How to Make an Antler Table Lamp

If you have a collection of deer antlers, you can make a nice table lamp from them. It isn't necessary to actually shoot a deer to gain antlers, either. Many horned animals slough their old antlers in late winter and you can find them in the woods where deer congregate. You can prepare and make this lamp in a day with simple tools.

Instructions

1

Clean deer antlers by washing them with a gentle soap mixture made from the type of soap typically used to wash down wood. Treat antlers delicately because they are organic material.

2

Open the lamp wiring kit and lay out all of the pieces. Remove the hollow rod that will allow the lamp cord to feed through the rod and through hollowed out antlers. Take two or three antlers and arrange them tightly around the tube. Wrap a piece of twine around the antlers to temporarily secure them. Add another layer of antlers if you wish and secure with twine. Remove the tube and lay aside.

3

Hot glue the antlers in place and discard the twine. Drill 5/16-inch holes through the antlers and the hot glue. Countersink a wood screw through the antlers to hold them together permanently. Mix white glue with antler dust to fill the holes and hide the top of the screws.

4

Hide the lamp cord by drilling inside the shaft of the antler. Drill up through the curve up the bottom. Drill from the top of the next curve back into the original drill tunnel. Feed the cord up through the drilled tunnels. Fill side holes with glue and antler dust to hide them.

5

Finish the antler lamp with a coat of polyurethane sealer applied with a disposable foam paint brush. Dry thoroughly. Place an attractive shade on your antler table lamp and enjoy.