Cosy Bed Side Lamp

It all started because my son wanted a cosy lamp for his bedroom. He could not find anything he really liked. Therefore, I proposed that we make one ourselves.

I had some off cuts, of various types of wood, and there was a very nice block with different layers. We decided to use it and make a lamp based on one we saw in a DIY centre.

This is a quick and quite easy instructable. However, if I had made a hollow box, instead of a solid block, it may have been easier.

This instructable is meant as a basic guide. Hence, you need to use some of your own imagination because it depends on the wood you use what final touches you make to it.

You will need to know how to wire a plug

and lamp holder. Each country is different so I will not go into details.

-      Do not do electrical work if you do not know what you are doing.

-      Do not use power tools if you do not know what you are doing.

-      Always use safety glass, masks and gloves when working with power tools. I accept no responsabilty for injury or damage.

The lamp I used was a decorative lamp like these: Amazon.com: light bulbs - Antique Replica Style / LED Bulbs / Light Bulbs: Tools & Home Improvement

They are quite cold to touch. Do not use hot filament lamps. The lamp is quite

near to the wood and there is a risk of fires if a hot lamp is used.

I always try to salvage whatever I can before throwing something out. Hence, most of the materials for this project were from salvaged parts. I was also given the piece of wood to burn on the stove. However, I but I could not bring myself to do it. Now I am glad I saved it!

The cable with switch and lamp holder were from various old lamps. The bracket was also bent from a piece of scrap metal. I only bought the special lamp and the threaded tube (cut in half) to fix the lamp holder to the bracket.

I have plenty of salvaged wood screws . However, You can find all the parts in any DIY shop. For tools, I did not have the correct size boring bit for wood. Hence I used a 35mm bore and finished with a 43mm circle saw. I have included a sketch below.

Choose your piece of wood. Mine was W=190mm x L= 80 x H=90 (these are the minumum dimensions you should use)

I decided which would be the bottom side and divided the width in two. Hence, I drew a line across the half way point then I measured and marked a point in the centre of the one of the halves.

The lamp holder I used had a 40mm diam and was 54mm long. So you will need at least a 42mm diam. hole bore. I only had a 35mm diam. hole bore so I made the first hole with that and then made the outer diameter bigger with a 43mm hole saw.

Fit the hole bore in a column drill and start to drill into the wood. Drill down till you arrive at approximately 5mm from the other side. If you have the correct tools then that part is finished. In my case, to cut my way down a bit a time then lift out the hole saw and break away the thin wall that was created. As it happens it worked quite well but I wouldn't recommend it.

Once you have reached 5mm from the other side (don't go all the way through!), take a battery drill, fit a 1 or 2mm bit and drill from the inside of the hole you just created. You need to drill in the centre, so that you can easily find the centre position from the other side. My drill chuck was a close fit in the first hole and so was guided enough for making a small hole in the centre. Alternatively, you can turn the wood over and find the centre point of the hole from the other side.

Now turn the piece of wood over.

The inner diameter of the lamp holder is 35mm. Hence I used a 35mm hole bore to make a smaller hole from the other side. In this way, the rim of the lamp holder will be hidden completely under the surface of the wood.

Make a suitable bracket.

Turn the block of wood upside-down and start by placing the lamp holder into the larger hole with the lamp end facing downwards.

The bracket needs to go from the bottom surface, of the piece of wood, to the end of the lamp holder. Hence, measure from the bottom of the lamp holder to the bottom surface of the piece of wood and bend your metal strip into a "z" shape (see photo) to suit.

You will also need a hole, for the 10mm tube, on one end and a small hole for a wood screw on the other end. I chiselled a small square on the bottom surface so that the bracket was recessed.

Before going any further, apply a clear varnish to the wood. I gave three coats and lightly sanded with fine sanding paper between each coat.

Screw the threaded tube into the lamp holder. The tube I used was 60mm long so I had to cut it in half so that it would fit. Make sure there are no burrs or sharp edges that could cut into the cable

Pass the cable through the threaded tube and Wire the lamp holder according to local standards. I had an old cable with a switch already fitted. However, you could also fit a toggle switch to the base perhaps.

Make sure the terminal screws are tight.

Drill a suitable hole, in the back of the wooden block , for the diam. of the cable to be used, It should be approximately 10mm from the bottom (see sketch)

Fit the bracket to the hollow tube on the lamp holder, and fasten with the nuts that are usually provided with the tube. .

Pass the cable through the hole in the back of lamp base. I left some extra cable inside the lamp base so as not to strain the wires in the lamp holder. I then put a cable tie, around the cable, inside the lamp base and pulled it tight. This should also prevent the cable from being pulled out.

Fit some felt or plastic pads underneath the base so as to protect the suface that the lamp will be placed on.

For safety, cover the electrical connections with a disc made from thin plastic or wood.

Turn the base upright and fit the lamp. My son chose a decorative lamp with a fancy filament. There are many types on Amazon and also at DIY shops. We also chose this type because they don't get hot. The bulb is almost touching the wood and can be dangerous if a hot filament type bulb is used for example.

The rest is up to you. You can lave it simple or add some decoration. I have a 3D printer, so my son chose a character that he found on Thingeverse: The Mandalorian Support Free Remix Pose 1/5 by iczfirz - Thingiverse

This was quite a quick and fun project and we hope that someone finds it useful.