Nice candleholders from scrap wood

A few weeks ago I started thinking about what to do with all the smaller pieces of wood I collected in my workshop over the years. All too small to build something, but yet too big to just throw them away. And I came up with a few ideas, so I want to share this one with you, because its rather simple, and you can use almost the smallest bits of wood for it:

Time needed: Less than one afternoon - you can also build much more at once, with only little more time.

 

Step 1 Materials & Tools

- Wood: find some scrap pieces/sheets of wood, not too thick, ( < ½“ is easier to cut) - you should have at least 2 different sorts/colors (better 3 or more) best is to mix with plywood or multiplex

- Wood glue (No, hot glue or superglue won’t work)

- Forstner bit: the size of the candles you want to use (a Forstner drill is made for making large holes with a flat bottom, which is exactly what we want - I used a 40mm for a tea candle)

- Power drill (a drill press would help)

- A saw: a fret saw will work, but surely you will be faster with a jig saw, table saw or band saw with a fine blade (DON'T use power tools when you haven't been properly instructed - you can do this project with just a fret saw - which I would propose to beginners!)

- Sanding block (you can also just use a piece of wood for that)

- Sand paper: 60, 100 and 200 (or similar grits)

- Clear coat and a paint bush, and again sandpaper - this time about 300 grit

- A pen, a set square, a piece of paperboard

- A vice will be helpful, but is not necessary

- Some clamps are also helpful, but aren't necessary - something heavy works just as fine

Comments

[Jenhaas]

I love this idea. I had some left over quarter sawn oak, mahogany and walnut and I was able to make 9 of these. They came out great. They are going to make great Christmas gifts. Thanks for the great idea.

[patmac]

This looks great and I like the fact you are using your wood scraps instead of throwing them away, and several of them would make a very nice gift. All in all, a great instructable. Thank you!

[RCMadMatt]

Wow, what a great use for scrap wood! Very nice! If you hadn't said you were German, this silly American would never have known! Great job on the woodworking and your descriptions! ~Matt

[woooshhhhh]

There are spray on fire retardants available to non-professionals just in case you wanted to be a little safer. They spray on & soak into the wood & then you finish it - it isn't noticeable. I like to spray it into the cup part.

[flamesami]

maybe,if you had equal-ish bits of wood, you could glue them, then cut them. It would certainly make sanding more...predictable.
You could also do it if you had bits that were smaller than the others, you would just have to put them higher the smaller they were...
does that make sense? or am I talking out of my a*s?

[steliart]

I would like to give you something to think about. Instead of doing them square try to give them a shape like a cylinder or even an in-regular shape cutting them on the band saw. And with the different wood types and colors glued together you will get very unusual results.

Nice instructable

[arthas]

this is a great idead and looks great and all but wouldnt the wood burn with the candle im only 14 and new at this so just wondering

[ChrysN]

Nicely done!  Using different types and colours of wood gives it a really interesting look!