Candle Holder Project

[Keith Outten]

This was a simple project that I started just before Christmas but I was unable to complete them until yesterday, I caught a cold that kept me out of the shop all through the holidays.

Since I didn't own a drill bit large enough for the holes I decided to machine them on my CAMaster.
I decided to laser engrave both sides of each candle holder so that they can be displayed all year round. The doves are on one side and Merry Christmas plus the trees on the other.
I ordered the brass feet from Lee Valley. The finish is five coats of lacquer over mahogany.

[Bruce Page]

I like your clamping method on the router, I'll have to remember that. It must be nice to have both the cnc router and the laser!

[Lee Schierer]

Nice work Keith.

[Keith Outten]

Bruce, I have several pieces of the 4" by 4" by 3/8" aluminum angle pieces in my shop left over from a job I did several years ago. I started mounting my scroll benders to the angles so I could put them in my machinists vise which makes it real quick to use and change out benders. When I started looking for a way to hold the 4" mahogany pieces to the router table the only thing I could find that looked like it would work was these two aluminum angles and they worked perfectly. I used steel step blocks on the front angle and PVC blocks on the back side so there could be just enough flex so the clamps could tighten up to the sides of the wood blocks. I make the PVC blocks from shop scraps, they work surprisingly well so I make them in several sizes. I don't machine slots as I prefer to drill a series of holes along the length of the PVC blocks so that can't slip. I cut a very thin lip on the front so the dust brush won't hang on the blocks and I don't have to worry about the router bit hitting the blocks.

A CNC Router and Laser Engraver compliment each other better than any two machines I have ever seen. Its not uncommon for me to both cut and engrave using both machines on a single project. I often CNC machine an inlay so I can drop in a color photograph that I dye-sublimate so the options are almost limitless with these three processes.

Lee, I am trying to produce simple projects as Christmas gifts for family members each year. They are supposed to be keepsake items that I can produce in a reasonable amount of time but I want them to be nice gifts that my family will appreciate as the years go by. The list of Christmas ornaments that I make with my laser engraver every year continues to grow, my wife and both daughters submit a list of names every year so the list grows and grows. I do produce some generic ornaments to give to the ladies at the bank and other places around town but most have the persons name engraved on their ornament. We started out making these as name tags for family presents so they could be hung on the tree after the present was opened. Each year I produce a new design and use lots of different materials for the ornaments and I engrave the year on each ornament so most of our family and close friends have quite a collection now.

[Cody Colston]

Fine work, Keith. Those make excellent gifts. I really like the engraving, especially the birds. BTW, they look more like Chickadees than Doves.

[Jim Becker]

Those are really nice, Keith!

[Bruce Page]

Keith, do you think the detail in your artwork could be v-carved and still look clean? I like the idea of a keepsake tradition. I racked my brain for something to make for everybody last Christmas. I made some NFL themed breadboards for the grownup kids but hit a wall for the younger grandkids.

[Keith Outten]

Thanks Cody, Chickadees.....I can't say but the file name was doves.eps

Jim, these candle holders turned out better than the pictures show them and I really like them for giveaway projects. When the recipiants ohh and ahh its a good sign that they will be appreciated.

Bruce, the doves or the modern Christmas tree graphic could be VCarved with a very sharp bit but the Christmas tree on the right side would be impossible. It has a lot of very fine detail such as you would expect on an very old style tree. Even if you increase the size of these graphics the old style tree would have to be about 24" tall before I would consider engraving it with a router bit. The doves are a vector graphic, the trees are both bitmaps.

I have been thinking about a band saw box for my 3 year old grand daughter next year but I would like to CNC route the box. If I have any other ideas I will make sure to let you know.
.

[Bruce Page]

Bruce, the doves or the modern Christmas tree graphic could be VCarved with a very sharp bit but the Christmas tree on the right side would be impossible. It has a lot of very fine detail such as you would expect on an very old style tree. Even if you increase the size of these graphics the old style tree would have to be about 24" tall before I would consider engraving it with a router bit. The doves are a vector graphic, the trees are both bitmaps.

I have been thinking about a band saw box for my 3 year old grand daughter next year but I would like to CNC route the box. If I have any other ideas I will make sure to let you know.
.

Maybe I'll hit the lotto and buy a laser.. and a bigger shop!

[Frederick Skelly]

Very nice Keith!