# Spiral Candle Stick...but What Wood



## Dieseldog (28 Dec 2011)

hello all....ive been out in my shed this morning trying to make a spiral candle stick out of Yew 
drilled one sprial out, was looking good and very happy with mself 
started on the next spiral drilled about four holes and then crack it broke #-o 

So my Question is...what wood would you recommed to use to make a Spiral candle stick ?

Thanks Dave


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## jurriaan (28 Dec 2011)

Does 'dry wood' sound too harsh?

Anyway, I've seen my share of cracked yew - it even has cracks before drying too often.

I'd try again in whatever hardwood I'd have available - oak, birch, beech, elm, ash to name a few and try a piece that's dry.


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## Jonzjob (28 Dec 2011)

I have made 3 pairs and 2 singles. The pairs were done in beech and the singles were in Russian olive and the fist of them won me first place in the Feb challenge.. 

As a matter of interest, was the yew cracked when you started, because if I had the correct size I wouldn't hesitate in using it. A photo of your disaster may well help?


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## Dieseldog (28 Dec 2011)

No the wood didnt have any cracks or defects when i started 

i'll post a pic up tomorrow 

Thanks


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## Wood spoiler (29 Dec 2011)

I have made two

One in Ash and the other in oak

No problems with either


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## Richard Findley (29 Dec 2011)

Hi Dave

Traditionally spiral candlesticks would be in Mahogany, Oak or possibly Walnut. All are tight grained and work/carve well. The problem with Yew, especially as you are drilling it out for a hollow spiral by the sound of it, it is prone to heat cracks, so if you get it too hot by drilling big holes with an electric drill you may have caused cracks which resulted in a broken candlestick.

HTH

Richard


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## Dieseldog (29 Dec 2011)

Thanks for the replys i think Mahogany is the way forward for this project 
Jonzjob ive posted some pic's up but dont think i'll be using Yew again for making them..i'll try Mahogany or Oak

Thanks Dave


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## loz (29 Dec 2011)

Hiya,

Not my first choice of how to approach spirals Dave,

Try a simpler approach !!!

http://woodworking.com/ww/Article/How_t ... _7567.aspx

and

http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAn ... x?id=30194


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## Jonzjob (29 Dec 2011)

Yup, that looks like shakes in there.. What drill bit are you using? I have found that a forstner is the best.

Loz, I first tried Ernies method and decided that it was too much like hard work! So that's why I use the method that I do and it is MUCH easier for me :mrgreen: 

Dave, you will find that you get a bit of tearout when you are drilling for the right hand threaded twists :shock: :shock:


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## Dieseldog (29 Dec 2011)

im using a 5/8 forstner bit and ive been following Rick Christopherson instructions for making them 

Loz im trying to make a Hollow Sprial ..thanks for the links tho, something else for me to try at a later date (hammer)


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## Jonzjob (29 Dec 2011)

That should do the job, but once you have drilled the first spiral just take it carefully with the others.

This was my winner by the way and I was reet chuffed with the result






And would you believe it started of a bit like this






Life is like turning? You never know what you got till you try :mrgreen:


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## Dieseldog (29 Dec 2011)

Thats one of my loves for Turning....finding whats inside a tatty old piece of wood like that.
i like the way you have made two hollow sprials =D> ...something for me to think about as well :? 

Thanks for posting that up John

i'll have another go soon and this time take it a bit slower with the drilling 

Cheers Dave


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## loz (30 Dec 2011)

Dieseldog":1y4ttezc said:


> im using a 5/8 forstner bit and ive been following Rick Christopherson instructions for making them
> 
> Loz im trying to make a Hollow Sprial ..thanks for the links tho, something else for me to try at a later date (hammer)



Hiya,

This technique also works fine for hollow spirals, ask Stuart Mortimer he's not bad at them.

L


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## Jonzjob (30 Dec 2011)

He doesn't look too bad does he :mrgreen: 

Ernie in the video above also does hollow spirals in his video, but what I would like to know is how does he put the drilled hole right down the middle? I can't do that even with something as short as 1/2 a pen blank! If I have to have a hole down the middle of anything then the hole is drilled before I start turning the blank to round. Then, using the hole as the centre I know that it's in the middle.

Dave, don't forget that when you drill out the spirals the wood left behind is a triangular shape, so the holes drilled need to be a bit smaller than you may think to leave enough behind to make it strong enough to survive. Not a very clear explanation  I almost found out the hard way when I turned a candle stick in French box for the lady who supplied that box wood. As you can see, the twist finished up quite thin :shock: :shock:


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## Wood spoiler (30 Dec 2011)

I used the same technique as John does and quite frankly it works well and you don't have the problems associated with a long bore down the centre wandering off.

Using a drill press with the depth gauge drilling the four sets of hole effectively produces the hollow centre without the drama's of a wandering centre hole.

The saying is "if it ain't broke don't fix it"

The spirals produced using the method advocated by John produces a reliable method and the output is very striking


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## Jonzjob (30 Dec 2011)

That's pretty good for you Colin :mrgreen: :mrgreen: In fact that's bruddie good mate, I do like that!

As you say, it works.. The main this is accurate marking out, iincluding the freehand drawing of the spiral itself, but you can assist that by laying a length of paper between the vertiacl and horizontal markings and use the edge as a guide..

Good ere init 8)


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## Dieseldog (30 Dec 2011)

Thanks for posting your pic's up guys ..To me they ALL look stunning even yours John with the thin sprials :lol: 

when i was drilling i did use a drill press with the work sat in a piece of wood with a V cut in to it ...i think next time i'll use a smaller Forstner bit see how that goes 

Thanks Dave


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