Wooden Lamps and Illuminated Signage: Light Between CNC Milling and Laser

Designing lighting fixtures in the workshop means exploring how a beam of light interacts with the physical density of matter, cast shadows, and the surrounding space.

In this section of the workshop log, the LED light source serves as an instrument to test the properties of timber: from the typographic heritage of mid-century signs to micrometric CNC pocketing, where material removed tenth of a millimetre by tenth of a millimetre allows light to pass through seemingly solid, opaque surfaces.

Each piece is conceived to hold a dual presence: a measured graphic and textural composure when switched off, and an accurate volumetric expression the moment the circuit is powered.

Cinema

Retro Lightbox Sign with Relief Lettering

Inspired by the interchangeable marquee signage of mid-twentieth-century picture houses and theatres, this wall-mounted light box combines traditional workshop joinery with precision laser cutting to capture the ambience of classic cinema halls.

Box chassis and perimeter rebates: The outer casing is built at the bench in solid timber with a deep, matte-black profile, machined with calibrated internal rebates to seat the opal diffuser flush and conceal the warm-white LED circuitry.
Vintage relief lettering: The typographic letterforms are laser-cut from dark sheet material and set across twin horizontal registration rails, recreating the profile of classic cinema marquee tracks.
Visual contrast: Switched off, the lightbox retains the clean presence of a graphic vintage sign; switched on, the light diffused through the opal panel throws the sharp silhouette of the black letters into relief, casting a warm, cinematic glow across the room.

Wall-mounted wooden retro CINEMA illuminated light box with black relief lettering on a warm diffuser

Neko Lamp

Organic Wood Lithophane Carved on the CNC

An exercise in calibration exploring the light refraction and translucency of plant fibres. The Neko Lamp is a clean geometric cube that conceals its true nature until the power is switched on.

The opaque geometric cube: Switched off, the lamp appears as an understated, solid volume. The vertical panels in light, sanded natural wood sit flush within a black corner upright frame, grounded on a solid phenolic plywood plinth that displays the exposed layers of the timber build. From the outside, nothing hints at the figures hidden within.
Sub-millimetre CNC pocketing: On the reverse side of each panel, the Genmitsu toolpath carves out material from the solid wood, reducing the wall thickness across the contours to a mere few tenths of a millimetre.
Organic lithophane: When the internal warm LED module is illuminated, light travels through the thinned wood grain, revealing the glowing silhouettes of cats (neko, 猫) curled up or stretching. The natural grain of the timber comes alive in silhouette, vanishing back into plain wood the instant the light is switched off.

Wooden cube desk lamp showing the solid wood exterior when off and illuminated cat silhouettes through the grain when switched on

Bespoke Lamps and Signage: Custom Dimensions, Subjects, and Graphics

The techniques proven on these prototypes can be applied to different themes and commissions:

The principle of CNC-carved wood lithophanes adapts to custom vector profiles, emblems, or graphic silhouettes by adjusting pocket depths to the timber species and panel thickness.
The illuminated light box can be scaled to custom dimensions to display tailored text, brandmarks, or phrases in vintage typography.

If you have a bespoke lighting concept in mind or would like to develop a lamp with a specific silhouette or lettering, drop me a line to discuss it.

We can assess the feasibility of the CAD design and run a test cut at the bench.