DIY Network

Funky Lamp A floor lamp is made from various furniture parts. From "From Junky to Funky" episode DFJF-301

In this segment, host Samantha Gleisten designs and constructs a floor lamp from miscellaneous furniture pieces.

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Materials:

wooden lamp
coat rack
spool ottoman
metal brackets
6 feet of 2" copper pipe
copper tubing
electrical kit
1"x4" oak
screws
wood glue
polyurethane glue
wood putty
wood stain
polyurethane
4"x4" plywood
4 carriage bolts, nuts, and washers
floor flange
8" threaded steel pipe
small PVC tubing
bronze paint
medium and light grade sandpaper
epoxy putty
jigsaw
power drill
motorized sander
router
soldering iron
band saw
clamps

Preparation

1. Remove the electrical components of the lamp, and then cut a hole through the top and bottom to allow the copper pipe to pass through. Sand the top and bottom of the lamp.

2. Remove the curved wood pieces from the top of the coat rack. Sand with medium and light grade sandpaper. Fill all the old screw holes with wood putty, and then sand smooth.

3. Using a motorized sander, round down the corners of the ends of the coat rack. Sand again with light sandpaper, and then finish by staining the wood to match the lamp.

4. Sand and stain the surface of the ottoman to match the lamp and coat rack pieces. Apply a polyurethane finish.

Base Structure

1. Using a paddle bit, hole cutter or jigsaw, cut a hole in the middle of the top of the ottoman for a central copper pipe.

2. Attach weights to the inside of the ottoman with brackets to provide added stability for the base structure.

3. Use a jigsaw to cut a circle out of 3/4 inch plywood one inch smaller than the bottom of the base.

4. To create a stable structure for the central copper pipe, pre-drill holes and attach a 1-1/4 inch steel floor flange to the center of the plywood circle with four 1/4 inch carriage bolts.

5. Screw a 1-1/4 inch threaded eight inch steel pipe into the flange. The copper pipe will slip tightly over it like a sleeve. Tighten with polyurethane glue.

6. Drill a small hole through the side of the copper pipe and steel tubing for wiring.

7. Run a length of wiring through the hole in the side of the steel and copper pipe, and then out through the top.

8. Drill a small hole in the "back" of the ottoman (now the lamp base) just big enough for the electrical cord.

9. Slide the ottoman over the pipe, and then run the wire out through the hole in the side. Attach the circle base to the ottoman with wood or metal brackets and screws.

Center Column

1. Using the base of the lamp as a template, cut two circles out of solid wood to use for the top and bottom of the "column".

2. Cut a hole in both circles to allow the copper pipe to pass through the entire column.

3. Route eight evenly-spaced 3/4 inch wide slots into one side of each circle. Note: The slots should be 3-3/4 inches long, starting at the outer edge of the circle and should be no more than 1/4 inch deep.

4. Cut eight oak 1" x 4" boards at 30 inches using the chop saw.

5. Sand and stain the boards to match the lamp.

Figure A

6. Pre-drill and attach the boards (figure A) from the bottom and top of the bases with glue and small nails or screws, locking the ends of the boards in the routed slots.

Assembling the Sections

1. After the glue has dried, slide the column over the pole and attach it to the ottoman with wood glue.

2. Slide the lamp over the last section of the pole, and then glue and screw from underneath the column.

Light Fixture

1. Create a small cylinder for the top of the lamp by cutting five circles out of solid wood the same size as the top of the lamp.

2. Sandwich the five circles with wood glue and clamp together to dry.

3. Sand the bottom of the cylinder.

	Figure B
	Figure C

4. Drill a hole big enough to run six lengths of copper tubing all the way through the cylinder (figure B). Use epoxy putty to hold the tubes in place inside the wooden cylinder.

5. Run wiring through each tube, and then out the bottom.

6. Attach the pieces of the coat rack to the cylinder by pre-drilling, gluing and screwing (avoiding the hole for the tubing).

7. Bend the six pieces of copper tubing to mimic the curves of the coat rack (figure C).

8. Connect the wiring to the chandelier sockets, clamping and soldering them in place at the end of the copper tubing.

9. Cut the PVC tubes using a band saw to cover the sockets.

10. Paint the tubes copper, and then glue the plastic covers onto the sockets using a small amount of polyurethane glue.

11.. Cut small pieces of copper mesh, and then form them around the plastic covers to be used as leaf-inspired shades. Attach with polyurethane glue and copper wire.

12. From the one wire running through the center pipe, chain off six to connect to each of the wires coming out of the copper tubing. Install a switch and outlet plug in the wiring at the bottom of the base.

13. Attach the cylinder to the top of the lamp using wood glue, making sure to hide all the wiring in the copper pipe. Apply stain and polyurethane to any raw or unfinished wood.

Project Costs:

Coat Rack, Ottoman: Free
Pineapple Lamp: $10
Copper Elements: $100
Wood and Materials: $70

Total: $180

RESOURCES :

The Brown Elephant
Website: www.howardbrown.org/hb_brownelephant.asp