# Table lamp in the works!



## Spinartist (Jun 22, 2016)

A client ordered another lamp. He & wife has two already with wood shades & 17 other woodturnings of mine.

Orange tree is from the clients yard he wants made into a lamp. This is the third wood shade he's bought from me!! 
I'm using Orange tree (which needs to dry for few months) for a lamp base which will be mounted on a natural edge wood slab. I'm carving a 5" statue of him & his dog sitting on the tree root fishing with a trout at the end of the line.
18" diameter Florida (Cuban) Mahogany wood shade.
I'm turning natural edge mushrooms & goblets from the rest of his orange tree which he'll buy.

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 4 | Way Cool 11


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## brown down (Jun 24, 2016)

that lamp is sick. wish I had a larger lathe to turn a shade but a 12 at the max is all I can handle


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## brown down (Jun 24, 2016)

that belongs on my night stands on my bed


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## Spinartist (Jun 24, 2016)

Most shades I made aren't that big. I do a lot of 8" to 13" diameter. Norfolk Island Pine (NIP) shades are VERY COOL. Photo of shade demo I did for the Miami woodturning guild several years ago. All are NIP shades

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 6


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## brown down (Jun 24, 2016)

I may have to give it a go then! are you turning green timber?


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## Spinartist (Jun 24, 2016)

The lamp base in first photo is wet fresh cut down orange tree. I bored a 1" hole through it so it'll dry faster & maybe prevent cracking. Will be a few months before lamp finished. Going to make another base so client can have the shade at his house till correct base dry, cleaned up & done. Then will switch bases.


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## brown down (Jun 24, 2016)

how thin are you turning your walls when finished?


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## Spinartist (Jun 24, 2016)

1/16" to 1/8" . 1/8" on larger shades. I leave the rims 1/8"

Reactions: Like 1


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## Spinartist (Jun 24, 2016)

Yes .. Fresh wet. Usually no more that a couple months from when tree cut down. Have turn shades from dry Norfolk but greater chance of wood failing.


brown down said:


> I may have to give it a go then! are you turning green timber?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Spinartist (Jun 24, 2016)

Definitly try it !!!! Do a small one first about 6" diameter. I shine a light behind the shade during hollowing so I can judge wall thickness by how it glows through the wood.

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## Spinartist (Jun 24, 2016)

Oh Yea.... Don't let the cuttings build up inside when hollowing. Especially when over 1/2 way deep. The weight can tear the shade apart. Clean out the cuttings frequently & completely !!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## brown down (Jun 24, 2016)

thanks for the advice I have no idea when I will be able to tackle this but now it is on top of the list of things to do


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## DKMD (Jun 25, 2016)

Too cool! I love wooden shades... Even convinced my wife to let me turn them for the pendants over our kitchen island.

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 9 | Way Cool 6


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## Spinartist (Jun 25, 2016)

Hey!!! Where you be getting Norfolk in Oklahoma????? 

BEAUTIFUL SHADES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice work!!


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## DKMD (Jun 25, 2016)

Spinartist said:


> Hey!!! Where you be getting Norfolk in Oklahoma...



It just shows up in the mail sometimes... Not often enough though.


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## chippin-in (Jun 29, 2016)

Why do you choose norfolk pine? Im in Texas and have lots of pine...will it work? I am assuming you use pine as it is softer and more forgiving. Or just the look.

Btw spinartist and dkmd, those are awesome.

Thanks
Robert


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## Spinartist (Jun 29, 2016)

Norfolk Island Pine (NIP) has symmetrical knots around the tree trunk which are red and spalts blue/gray giving it a very unique look. Plus it out sells all other wood when I sell my goodies at shows.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## DKMD (Jun 29, 2016)

chippin-in said:


> Why do you choose norfolk pine? Im in Texas and have lots of pine...will it work? I am assuming you use pine as it is softer and more forgiving. Or just the look.
> 
> Btw spinartist and dkmd, those are awesome.
> 
> ...



I like Norfolk pine because of the spalting pattern and red knots, and it gets a cool translucence after repeated oil soaks. It's not a true pine, so there's none of the sap to deal with.

I'm guessing any light colored wood would work, but I've only done shades with the Norfolk.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Tony (Jun 29, 2016)

Both of these (yours and Doc's) are incredibly cool pieces! I think you've shown yours before Doc and I remember thinking they were awesome then! Tony


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## Spinartist (Jun 29, 2016)

Norfolk is really cool when the knots line up perfectly!!

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 7 | Way Cool 3


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## Spinartist (Jun 29, 2016)

I've made lamp shades from Norfolk, mahogany, seagrape. Indian Rosewood, royal Poinciana, mango & a few more.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Informative 1


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## Spinartist (Jun 29, 2016)

Got alerted by a tree cutter who's takin down a Norfolk tomorrow morning @ 8:30 am. Small one, 15" diameter at base & has about 40 sets/levels of knots. Tree was killed by lightening strike so it may not be any good... or it may some cool carmelization where the lightening bolt went down through. We usually avoid dead ones because the wood just isn't as nice as a live cut one is.


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## Spinartist (Jun 29, 2016)



Reactions: EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 5


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## chippin-in (Jun 30, 2016)

Spinartist said:


> Norfolk is really cool when the knots line up perfectly!!
> 
> so that's all natural color? cool


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## Spinartist (Jun 30, 2016)

Yes. Natural color. Soaked in boiled linseed oil fer 3 days. Several coats of spray polyurethane.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Spinartist (Jun 30, 2016)

Ahhhh... fresh batch of Norfolk logs. Tree was killed by lightening. Already spatled ready fer turnin.  9" to 12" diameter. Lamp shades & hollow forms are a commin!!! Yahoo!!!!

