Making a lamp using the wood lathe and a 3D pen

I made this experimental lamp, using a piece of pine wood and black ABS filament in my 3D pen. I also used a vintage Edison LED lamp. I used LED because it does not produce much heat. Old type lamps might melt the filament!

First of all I used my center finder to mark the centers on my cylindrical piece of wood. I then mounted it on the lathe between centers and trued it up with my roughing gouge. I used my skew chisel to create an angled tenon that fits my chuck’s jaws.

I then mounted the piece on my chuck. I used a parting tool, the roughing gouge and the skew to shape the exterior shape. 

I then drilled a hole on the lathe with a 6mm drill bit. Then I gradually created a large hole. Because I was drilling end grain I begun with a really small forstner bit and gradually changed bits until I reached the diameter I needed.

Every now and then I used my depth gauge to make sure I drilled far enough.

I sanded the piece on the lathe, starting at 100 grit, moving to 220 and finishing at 320.

I used the parting tool, to part the piece of the lathe. I cleaned the bottom on my belt sander.

I then mounted the piece on a screw chuck and finished it with a few coats of shellac.

I then made the lamp’s shader. At first I used the a soda bottle as a mold for my 3D pen. I used the plastic bottle because the filament sticks on it and you can make the shapes more easily. But then I found a better lamp and decided to remake the shader.

So I first made the circular pieces of a cylinder. I then made the lines. After connecting those with the 3D pen, I had a secure cylindrical structure to work on. I then filled the gaps with a kind of random organic pattern.

I then assembled everything and my lamp was ready.

It is looks nice with and without the filament shader. I learned a lot with this experimental project!

Combining woodworking techniques and 3D pen was a challenging and interesting process!