# Building Falling Waters Lamps



## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

*Like Frank Sinatra, I'll Do It My Way...*

Once upon a time, long ago and far away, I wanted to be an architect. (Of course the fact that I couldn't draw sort of doomed that career path.) One of the architects who inspired me the most at that time was Frank Lloyd Wright.

Perhaps the most widely known and recognized building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright was a home named Falling Waters. Not only did he design the home he designed the furnishings.

One of the items he designed for the home was a bedroom lamp. Fellow LJ Randy Price has recreated this design and his finished lamp is shown in this project.

This is what Randy's Lamp looks like:










I've decided to build one of these lamps. Actually, I'm going to try to build four of them, two for a housewarming gift for a coworker and two for an anniversary gift for my wife (shhhh, don't tell her!)...

Of course I'm not Frank Lloyd Wright or Randy Price, so my lamps are going to be a little bit different, they'll be inspired by FLLW and Randy but I'm going to have to do them my way…

So, I've downloaded the FREE PLANS for this lamp from Randy's blog and I'm getting ready to start my build.

Stay tuned for more episodes in the series in the near future and in the meantime…

Be Careful!

Herb


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## Sarit (Oct 21, 2009)

HerbC said:


> *Like Frank Sinatra, I'll Do It My Way...*
> 
> Once upon a time, long ago and far away, I wanted to be an architect. (Of course the fact that I couldn't draw sort of doomed that career path.) One of the architects who inspired me the most at that time was Frank Lloyd Wright.
> 
> ...


Very cool.
I wonder if one could make the lamp using thin veneer and let the light shine through the wood.


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

HerbC said:


> *Like Frank Sinatra, I'll Do It My Way...*
> 
> Once upon a time, long ago and far away, I wanted to be an architect. (Of course the fact that I couldn't draw sort of doomed that career path.) One of the architects who inspired me the most at that time was Frank Lloyd Wright.
> 
> ...


I think you could do something along those lines although you'd have to build some sort of framework for the veneer. Perhaps use thin hardboard frames and cover outside with veneer…


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

*OK, the jigs up!*

This project was not designed to be built from your common, standard 3/4" thick lumber. Noooooooo, Mr Frank Lloyd Wright would never have been that unoriginal. The main pieces for the shades are 1/4" thick stock and the base is made from pieces that are either 1/4" or 1/2" thick. Of course I don't have any lumber that's already those sizes, so I'll have to resaw something to make the parts for these lamps.

Of course, I don't have a bandsaw so the resaw will be a bit more complicated. I do have a table saw. As a matter of fact I have two table saws. One is an older Craftsman contractor saw that I'm refurbing. It's not ready to use yet so I'll have to make do with my other saw, which is a Ryobi that I bought fifteen years ago.

I decided to make a resaw fence jig that I could use on the Ryobi and later adapt easily to the Craftsman. Here's what I came up with:



















The fence is eight inches high. The base includes a replaceable zero clearance insert. Both the insert and the face of the fence are 1/8" Masonite hardboad which provides a smooth surface which allows the wood to slide easier.

See you in the next episode.

Be Careful!

Herb


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

HerbC said:


> *OK, the jigs up!*
> 
> This project was not designed to be built from your common, standard 3/4" thick lumber. Noooooooo, Mr Frank Lloyd Wright would never have been that unoriginal. The main pieces for the shades are 1/4" thick stock and the base is made from pieces that are either 1/4" or 1/2" thick. Of course I don't have any lumber that's already those sizes, so I'll have to resaw something to make the parts for these lamps.
> 
> ...


i still do the table saw re-sawing
some times its just quicker
followed by the planer
or sander

works for me

i'll keep my eyes peeled for the lamps


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## anforte (Mar 30, 2009)

HerbC said:


> *OK, the jigs up!*
> 
> This project was not designed to be built from your common, standard 3/4" thick lumber. Noooooooo, Mr Frank Lloyd Wright would never have been that unoriginal. The main pieces for the shades are 1/4" thick stock and the base is made from pieces that are either 1/4" or 1/2" thick. Of course I don't have any lumber that's already those sizes, so I'll have to resaw something to make the parts for these lamps.
> 
> ...


*Vey resourceful, Patron!

