Everything you need to know to turn your kit into a finished piece — from first glue to final top coat.
The Four Stages
- Assemble the kit parts
- Paint, stain, or otherwise finish the box / lamp
- Install the glass
- Make the lid
What You'll Also Need
- PVA wood glue. White Elmer's School Glue works great — it's cheap and easy to find.
- Small (2 inch) spring clamps. These dramatically improve assembly quality by holding pieces tight while the glue sets. Amazon link.
- Sandpaper in a range of grits (100, 240, 320, 400 — discussed below).
- Your choice of stain, paint, or clear finish. New to finishing wood? Search YouTube for "how to finish wood" for excellent free tutorials.
Important
Your kit includes parts laser cut from top-quality birch plywood manufactured specifically for craft projects. As with any wood product, very slight size variations can result from changes in humidity. Keeping all parts together in the same environment should prevent this from causing any issues.
Burn Marks?
Laser cutting occasionally leaves scorch marks on wood. These can be quickly and easily removed with light sanding.
Kit Parts Reference
Your kit includes either a Box Floor F1 or a Lamp Floor F2 — not both.
Lamp-Only Parts
Included only in lamp kits.
Assembly Instructions
Many of the pieces have lightly engraved part identification. Make sure those letters face inward during assembly to avoid having to sand them off during finishing.
Insert the bottom (F1 for the box kit or F2 for the lamp kit) tabs into one of the W Four Tab Sides. If you are assembling the lamp, there is a dashed guideline for a later step — this dashed line should face down (outside the box). Do not glue yet.
Attach the second side (E Three Tab Side) the same way.
Use two short pieces of masking tape to hold the two sides together.
When sides and floor are held tightly together, the ends of the box tabs should protrude slightly beyond the surface. They're designed this way so you can sand them perfectly flush later.
Repeat Step 2 for the other two sides.
Next, glue the upright brace into each vertical corner. There are two ways to do this:
- Run a thin bead of wood glue down the center of the corner (shown at left), or
- Apply glue to two adjacent sides of a U brace (shown at right).
Position a U brace in the corner of the box as shown. Make sure the bottom of the beam is resting on the floor. Fix the brace in place while the glue sets using the small clamps. If you don't have clamps, use masking tape.
Repeat Steps 6 and 7 for the other three U braces. For best results, allow the glue to fully cure before proceeding.
Remove all tape and clamps.
Glue the B brace into the corner where the side meets the bottom. As with the U braces, you can place a bead of glue into the corner, or apply the glue to two adjacent sides of the B brace. Clamp as shown.
Repeat Step 10 for the remaining three sides.
The next step is to glue the top braces. Start by putting a drop of glue on the top of two U braces and along the long edge of a T brace.
Place the T brace in position as shown. If you applied glue to the surface of the T brace, make sure it is positioned against the side. Clamp (or tape) the T brace in place.
Repeat for the remaining three sides.
Assembly is now complete. Skip ahead to Paint or Stain.
Continue with the riser assembly below.
Lamp-Only Assembly
Put two dots of glue on each end of the R Riser pieces.
Assemble the riser by arranging the four sides as shown. Note that one piece has a cord notch.
Put the four sides together to complete the riser base. Tape or rubber-band the four sides together while the glue dries.
Glue the riser to the lamp frame. When assembled, part of the riser is recessed into the bottom, making it difficult to sand after gluing. Sanding the outside surfaces first will make finishing easier later.
Place glue along the top edge of the riser base. Note the notch is on the bottom.
Place the lamp upside down on your work surface. Position the riser with the notch up and closest to the cord hole in the floor of the lamp. There are dashed lines on the bottom side of the floor to help position the riser in the center. Use masking tape while the glue sets.
Paint or Stain
The kit is now assembled. Before painting or staining, it should be sanded. A sanding block or sponge makes easy work of this step. A small, inexpensive handheld orbital sander reduces time per kit to under five minutes.
When finishing wood, start with coarse sandpaper (100 grit or below). Box tabs that extend beyond the surface or corners should be sanded flush. Once the surface is flat, proceed to finer sandpaper — 240, then 320 or higher, until you're satisfied with the feel of the wood.
Painting
Apply many light coats of spray paint for the best results. Lightly hand-sand with 400 grit (or higher) between coats to eliminate texture from drips, brush marks, or dust.
Staining
Apply stain with the grain using a rag or brush, then wipe off the excess after a few minutes to control color depth. Pre-stain conditioner (optional) helps even out absorption. Lightly hand-sand with 400 grit after the stain dries.
Top Coat
Apply a high-quality clear topcoat — polyurethane or lacquer — in thin, even layers to protect from moisture and wear. Lightly sand with high-grit paper or fine steel wool between coats for a professional-grade luster.
Installing the Glass
The four glass panels required should be 4.25 inches (108 mm) square, with a recommended thickness of 1/8–1/4 inch (3–6 mm). They are attached using glue. Two-part epoxy and E6000 are excellent options. Avoid "5-minute" epoxy because of its limited working time.
Position the project on its side. Place a thin bead of glue in the recess as shown.
Set the glass into the frame and use masking tape to hold it in place while the glue sets.
Repeat for the other three sides.
Important
Glass is heavy and tape may not be sufficient to hold it in place as you rotate the project to work on each side — especially for two-layer (1/4 inch / 6 mm) thick pieces. In these cases, glue one side at a time and let it set before moving on.
Adding the Light (Lamp Only)
Feed the cord through both the hole in the floor of the lamp and the slot in the riser. Use the included double-sided adhesive circle to fix the lamp in place. You can discard the two tiny screws — they're not needed.
Making the Lid
There are two options for making the lid. Both require two pieces of glass, 5 5/8 inches (143 mm) square. Full fuse them together first.
Option 1 — Lid Retaining Rim
Place the fused piece upside down on your work surface. Glue the two C Lid Retaining Rim pieces centered and held in place with masking tape while the glue sets, as shown. When the glue is dry, the lid is finished.
Option 2 — Glass Retainer
For this lid, you need a 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick piece of glass that is 4.75 inches (120 mm) square, and a 7 inch (180 mm) square piece of 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick fiber paper.
Center the glass on the fiber paper and trace it with a craft knife. Remove the inner square of fiber paper and put the single layer of glass in its place, so the top of the fiber and glass are flush.
Center the fused two-layer square of glass on top, and contour or full fuse (either is fine). Once fired, your lid is done.
We're always happy to help with any issues or questions you may have.
Email us — and include any relevant photos — at help@fusingfactory.com