Statue Stand/Altar

Created stand, or an altar if I was a Buddhist, for a 350lb stone statue. Stand is roughly 24” x 48” x 16”.

Top is 8/4 ebonized poplar, base is walnut. Finished using 3 coats of brushing lacquer.

Construction:
- Edge 3 popular boards to make top
- Use belt sander and winding sticks to flatten top
- Use Radial Arm Saw in horizontal blade position to cut uniform relief around edges
- Radial Arm Saw in tilted position to rip chamfer around edges
- Stain top using black aniline dye
- Realize finish is not good enough for ebonizing – a few obvious surface defects and only sanded to 180
- Resand top and use hand scraper to get final, very smooth surface
- Re stain top with three coats
- Cut base stretchers from 4/4 walnut stock
- Laminate three 4/4 walnut boards to create leg stock and cut four legs
- Chamfer top of legs
- Cut mortises for loose M&T joinery in legs and stretchers
- Glue up base
- Mount top using elongated holes and screws through “hidden stretchers”
- Find a friend with a strong back and a weak mind to help lift statue into place (using felt mat to stop scratches)

Lessons Learned:
- Contrary to expectations, black does not hide flaws, it highlights them
- Strong red necks make useful neighbors

-- Shawn, I ask in order to learn