Victorthesecond
Established Member
Hello all. I'm in the middle of making a log lamp for a friend. I'm using a kiln dried ash log that is 200mm /120mm wide. This is what I've learned, but I have a couple of questions as well.....
1) I bought a 450mm long, 10mm diameter, auger drill bit designed for wood to drill the hole down through the stump. My cordless drill was fine until getting towards the very end when the bit kept jamming. Got there in the end by drilling slowly and regularly emptying the hole of the shavings that were generated.
But, the hole isn't vertical! That doesn't actually matter very much as I am not planning on putting the light fitting extender directly into the wood, but I'd love to hear any tips for vertical drilling that I can use it I do this project again.... Perhaps I should get a shorter auger drill and use a drill block to create a guide hole?
2) Getting the bark off the log took a long time using chisels
3) Without bark, and after the initial sanding (80 grit, 120 grit with finer to follow) the log looks very pale as you'd imagine. I wondered what you might suggest I use to treat it to enhance the wood and whatever grain comes out ? Some sort of oil perhaps? All advice welcome as usual, thank you!
1) I bought a 450mm long, 10mm diameter, auger drill bit designed for wood to drill the hole down through the stump. My cordless drill was fine until getting towards the very end when the bit kept jamming. Got there in the end by drilling slowly and regularly emptying the hole of the shavings that were generated.
But, the hole isn't vertical! That doesn't actually matter very much as I am not planning on putting the light fitting extender directly into the wood, but I'd love to hear any tips for vertical drilling that I can use it I do this project again.... Perhaps I should get a shorter auger drill and use a drill block to create a guide hole?
2) Getting the bark off the log took a long time using chisels
3) Without bark, and after the initial sanding (80 grit, 120 grit with finer to follow) the log looks very pale as you'd imagine. I wondered what you might suggest I use to treat it to enhance the wood and whatever grain comes out ? Some sort of oil perhaps? All advice welcome as usual, thank you!
