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View Full Version : Candle Holders: A Twisted Pair



SteveNelson46
01-17-2016, 09:33 AM
Well, I finally got a chance to finish the candle holders. They were carved out of Myrtle wood using the Rotary Jig and have tapered opposing twists. Each one took 7.5 hours of carving time using the optimal setting and the 1/8" long carving bit.

henry1
01-17-2016, 09:39 AM
Very nice carve and hope some day will have rotary jig but money of ours is to low ,,,Steve you do great work and thx in the past for the help

Bigtyme
01-17-2016, 09:48 AM
Great job on them, Steve. I also like the choice of using Myrtle wood. It gives them a great look ....

bergerud
01-17-2016, 10:02 AM
Those are very cool Steve. How did the ends of the carves go? Was there some flexing?

oscarl48
01-17-2016, 10:16 AM
Steve, spectacular pieces. Thanks for sharing.

sunmiztres
01-17-2016, 10:19 AM
Wow those are beautiful. Great job.

SteveNelson46
01-17-2016, 12:07 PM
Those are very cool Steve. How did the ends of the carves go? Was there some flexing?

I made sure that there was minimal pressure on the sliding plate but there was still a little flexing. It was fairly easy to clean up using a detail sander and some hand sanding. I thought about reducing the center hole from 1" to 3/4" to make the flutes a little thicker but the bit extension that I had was too large in diameter. I also tried to eliminate the hole entirely but the flutes are tapered and the bit didn't go deep enough on the base end.

I'm still having a little problem with the jig at the seam and I may need to send it back to LHR for repair or replacement. It's within hand sanding limits but still a PITA though. Especially in hard to reach areas and on hard or dense woods. Maybe I should test your version of the rotary jig and see if it helps. Myrtle is relatively soft so the cleanup this time was easy. It also has a weird smell. Kind of like mentholated Vicks.

I ordered a couple of Honduran Rosewood blanks for the next set. They were $36.00 each so I sure hope nothing goes wrong.

dltccf
01-17-2016, 12:44 PM
Beautiful work.

Dave

ktjwilliams
01-17-2016, 12:44 PM
Those are so cool ... I need a lot of upgrades for my machine, and a rotary jig ... Someday I'll hit the lottery ...

dbemus
01-17-2016, 04:06 PM
Very unique piece of work!

mikemi
01-17-2016, 07:22 PM
Very nice indeed Steve.

Mike

SteveNelson46
01-17-2016, 07:42 PM
Thanks to all for the kind words.

Rocketman
01-17-2016, 09:12 PM
Interesting that you mentioned it smelled like Vicks. I was just looking up that wood because I have never seen a Myrtle Wood tree and didn't know where they grow. The website I browsed mentioned the leaves when ground work as a flea repellent and sometimes a substitute for Bay leaves when cooking. I like the counter rotation idea in a matched set. Great job!

cestout
01-22-2016, 01:52 PM
Back when we were playing with the home made rotary jigs I was wondering here on the forum if a rope could be done. I did it years ago with my Craftsman Router Crafter. I will have to try that.
Clint

SteveNelson46
01-22-2016, 05:06 PM
Back when we were playing with the home made rotary jigs I was wondering here on the forum if a rope could be done. I did it years ago with my Craftsman Router Crafter. I will have to try that.
Clint

Clint,

The process I used requires a lathe to drill a 3/4" hole through the center and stop 1 1/2" short of the top end. You will also have to turn a jam chuck to plug the base end for the rotary jig. It's also easier to sand if you mount the finished carve back in the lathe. Here are the files. Let me know how they turn out.

cestout
01-26-2016, 06:54 PM
Thank you! I still haven totally caught up from being swamped before Christmas. When I get time to play I will work on it.
Clint

loretta_byerly
01-28-2016, 05:52 AM
I know I'm still taking baby steps, but wow, these are very nice and encouraging that maybe someday I will get better! Practice, practice, practice! Thank you for sharing!!

SteveNelson46
01-28-2016, 09:49 AM
I know I'm still taking baby steps, but wow, these are very nice and encouraging that maybe someday I will get better! Practice, practice, practice! Thank you for sharing!!

Thank you Loretta.

RogerB
01-29-2016, 07:26 PM
Steve very nice. I have never used Myrtle wood is it a hard wood like Maple. I have used wood from Africa and other parts of the world that are very hard .

SteveNelson46
01-30-2016, 08:40 AM
Steve very nice. I have never used Myrtle wood is it a hard wood like Maple. I have used wood from Africa and other parts of the world that are very hard .

It's actually relatively soft. About the same as Pine or Fir. To me, it's the odor that is overpowering. I finished the project over a week ago and I can still smell it in my shop.