Option A with a Vintage Lamp

As a Craftsmen I love my job, it offers variety and every day is different, that’s  until I get take on a big project with a timescale, when it suddenly becomes a production line.

I have spent the last couple of weeks repairing several sets of Carriage Wheels, which means making lots of the same part, especially when it involves new spokes – 52 in a set of wheels, and I have two more sets of wheels to go before I can detour onto something else.

Therefore on Sunday I was home alone and by way of a break decided to use up some of my offcuts, left over from my wheel work, and make myself a new bedside lamp. One set of wheels had a particularly thick set of felloes ( the wooden rim of a wheel), which meant I had a lovely piece of 70mm thick ash looking for a home, so onto the lathe it went. The scalloped design was a practical decision as a way of turning my way round a fault in the wood that was on one edge, but I have to say I rather liked it.

The steel arm is an off cut of steel used to make steel tyres, which has been run through my tyre roller. To finish it I wanted to try a new polishing device I have just brought, so its polished, heated and then waxed.

A practical issue was getting the cable up to the light fitting in a tidy fashion. I did consider gluing it up the back, or cable clips, but neither solution struck me as neat, and then I had the idea to thread it through, using red cloth covered cable. I cant help thinking this is a solution I shall use again.

All of these accidents or experiments come together to create what I will claim is good design.

Unfortunately I still don’t have a bedside light as this one has now been appropriated for elsewhere. However there is now a debate within the family as to how to finish the lamp.

The trendy side of the family, occasionally found in hipster cafes on Sundays having brunch prefer the picture above – option A with a vintage style light bulb.

The traditionalist prefer a lampshade albeit a glass one shown as option B below.

Which do you prefer?

Option B with a glass lampshade