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How to make Log Lamps

video How to make Log Lamps

Scott shows how to build two awesome lamps using burl aspen!

13 comments

Jun 18, 2011. 7:19 PM

C. Wheeler says:

What kind of oil are you using? Thes are too COOL!

Jun 19, 2011. 5:08 PMSan Juan Carpentry (author) says:

Danish Oil. You can get it at any hardware store. It's poison-free and brings out the true colors of the wood. The only down side is that you have to re-oil your piece every few years or so depending on how dry your climate is. Thanks for the comment!

Dec 5, 2011. 9:11 AMrusticone says:

I really enjoyed the video, plan on making my first lamp this week. Good job!
What did you do with that hole that you sanded inside a little, did you do anything to the edges of it, video kinda went fast in dealing with that part?
thanks!

Dec 8, 2011. 5:55 AMrusticone says:

I was talking about the hole (bad spot in the log), I noticed you sanded the very inside of that spot, but was wondering about what you did to the edges of that bad spot if anything. I've just finished my first lamp and removed all the loose material with my dremel tool. Just wondered what you did, and what you use.
Thanks for the help!

Dec 8, 2011. 8:08 PMSan Juan Carpentry (author) says:

The burl area on the side of the log? Burl isn't bad, it's awesome. I just sanded what could be sanded without destroying the sander pad. Leaving rough material inside the burl doesn't hurt and I think it makes it look cooler. However getting in there with a small grinder or dremel can create some really cool results as well. I hope I answered your question this time! :)

Dec 9, 2011. 5:48 AMrusticone says:

Yes, I couldn't think of that term "burl area", but that answered my question perfectly. Thanks so much!

Dec 5, 2011. 7:53 PMSan Juan Carpentry (author) says:

Sorry, not sure which part you're talking about. The hole that's going through the center is, of course, for the cord. I didn't san any of the holes but let me explain what I did do... At the bottom of the lamp, I use a router to cut a groove for the cord starting at the center hole. At the top of the lamp I drill a 15/16" hole using the center hole as a pilot. I do this for the rubber plug that comes with the lamp kit. The plug is what hold the metal yoke in place.

Jul 7, 2011. 9:12 AMctroup says:

they are so cool

Jun 26, 2011. 8:20 AM

pfred2 says:

I think you just invented the Logga Lamp!

I also think you should treat yourself to another helper in your workshop called a vise to hold your work while you are working on it. I made one its not hard to do. Or maybe just a ratchet strap to hold stuff down or something.

I liked your bench log horses. They looked handy.

You can also get drill bit extensions for when you need to drill really long holes. Then you can get into floor standing models, or just not have to worry about the length so much.

Watching you draw knife the bark off I was wondering if one of them old style Roto-Strippers wouldn't work? Might rag up the wood too much I don't know. Might be able to steam or soak the bark off and then sand blast it. Then there are flap sanding discs and the petaled contour discs I'm wondering what effects they'd have on the project.

Anyhow pretty sharp! Keep up the great work.

Jun 27, 2011. 3:57 PMSan Juan Carpentry (author) says:

Logga Lamp - I love it! Do you mind if I start calling them that from now on?

You know the guy that taught me how to do all this stuff has a vise that's basically a big C-Clamp welded to a big chuck of L-Strut. I've wanted something like that but don't have the money to pay someone to make me one... I'm not a welder, unfortunately, though that is a trade I'd love to learn. For now the log bench horses work out okay.

I did see the extensions at the store recently. Didn't know they existed. Thanks!

I love the draw knife. I haven't tried any of those other options but I think I'll stick with the knife because it doesn't have a power cord, it's small, light, and easy to just pick up and use real quick. Plus it lets me control how much bark I remove - the benefit of hand-crafted woodworking.

Thanks so much for your message! I really enjoyed reading it. Do you do woodworking as well?

Jun 27, 2011. 8:23 PM

pfred2 says:

The name is all yours, have fun with it. If I didn't see your video I'd have never thought of it.

I bet if you think about it you can come up with something you can make out of wood. I made this vise on my workbench:

http://i.imgur.com/2YsDb.jpg

But maybe you would be better off with something more like a traditional drawknife bench? Google image search the term there are many examples:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=drawknife+bench&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi

A bungie spring loaded one of those could be very handy for lots of things. Tire inner tube perhaps?

I have done some woodworking but lately I've been more focused on improving my workshop. Someday when all of the planets are aligned or I have all of my ducks in a row I'm sure I'll get back more into it.

Right now I'm setting up a second table saw in an out feed table in my workshop:

http://i.imgur.com/8opNh.jpg

Hardcore! Still needs a ton of work to finish it all up though.

I have a bunch of other older images of my evolving workshop on this site here:

http://www.instructables.com/id/My-Mixed-Media-Garage/

I weld for beer.

Jun 28, 2011. 4:08 PMSan Juan Carpentry (author) says:

Wow. Your garage is even more crowded and busy than mine! I have to let my wife park in the garage (one car garage) so all of my benches are on wheels, my bench flips for bigger tools and I can't have any big table saws or anything. Those pics of your shop look like an I-Spy book! lol I like that you found room for a dart board. What city/state are you in?

Jun 28, 2011. 7:07 PM

pfred2 says:

No wife. Vehicles can take the weather better than my tools can so they sit outside. This is a small two car garage 20x20 At least I have fairly high ceiling 11 foot. So I've had to do a lot of going vertical. I'm unincorporated in Delaware now.

Sometimes I want a bigger shop but then I say to myself that I'll just end up walking further in it. If you can someday get a hold of a copy of this:

http://www.amazon.com/Workshop-Book-Craftmans-Guide-Making/dp/1561582719

Some pretty extreme stuff in there big and small. Over all pretty inspirational though I think.

My one center bench is on wheels and rolls. Gives me an extra virtual foot or two here and there from time to time. Check out how it came about here:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Design-a-workshop/

The book BTW was where I stole the modeling idea from. Though the nutter in the book made wooden models of all of his tools!