Project: Shaker Style Candle Stand (Updated)

[Jim Becker]

In the previous post, I mentioned I just was not happy with the edge of the top. So I fashioned a little jig to use at the spindle sander and carefully worked the edge smooth and even...the way it should have been originally. (I failed to really pay attention to this area and it's critical since it will be so visible)

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Again, I sanded back the dye on the top and re-applied. Wow...now this is what I was looking for! (Please note that this picture does not do the piece justice...hopefully, the pictures after the oil and shellac will impart a better impression)

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While that was drying, I took the piece that will support the top and drilled the necessary countersunk screw holes. The two outer ones were re-bored with a much larger hole to allow for seasonal wood movement

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Next, I worked the support piece onto the base so I could trim back the tenon. The original design of this table had the support piece at 3/4" thick with tapered ends, but I "decided" to make it 1/2" thick. In other works, I screwed up when I was milling the stock. No matter. 1/2" is plenty thick for the job!

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And the final picture for today is the first coat of shellac going on the base. This is really going to be a beautiful table...enough so that the mistakes will "disappear", as it were...

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I did get the top oiled before heading in to cook dinner and it's really jumpin' with the combination of the warm dye and penetrating oil. It really shimmers. Next weekend, I should be able to complete this project...which has taken too long, despite the fact that the actual shop time was not all that much. It's a great project and one of my favorites to-date.

[Corey Hallagan]

Excellent Jim. Man that has some awesome figure in that maple. Nice work!

Corey

[Martin Shupe]

Jim,

I really like the color, almost cherry like.

Can you tell us your recipe to get that color?

You are doing a fantastic job, can't wait to see the finished piece.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Excellent!!! Jim, the figure of the wood, the finish, the legs, it all looks fantastic. Great job!

[Joe Mioux]

Jim:

I suspect this project took longer for a couple of reasons.

I don't know how I missed this originally and in the July update.

That little table is fabulous!

Thanks for continuing this thread.

joe

[Karl Laustrup]

Jim, that is looking mighty fine. That wood really has some great figure.

Even better, it's good to see you in the shop again. Hope there's lots more days of shop time for you.

Karl

[Bob Childress]

Jim,

This is a great thread. Nice tutorial and nice work. That is going to be one heck of a candlestand. Looking forward to next weekend!

[Art Mulder]

Gorgeous, Jim. How long do you need to wait to apply shellac after putting BLO on a project?

thanks for the photos.
...art

[Jim Becker]

Can you tell us your recipe to get that color?

Umm...this was (a long time ago) a "pinch of this and a drop of that" kind of formula. It's some combination of TransTint colors including a dark brown, antique cherry brown and one other that I can't recall. I have a big vat of it for some reason...so you can expect more pieces with this coloration. Yea...it's a design element. Yea...

I suspect this project took longer for a couple of reasons.

Umm...yes! Two of them. Precisely. Plus the landscaping around the new driveway.

Even better, it's good to see you in the shop again. Hope there's lots more days of shop time for you.

From your mouth to....indeed! Let's hope for that. I have a lot of projects that have been bouncing around in my head since I also don't sleep well, either. (the older has severe sleep issues and ends up with us every night...which is not restful... )

How long do you need to wait to apply shellac after putting BLO on a project?

I used to think you needed to wait a day or two. A recent article by Jeff Jewitt in the September/October 2006 issue of Fine Woodworking opened my eyes to a new "fast finish" method using BLO, shellac and wax. The article's kicker line reads, "Luster of oil and sheen of shellac--in a day or less". (Page 52) So I decided to try it somewhat in a modified time line on this project. Once the oil had soaked in for a few hours, I made sure that any excess was gone and went ahead with the first application of shellac. So far...so good...
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Thanks for all the kind comments, folks. This is really an enjoyable project that combines flat and spinny with a style I really love.

[Jim Becker]

Well, I have been blessed with yet another weekend in the shop thanks to Mother Nature (rain!) and the decision to put off the rest of the driveway landscaping until the last week of the month when I have to take four days of vacation...or lose it, since it's the end of the fiscal year. (No more carryovers allowed as of last year)

This weekend, it was purely some final finishing steps on this project and that included getting the shellac on the top and a couple more coats of shellac on the base. Here's a couple pictures of things after that task was completed on Saturday:

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On Sunday, I shot some clear gloss Target Coatings USL on the top. (I had a natural edge table that I needed to repair, so it made sense to spray them both at the same time. Between coats, I did a little of the "Neander" work on this weekend's second project...detailed in another thread.

And here is the end result: (not the best picture angle for the top...see previous for figure)

cs-22.jpg


This candle stand really came together. I'm so pleased! And I need to publicly thank 'Creeker Andy London for sourcing that beautiful material that became the spindle...he called that "mild" figure. Oy...I can hardly imagine what the "highly figured" must be like! (And I have another billet in the rack, hee hee) The board (yes, one board) that went into the top and legs was something I picked up from Hearne Hardwoods awhile back. Not too shabby there, either!

To rehash, this project was built from a Fine Woodworking article but is very similar to a table that is originally (cica 1850) from the Mt Lebanon Shaker Village and on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I did not round over the edges of the top, however, as I kinda like the crisper edge. This is the second one I have build (the first was in Cherry) and it is likely I'll make more...it's a great project that combines flat work and turning as well as enough Neander to further hone some skills. Highly recommended!

[Russ Massery]

Very nice Jim. Love the color and the figure. I really like the way the top pieces fit together.

[John Fry]

Very very nice, Jim.

I like both tables, but the figured maple is awesome.

[Jim Becker]

Here's another "final" picture that shows the figure a little better.

CandleStandFinal.jpg

[Richard Wolf]

Great project Jim, very nice wood.

Richard

[Corey Hallagan]

Excellent Jim. I really enjoyed the blow by blow on this project. I like the dye work you did on that great maple. Nice job.

corey