off the 65 cm piece on the opposite end of the previous drilled hole.

Step 4: More Drilling and Gluing

Take the 23 cm piece. On top of this piece make a mark 2 cm from each side. Drill a 10 mm hole 1 cm deep on these marks. Glue the dowels in it.

Do the same for the 20 cm piece.

Measure 24.45 cm from the straight cut end of the 65 cm piece and make a mark 2 cm from each side and one in the middle. Drill a 10 mm hole 1 cm deep on these three marks.

Step 5: Gluing Plus Wiring

Put the electric wires in place: one will lead to the power supply, the other will lead to the led.

Glue the 23 cm piece and the 20 cm pieceto the 65 cm piece. Use wood clamps to hold it alltogether while the wood glue dries.

Step 6: Aluminum Work

Draw a cross on the heat sink which connects the corners and mark 1 cm from each corner. Drill a 5 mm hole on each mark.

Draw a 1,5 cm by 1,5 cm square in the middle of the heat sink. Drill a 2,5 mm hole in each corner of the square.

Drill a 5 mm hole in the middle of the aluminum disk. Screw a 1,5 cm piece of screw-thread in the hole. Sand the disk until it is smooth.

Step 7: Electronics Plus Installation

Use the M3 bolts to bolt the led to the heat sink and put thermal paste in between for maximum heat transfer from led to heat sink.

Solder the wires on top of the lamp to the led. Use M6 bolts to bolt the heat sink to the wood.

Connect the cables from the power supply and from the led to the led dimmer (check polarity). Screw the led dimmer in to place.

Screw the aluminum disk on top of the led dimmers potentiometer.

As finishing you can apply wood wax.

Step 8: Enjoy.

Enjoy reading under the light of your desk lamp.