Functionalist Wall-Mounted Lamp Arm

This is a wall-mounted lamp arm designed around a standard 8×30 mm dowel. I had IKEA dowels on hand while testing, but any dowel of the same size should work.
 

The idea started after noticing a wooden lamp arm on a friend’s grow light. It was clearly designed for mass production in wood—simple geometry, fixed holes, sharp transitions. It worked, but it was also shaped by manufacturing cost and process constraints. I wanted to explore what that same idea looks like when it’s designed specifically for 3D printing instead.

This became a design practice exercise focused on proportions, print behavior, and making the mounting and assembly more forgiving.

What went into the design

The overall form is simple, but the details are where this differs from more manufacturing-driven designs:

• Countersunk, slotted mounting holes to make alignment easier when anchor holes end up slightly off
• Filleted transitions throughout for smoother prints and reduced stress
• Relief features on the underside to break up large flat areas and help reduce warping

None of these are strictly necessary for a wood part, but they make a noticeable difference when printing and installing this version.

Dowels (wood or printed)

The design is intended for 8×30 mm wooden dowels, but optional printable dowels are included if you’d rather print them.

The printed dowels are provided in three sizes to account for printer tolerances and hole size variation, so you can choose the fit that works best on your printer.

Assembly notes

1) Mount + pivot (sets distance and angle):
The pivot dowel controls the arm position. Before fully seating it, use the different mounting positions to find the wall distance and angle that looks right for your setup. Once the pivot dowel is pushed all the way in, it holds firmly and can be difficult to remove, so it’s worth test-fitting first.

2) Cord management (top and bottom dowels):
Route the cord through the arm and form the cord loops first, then push the top and bottom dowels into place to lock the loops in. These dowels are only for cord management and help keep the cord tidy instead of hanging straight down.

Print notes

I’ve printed this in several materials. Basic PLA can warp depending on printer and environment.

A few things that helped:

• Keep the build plate clean
• Use a brim if you see lifting
• The underside geometry is designed to help reduce warping, but adhesion still matters

I’ve included two print profiles:

• A standard profile
• A fuzzy skin profile, intended for wood PLA to enhance the grain effect, but it also works well if you want a more textured surface

The parts shown were printed on a Bambu Cool Plate SuperTack.

About the standard PLA profile

You may notice some visible layer lines with the standard PLA profile. I’m aware of them, but dialing that in further wasn’t a priority for this design. The geometry and function were the focus here.

If anyone wants to experiment with settings and improve the surface finish on the standard profile, feel free — I’m happy to learn from it.

Material & finish shown

The photos show Bambu PLA Wood – Classic Birch (13505).

The parts were lightly sanded to rough up the surface, then finished with Varathane Kona Gel Stain to bring out the wood-like texture.

Use notes

Intended for lightweight lamps. Use appropriate anchors and mounting locations.

Would love feedback from anyone who prints this. This was a fun design exercise, and there’s definitely room to refine it further.