Hello,

Welcome to my Instructable on how to make a lamp from an old axe and one strip of pallet wood. I have a selection of pallet wood left over from when I made a custom box for a vinyl record, for the longest time I wanted to make a lamp out of an old tool. I was chopping up some fire wood and when looking at my axe I found the perfect candidate.

Supplies

Materials

The pallet runner that I used was 1000mm long, 12mm wide and18mm thick.
The axe that I used was a 4 lbs hatchet.
Gorilla Glue
Ikea Lamp kit

Tools
STANLEY Tylon Tape, 8m/26ft : https://amzn.to/2SePM0W
Evolution Power Tools R255SMS+ : https://amzn.to/3br7Oor
Evolution Power Tools Mitre Saw Stand : https://amzn.to/39MBlY0
Ryobi RWSL1801M ONE+ Circular Saw, 18 V (Body Only) : https://amzn.to/39MBlY0
Ryobi 18V ONE+ Cordless Combi Drill & Impact Driver Starter Kit: https://amzn.to/39MBlY0
Silverline 7" Aluminum Carpentry Square : https://amzn.to/39MBlY0
Rolson Contractors Pencil : https://amzn.to/39MBlY0
Sharpie : https://amzn.to/39MBlY0
Triton TSPST450 450W Oscillating Spindle & Belt Sander 240V : https://amzn.to/39MBlY0
I also used an Aldi brad nailer but this is completely optional.

Step 1: Making the Lamp Stand

I first made a stand for my Axe, This was achieved by making a basic box with miter joints.

I cut a 45 degree angle on one end of my pallet strip, I flipped it over and feed it through my chop saw until the end lined up with the 200mm marking.

I then repeated the 45 degree cut, this was my first piece. I repeated the whole step again to give me both of my long pieces.

The ends of the stand will be 80 mm, I repeated the process again but this time used the 80mm markings on my saw.

Step 2: Gluing the Stand Together

To glue my lamp stand together I used Gorilla wood glue.

I applied the glue to all of the placed where the wood will join and then used a Band Clamp to pull the box into square. A Band Clamp is a really useful piece of equipment to have in your workshop.

The main assembly of the stand was done on the floor, this is as I didn't have a workbench at the time I made the lamp, I was in the process of renovating my workspace.

Step 3: Marking the Axe Position

In this step we will mark the top of the stand for where the axe will sit.

I held the axe in position on the piece of pallet that will be the top of the stand and traced around it with a pencil.

Whilst I was working on the top I also drilled the hole for the cable to fit through, this was done with a 10mm brad point drill bit.

As I had the 10mm bit in my drill I also drilled the hole in the box for the cable to feed out of.

I then used a 4mm drill bit to "chain" drill the recess for the axe head to sit in.

Step 4: Installing the Lid

I then glued the top of the box into the stand.

I used a brad nailer to hold the lid in place whilst the glue dried. Although this is optional as you could also use clamps to keep the lid still while the glue dries.

Step 5: Preparing the Axe

Now I will prepare the axe handle to receive the lamp cable.

I do this by drilling a 10mm hole in the side of the handle until the hole is approximately half way through the handle. I then turn the handle 90 degrees and drill a hole in the base to meet the first hole.

This will allow me to pull the cable of my lamp kit through and hide it behind the axe as I don't have a drill bit that is long enough to reach all the way through the handle.

Step 6: Final Assembly

I first removed the plug from my lamp kit.

I then fed the wire through the axe handle and through the box and re connected to the plug.

Finally the axe was then secured in the box with 2 part epoxy resin.

The lamp is now finished.

Step 7: Final Thoughts and What I'd Change

Overall I'm happy with the way the lamp turned out, it matches the vision that was in my head. I didn't put a finish on the pallet wood as I want it to dry out, move and crack to complete look of the lamp

If I were to make another lamp like this I would have ground the axe flat, drilled and tapped holes in it and the secured it into the base with machine bolts.

I would also liked to have brought a lamp kit with a dimmer switch as the LED filament bulb is very bright.

If you have made a lamp from an old tool please post below as I love to see what other people make.

Disclaimer

Axes are sharp and electricity is dangerous, please be careful if you attempt to make this lamp and if you're not sure what you're doing please ask a professional for advice.

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