Joinery Techniques: Make a Japanese Lantern - Woodworking Wisdom

[@marcus_k85]

Great work!!

[@davidgredley724]

I've just finished making this lantern. some thoughts: I understood Jason's commentary I counted 221 joints! I used Sitka Spruce for the matchstick like Kumiko features - oak would have been better as making accurate cross halving joints in small softwood is difficult I found that 5mm square is too small and made 6mm square WH Smith tracing paper is fine stuck down with PVA. Wrinkles can be removed using a hair dryer on low heat I've used a small LED 'push front' bulb 2 for £1.50 in Poundland. I made a lightweight cross frame to support the bulb inside the lantern Japanese tools not essential except for the saw which makes a very fine cut. Tools must be sharp!

[@axminster]

So glad you enjoyed making this project and have been able to adapt it to suit your tools and needs. Thanks for sharing

[@jorns6678]

I'm just starting out with woodworking and just watching this video already gave me some nice and handy tricks. I like that it's full length, showing the whole process and not just tiny bits. I will soon make this lamp!

[@axminster]

Glad to hear it was helpful. We also have a handy step by step blog that you may find useful www.axminstertools.com/ideas-advice/joinery-techniques-japanese-lantern/

[@johnblagden5625]

Little trick from making model aeroplanes more than 5 decades ago. After glueing the paper to the frame LIGHTLY spray the inside surface with water (perfume spray is perfect) and leave to dry. The paper will shrink slightly and become much more taut and smooth.

[@axminster]

What a great tip! Thank you for sharing

[@georgeharrod7805]

Beautifully done.

[@jimgill1105]

Excellent demonstration Jason - lesson learnt from all your projects is plenty of thought and using the "jigs" for consistency.

[@jairolopez906]

Thanks and Blessings

[@SamJanet-hc6cw]

Do you have any suggestions on what light to use and how to attach it?

[@axminster]

We used a simple battery powered light such as a battery powered candle or you could easily fix battery powered fairy lights inside the frame. I hope that helps

[@cindyharrison4191]

Thanks 😊

[@vosifle]

Wow!

[@mollyrockers2401]

Any info. on the electric fittings used and their fitting into lamp would be very useful. Thanks for a very informative video.

[@axminster]

Hi Mollyrockers, for this lamp we simply used battery powered lights to add a glow.

[@stuartsmith5342]

Nice video. Need to work on the audio though, struggled to hear a lot of the commentary. Keep up the good work 👍

[@axminster]

Thanks for the feedback and apologies if you struggled to hear. We can work on that in the future. Thanks for watching :)

[@Mckmake]

A lovely project and Jason has achieved a very nice job. Unfortunately the down side would be the cost of all the specialist Japanese tools lol

[@bigkiv47]

I do KUMIKO coaster and lanterns and the only Japanese tool I use is a Dozuki saw. The only reason I use this is that it fits perfectly in the knife line for cutting. You can still do it all with wetsern tools and it would come up the same :)

[@simonboulton978]

What grit sandpaper you are using?

[@axminster]

Hi Simon, Jason used 240 grit and recommends bit.ly/3ijxLP8 hope this helps!

[@Notwinford1]

What kind of paper ?

[@axminster]

Hi there, we used tracing paper in this project, but you can use traditional Japanese 'shoji' paper.

[@ThilakReddy-zf1tz]

does anyone have all the dimensions used in the video for the panels and frame?

[@axminster]

Hi Thilak, here is a step by step guide complete with project plans - www.axminstertools.com/ideas-advice/joinery-techniques-japanese-lantern/

[@ThilakReddy-zf1tz]

@@axminster hello, i see that the width of the panel is 124mm, so for the horizontal bottom stick in a panel, it has 9 sticks joined in to it which take up 45mm (9x5) of space and so the gap between each stick would then be 9.875 ( (124 - 45)%8 ), i am not sure how this measurement worked out or i have done some mistake in the calculation

[@RichardSmith-i5o]

Hello don’t doubt you knowledge and skills but I can’t understand what you’re saying it sounds like you are chewing a brick maybe it’s my tv it’s out of sync 😱