Adding weight to candlesticks

[42Olds]

I've started making candlesticks, including the Rude Osolnik style. The forms are great, but I am concerned about stability - and wondering what the best method is for adding weight to the base.
I have read that some turners drill a hole in the base and add lead, either loose pellets or pouring molten lead into the hole...I'm not sure about the molten part personally...
So, I have one method, but how much weight should I add? I am thinking that I could weigh the stick with a candle, and add that much - but would that be a bit of overkill?

 

[Bill Boehme]

We bought a set of candlesticks at our club's Christmas banquet and auction. They had been weighted with molten lead from wheel weights. I would guess that the weight was twice what it would have been without the weights. Pouring molten lead into a hole drilled in hardwood is not a big problem. It chars the wood a bit, but the hole is plugged.

I remember my grandfather making fishing weights from the lead in car batteries and pouring the lead into wooden molds. The molds were charred, but they seemed to last a long time.

BTW, lead shot ought to be fine if you use epoxy to make it solid.

 

[42Olds]

OK, looks like I need to find a postal scale that shows light weights...
I have some old BB's, can pick up some epoxy - will give that a try.
The molten lead might be worth trying at some point, maybe in the summer when I can open all the windows...

 

[Joe Greiner]

I'd recommend the BB's and epoxy - even new BB's if necessary.

Aside from the charring, the lead will shrink slightly upon cooling, and the plug may wobble. You can tighten it by striking it at a few places near the interface, or add epoxy there too.

Lead wheel weights are becoming history, and harvesting lead from car batteries presents added problems. And melting itself is an extra operation.

 

[42Olds]

And melting itself is an extra operation.

That's kinda my thinking as well.
All I need is to start another "hobby"...

 

[hockenbery]

I used lead shot. It's been a long time. I just experimented and found a hole depth diameter. I think I used # 7 shot. I put a little epoxy in the hole, pour in shot to about 3/4 depth, add more epoxy stir with stiff wire, add more epoxy drop in a few more shot until the epoxy is at the top of the hole. Add a wooden cover or not. I tried mixing the shot into the epoxy before putting it into the hole but I found mixing in the hole easier. I made a few paper weights as part of a desk set Also weighted some lamp bases that got really top heavy with a shade. Steel shot should work too. Al

 

[Bill Boehme]

That's kinda my thinking as well.
All I need is to start another "hobby"...

I agree. Personally, I wouldn't go to the trouble of melting lead and all of the related hazards of messing with molten metal. Salvaging it from a battery adds even more fun to that alternate hobby.

You don't really need to weigh the lead, just put in enough until it feels "right". You cn get a digital scale from Harbor Freight for around $10 that weighs up to one kilogram (2.2 pounds). I also have another very accurate high resolution digital scale that weights up to about 12 pounds and costs around $25. It can be used for all sorts of stuff in the shop. My wife got it for kitchen use, but I sort of stole it to check the weight of turnings while they are drying.

 

[john lucas]

I have made a lot of candlesticks of all sorts over the years I really don't think they need weight. I have added weight to some other projects Pretty much tried all of the above including pouring lead in a groove and the. Turning it smooth. It does shrink so I add some epoxy or CA glue afterwords to make sure it doesn't fall out.

 

[Bob Edwards]

Make it easy.

The amount of lead varies with the height and dia. of the base of the candle holder but it is by no means critical. I drill about a 2 or 2.5 inch deep hole in the base and add small pieces of fishing line weight to the hole. Then I pour in enough brass filings I get from the key cutting machine at Home Depot (free) to within 1/8 inch from the rim of the hole. Tap the side to settle the brass as much as possible around the lead. This is like packing the lead in sand to keep them from rattling. Cap with epoxy, clear or the color of your choice, but remember it will shrink somewhat.

Hope this helps,
Bob Edwards

 

[42Olds]

The amount of lead varies with the height and dia. of the base of the candle holder but it is by no means critical. I drill about a 2 or 2.5 inch deep hole in the base and add small pieces of fishing line weight to the hole. Then I pour in enough brass filings I get from the key cutting machine at Home Depot (free) to within 1/8 inch from the rim of the hole. Tap the side to settle the brass as much as possible around the lead. This is like packing the lead in sand to keep them from rattling. Cap with epoxy, clear or the color of your choice, but remember it will shrink somewhat.

Hope this helps,
Bob Edwards

It does, thanks.

This is close to what I have worked out - I use a 2-1/8" dia. recess for most of my work. To add the weights, I use a 2" Forstner bit to drill a 1/8" deep hole, then a 7/8" bit to drill a 2" deep hole - all on the same center. I then add the weights (I found some lead BB's at a gun shop), glue a 2" 1/8" thick wood disk in the middle hole to seal the BB's in the cavity and once the glue is dried I chuck the piece and turn the candlestick

Of course I needed to use a spindle steady rest to do the drilling safely.

 

[Charlie Knighton]

candlestick option, its just an option

 

[Bill Boehme]

.... Then I pour in enough brass filings I get from the key cutting machine at Home Depot (free) to within 1/8 inch from the rim of the hole. Tap the side to settle the brass as much as possible around the lead...

Thanks for the idea, Bob. I "won" a coffee can full of brass filings at one of our club meetings. Seems like a nice thing to have around the shop, but at the same time I think that I may have enough to last several lifetimes. I wonder how many candlesticks I would need to make to use up all of these shavings? Maybe the right question is how big and heavy would be considered going too far.