Support Base for Tall Tippy Things

[Ed Morgano]

I'm working on some pieces for an Arts and Crafts show in March. One of the things I thought about was displaying some of the taller pieces outside and worring about them tipping over. I read a thread on SMC about this. There weren't any good solutions in my mind, but Museum Wax was mentioned. David DeCristoforo didn't like that idea because he worried that someone might try to pick the piece up and break the stem. With that in mind, I came up with the idea of sticking the pieces to clear plates with Museum Wax. That way they can still be picked up but will be alot more stable.


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I cut out some 1/8" PETG (clear plastic)squares, drilled a 1/4" hole in the center, mounted them up against an MDF plate on the lathe and parted them off with a 1/8" parting tool. Worked like a champ.

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[Scott Hackler]

*never done a show or fair

I would never place a tall thin stemmed piece or a delicate anything in the reach of a possible buyer. I would always have "Do Not Touch" signs on the delicate stuff and if a person wanted to see it up close I would pick it up and hand it to them. Too much time involved in my delicate things to have some clutz drop or break the darn thing.

As far as your idea, if you like it....I like it. It just isn't the way I would handle the delicate things while displaying them for sale. Also, I can't imagine someone at a gallery picking something up and holding it! Eeeek!

[Gary Max]

We do shows for a living--- you sell you eat, that being said the first thing shoppers want to do is pick it up and look at the bottom. I have no ideal why but it's true.

[Ed Morgano]

*never done a show or fair

I would never place a tall thin stemmed piece or a delicate anything in the reach of a possible buyer. I would always have "Do Not Touch" signs on the delicate stuff and if a person wanted to see it up close I would pick it up and hand it to them. Too much time involved in my delicate things to have some clutz drop or break the darn thing.

As far as your idea, if you like it....I like it. It just isn't the way I would handle the delicate things while displaying them for sale. Also, I can't imagine someone at a gallery picking something up and holding it! Eeeek!

Scott,
This Arts & Crafts show is going to be outdoors. One of the main things that I'm concerned with is if it's windy out that day in March. I can invision everything blowing over.

[Scott Hackler]

Ed, I see your concern now. Hmmm..... I might be inclined to have a little sign explaining that the plastic bases are only for stability and not part of the actual piece. Some non-turners might think its part of the piece and although functional ..... not aesthetically proper to those forms! Good luck at your show!

[Reed Gray]

Yea, pieces like those should not be out in the open if you are outside. I would put them on a wide table, not a shelf. I used to sell juggling balls and custom footbags (aka Hacky Sack, registered TM) and had to use them several times to keep light pieces on the shelves.

robo hippy

[Baxter Smith]

Neat idea Ed. Hope its not too windy!

[BILL DONAHUE]

I display things in an art gallery that introduced me to Quakehold Museum Putty, something that works great. You can get it at Home Depot or Amazon. Here's a link, if I can do it. http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...cStoreNum=6932

[Ed Morgano]

I display things in an art gallery that introduced me to Quakehold Museum Putty, something that works great. You can get it at Home Depot or Amazon. Here's a link, if I can do it. http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...cStoreNum=6932

Bill,
That is exactly what I'm using to hold the base to the plastic plate.

[Michelle Rich]

glad you found a solution..clever one too! DO NOT leave these where folks can bump them or pickthem up..get them behind glass in a special case. DAMHIKT!