HomeMade Modern DIY Wood Pendant Lamp

Create a DIY wood pendant lamp from a scrap piece of 3/4" thick pine. This is a simple project but requires some precise cuts from a compound miter saw. A series of 30 degree bevel cuts produces the 6 sides of the hexagon. Adjusting the miter fence to make a slight miter cut at the same time gives the hexagonal form a tapered, cone shape.

Glossary:

Miter Cut – A cutting operation made with the work piece at any angle to the blade other than 90°.

Bevel Cut – A cutting operation made with the blade at any angle other than 90° to the table surface.

Supplies + Tools

3/4" Pine Board
Available at Home Depot or Recycle Scrap
I had some scrap 3/4" thick pine boards – 8" wide – left over from a previous project. You could use any type of wood for this project, but I would start with something cheap like pine until you get the settings on your saw perfect.

Pendant Light Cord with Porcelain Socket
Available at The Color Cord Company
The Color Cord Company is my favorite place for getting light fixtures. They have an awesome selection of colors and features.

Colored Silk Cord or String
Available Online or a Crafting Store
I had some left over silk cord from a past project that just happened to match the turquoise electrical set I purchased from The Color Cord Company.

Wood Glue
Available at Home Depot
I used wood glue to fasten the sides together.

Wire
Available at Home Depot
I used a light gauge wire to clamp the sides together while the glue dried and to make a net that holds the socket in the center of the lamp.

RYOBI 18 Volt Cordless Drill
Available at Home Depot

RYOBI 18 Volt Circular Saw (with Plywood Blade)
Available at Home Depot

RYOBI 10" Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser
Available at Home Depot

Cut Grooves in the Pine Board

I used my circular saw to cut two 1/8" deep grooves on each side of the pine board. I screwed the board down to my worktable to keep it in place and used the adjustable edge guide to keep my cuts straight. After cutting the first side, I flipped the board over and cut grooves on the other side. Since I kept the edge guide in the same location, all of the cuts aligned perfectly.

Cut the Sides

The lamp is a hexagonal cone made from 6 sides. I set the miter saw to make a 30 degree bevel cut and adjusted the miter fence to about a 4 degree angle. The 30 degree bevel cut needs to be pretty accurate in order for the lamp to work. The miter fence can be at a variety of different angles depending on how sharply you want the cone to taper.

Glue the Sides Together

It's hard to glue all 6 sides together at once, so I glued them together in pairs first. I used wire to hold them tightly together while the glue dried.

Glue the Whole Thing Together

Once the pairs dried, I glued them all together. I used wire, but blue painter's tape works well too.

Sand the Lamp

I sanded the flat sides of the lamp with an orbital sander and 220 grit paper. I sanded the ends by hand.

Assemble the Lamp

After threading the cord through the wood lamp, I drilled 4 holes in the groove and used wire to make a net that keeps the socket in the center of the lampshade. Push the exterior parts of the wires deep into the groove.

Tie on the Colored Silk Cord or String

Use the colored silk cord to cover the wires for a nice, bright detail. I drilled a 1/8" diameter hole through the grove and ran the colored silk cord around the groove and through the hole. I tied it in a tight knot from the inside.

Finished!

Good luck making your own wood pendant lamp and please email, tweet or hashtag photos to @benuyeda, ben@homemade-modern.com or #homemademodern. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.