Introduction: Mahogany Cage Edison Lamp

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Using some rather expensive scrap wood, for about a total cost of $18 and about an hour of labor I was able to make the pictured lamp. The following directions will be fairly general as this is truly a make it up as you go along project that can be made out of almost anything.

So far, I have made about 20 to 30 lamps in this fashion and I have received no complaints yet and all still work after more than a year. They are different than your standard iKea or Walmart stock lamps made out of plastic.

Step 1: Get Your Supplies

1 x Lamp Bulb (Edison Type)

1 x Lamp Power Cord (Cloth Covered OD Green)

1 x Cage or Other Bulb Protection Device (Simple Bulb Cage)

1 x Switch (Toggle Switch)

1 x Switch Cover

1 x Lamp Socket

1 x Strain Relief

12" Black 14 Guage Wire

12" Red 14 Guage Wire

Step 2: Create Lamp Base

For this lamp, I cut out a simple rectangle block of wood and with a router went along the top edge adding a little flare.

Lamp Socket - Drill one 3/8 hole centered up in the real 2/3 of the base top about 1" down.

Toggle Switch - Drill a second 3/8 hole centered up in the front 2/3 of the base top about 1" down.

Power Cord - Drill a third hole centered and 1" down in the back. Drill until you reach the front hole where the Toggle Switch will be located.

Sand base and apply stain if desired.

Step 3: Install Lamp Socket & Wireing

Pre-wire the Lamp Socket.

Insert the Threaded Rod.

Insert Toggle Switch and wires.

Insert Toggle Switch Cover.

With a hook of some sort, from the back of the lamp fish out the toggle switch wires.

Insert the Lamp Socket onto the Threaded Rod, wires through the Rod.

Fish the wires out for the Light Socket just like the Toggle Switch wires.

Wire up the Toggle Switch, Lamp Socket, and Power Cord.

Step 4: Final Touches

Use a nut to tighten down the Toggle Switch cover.

Use a Strain Relief on the back for the Power Cord.

Apply a felt protective bottom or felt feet.

Apply and tighten Wire Cage.

Insert Light Bulb.

NOTES:

This was a fairly simple process by ways of basic parts and theory. However it is worth noting, you may want to cut or route a channel in the bottom of the light and run the wires that way and apply a felt bottom to cover the work. It was not very easy to fish out a couple of wires out of a 3/8 hole, wire them up, and put them back. More Pictures will be added later.