Introduction: Wood Adjustable Lamp
I made this lamp for my really small kitchen
I had just a ceramic base with a light bulb screwed in it and that made the light very harsh on my eyes.
Now with this lamp i can control the direction of the lighting.
This project has a low cost and can be done in a weekend.
Step 1: Tools
You need :
a drilling machine
sanding block
an awl
a jigsaw
a screwdriver
some wood drills and something to measure with
Step 2: Parts and Misc.
I used three m6 bolts: 4 cm long , 2.5 cm long and the third 5 cm long.
two wing nuts and washers
a ceramic light bulb base
Wood parts.
The lamp consists of:
base 13/13 cm
base arm 7 cm long two pieces plus a spacer needed
middle arm 15 cm long one piece
top arm 12 cm long one piece cut at an angle to attach the bulb base like in the picture
Step 3: Cut the Wood Parts
Cut your pieces on the table saw . If yo do not have a table saw you can use the jigsaw instead .
All pieces except the base are 3.5 cm wide and one cm thick.
Step 4: Mark and Round
I used a big washer to make all the ends round so i measured where the center of the washer should be.Also the center of the washer is where the hole for the bolt will be.
Cut the ends using the jigsaw.
Step 5: Drilling
I drilled the base arm in its bottom and glued in a screw.This is a pivot point for the whole lamp.I used a two part resin as a glue.
I also drilled holes for the connecting bolts in all pieces
Step 6: Base Arm
The base arm is made out of a spacer glued in between two pieces of wood.
I had to put the bolt in as I glued the parts so the holes would be aligned.
Step 7: Cut the Shape of the Base
I made the base out of two board pieces but the square shape was a little boring so I cut it in a diamond shape.
I then drilled a hole in the middle of it. This is where the base arm will connect .
Step 8: Cut the Angle for the Bulb Base
One piece was cut at a 45 angle and connected to the bulb base.
Step 9: Sanding and Waxing
I sanded all surfaces and applied a coat of wax paste.
Wax is a really nice finish and it also prevents cracking in the wood.
Step 10: Making the Lampshade
I took a flower pot and added a layer of baking paper and plastic foil .
I then brushed wood glue on it and twisted sewing thread round it .
I then brushed another layer of wood glue and left it to dry for a day in a warm place.
Step 11: Assembly
I connected all three arms to each other with bolts and wing nuts.
The base is connected to the base arm by using two nuts .
I added the electric wire which was threaded through two hook eye screws and then connected to the bulb base.
The wire is also passed through the base and a knot is made on the back side so that the wire can never rip out from the wall connections .
I then glued the lamp shade to the wood using some contact cement and two staples.
Step 12: A Video Aid
Hope that the video is helpful to show the process in more detail.
If you like this kind of projects please subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Participated in the
Woodworking Contest 2017

Participated in the
Lights Contest 2017
4 Comments
5 years ago
Hi Tody. I'm impressed by your saw skills - I've never dared to use a revolving saw and just use a vice and a hand saw. Having kids around the house didn't help either. But I'll try out your great kitchen lamp anyway. I love the plant pot-lampshade idea and from now on I'll be looking around for lamp shaPes to make lampshaDes! Just one question: What happened to the nut, bolt and electric wire under the base? Did you level them out with a hole in an extra base underneath? Thanks!
Reply 5 years ago
The lamp is mounted on a plaster board wall so the bolt and nuts are resting in the hole in the wall through which the main electricity wire is coming out.
I also was scared of the table saw but after a few cuts and some safety training it is as simple to use like a hand saw.
Reply 5 years ago
Thanks for your answer. Great!
5 years ago
I really like this! The wood, the shade... Thanks for sharing