I don't post much but I ran across this advertisement today and thought I had to share with you all. Might not be the right forum, but I thought you would all enjoy it! If anyone has some old lamps laying around and some "reclaimed" (i.e. seasoned?) splits, you could sell them for a small fortune! Just remember to try different splitting techniques to enhance the cross sections... Split Grain - Reclaimed Wood Lighting - Touch of Modern
Gonna buy a bandsaw and some electrical components. Figure if I sell all my splits made up like lights it'll be better 'n' hittin' the lottery. Are they for real with these prices?
I am trying to figure out how to replicate these. So, a chainsaw, cut a boatload of slots, and somehow run a light into it? I'm serious.
my guess is slice it up evenly with something like a bandsaw or table saw with a sliding jig for the cleaner cut. Actually first you'd probably want to bore it out somehow to house the wire and light fixture. Then it looks like the individual slices are somehow evenly separated, maybe with some kind of spacers. I'm thinking even stainless nuts would work. With those you could secure each one with screws for a super secure fit. Extra care to make sure all the grain lines up and it's perfectly straight is probably key in making it look good. Then just figure out a way to get a standard lamp fixture in there and wire it up. Bam, a $300 lamp!
This type of bulb would look cool and would distribute the light along the length of the openings: 40 watt 120 volt T9 Medium Screw Base Nostalgic Spiral
That was what I was thinking. I would use LEDs, but the radial arm saw for smooth clean even cuts with a jig of some sort. Drill the other end with a spade bit of some sort for the lightning. Then make a metal stand.
I'm not sure how they space them out but probably bored out the center on a lathe or a drill press jig, plastic or glass tube in the center.
You could even just snake in a short strand of LED rope lights if you wanted to go that route. Less heat and you wouldn't have to worry about a shroud for an incandecent bulb that might be a fire hazard. This is making me want to consider adding to my winter project list. Or maybe a Christmas gift idea for those who have everything!
I think a nice split of cherry, or shagbark hickory would be really good for this. If I do it, I'll make a couple. Setting the saw up would be 75% of the work. This may be a Christmas gift or two.
If it was me, I think i would make the slices first. Then stack a few, and drill a pilot down the middle. Scribe a circular hole larger than the light bulb and socket on each cookie and cut out with a scroll saw. Cutting a split with the center bored out is dicey unless you use a bandsaw. Trying to put a hole down through the end grain of a piece of wood with a Forster bit can be very hard and dangerous too. Once the hole is cut, drill a small hole on either side for the rod. I'd use brass or better yet a steel rod with brass tube spacers the next diameter up. I'd like to see someone make one, it looks like a fun project. I'd be curious if a regular bulb would cause warping and cracking of the slices.
Rip the split down the middle , hollow the two halfs to what ya need on router table, glue em back together, make your cross cuts. Probably need a jig to hold the split for ripping cuz it's not straight n flat
Timberlake0377, Eclectic !!! I love it. Thanks for posting it. Another neat one would be some river birch with the bark on in that fashion.
Forget an incandescent bulb. The heat build-up would be unsafe. These days they make LEDs in all sorts of sizes and shapes and run far cooler than an equal amount of light that is the result of a hot wire. They also last a very long time. Vintage LED Filament Bulbs | 1000Bulbs.com
