# Lighthouses



## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

When I retired, the first thing W.L.M. asked me to make was a lighthouse, to replace a $70, overpriced, scrapwood, anyone can make it, lighthouse we bought during a vacation, to cover our wellhead.. Basically, I copied the dimensions of the old one because it covered the well just fine.. It sits on a base of concrete and Petosky stones.. (Michigan's state stone)..

Now our Daughter-in-law wants one like it.. So I'm in the process of making hers.. The sides are underlayment that I gave a 22.5 deg. bevel to with the RT, and the inner braces are 5/8 ply, cut out with a 6 deg edge angle.. The templates for the inner braces were pretty simple to make..

The solar light on the first one is from a LH I found at WalMart.. I only bought it for the light, and the base sits outside under the birdfeeder, with no top.. I intend on making a plant stand out of it.. The new LH will have a solar light I found at HD.. They were 10 for $35.. One of them sits next to the in-progress LH..


----------



## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Nice Job MIKE

I guess I will need to make one also,I put in a pond 4 years ago and it would look great by the pond..and a night light on top of that. 
You know how ponds are you start with just a little one and then one just a bit bigger well this one is now 8' x 10' and it takes 3 hours to fill it up. hahahahaha
Tried the fish thing but gave that up ,now it's just a pond with plants and a new light house in a week or so.

Thanks for the show and tell

Bj 

Note***here's a off the wall tip....put the red Plastic gas can out side of the shop, in the shade...you may thank me for this tip some day. 

I want to talk with you and not about you..


----------



## SandyT (Apr 28, 2006)

Mike,
Beautiful lighthouse!


----------



## cranbrook2 (Nov 7, 2005)

Nice work Mike.
i always enjoyed building light houses.
i built a 22 ft high lighthouse 2 yrs ago but a twister brought it down in one big bang.
i stick to building them a little smaller now.
john


----------



## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

AxlMyk, that looks really nice.


----------



## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

Thanks all.. I expect to be making more of these, so I'm making the templates now, instead of piecemeal them together one by one..

I had been fretting over how to cut the outer trim molding on a 22.5 deg angle with a 6 deg slope.. The first one, I used my belt/disk sander to do it, and had a heck of a time getting them right.. Then it came to me, use the RT to make the ogee on the 1x2s and then rip them on a 6 deg angle.. Duh.. Pretty simple solution.. Now that I have that figured out, they should be pretty simple to make..

For the top, I routed a 7" circle out of MDF and drilled 8, 1/4" holes for dowels to make the outside rail posts.. I have 200 pound kite line, (I also fly kites as a hobby) to string between them through holes I drilled in the dowels.. Should look pretty good..

The solar light is sitting in an aluminum tuna can for the light base, screwed to the middle of the 7" top piece.. I'll get a pic of it tomorrow before I start sealing and painting it..

Bj, that gas can is empty.. Thanks..


----------



## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

*Top details*

Although the light is sitting in a tuna can on this one, a piece of 3" PVC pipe will also work well..


----------



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Nice job Mike!


----------



## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Mike
looking good  !

Most don't know that if they store 5 gal. of gas in the shop it's the same as TNT, I glad you said it's empty  .....

Can you PLEASE post the part number and the name of the LIGHT, I can't seem to find one like it and I do like the looks of that one. (it fits the look of the light house) I don't eat fish but I'm sure I can find one , hahahahaha  for the base...

Ya I know, copy cat , hahahahaha ,but if I see something I like I make it... 
I saw a Mable China Hutch in a store about 3 years ago and that one took 45 days to copy and 90 days to get the glass for it. (bow glass ) it looks like someone set a hot basket ball in 6 spots in the door glass .
But I did save about 2,000.oo on the one....by making it in my shop.

Thanks Mike

Bj


----------



## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

Here's a pic of the box.. Malibu Model# LZ421-10
They have a single led in them, and it isn't the brightest light on the block.. If you don't cover up too much of the bottom of the clear lamp bowl they look pretty good..


----------



## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Thanks Mike

Now if I could only read the name on the box, BUT I can't ,to small and fuzzy for my old eyes .
I did try the Walmart web site for that part number but came up with ( 0 ) .
Malibu LZ421-10

"not the brightest light on the block" well I can change that in a heart beat I have power out by the pond, looks like a 25 watt strope light coming up on a timer.

Bj 

Thanks Mike
Bj


----------



## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

The second lighthouse is done.. Now all I have to do is deliver it to our Daughter-in-law..


----------



## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Mike

I like it and I see you added a window to this one nice touch .
Still working on mind the Boss is picking up the lights today in fact right now, she loves Walmart shopping   
I dropped the strobe light ideal, it was just to bright so I when back to the standard light fixture, plus I don't have many boats in the pond that need the strobe light hahahahaha .
I'm sure your Daughter-in-law will dig it ...like I do.. 

Bj


----------



## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Mike

I don't know if you recall this or not but back just a bit I said I wanted to make a light house like you made,,, well I got all the stock and the light for the top of it and it got but on the back burner...in the shop.

Well my boss said are you going to make the lighthouse or ? and I said yes someday so she said ya right..anyway..

She got me one today from Walmart for a father's day ... 
I thought you would like to see it just for kicks, it has a neat light on the top that has 8 led's in it that looks like a real lighthouse light spining inside clockwise..1st.one and then the next light and so on.. NEAT....

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5460633


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Mike, a tapered octagon, I doubt that I shall ever catch up with you guys. Isn't Bob observant?


----------



## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

Harry;
The tapered octagon isn't at all hard to make.. I found a way to make a jig that cuts the taper on all the sides.. I'll try to draw it up and post it..

Bob;
The top I used is from a WallyMart lighthouse like yours.. We finally threw the bottom of it out the other day, and all I used was the top..
http://www.routerforums.com/attachments/show-n-tell/2866-lighthouses-100_1701s.jpg


----------



## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

Here's how my jig works..
A= top dimension
B= bottom dimen.
C= 1/2 difference of B-A
D= height of side

If I use A= 4" and B= 6", C= 1"

Cut the side pieces 6" by D (I make them 24")
Put that piece in the jig at #1 position and cut on table/bandsaw with E on the fence.
Turn the piece over and place at #2 position. Make the second cut. The top is at the bottom of the jig.


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Thanks for those details Mike, I've printed them and hope to one day surprise myself with a light-house.


----------



## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

After I cut the sides, I put a 22.5deg bevel on them with the RT so they fit together real nice.. 22.5 is the magic angle for most cutting..

When I prep the moldings I use around the top, middle, and bottom, I put a 6-7 deg angle on the backside of them, then I miter them at 22.5deg..


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Thanks Mike for that further info.it's been added to the file for future use.


----------



## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Mike, again this is a really cool project. Thanks for sharing!

Corey


----------

