B.Light Design

I got a nice mention in CasaSugar today. Guess I’m not the only one who wants their lamps to smell like bourbon.

Thanks for the ink Elka.

I was so happy with the way the Jar Lamps I made this Christmas turned out, I made myself one. I was all out of walnut so I made the wooden base out of some scrap oak. But this was no ordinary scrap. The oak came from an old bourbon fermentation tank (where the yeast breaks down the sugar in the mash converting it to alcohol and carbon dioxide over a period of three days). Basically, this wood has soaked up a lot of bourbon over the years.

While shaping the wood, the smell of bourbon was intense, it made the entire shop smell like a distillery (not a bad thing). A smart studio-mate of mine convinced me to leave the base unfinished (thanks Josh). When the bulb heats up a bit and then the jar is removed, the smell of bourbon fills the air.

By far, the best smelling lamp I ever made.

I received some great lathe chisels for Christmas. I’ve practically worn my first set to the nub (an incredible set of hand-me-downs by the way, thanks Mr. Burke), the new guys are great replacements.

I’ve only used them for a short time, but I’m already in love.

I saw these great turned door handles by Valentín Garal on Mocoloco. I might have to make a bunch of these.

A turned birch lamp I gave to my aunt Eve for Christmas. So I call it the Christmas Eve Lamp, aren’t I clever. I’m really happy with how the grain came out.

The birch came from the Pennsylvania Poconos.

Dimensions: 21″ H 6″ Diam
Finish: Tung oil and wax

The latest lamps I’ve been working on are made from walnut. The build process took place in three studios. The gluing up of the walnut took place at the Gowanus Studio Space in Brooklyn. The turning was done at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) Open Studios in Manhattan. And the finishing was done at my studio in the Poconos. The lamps kind of represent the spaces I’ve had the pleasure of working in recently.

The walnut was store bought, which I don’t feel great about. I typically like to know where my material is coming from, know its story. But walnut is such a beautiful wood that I will almost always make an exception. The lamps have built-in dimmer switches in the sockets and have black braided fabric cords. They are both finished with tung oil.

Siegfried Schreiber is an incredible wood turner. He makes some beautiful shapes that he calls sensual, and I couldn’t agree more.

Via Notcot.org

I’ve watched this about 20 times, and it keeps getting funnier. Thanks Ric

I just got myself a new 1″ Packard Round Nose Scraper. I got to use a chisel just like this at MAD and fell in love.

I’m such a lathe nerd.

Yesterday’s lathe demo at MAD was incredible, what a place. It was so interesting to meet all the museum staff and visitors. Sorry to all of the people who can’t speak English that I had full conversations with before realizing that you didn’t understand a word I said. In the first two pictures below, you can see Columbus (from “Circle” fame) in the window.

Thanks to everybody who made it out, I had a blast and hope you did too. I also got to use my favorite Simpsons line on the viewers, “I want to see goggles people!”