How to Drill Antler Lamps

An antler lamp lends authentic rustic charm to a cabin or lodge themed room. In addition, if you have antlers available, you can save hundreds of dollars by making it yourself. Most of the lamp is fairly straightforward, especially if you use a lamp kit for the electrical portion. However, because of the nature of the material and the curves, working with antlers can be a challenge, yet drilling holes in the antlers can be done with patience and the right equipment.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Rotary tool or drill
• 1/4-inch-long drill bit
• Respirator
• Sand paper
• Taxidermy epoxy
• Light kit
• Antlers

Drilling Antlers

1. Clean the area that you will begin drilling into. Use sandpaper or a grinder to flatten the area for better control of the drill bit.

2. Wearing a respirator, drill into the area that you have prepared with slow, even pressure. When you come to a curve, drill through the antler.

3. Remove the drill bit from the antler and insert it in the hole that you just created. Continue the process of drilling through the antler and re-inserting the bit until you've finished drilling the length of the antler.

4. Run the wiring from the light kit up through the drilled area. It may take some maneuvering to get through the curved areas. If you find that the wiring won't go through, remove it and redrill the areas.

5. After the wiring is through the hole, cover the exposed drill holes with epoxy, taking care not to use too much. Avoid gluing the wiring with the epoxy.

Tips & Warnings

• For a more natural look, use acrylic paints to blend the epoxy in with the rest of the antler. For best results, use antlers that have been aged for at least 1 year.
• Always use a respirator when drilling or sawing antlers. The dust can be an irritant and very unpleasant.

References

• Taxidermy
• Wood Turners of North Texas
• Wood Turning

Resources

• Mother Earth News