How to Make an Aisle Candle Stand

Sanctuary and chancel furniture used in churches often includes candle stands. They commonly are used in the narthex or aisle leading to the sanctuary, and in the sanctuary itself. Candle stands should be elegant with clean, straight lines. They also need adequate ballast and a big enough footprint to give stability to the stand. Aisle candle stands typically hold a single candle. If more candles are needed, more stands are used. Build an aisle candle stand with a few pieces of oak hardwood, the traditional hardwood used in churches.

Things You'll Need

• Wood glue
• 2 oak blanks, 3/4-by-12-by-12 inches
• Oak blank, 3/4-by-6-by-6 inches
• Oak post, 2-by-2-by-36 inches
• 4 hand clamps
• Woodworker's compass
• Straightedge
• Band saw
• Orbital sander
• Sandpaper, 100-grit
• Cordless drill
• 1/4-inch drill bit with countersink
• Wood screws, 2 1/2 inch

Instructions

1. Brush a layer of glue on one of the 12-by-12-inch oak blanks. Place the other 12-by-12-inch blank on top of the glue. Clamp them together with one hand clamp on each side. Wait one hour for the glue to dry. Remove the clamps. The two pieces glued together are the base of the stand. Two pieces are necessary for weight and ballast.

2. Draw a centered 12-inch circle on the base with a compass. Draw a centered 6-inch circle on the 6-by-6-inch piece to be the top of the stand. When using the compass, push hard on the sharp tip of the compass to make a visible divot so you can drill down through it later. Cut out both circles on a band saw.

3. Sand all of the pieces with an orbital sander using 100-grit sandpaper. Sand off all of the saw marks. Round and smooth all of the sharp edges on the post, the large base disc, and the smaller disc for the top.

4. Drill straight down through the center of the base disc and of the small top disc with a cordless drill and 1/4-inch drill bit that has a countersink attachment. Use the divots that you made with the compass to drill through the exact center of each piece.

5. Draw an "X" from corner to corner on one end of the post with a straightedge. This point where the two lines intersect is the center of the post.

6. Clamp the post vertically to the side of a worktable with the "X" mark up. Smear glue on the top end of the post. Place the base on the end of the post, centering the hole in the base on the "X" on the top of the post. Have the countersunk side of the base facing up. Place a screw in the hole. Drive the screw down tight into the top of the post, securing the base to the post and countersinking the screw so it is slightly recessed.

7. Drill two more holes down through the base that go into the end of the post on either side of the original hole, about 1/2 inch from it in a triangle shape. Drill deep enough to engage the countersink. Insert screws in the holes. Use the cordless gun to screw them tight, down into the end of the post, countersinking them.

8. Release the clamp. Flip the stand over and stand it up on the base. Draw an "X" from corner to corner on the top of the post. Put glue on the end of the post. Position the 6-inch round top piece on top of the post, with the countersunk side facing up, just as you did with the base -- by lining up the hole in the top with the intersecting lines of the "X." Insert a screw in the hole and tighten it. Drill and insert two more screws 1/2-inch apart in a triangle shape just as you did with the base, countersinking each time. Tighten the screws to secure the top to the post.

9. Place a candle on top of the base inside a brass cup, glass enclosure or any custom candle holder. Candle stands designs usually are simple, single-post designs with no other ornamentation.

Tips & Warnings

• Brush on a light coat of danish oil for a traditional oak finish. Wait 72 hours and spray with two coats of aerosol lacquer for a shiny finish, or leave it with a natural oil finish.

• You can make your stand taller or shorter.

• When tightening the screws into the post, drive them down deep enough so that they sink slightly below the surface of the wood well down into the countersink. Wear safety glasses when working with wood.