TURNING Workshop lamp
86 The Woodworker & Good Woodworking October 2019 http://www.getwoodworking.comSuffering a workshop mishap
due to an errant piece of flying
timber, Les Thorne is forced to
turn himself a new base for one
of his trusty workshop lampsA NEW
WORKSHOP LAMP
This project came about after a bit of an accident at the
workshop a couple of weeks ago. Those of you who follow
me on social media will know that I get a lot of commissions
for large-scale projects, including columns, mirror frames
and pedestal legs. It was turning one of the latter projects
that caused a problem when a large 1,000mm long × 300mm
square block of laminated tulipwood fell off the back of
the lathe while I was trying to mount it up, smashing my
already patched up pedestal lamp into an irreparable pile
of firewood.
These lamps have been a valuable asset to my workshop
for a number of years as well as a necessity when I’m away
demonstrating at conference centres, village halls and
woodturning events all over the country. A lot of lathes have
lights attached to them, but getting these in the right place
can be a problem when going from working on the outside
of a piece to the inside, or from the headstock to the tailstock
end. The benefit of a freestanding lamp means it just requires
sliding into place. The project could be very simply changed
into a standard lamp for inside the home – remember that
just because they don’t seem to be fashionable any more
doesn’t mean that this item wouldn’t be useful.