Reactions: Way Cool 4


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## Kevin (Jun 30, 2016)

Y'all have me sold, I have to get some of this NIP. A member sent me a chunk last year but when I went to turn it it was beyond punky and unusable.

All the pieces posted in this thread are gorgeous.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Spinartist (Jun 30, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Y'all have me sold, I have to get some of this NIP. A member sent me a chunk last year but when I went to turn it it was beyond punky and unusable.




Come on over & get you some!!!


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## Spinartist (Jun 30, 2016)

Its punks out with in a year of being cut down if not turned or dried.


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## Kevin (Jun 30, 2016)

Spinartist said:


> Its punks out with in a year of being cut down if not turned or dried.



Hey maybe a trade is in the offing! I heard about this cool website where woodworkers can trade wood with each other let me Google it ....


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## ripjack13 (Jun 30, 2016)

Woodtrader?

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Spinartist (Jun 30, 2016)

Could be. I love burls.


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## Don Ratcliff (Jun 30, 2016)

The lamp shades are a great idea. I'll try to make some with cook pine (knots are much closer). I've made vases with it here.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 6


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## Spinartist (Jun 30, 2016)

Very nice!!!!


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## Tony (Jul 1, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Hey maybe a trade is in the offing! I heard about this cool website where woodworkers can trade wood with each other let me Google it ....



I was thinking of starting a site like that called www.doyouwantmywood.com

(That might be an actual site, I didn't dare check!)

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 1, 2016)

Tony said:


> I was thinking of starting a site like that called www.doyouwantmywood.com
> 
> (That might be an actual site, I didn't dare check!)


I don't think it would draw the kind of people you think it will...

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1 | Funny 1


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## barry richardson (Jul 1, 2016)

The lampshades are very cool Lee! Thanks for the inspiration, gonna have to give them a try


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## Spinartist (Jul 1, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Hey maybe a trade is in the offing!



What you have to trade??


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## Spinartist (Jul 3, 2016)

Made this base so my client can have his shade at his home until the orange tree trunk dries a few months ,which will be the correct base. I think he'll probably want to keep this whole lamp & have me make another shade for the orange tree base!! $$$

Walnut slab & cypress knee. He's picking it up July 4th & bringing me a home made gluten free pumpkin cheesecake!! Yum!!

Reactions: EyeCandy! 3


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 3, 2016)

Spinartist said:


> Made this base so my client can have his shade at his home until the orange tree trunk dries a few months ,which will be the correct base. I think he'll probably want to keep this whole lamp & have me make another shade for the orange tree base!! $$$
> 
> Walnut slab & cypress knee. He's picking it up July 4th & bringing me a home made gluten free pumpkin cheesecake!! Yum!!
> 
> View attachment 108043


If I may ask, totally up to you to answer; what would you sell that lamp for as pictured?


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## Spinartist (Jul 3, 2016)

$800

Reactions: Way Cool 3


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## Kevin (Jul 3, 2016)

Spinartist said:


> $800





Awesome.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 3, 2016)

Spinartist said:


> Made this base so my client can have his shade at his home until the orange tree trunk dries a few months ,which will be the correct base. I think he'll probably want to keep this whole lamp & have me make another shade for the orange tree base!! $$$
> 
> Walnut slab & cypress knee. He's picking it up July 4th & bringing me a home made gluten free pumpkin cheesecake!! Yum!!
> 
> View attachment 108043


This is a crazy chunk of some kind of wood my wife got at a junk store, you have inspired a use for it.


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## Spinartist (Jul 4, 2016)

That's a cool one !!!!!That sure looks like a Cypress knee. Cypress trees grow in watery areas & grow roots or knees up from the ground to get air.


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 4, 2016)

I have no idea what it is so you may be 100% correct. It is very light for what I would think it should be but I also have no idea if it is 10 years old or 100. I will however be making a lamp shade from cook pine and drilling this for the base. I will engrave in the bottom "Lee gave me the idea" although my spelling is awful. It may come out looking like this, "Wood Creations of Maui" Man I wish I could spell better...

Reactions: Funny 3


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## rocky1 (Jul 4, 2016)

Cypress is a softwood, so thus fairly light when dried. Wet it holds a great deal of water and weighs a little more. Likewise agree, it looks like a deformed cypress knee.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Kevin (Jul 4, 2016)



Reactions: Agree 2 | Funny 1


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 4, 2016)

And in other news...

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## Spinartist (Jul 4, 2016)

Lamp at its new home!!

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 1


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 4, 2016)

Spinartist said:


> Lamp at its new home!!
> 
> View attachment 108130


Lee, what do you use to set the bark so it doesn't chip off when you get it that thin?


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## Spinartist (Jul 4, 2016)

Don Ratcliff said:


> I will however be making a lamp shade from cook pine and drilling this for the base. I will engrave in the bottom "Lee gave me the idea" although my spelling is awful. It may come out looking like this, "Wood Creations of Maui" Man I wish I could spell better...




I tried to play scrabble in Hawaii back in 81'.... Impossible!!!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Spinartist (Jul 4, 2016)

Don Ratcliff said:


> Lee, what do you use to set the bark so it doesn't chip off when you get it that thin?




Thin C/A glue. One spot about 6" came loose so I epoxyed it back on


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 4, 2016)

Thank you, that is what I figured but wanted to make sure. If it doesn't work out I will do what I normally do with the ebony banding along the edge like my bowls.


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