Curvy Pedestal Taper Candlesticks

[Jon Rista]

In the vein of trying to do things outside of my comfort zone, if you read the thread about the ornaments, I am also trying to turn more interesting things like candlestick holders. These are fairly small...I have a lot of expensive exotic wood, but I have not been able to bring myself to experiment like this with that wood. So I've been experimenting with branches 2-3" in diameter that cost me nothing, so if I screw up its no skin. This was my first time turning a more ornate type of spindle. I had plans for three of these, with the third one having an additional layer of design and being another ~1" taller than the tall one here (each one being about an inch difference in height). That one exploded on me, though, due to an internal crack (and maybe pith) I couldn't see from the outside. :'( RIP beautiful wood piece!

Not the most exciting pieces, but, I did learn a fair bit. Including that I mis-judged the dimensions for the bottom part of the taller candlestick...the diameter of the top of the curvy part, should have been smaller. So its a little out of touch with what I think is the more pleasing curves of the shorter one...

Wood is elm. From my own tree...that sadly an ornery group of squirrels girdled by eating the bark off...and it died a few years ago. Left me with tons of really nice wood, though! I have logs for years...

 

[Tim Connell]

Both are nice candlestick holders, but I agree that the shorter one is "nicer".

If you aren't using them, calipers come in very handy with spindle work. Can use them to very quickly establish diameters of different elements with a parting tool. Really helps when you have multiple elements in varying sizes.

 

[hughie]

Yup , nothing wrong with either of them, and I agree with Tim.

 

[John K Jordan]

I like them!

I've made only a few holders like that for thin candlesticks, but more shorter candles - these have flat, lightly rimmed tops for the fat candles popular these days (prob since they burn longer). The bases of those are usually about 4" high and a bit less than 4" in diameter.

(Gasp, I've made many and somehow don't have ONE photo. How'd that happen. My photographer side is ashamed...)

BTW, if you haven't seen them, for the smaller-diameter candles you can buy little metal cup inserts (which might help prevent burning the wood if someone falls asleep with the candle burning)

JKJ

 

[Jon Rista]

Both are nice candlestick holders, but I agree that the shorter one is "nicer".

If you aren't using them, calipers come in very handy with spindle work. Can use them to very quickly establish diameters of different elements with a parting tool. Really helps when you have multiple elements in varying sizes.

Thanks Tim!

I actually do use calipers when turning pens. I also use them for some other things, but I didn't use any with this particular turning. The two were turned a ways apart, and I don't think I had the shorter one (first one I turned) around when I turned the larger one (well, two, but the second one blew up.) I think I had more consistency, although less appealing, with the second two. It was only later that I decided to put the two together. I intend to turn more, and will definitely be using my calipers to gauge consistency.

 

[Jon Rista]

I like them!

I've made only a few holders like that for thin candlesticks, but more shorter candles - these have flat, lightly rimmed tops for the fat candles popular these days (prob since they burn longer). The bases of those are usually about 4" high and a bit less than 4" in diameter.

(Gasp, I've made many and somehow don't have ONE photo. How'd that happen. My photographer side is ashamed...)

BTW, if you haven't seen them, for the smaller-diameter candles you can buy little metal cup inserts (which might help prevent burning the wood if someone falls asleep with the candle burning)

JKJ

I think you are talking about pillar candles? Usually wider diameters, but not as tall (and can also stand on their own without a candle holder?)

I have plans to turn some pillar candle holders as well. I have some plans I drew up even ,to experiment with shape ideas... That was something I was playing with earlier in the year, drawing out the shape and design I wanted for some of these more ornate things. I think it helps, but it wasn't as easy to "apply" as I thought. I cut one of them out, and used the inverse cutout as a gauge aginst the wood. Its actually pretty hard to turn wood with finer details like that exactly to plan.


Thanks for the tip about the clips. That's a good point about burndown and fire...

Another issue I've had, as I photograph these with burning candles, and went to my computer one time with some votive candles burning, and they burnt down pretty good before I got back to them. Not enough to start a fire, but wax had melted out and all over the wood of the candle holder. Which showed me that's a potential problem... Most of my stuff is finished with shellac as a sanding sealer, and then acks finishing polish wax. I wonder though, if a WOP finish would be a better option for candle holders as it would not stick to melted wax as much...