A peek behind the scenes… part 2

My electronics assembly table… deep roots in my personal history.

In part one we looked at where I do the wood working aspects of my lanterns and lamps. In this next part we will explore the space in my small home that I have dedicated to do everything else… from product photos, building any electronics and doing most of the final assembly, especially the parts that involve paper.

All the creative aspects also happen in this space too. I get to let things unfold and evolve, an opportunity to see things on a daily basis with a rested mind and fresh set of eyes, call this the ageing part where the rough designs become more refined over a great length of time, until they are ready to be partially made in small batches as time allows, since I work full-time.

To the right is my electronics work bench, a repurposed solid wood door and an Ikea table frame. I am able to do small scale surface mount assembly and repair, part of what I need to do when making my electronic LED candle flame units, one is pictured on the blue mat. All testing, soldering and assembly of all my lantern electronics takes place here. Not pictured is my parts shelf to the right of the table.

My roots into electronics goes back nearly 50 years, as a curious 5 year old fascinated by my crystal radio, as I recall, that worked without batteries and the endless support and encouragement from my parents no doubt. So electronics you could say chose me at an early age, unlike the woodworking - a turn of life events at age 48 pushed me to explore something completely new.

On the left above, my technique for cutting acrylic tubing safely (done in my workshop). On the right above, I go to a great lengths to design things that are able to last because they can be disassembled, repaired and also updated with new artwork or light source/electronics.

Transformed into something unique with much love and attention.

Pictured above is my router table equipped with a specialized plastic cutting bit. After seeking a company to cut this tubing for me and the costs, as it goes, “necessity is the mother of invention…” I had to find a way to do this myself or I’d have to give up on this design as the cutting costs would impact my already high material/consumables costs a great deal more.

I tried the several typical table saw techniques with jigs I found online, but found this so hazardous and easy to destroy entire lengths of this very expensive material, so I went back to the drawing board. I am sure there is nothing new with how I do this, at the time however, I could find nothing on it. With my little experience cutting acrylic sheeting on a CNC, I decided to try the specialized bit in my router table… after some refinement and more jigs, I ended up with what you see pictured here, safe and effective. I slowly drop the tube onto the cutter then rotate it slowly anti-clockwise, being 100% present all the time. The tape ensures the tubing does not get scratched.

In the top picture, to the right, I am inserting the inner MDF ring which allows the machined wood lid and base to attach to the core lantern unit, after the paper has been applied to the tube, which can be seen directly to the right.

Likely a very over engineered lantern/lamp but this way I know it can be stand the test of time and last for lifetimes if taken care of. The paper can be easily removed and repaired, once the lid and base are removed (held on with tiny hidden screws). The tube offers much protection for the paper, an invisible tough inner core.

My photo booth, built into to my Ikea shelving unit due to my limited space. Next to it my collection of props.

Maple base frame and Cherry decorative frame transformed with washi.

Another new skill that had to be learned was that of product photography. All the pictures you see of individual lanterns and lamps are taken in this little space shown above. It is a challenge, especially with the taller units… a situation of making the best of what is available. Lighting was a large unexpected cost, thankfully I had a camera.

There is an overhead LED panel light, RGB adjustable, which allows me to create a daylight scene and a night time scene, to better match the lantern/lamp bulb colour. There is a double diffusion panel below the panel to soften the light as much as possible. More would be better but there is no room. The wood face helps prevent light spill onto the background.

The key light on the left is not RGB, however it is daylight/tungsten adjustable, letting me also set this for night or day colour temp. The barn doors allow me to reduce spill as much as possible. This was one of my biggest hurdles to overcome, spill of light onto the background.

What you cannot see behind the key light is a 3rd and 4th light. The 3rd light creates a sunlight ray/window effect during the day and the 4th is a small RGB panel light that is shone through a cardboard grid, to create the blue moonlight cast you see in my pictures.

I leave this setup permanently setup, short of the camera, since it took me a great deal of time to get something that I was mostly happy with. I have some different flooring material that I switch out to create different looking environments.

On the left above, my silk screening jig for applying specific artwork to washi paper (Unryu - ‘cloud dragon paper’). On the right above is my treasure chest of Japanese papers, housed in an 8 draw unit I made. We will look at this in greater dept in an upcoming blog post as there is much to explore.

A peek at a design that holds very special meaning to me - these are paper, 2D, 1:1 scale cutouts. This collection is coming in 2023, hopefully, and is based on the large box shaped lantern you have likely seen in some of my photos.

My “incubation shelf/area”, a small area I see several times a day that helps keep me moving forward. I am a very visual person, so having this space helps me begin to see proportions and scale, as these paper “models” are always made to real life size. I have two areas like this, the second however contains completed lamps I have made for myself, these are mostly used for product photos. So I get to see the early begennings and end result, food for the soul…

This space has another purpose too, because it’s not always easy to keep moving forward… especially when I loose my way and life begins to weigh me down. So this space also offers me inspiration, acts as a reminder to enjoy today, as yesterday is gone and tomorrow is uncertain, a reminder to live one day at a time and that everything takes time…

Once I am mostly happy with the proportions, I will typically make a prototype out of wood in order to refine how it will get made. What seems good on paper often does not transpire well into the real world, especially with a natural material like wood. It’s also very likely I was not able to account for every aspect of the construction, tolerances and more.

I do my best to get things as close to right at the start as possible, making only small sections at a time. This is because I have to make jigs each time and they take a huge amount of time to make. These jigs will ultimately be used to help me repeatedly make specific parts. I may also find room for more generic jigs, such as being able to clamp wood panels for glue-up that will enable me to make panels of different sizes for the box lids. I will share more on this another time.

I find this creative part of the process fulfilling, I get to see things unfold and take shape, along with all the possibilities. At the same time it often ends up being the most frustrating and challenging part for me. Forcing creativity or creative approaches seldom works… when I reach this point I remind myself to let go, put things down… like letting a muddy glass of water settle until finally there is crystal clear water. BTW, this is easier said than done.

I hope you have enjoyed this little tour. Please be sure to post any questions or share some of the things you have found help keep you joyful as you make and do the things that fill your days.