The Light of Men

First posted during the winter of 2021

By copying designs created by others, I'm standing on the shoulders of giants. In this case, miniature giants.  I've seen many variations of these articulated desk lamps online, and I decided to make some for my nephews for Christmas.  I worked out a model in SketchUp to get the proportions right and then started on the build using some anigre I had on hand.  I made one pair to the initial design, and then a second pair with a slight modification to articulate the shoulders.
 
The lamps were a bit top-heavy when not in a sitting position, so I made removable bases to support the gents when they're standing. Here are a few construction photos and some posed shots (which is the fun part).
 
With a few strips of anigre machined to a square cross-section, I cut out the individual pieces - square ends on the crosscut sled and 45 degree ends on the miter saw.

 

I used the tiny Dominos on the fixed joints of the assembly.

 

 

I cut the tapered head pieces on a purpose-built table saw jig and just glued the pieces together without fasteners.

Test assembly on the usual messy assembly table.

The light fixture is mounted in a 1/4" plywood plate that is wedge-fit and glued into the head.  (For anyone who is curious - like Ron Stewart was on the initial posting - the foam in the cup is not brain matter.  It's PU glue that's foamed-up.  I use a paper cup multiple times to scrape the glue off a squeegee.)

 
I couldn't resist a full assembly and some poses before applying some finish.

"I am curiously and wonderfully made."

"I've got gas."

The last step was a couple coats of oil-based poly.  I rigged-up a 2x4 full of nails as a makeshift drying rack.

 
And of course, I had to get a few more posed shots once they were complete.

"I feel a certain kinship with you creatures."

Hanging out with his three-legged brethren.

"Who am I?  Where did I come from?"

"I dig my new hoverboard."

 

"We could be twins!"

For the second pair, I made one change, and that was to articulate the shoulders for better posing possibilities.

"The running man."

"Pontificating"

"Rock-em, Sock-em Robots"

"Alas poor Yorick.  I knew him, Horatio"

"I'll bet I can make this plant grow simply by staring at it."

"Decorating is hard work."

"For me?  Oh, you shouldn't have."

"Confidentially, you look ridiculous in those antlers."

This was a really fun project - both building and the posing (obviously).   Definitely a recommended build.