Author Topic: Double Helix Candlestick  (Read 2671 times)

Offline willstewart

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Double Helix Candlestick
« on: November 19, 2019, 08:28:55 AM »
This is an experiment (so not quite perfect!) but interesting I think.  The inner clear 16mm nominal acrylic helix (tube) is bought for the purpose from a Scottish supplier.  This is inserted in a 16mm hole drilled in from the base end before turning.  The outer wooden helix is made (after turning to shape) using a router and a jig called a 'router-crafter' that I bought three decades ago (before I had a lathe).  The wood is an old chopping board supplied by my sister - supposedly teak but looks like mahogany. 

Yes the helices are deliberately of opposite senses (the acrylic is as supplied but the 'crafter' can do either) - not like DNA I know but I thought this might look better. There is a slot under the base for an LED tea light shining up the tube but I am not quite sure about this!  Pics on request.

Comments welcome!

For anyone interested the wooden tube is 25mm dia (16mm hole) so <5mm wall thickness, so I made a sacrificial softwood 16mm rod insert to stabilise it when using the crafter.  This might not be necessary but it worked.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2019, 08:40:34 AM by willstewart »

Offline bodrighywood

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    • Bodrighy Wood
Re: Double Helix Candlestick
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2019, 09:00:09 AM »
Interesting idea, not something I would do myself, too much like hard work as I would have to file the spiral out LOL. Could be effective with the light shining up it as well?

Pete
Turners don't make mistakes, they have design opportunities

Offline Derek

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Re: Double Helix Candlestick
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2019, 09:54:55 AM »
Nice work but I feel the spiral in the wood could have stopped before it enters the base.

Offline seventhdevil

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Re: Double Helix Candlestick
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2019, 09:57:34 AM »
great idea and it will look very nice once you have another go but either my eyes are deceiving me or there are three helices not two???

Offline willstewart

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Re: Double Helix Candlestick
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2019, 10:06:33 AM »
seventhdevil - indeed 3 wood helices but two layers of helix including the acrylic!

Stopping before the base is an idea indeed - I was just going for maximum length (the jig limits it at the other end).

Offline willstewart

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Re: Double Helix Candlestick
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2019, 10:26:46 AM »
A base-illuminated example for comment.  Obviously the colour is arbitrary (Quality Street has uses...!)

Offline willstewart

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Re: Double Helix Candlestick
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2019, 10:51:08 AM »
FYI a picture of the 'router-crafter'.  The router is slid along the rails by a wire linked to the hand-rotated piece.  There is no pitch control but either sense is possible (top and bottom wires) and indexed rotation start points.  Much simpler than hand cutting anyway!

Offline John Plater

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Re: Double Helix Candlestick
« Reply #7 on: November 19, 2019, 11:31:27 AM »
Yes, an interesting piece of work. The light running through ther acrylic is very effective. Might be worth seeing if your supplier of the acrylic does the same but from what I used to buy in sheet form as light gathering acrylic. It might offer a different intensity of colour along the peak of the helix. Like others I would prefer to see the helix stop before the base.
ATB John
If I had a better lathe, I would be able to show my ineptitude more effectively.

Offline Roger Groom

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Re: Double Helix Candlestick
« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2019, 11:49:10 AM »
Nice idea and I agree with the comments made so far. An additional one is that the actual candle holder looks like an afterthought. Maybe it could be sunk further into the stem so that the stem flows into it if you see what I mean. Nice work though.
Roger G

Offline willstewart

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Re: Double Helix Candlestick
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2019, 01:07:02 PM »
Roger G - point taken about the holder.  FYI the mistake here was not drilling the hole for the holder before turning (like the 16mm central hole).  It is trickier afterwards!  But I have sunk it a bit here.