June 29, 2026
Description
After posting a photo of this lamp online and asking whether it was ugly, the responses were surprisingly divided. Plenty of people said yes, but enough people liked it and asked about making one of their own that I decided to release the design.
Based on the feedback, particularly the comparisons to a futuristic lighthouse, I named it the Starfarer Lamp. Its combination of space-age and nautical styling gives it a distinctly spacey, oceanic feel.
Materials
The lamp uses:
Twelve 1-inch dowel rods for the upper and lower sections
Six pieces of 7/8-inch dowel for the transition section
A hanging lamp socket and cord
Using two different dowel sizes may seem like an unusual design choice, but I already had some 7/8-inch dowel available, and the twelve oak rods used for the main sections were relatively expensive. You could modify the included source files to use a single dowel size if preferred.
The socket and cord I used can be found here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GKLPNS3
For transparency, I cut and extended the cord for my build. That may not be necessary depending on your preferred lamp height and proximity to an outlet. Any electrical modifications should be performed safely and only if you are comfortable working with lamp wiring.
Assembly
Assembly is straightforward, and all of the printed parts are designed to be friction-fit. Simply insert the dowels into the corresponding holes.
I found it easiest to assemble the top and bottom sections separately, then place one section on top of the other.
I have also included the original Fusion 360 .f3d file and a .step file, so you can resize, modify, or remix the design to your heart’s content.
Thanks to everyone on Reddit who encouraged me to share what was originally intended to be a one-off lamp. I hope the Starfarer finds a home in a few other corners of the galaxy.
License:
Creative Commons — Public Domain