Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is your typical lead time to make a lamp?
A: 2-8 months is common, likely it will be somewhere in between this amount of time. If more time is needed, it will be mutually agreed upon when placing the order.
Q: How do I order a lamp?
A: Visit my Inquiry page, there you can fill out the simple form with basic info about your order. I typically respond in 1-3 days. You can also visit the Commissions and Reservations page for further info about my ordering process.
Q: What kind of lighting do your lamps use?
A: All of my lamps at this time feature LED lightbulbs and fixtures. They are all AC fixtures. The lighting elements are wired for stability and safety, every wire connection is soldered and double insulated with electrical shrink tubing. As with any electrical fixture, ordinary safety measures should always be taken when handling the wiring of the lamp.
Q: How bright are your lamps?
A: They produce about as much light as most table top lamps. Typically they are between 40-60 watt LED equivalent. However the opalescent glass diffuses the light to make them more mellow than a traditional open lampshade. I design my lamps intentionally to have functional light. In the spectrum of functional light vs mood lighting, the lamps are more toward functional with some moody vibes.
Q: How do you make the glass lamp shades?
A: I use the "Tiffany method" which you can learn more about with a quick internet search. My version of the Tiffany method has extra applications to make the lampshade more precise, tidy and sleek.
Q: Do your more narrow lamp designs tip over easily?
A: I would say they would tip over about as easily as many ordinary lamps or table top objects. My lamps are functional art pieces, they are not designed to have a full utilitarian presence. However they are still very sturdy and stable. The precision in how they are produced certainly helps their physical stability.
Q: What is the general cost to commission a new design?
A: This all depends on the design idea, of course. New lamps require extra effort to design and test, so they typically are more expensive than reproductions.
Q: How do make the wooden bases?
A: The bases all begin as larger kiln-dried boards, which are source these from local suppliers. The process always begins with dimensioning the stock with hand planes and then processed/joined with a mix of hand tools and some small machines for expediency. The lamp bases are crafted with all wood joinery.
Q: Do you teach classes?
A: I mostly choose to focus on making new work. However I teach sparsely and would announce it via my Instagram and post the update here on my website.