I'm starting to use pallet wood for the FLW lamps.
Though I resaw the wood on my table saw. ( Using much caution )
your masonite surfaces are a neat idea that I will incorporate.
Following your series with great interest.
Am using any wood available - not espcially intereste in walnut *


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

*Let'r Rip!*

So, I built the resaw fence yesterday. I got off work a bit early this afternoon and decided to resaw the lumber for the shades.

The lumber is a full inch thick and eleven inches wide. My initial plan was to rip as deep as I could on the tablesaw and then use a handsaw to finish the rip. So I started by cutting the lumber to reasonable lengths and then making the first cuts:



















Well, after ripping as deeply as possible I attacked the remaining portion of the cut with my trusty pull saw. Wellllllllll, that turned into too much work to quickly. I determined that if I used the handsaw to cut the remaining five inches that it would only take me forty-two days to finish the resaw operation. Not a good plan!

I decided that since the lumber was going to be ripped into two pieces for each lamp that I'd cut the 11" wide boards into 5 1/2" wide boards and then finish the resaw. Of course since I had the resaw fence set up on the tablesaw that meant I had to use my circular saw to rip the boards…










After ripping the boards I finished resawing them.

More in a little bit.

Be Careful!

Herb


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

*Vive la différence*

If you've been following this series, I'm sure your scratching your head and saying to yourself "That sure don't look like walnut to me!"

So when I said "I'll do it my way!" one of the things I meant was that I wouldn't use walnut for the pieces that make up the shade on this lamp.

Not that I don't like walnut. I really like walnut. I might even go so far as to say I love walnut. But, (here's the catch…) I don't have any walnut. And there's nowhere I can buy it locally. So instead of walnut, I'll use:










*Spalted Sycamore!*










That's right, I said *Spalted Sycamore!*










I managed to resaw the heavier boards into a total of eight boards that are currently 3/8" thick.










Now they're stacked and stickered and weighted down. I'll let them reacclimitize for a day or so and then run them through the planer to get down to 1/4" thickness.

So, until next time…

Be Careful!

Herb


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## MrsN (Sep 29, 2008)

HerbC said:


> *Vive la différence*
> 
> If you've been following this series, I'm sure your scratching your head and saying to yourself "That sure don't look like walnut to me!"
> 
> ...


I am excited to read this series. I also love FLW and onw of these lamps is on my things to do list. I am hoping watching you complete yours will inspire me to start one. Thanks for sharring the process.


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

HerbC said:


> *Vive la différence*
> 
> If you've been following this series, I'm sure your scratching your head and saying to yourself "That sure don't look like walnut to me!"
> 
> ...


MrsN,

I hope that I'll be able to do justice to the design… My "shop" currently consists primarily of a table saw outside in my back yard and a bunch of hand power tools. I bought several hand planes last year and have begun to work on gaining experience in using them. I've also currently got a portable power planer on loan from a friend…

BTW, you have some really neat items in your projects.

Keep up the good work and…

Be Careful!

Herb


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## rlp (Oct 25, 2008)

HerbC said:


> *Vive la différence*
> 
> If you've been following this series, I'm sure your scratching your head and saying to yourself "That sure don't look like walnut to me!"
> 
> ...


Herb -

Glad to see you're building the FLLW lamps - can't wait to see how the spalted sycamore looks!

Randy
http://www.randallprice.com


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## anforte (Mar 30, 2009)

HerbC said:


> *Vive la différence*
> 
> If you've been following this series, I'm sure your scratching your head and saying to yourself "That sure don't look like walnut to me!"
> 
> ...


*Glad you got a table saw. Pity you don't have a sheltered indoor area to place it in.

Surprising what can be done with hand tools when you don't have the elaborate tool systems 
that some have and can afforrd.

Good luck and much success.

Michelangelo said, " Perfection is no trifle but trifles make perfection"*


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

*I want to be poplar...*

Or was that popular?

The base elements of this lamp design are made from various thickness pieces of poplar, painted black.

I didn't have any poplar so I went to Home Depot and bought a board (3/4" x5 1/2" x 8').

I decided to resaw the poplar rather than buy the different thicknesses at the Home Depot.

Again I used my table saw and the resaw fence I built. Here's a picture of the stock ready for planing to final thickness.










From left to right, not counting the piece of 2×4 that's 1/2", 3/8" and two 1/4" pieces.

Hopefully I'll get all the parts planed to final thicknesses early this week. I'll have to go by my friends house to do it since he borrowed his planer back…

Thanks for looking in and remember…

Be Careful!

