2 foot candlestick

[Bodrighy]

I have been asked to make a 2 foot candlestick. Don't ask why :roll: Apparently someone saw the little one I made with interlocking captive rings and wants one 2 foot tall.

Advice on how please!! Specifically keeping the darn thing from wobbling between spindles when turning the stem. I don't see how I can shove it in a chuck to cut the bowl or keep it steady short of lashing out on one of those custom made steads that you can buy.

Pete

 

[CHJ]

My immediate thoughts;

Bore the hole for the candle with a (sawtooth) forstner bit. (off lathe)

Make a spigot to fit in the bore and with a centred hole in the end to fit on your tailstock centre.

Now mount your wood between chuck and tailstock using spigot to centre.

Start turning from tailstock end and reduce diameter incrementally along the piece, keeping as much bulk as possible at the chuck end as you go.

Alternate is to make "The Head" as a separate piece and glue it onto the end of the stem spigot. (turned between centres)

Then complete turning as above.

 

[Anonymous]

Pete, google 'lathe steady' ... here's one from the search

http://www.beaverpondstudio.com/

It doesn't have to be a complete donut... a C shape works equally well... in-line skates (from car boots etc. are a good solution for the running wheels

There's loads of variations out there... :lol: take it steady

 

[Bodrighy]

Thanks guys, I like the look of the circular one and can see a number of uses for it. Tip about drilling out the candle cavity is good as well, using a rest I could rough it out that way and then clean it up using the rest. I have a bandsaw coming this weekend so think I am going to spend some time making up some of these things, a doughnut chuck would be useful as well. I'm darned if I am going to spend a fortune buying things I can make. Could be fun as well. I'll post some pics when I get them done (if they work) I

Pete

 

[duncanh]

depending on the design that you want you may be able to make it in 2 parts with a tenon joint to fit them together. Not that I've ever tried this

Duncan

 

[greybeard]

Hmm - a 2 foot length could indeed flex a bit!
Obviously you're not looking for a skinny stemmed 'special', but you may be able to take a leaf out the book of those who do so indulge!

As said above, start at the candle-holding end and do whatever you want to do there. Then make up a simple pressure pad - a piece of foam might be best for something that size? (others may have better suggestions)

Mount the piece in a chuck (cos you want to hold it v tightly), hold the pad in/across the candle socket (needs to go or dip inside really), wind the tailstock in against the pad and start the lathe.

Play with the tailstock in/out until the centre is just turning - at that point you've got a good level of support for the piece.

Hope this helps.

 

[ctb]

if you have a revolving tailstock bit, and hollow out the candle holder end as suggested by CHJ, then what I do is bring the tail stock up and the point wont touch but you can centre it and support it by pushing the tail stock in as far as it will go,
It wont mark, and I assume you will fit a brass or chrome candle holder insert.

Chris

 

[NickWelford]

I think candleholders have to have an insert in them these days. If I was doing one for someone else I would make sure it has - otherwise a candle left accidentally to burn down could cause all sorts of problems. Not least the loss of a fine piece of Pete's turning!

 

[Bodrighy]

I think candleholders have to have an insert in them these days. If I was doing one for someone else I would make sure it has - otherwise a candle left accidentally to burn down could cause all sorts of problems. Not least the loss of a fine piece of Pete's turning!

I was looking at the inserts and suspect that for something this size I would have to improvise, e.g. some form of metal can converted or maybe even a glass. I am waiting to hear what sort of thing the person wants, I suspect it would be for the church candles as I call them.

Pete

 

[jpt]

A good source of holders for large candles is your local charity or pound type shop.

They are usually part of some fancy design but for a few pence and a little bit of work to liberate it you have a good holder.

They also have a variety of glass pots but if you are going to use these make sure they are heat resistant so that they won't shatter if they get warm.

john

 

[SVB]

A tip I was given and seems to work:

With long, thin items use the skew rather than spindle gouge as much as possible. The force generated with the skew goes along the work (with the wood) rather than into the wood with a gouge (across the thin section) resulting in much less flex and therefore vibration.

Worth thinking about.

 

[Paul.J]

Pete.
Won't the stem be thicker,being bigger,so perhaps you might just get away with too much wobble :!: :!: :!:
Paul.J.

 

[Anonymous]

Pete, it might be worthwhile taking a look at long stemmed goblets, they were Keith Rowley's speciality ... I haven't checked but I think they're in his book on projects.

 

[Bodrighy]

Simon:- I have had some success with the skew, usually when using it as a sort of plane so once I have the piece roughed out I'll have a go. As she wants captive rings I might have to use a gouge at some point tho'. Going to be an interesting excercise. Wouldn't fancy trying a billiard cue like that other guy just yet. :lol:
Paul:- In my experience so far (limited) if there is a chance that something is going to wobble, it will.... even though the stem will probably be thicker, it is still quite a long piece to have unsupported and it's when paring down the middle you have to be careful as there is a tendency to push with the gouge. (see Simon's post) Fortunately it'll be made in eucalyptus, a wood that shaves off easily and I have a good supply so if I end up with several short candle sticks...put it down to experience.

Graham:- If I could get it even 1/2 as slim as KR's goblets I'd be chuffed to pieces. :mrgreen: His techniques and exzplanation however seem to be more or less ideal and the same as I would need.

Going to make a lathe steady this weekend hopefully, got visitors so it depends on what SWMBO lets me get away with whether I can make a start on the stick. I'll try and remember to take some pics (warts & all) of my adventures.

Pete