Make, one of my favorite magazines, is running a skill set on woodworking this month on their blog. I was lucky enough to be asked to contribute a piece. Of course, it was all about the lathe.
You can find the article here.
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.
My name tag at the last CreativeMornings.
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.
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
My family has a tradition of making our gifts for the holidays (see previous here and here). This can cause a lot of extra stress on the ol’ peace on earth thing. Basically, if you haven’t started making by Thanksgiving, you’re going to be in the weeds all December. I decided to keep it kind of simple for at least some of the gifts this year. I call them Jar Lamps, mainly because they are made with jars (see how cleaver I am). I like the idea that a majority of the piece is made from an off-the-shelf item.
In the spirit of Lindsey Adelman’s You Make It series, here is the parts list:
Jar - Michaels, can’t find it on the site though
Porcelain Keyless Socket - Grand Brass
Braided Fabric Cord - Grand Brass
Cord Dimmer - Grand Brass
Threaded Nipple - Grand Brass
Turned Base - made it myself
It’s a pretty straight forward build — wired up wooden base, jar shade, and a cool Edison bulb.
Ok, so not as detailed as Ms. Adelman’s, but you get the idea.
The latest Lake Log Lamp. Similar to the previous ones, but this one has a wicked split up the side and was much more rotted than the original logs. It almost didn’t make it.
I really do.
Next Wednesday (the 10th) I will be giving a short talk about Lake Log Lamps and my experience with this year’s Apartment Therapy Designer Showcase. AT holds these fantastic monthly Meetups, there are typically two or three short talks (about 5 minutes) by new/student designers and then a headlining established designer. There is wine and cheese and all of that.
The other two opening speakers are designers who were in the Showcase as well, Charles Constantine (Life Goes on Until it Doesn’t) and Jeremy Pickett (Brann Pendant Lights). The main event will be Kevin Sharkey, Senior Vice President and Executive Editorial Director, Decorating, and Executive Creative Director, Merchandising for Martha Stewart Living Omninedia, Inc. (that’s some title).
If you can make it, please come on by.
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.