Herb


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## mauiwindwalker (Mar 28, 2007)

HerbC said:


> *I want to be poplar...*
> 
> Or was that popular?
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing your progress and work. Keep up the good work!


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## kenn (Mar 19, 2008)

HerbC said:


> *I want to be poplar...*
> 
> Or was that popular?
> 
> ...


Some friends just can't be trusted to leave their tools with you! Keep going.


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

HerbC said:


> *I want to be poplar...*
> 
> Or was that popular?
> 
> ...


Kenn,

Yeah, he had only left it here for a little over two months…

Of course after using it for the initial purpose that has prompted him to bring it over (planing some cypress that's going to be new flooring for our front porch…) it just sat here gathering dust until I started this project, then he says he's got to have it back…

Well, this will give me an excuse to visit him and see the improvements he's made to his shop.

Thanks for commenting and remember…

Be Careful!

Herb


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

*Take a little off the top Mr. Carnahan...*

I called my friend who had previously loaned me his Dewalt 734 planner (which he took home last Saturday) to see if I could bring the pieces for these lamps over to his house and plane them to the final thicknesses. He said that since the planer was still in his truck that he'd just drop it off at my house today.

So this afternoon I planed the poplar and the sycamore down to the final thickness. I didn't take any pictures of the actual planing operations but here's a few photos of the planed material:










Poplar - one 1/2", one 3/8" and two 1/4" thick.










Four pieces of spalted sycamore 1/4" thick.










The other four pieces of spalted sycamore 1/4" thick. The holes you see were made by flat headed borers which are the larva form of a beetle that got into the logs before I had them (the logs) milled into lumber. The borers that were not sawn up in the process died once the logs were milled and began to dry. The damage from the borers is something I have to work around as I use this lumber.










All the planed material makes a small stack…










Stacked and stickered and weighed down to minimize movement while acclimatizing.

Again, the sycamore will be used for the shades and the popular will be painted black and used for the bases of thes lamps.

Next process will be to rip the sycamore to rough width.

Thanks for looking in and remember…

Be Careful!

Herb


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

HerbC said:


> *Take a little off the top Mr. Carnahan...*
> 
> I called my friend who had previously loaned me his Dewalt 734 planner (which he took home last Saturday) to see if I could bring the pieces for these lamps over to his house and plane them to the final thicknesses. He said that since the planer was still in his truck that he'd just drop it off at my house today.
> 
> ...


otherwise known as "spalted" timber. Quite beautiful when done right.

Cheers


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

*Socket to me!*

I didn't get any woodworking done on this project yesterday. But I did do something productive. I ordered the lamp sockets I will use.










I'm using the Leviton 6151 Full Range Electro-Mechanical Incandescent Lampholder Socket Dimmer. It lets you use standard incandecent bulbs and dims them thru the full range. I found them at PlumberSurplus.com for $12 each. Could have ordered thru Amazon but shipping was a lot higher for some reason…

Well, thanks for checking in and I hope to have some real progress soon.

Be Careful!

Herb


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## hObOmOnk (Feb 6, 2007)

HerbC said:


> *Socket to me!*
> 
> I didn't get any woodworking done on this project yesterday. But I did do something productive. I ordered the lamp sockets I will use.
> 
> ...


I like it, but…

The term "standard incandecent bulbs" is about to meet the same fate as "standard rotary dial telephones." 

Just saying…


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

HerbC said:


> *Socket to me!*
> 
> I didn't get any woodworking done on this project yesterday. But I did do something productive. I ordered the lamp sockets I will use.
> 
> ...


HoboMonk,

I'm all for more efficient alternatives for lighting but the many drawbacks to CFLs and LEDs convince me they are not the the solution as currently designed. I believe the Congress overstepped when they "outlawed" incandecent bulbs. I hope that our society gets a little more sanity in this area in the not to distant future and moves to open the market back up for the lowly incandecent bulb.

Not trying to start a ideological argument.

BTW, these lamps will be using tubular style bulbs that are sold as speciality items which I believe are not affected by the law that's killing the "standard" incandecent.

Thanks for checking in and I do appreciate your comment.

Be Careful!

Herb


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## Flocktothewall (Jan 16, 2011)

HerbC said:


> *Socket to me!*
> 
> I didn't get any woodworking done on this project yesterday. But I did do something productive. I ordered the lamp sockets I will use.
> 
> ...


Interesting tidbid, in college, my business law professor (of all people) started and runs plumbersurplus.com


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