Processional torch parts

Re: Processional torch parts

David Walser

It would help a lot if you could post a picture or drawing of the kind of thing you're hoping to turn. Lacking that, a link to an example or two on the internet would help. Then, know exactly what it is you're wanting to turn, someone here will be able give you some specific direction.

Re: Processional torch parts

JL

The part directly under the candle is the wax catcher.

Oil filled candles are 7/8" in diameter - I can easily drill a hole.

They really don't need a wax catcher - but tradition...

This is a set that I did several years ago in cherry.

The wax catchers were sort of "chunky" - so I would like to make them thinner.

Re: Processional torch parts

Barry Irby

Wow! Those look like an accident waiting to happen. A little breeze would tip them over. Be Careful, provide a wider, weighted base.

As far as turning the wax catcher, I could do it easier than explaining it. Let me try. The easiest might be if the hole for the candle could be the same diameter as the hole for the stub in the bottom. Then you could drill a 7/8" hole through a block and "jamb" it onto a short 7/8" stub mounted in your Chuck. That piece woudl be very slightly oversized and very slightly tapered. It amazing how effective a jamb chuck can be. With it mounted on the stub, you could turn both sides, top and bottom.

You could also turn a Donut mounted on your chuck and jamb a round piece inside it. and turn both sides by flipping it.

You could use a screw chuck.

Re: Processional torch parts

dougturner

I would just glue the wax catcher block to the candle holder spindle and then turn them together. Any glue up misalignment is easily corrected when you turn together.

Re: Processional torch parts

Ed in Leaside

"Wow! Those look like an accident waiting to happen. A little breeze would tip them over. Be Careful, provide a wider, weighted base."

Umm ... they are meant to be carried ... in a procession ...

Re: Processional torch parts

Jim Barbour

I think I would turn it in four parts.

part 1:

the candle holder with a 3/16" hole in the bottom to receive a 1/4" X 3 dowel screw - it may need to be a bit taller than you currently have

part 2:

the drip tray turned as thin as you wish, with a 1/4" center hole

part 3:

the staff with a 3/16" center hole to receive the other end of the dowel screw

part 4:

the base

Now the candle holder and the staff will screw together through the cup, holding it securely in place with a spot of glue on the threads of the dowel screw.

I find dowel screws of various sizes and lengths to be very helpful in making staves of all sorts. They allow you to make the staff in pieces and then assemble them with very little if an loss in strength. With some practice they can be made to line up the grain just as they come tight.

Here is a picture of a dowel screw in case you don't know them by that name, and a pair of staves I made from (if I remember correctly) eight parts. They are now about ten years old and have held up in regular use quite well. They have 3/8" X (various lengths) connecting dowel screws.

Re: Processional torch parts

Barry Irby

Oops, I'm guessing the word Processional was the give away? My bad. In that case, maybe it would be a good Idea to make them so they can not be set down. Acolytes are often kids and kids and fire are not the safest combination.

Re: Processional torch parts

Barry Irby

I can't remember what I was using them for, but I used about fifty dowel screws or more for something I was making in quantity years ago. Bought boxes of them. I found they did not center up nicely and would cause things to be misaligned. Some worked perfectly and some were terrible. The ones I had were cheap and poorly made, rolled instead of machined. Unless you want to disassemble the project later I would use tenons or wooden dowels.

I remember trying to use them to make screw chucks. Bad choice. almost nothing cenetered and ran true.

Re: Processional torch parts

JL

The bases are weighted (wheel weights melted down). So when they are in the holders, they are quite stable.