Steampunk Ceiling Light

Page Index

• Initial Design Concept
• Making the Three Arms
• Steampunk Ceiling Light Electrical
• Bringing the Design Together
• Attaching the Three Arms
• One Modification is Made
• Wiring the Light
• The Brass Inlays
• Finishing the Piece
• A Picture Gallery

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I wanted to make a ceiling lamp for the guest bedroom. It was made from various materials I had in my shop and fits in with the rooms Steampunk decor . You can see completed light above with more pictures at the end of this blog.

Steampunk Ceiling Light- Initial Design

The base from an old globe and using it as the base for the ceiling light.

The concept was to create three wooden arms that will mount to the base. One holds the bulb inside the glass sphere shown here to the left. The other two will point back towards the sphere.

First I taper cut some oak that will create the three forearms.

The edges are notched using a router allowing all of the arms to have quarter inch brass rod inlaid .

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The upper arm of each is cut and notched as well though the upper arms are not tapered.

These wood blocks were cut and mounted to the base. These being the attachment points for the arms.

Steampunk Ceiling Light- Attaching the Arms

The blocks mount with 1/4 inch screws to the base.

For the lamp arm I decided to remake the the block from steel because the lamp will be much more heavy. I thought the oak block might split from the pressure.

These are two views of the upper arms mounted to the base.

The two forearms that do not support the lamp are trimmed down and rounded to shape.

I used a paper tube the same diameter as the lamp sphere to figure out where to mount the forearms.

The forearms were drilled and some gears were added to Steampunk it up a bit.

This is a close up of the arms mounted to the base with brass plates.

Brass plates are also used to attach the two forearm pieces.

This is another view.

Steampunk Ceiling Light – Electrical

The forearm for the lamp is pre-drilled to accept a 1/8 NPS threaded lamp rod.

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A 1/8 inch copper plate is used to mount the rod to the forearm.

Here the copper plate has been cut to size ready to be attached.

The lamp rod mounted to the forearm is shown here.

A  1 and 3/4 inch piece pf copper tubing is used to mount the bulb socket to the lamp forearm.

This lamp washer and the copper tube are seen here drilled to accept brackets. These hold the washer to the tube.

Quarter inch brass flat stock is used to create the brackets.

The brackets attach at the edge.

Here the lamp socket mounted to the lamp rod.

A view of the lamp housing from below.

Steampunk Ceiling Light – Bringing Some Things Together

Here the base mounting blocks have been painted black. You can also see the brass acorn nuts that will be used in the final mountings.

The two upper arms shown here stained and varnished.

Steampunk Ceiling Light – Globe Mounting

Mounting rods for the globe were cut to length and drilled. They are seen in the picture on the bottom temporarily mounted.

The globe rests on these rods.

Right angle pieces are attached to each support rod.

Each right angle vertical piece was then drilled and tapped to accept a set screw. The vertical piece is then soldered into place .

The tops of each vertical rod thta were drilled and tapped are shown with the 6-32 brass set screws in place.

In this picture the globe has been mounted to the support with the set screws holding it in place.

The forearm for the lamp/globe support was held in place in order to mark it for cutting and mounting permanently.

After the forearm piece was cut and slotted it is then glued into place.

Steampunk Ceiling Light – Arms and More

This is a view of the base with the three arms mounted. Two have been stained and varnished, but are missing the forearm pieces. The third is the lamp arm with the upper and fore arm pieces in place. This will be stained and varnished next.

Close up of base with arms mounted.

One of the mounting brackets for the forearms of the non-lamp support arms is shown here.

A close of lamp arm mounted to the base.

Steampunk Ceiling Lamp – One Modification

I was looking at the mount for the lamp on the third arm and realized that the whole lamp assembly would be supported by these two small wood screws.

So I soldered some brass plates to the copper mount in order to make it into a flange. This will be attached onto the end of the arm. Now it will be held in place with two screws through the flange and the end of the lamp arm.

Then I realized that I drilled the holes too far apart.

So I re-drilled the holes and added some patches to the old holes rather than remaking the whole piece.

Steampunk Ceiling Light – Wiring the Light

In the mean time I had stained and varnished the remaining wood pieces. Here is the hole thing reassembled temporarily. Now you can get a better picture of what the light will eventually look like. Next up is apply the quarter inch brass rod inlays to all edges. Then the light still needs to be wired. Finally there will be some other embellishments.

I decided to work on the arm that holds the lamp first. Here I wired the socket and lamp holder.

In this picture you can see the lamp socket inside the holder.

Steampunk Ceiling Light – Adding Brass Rod

The next step is cutting and fitting all of the brass inlay pieces for the lamp arms. Here I am cutting an angle onto the first piece.

After cutting the angles, the pieces were put in place to check fit.

AT the top all of the brass inlay pieces for the lamp arm have been cut and shaped. On the bottom they have been pre-drilled for attaching to the oak arm with #4 1/2 inch brass wood screws.

The brass was held in place with clamps. The wood was then pre-drilled and the screws inserted.

These are two views of the brass inlays screwed into place on the lamp arm.

Gears were added in the area of the joint in order to make it look like the joint is mechanically adjustable.

The completed and wired lamp arm. The cloth covered wire goes through two brass eyes and into the base.

Another view of the completed lamp arm

A shot from the other side. Next I’ll be working on the inlays for the other arms. Pretty close to being done.

Steampunk Ceiling Light – The Finish Line

Each brass inlay extends to a point beyond the wooden arm.

This is the first forearm after mounting with inlays.

This is with both mounted. Then I took the arms back apart in order to add the inlays to the upper arms.

This is the first arm completed and attached can be seen in this picture.

Both arms completed and mounted are seen here.

This is another view.

Let there be light. A picture of the lamp test.

And finally one more of the lamp being tested.

All that is left to do is make a 1/8 NPS threaded finial in order to mount it to the ceiling.

Steampunk Ceiling Light – The Mounting Finial

The brass knob in the center of the light I found in my metal scrap. I think it will amke a perfect finial. Just need to drill and tap it.

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On the left boring the brass finial and on the right tapping.

After completion I threading I attached the lamp rod and holder into the final. This rod will hold the light to the ceiling.

Steampunk Ceiling Light – A Gallery of Pictures

Finally, the lamp mounted and lit.

A view from the other side.

Here the light is turned off.

Another with the light off.

Another view.

And another.

One more

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