How do you do these?

[Jeff Horton]

I have a design and I realized I have a couple of areas I am not sure the best way how the best way to build it.

The design is obviously very contemporary. Using Sketchup has been a blessing working out he radii and being able to get dimensions for the legs!

First problem.
Center post is a little less than 2" across the flats and triangle in shape. I have to get a power cord through that post! My first thought has been to make the post out of 3 pieces of wood so that it is hollow in the center. But it's too small. Pieces would have to be very thin making glue up a real pain.

Next option is drill though. But you know the problems there. Deep hole and keeping it straight or close for nearly 2'. Really don't want to go there.

Best option I have is to make it from 2 pieces. split down the middle, dado a slot and glue it up. But they you have cut a small piece, triangular in shape. How do cut that piece safely and consistently? Make sled for the TS maybe? Just started thinking about that last night. The angle and small size make this a tad of a challenge.

Second Problem
The legs have to have a power cord run through them.

I see two options here. One is the split the leg and route out a slot to run the cord and then glue it back together.

Second option is using a slot cutter and putting a dado in the top of one of the legs. install and then cutting a strip to fill in the slot. Turn the lamp so that it is away from view.

The biggest consideration is if and when the cord needs to be replaced. I want it to be able to be replaced. That means the hole needs to be big enough to feed a wire through without catching. I would hate to see these become junk because you couldn't use them. Granted it would never be easy to get a wire through though.

[Jason Beam]

I think your split/groove/fill method is probably the easiest for the cord running in both the center post and the legs.

My question, though, is with a hole down that center post, how are you planning to attach the legs to it? Like you said, it's pretty thin. Are you planning to use some steel brackets surface mounted that hide inside a mortise in the leg, perhaps?

I can't see traditional joinery working in this case unless that center post is thicker than I think. Maybe I'm just worried too much, but it looks to me like a mortise/tenon joint at the leg/post would only be able to penetrate 1/2" at most. Is that enough, really?

Oh ... about the cord run through the leg. I'd do it on the inside, myself. With careful grain matching, the leg's own shadow should make the seam pretty much invisible. In fact, don't fill a slot, lay a full-width piece overtop and you won't have an issue. You could even get fancy and miter at the corners so there's NO seam at all.



And where do you think you've got the time to make sawdust? Don't you have another machine to restore? :P

[Jeff Horton]

...... My question, though, is with a hole down that center post, how are you planning to attach the legs to it?

One set of problems at a time! OK?

And where do you think you've got the time to make sawdust? Don't you have another machine to restore? :P

It can wait. My blood is getting rusty and I need to regenerate my cellulose content.

[Al killian]

Check on DIYNET.com, David Marks made a lamp? like this andhe used bent lammation which also alowed him to leave a grove in one half to run the cord.

[glenn bradley]

Since they are so modern in appearance have you considered letting the cord drop from the center post to the floor and let it become part of the design? Perhaps a clear insulated coil cord(?). Something like this in the fabric of your choice:

http://www.lampsplus.com/products/s_coil-cord/18006/

[Wes Bischel]

Jeff,
A few thoughts - how about a reveal (slot) along the back/inside (and front for that matter) made with a shaper or router - the cord gets tucked into the reveal which is deep enough to keep it from being seen. Similar to what Jason was talking about, except I'm lazy and wouldn't try to fill it - plus I like the crisp detailing of reveals in wood.
Another thought is if you go with the resaw/rout/laminate version, once a cord is in there, if it ever needs to be replaced, it would be a simple matter of using the old cord to pull through the new cord - though I doubt you'll ever need to worry about that.

FWIW,
Wes

PS I recently saw a wood tripod floor lamp somewhere and the cord dropped from the center section - it was plain round plastic cord (not zipcord though) and still looked unfinished. I think if you go that direction, some sort of detailing would be needed whether it be the type of cord (fabric maybe?) or how it drops down.