Something different for me...

[Mark Cothren]

Wife wanted a candle stick, so I did this. Looks kinda like a bowlin' pin to me... :eek: It's from a nice chunk of Elm. Need to do something a little better on the foot, but this was kinda experimental for me. 12" tall.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/CANDLE1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/CANDLE3.jpg


This is a small (9-3/8") platter/plate with a shallow recess for a candle. Wife likes it, so I love it. ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/CANDLE_Platter.jpg

[Dennis Peacock]

Very nice Mark.....Tracy says that the candle stick is cute and she likes the candle stick better than the candle on the platter. So there you have it. A woman's vote on best piece.:p :rolleyes: :D

[Mark Cothren]

Well Renell agrees with her on that selection... :D

However, the platter was an order placed by a woman at work. As long as she likes it (and buys it), I love it....:D :cool:

[John Hart]

Nice work Mark. I've been thinking about candlesticks for quite a while. Just can't get a design in my head that turns me on. I think they would be great gifts that don't take a lot of time and money.

[Keith Burns]

Candlesticks are not my thing but they both look great. Did you put your pantented bottom/foot on them ?

[Mark Cothren]

No, the stick doesn't have a foot at all. Remember I said this was an experiment for me? I wasn't sure how to finish up the bottom, so I just parted it down about halfway, cut the rest with a handsaw, and then sanded it to as flat as I could get it...:D

Any suggestions/critiques would be greatly appreciated!

[Jim Becker]

Any suggestions/critiques would be greatly appreciated!

I think it's beautiful. That said, I'm concerned with stability given the "nature of the payload" that sits up top. A base proportionally wider than the candle would make me feel a bit better. It doesn't have to be "really big", but the base should have more weight and width to insure it will not easily tip.

[Mark Cothren]

Thanks Jim (and others). I also have the same concern and had already talked to my wife about it. I think I'll turn a base to attach to the stand. I think it will look good and will give the needed support.

The picture I drew out for the profile had a much wider base. But like I said, this was the biggest diameter I could get out of this piece of wood. Maybe should have used a smaller candle...:D

Thanks for the input!

[Jim Becker]

You also might reconsider the discontinuity of the curve as you get down to towards the bottom of the piece and also consider shortening the "flat" area just below the candle to bring it into closer proportion.One of the things that Phil Brennion taught me is just how powerful continuous ("sexy") curves are and how incredibly minute adjustments to insure that have a profound effect on how pleasing the shape is to the human eye. Chuck up some scrap in your lathe and turn a bunch of samples...they can even be partial size...and then paint them flat black. Put them on a shelf side-by-side so you can stand back and look at just the forms without being distracted by the beautiful wood. Continue to do this until you have exactly what you want...and then turn it full sized and for real in the "good wood". For a project like this that effectively involves no hollowing, you can really do a lot of them very quickly. (Do sand them smooth with the 80 grit gouge, but don't worry about sanding them much)

[Mark Cothren]

Okay Jim - thanks for the suggestions! I'll play around with some scrap wood.

Also, I'm working on a base to set this into. Wife is giving me her input and it's much along the lines of what you are saying here.

Thanks!

[Jim Ketron]

Nice work Mark!
Awesome wood!

[Glenn Hodges]

Mark, one thing you could do to make this more stable is to pore some lead in the bottom of it. I do this on some of my homemade wooden gouge handles. You could even hide the lead with a plug of wood....and never, never doubt the advice of the little woman.

[Mark Cothren]

Okay, I am officially "quit" on this now... I turned a base for it - looks like a dog bowl... :rolleyes:

Wife says she still likes it, but she's just not very hard to please... the wood is beautiful - not it's fault.

I'll just do something different/better on the next one (or two, three, etc) that she is already asking for...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/CANDLE5.jpg

Thanks for all the feedback/suggestions - very much appreciated!

[John Hart]

I think you may be a little hard on yourself Mark. I think it looks pretty cool. Not something for the Grand Ballroom but definitely in the rustic category....perfect for the den. You do nice work!:)

[Kurt Aebi]

Wow, Mark,

Like Jim B said - little touches make big or even huge differences.

That little base you made for it really hits the mark - Home Run on this one! And you are definitely right about the beauty of that wood.

Great Save :eek: , even if it didn't need saving in th efirst place! ;)

[Dick Parr]

Very nice on both items Mark.:)