offering plates

[byron constantine]

I am going to try to make two offering plates for my church and was wondering if anyone here has done that? They are 12x2.5". What is
the best wood to use. There are a lot of online sites that have several
species in several sizes but the shipping probably would be high. Any
thoughts on this?
Byron

[Chip Sutherland]

offering plates for my church as my very first commissioned project for the church's head trustee. Our church has 3 sections so 2 each.

I started with 10 glued up blanks of african mahogany. They were 9.75x4.5 routed round from a CNC machine. All I had when I started was a Jet Mini and after 2 prototypes and 2 finished bowls, I leapt onto a Jet 14" sale at Woodcraft and finished them up on the bigger lathe. Quite an experience. The glue ups were a bit of a mismatch but african mahogany is quite varied within the same board. One catch destroyed a bowl and now it's the plate for the communion bread. Hogging out the bowls took a while. Wish I'd had a coring device. The walls ended up being 3/8" thick so they'd withstand being dropped as they are passed around. The bottoms are still too thick so they are weighty and some elderly folks are a little surprised. I used amy nova midi chuck in expansion mode which contributed to some of the excess bottom thickness.

Design-wise, I didn't have enough width to put a rim on them so they are straight-sided utility type bowls with 2 decorative ribbons around the top. They are all similar but still each is unique. I used a danish oil finish but they've picked up their own patina from all the handling. I carved a relief in the bottom 7" wide to accommodate a piece of felt so loose change wouldn't make a lot of noise when dropped in by children and when sliding around as the bowls were passed. I used a round wooden plaque from a big hobby store for the sizing the relief and for a cutting template for the felt to fit perfectly.

I presented them to our husband and wife pastors on Christmas eve morning so they could be used in our 1st Christmas service in our new Sanctuary building. I wasn't prepared for their response but I'll remember it for a lifetime.

I still have one blank for the inevitable broken bowl. The 2 prototypes are still in use in my sunday school class and to hold all my pocket junk.

The only downside is that when it comes to anything wood-related, I'm the go to guy at church. So far that has included a pumpkin-chunkin trebuchet, a donation box, a paper-mache camel for a youth play, 500 craft-sized surfboards for Vacation bible school....and I'm still supposed to deliver portable stages for the youth room and choir for outdoor events.

I think I posted the offering bowls and the trebuchet on SMC. I would love the replace them now that my skills are solid. I'd go shallower and wider with a rim. But it'll have to wait until we build the final sanctuary in 3 years. I think your blank size is appropriate for a 1.5-2" rim treatment. If they end up being too shallow them steppen the sides to help the checks/cash/prayer cards, etc. stay in the bowl.

Have a great time and fond memories.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Chip,

'...anything wood, I'm the go to guy...' Here is how you solve that. Someone asks for a shelf, just start describing this sersies of round shelves sticking off the wall. They will say something like 'no, something simple and straight' Then start explaining the number of set ups required to make a straight shelf on the lathe or the size of machine that would require. They will get real confused and ask somebody else. My line is to ask 'What does all my work have in common? ,,, its round' Then I suggest three or four other gentlemen that might be able to help. I won't say its a 100% effective but I have reduced my volunteer 'F_ _ _ work' a great deal this way. Its is alway good to share your gifts but it is also important that your gifts fit the job at hand.

Frank

[Jim Becker]

The "what species" question probably needs to relate to the environment that they will be used. What wood, if any, is predominate in the sanctuary? Do you want it to match or to contrast, etc.

The biggest challenge with this kind of project is that you generally want each offering plate to match and nest. For that reason, you'll want dry, stable material. Mahogany and Mesquite are two that you might consider in this regard and the latter has somewhat of a local "flavor" for where you live I would suspect.

If I'm not mistaken, there have been other threads on this topic in the past, but not recently. You might want to do some creative searching with the Advanced Search feature here at SMC.

[Reed Gray]

Ask the congregation if any one has some special wood lying around that may be good for the project. There have to be some wood rats there.
robo hippy

[James Yockey]

Be very careful about asking a congregation for their input. I've seen 1k member churches split over carpet color.

[Chip Sutherland]

AMEN, brother. religion and resentments.

[Doug Reesor]

Byron,

I used black walnut to make 4 segmented collection plates for my church. Using segmentes techniques results in an nice plate without need big blank.

Good Luck!

Doug