The Woodworker & Woodturner – August 2019

TURNING

64 The Woodworker & Good Woodworking August 2019 http://www.getwoodworking.com

The Engineer’s Workshop – candlesticks

TIP

I used Evostik’s PVA when gluing up the pieces

for the base. I’ve used this adhesive for years

now, and stand by it. You can’t just slap it on,

though: a thin layer has to be applied properly

to each surface. Once all the surfaces have

been sufficiently covered, it is advisable to

put the clamps on straight away. The more

you put on, and the tighter they are, the better.

After 15 minutes, go back and give the clamps

a further tweak, then leave them for at least

24 hours

Connecting spigot

This spigot plays an important role as it holds

the column to the base. It should be 25mm in

diameter, 150mm long, and has to be a snug

fit in both holes. I used beech for the spigot,

and used Vernier callipers to ensure that it’s

even all over. There’s no point in sanding it;

a rougher finish will give a better bond.

The drip tray & sconce

The drip tray is also made from paduak, and

has a 10mm hole drilled through it so that it fits

over the spigot on the column and underneath

the sconce. Make sure it’s a tight fit on the jam

chuck, then turn it to the finished diameter before

taking out the centre. I found that the best tool

to use is a 6mm parting tool, which removed

the waste quickly and kept the bottom flat.

Now you can sand and seal the top.

Turn the tray around, jam it onto the chuck

and turn the bottom; bring the tailstock up for

extra support if you like. Don’t forget to check the

taper with the steel rule before you sand and seal.

The sconce is turned in wenge with the grain

vertical, and the best way to mount it is on a

screw chuck. Turn it to the finished diameter

and then drill the hole for the brass insert using

a Forstner bit in a chuck in the tailstock; don’t

drill any deeper than is required to house the

insert. The rest of the sconce can be turned with

a parting tool. Don’t forget to turn the 10mm

spigot that fits into the drip tray.

Assembly

The connecting spigot in the column

will only need a little glue. Put the

spigot into the base first, then fit

the column onto it, ensuring that

the face grain on each component

lines up. The last three pieces to

21 Use a freshly sharpened parting tool to turn the sconce; turn slowly to ensure
you don’t tear the grain

18 Turn the recess in the drip tray with a parting tool;

keep it crisp and sharp

20 ... the brass insert; check the fit and don’t drill deeper than necessary

19 The sconce is mounted on a screw chuck while

you drill the hole for...

be glued are the small collar, which slides over

the spigot on top of the column, the drip tray,

and then the sconce. When both candlesticks are

glued and you are happy that all the face grains

match, put them aside and leave them to dry.

A final thought

I generally polish each component on the lathe

when I’ve sanded and sealed it, but the handling

involved in assembly soon wears the shine away.

When the glue has set, then I polish them by

hand and this soon brings them back to life.

With this project, I was tempted to make

two pairs because I have always wanted

to walk into my local hardware shop and

say, “Four candles, please...!”