I finished up all of the wood fabrication and detailing for the first of the sconces yesterday. The second sconce isn’t far behind, I just need to sand it and fit the Ebony pegs.
I started with a trip to the hardware store and found the “keyhole hangers” I needed and a router bit to cut the recess. This was pretty easy stuff. There is some weird trick of light that makes it look like they stick up above the surface in the picture below, but they don’t.
Keyhole Hangers Installed On Back
Then I laid out the locations for the ebony details and chiseled out the waste. This wasn’t too bad, although it’s not as even as I’d like. I want to buy a set of those square punches from Lee Valley before I have to do more stuff like this. Like when I re-do my kitchen someday. There are 12 ebony plugs in these sconces (there should be more, the originals had tiny 1/8″ plugs in the lantern body. Maybe I’ll go back and add those…) I just chopped them like shallow mortises, but all the edges show so any little inaccuracy shows up.
Layout for Ebony Inserts
There are s bunch of little detailed steps here, routing a groove in the back for the sires, cutting the “dog ear” notches, rounding over the edges, gluing up and fitting the pegs. I used a rasp and 100 grit paper to shape the ends after running around the outside of the part with a 1/4″ round over bit. I was trying to give it a slightly worn, slightly organic look as I’ve seen on some of the original Greene & Greene stuff.
I need to finish up the last bits of fabrication on the bracket for the second sconce, then I can start laying on finish. Wow! Now I need to figure out how to do the stained glass. I’ll update my plans for this sconce based on what I’ve found while making these — I missed putting in a few dimensions and I think the wall bracket should be a tad longer, maybe as much as 1″, so it hange a little more below the lantern body. And I need to add in patterns for the stained glass.
Drilling for Wiring
Socket Test Fit
Finished Support Arm
Parts for One Sconce
