# DIY Wood worker wedding



## gurnie

*Welcome to the DIY wood worker Wedding*

Alright well first I want to thank you for joining me in this trip. I have no idea what dilemmas we'll face.

Some of you may know I had my first show In December, which immediately any money made from that that went toward the honeymoon, and of course taxes.

Basically I am doing two types of wood working this year: 
- Wedding relate items for me or items to sell back to my wedding vendors
- Items for craft shows I will during the year

In theory, if everything goes well, the craft shows will fund my wedding and the crafts I make for myself will add a personal touch to my wedding

and so let's dive in together!


----------



## rivergirl

gurnie said:


> *Welcome to the DIY wood worker Wedding*
> 
> Alright well first I want to thank you for joining me in this trip. I have no idea what dilemmas we'll face.
> 
> Some of you may know I had my first show In December, which immediately any money made from that that went toward the honeymoon, and of course taxes.
> 
> Basically I am doing two types of wood working this year:
> - Wedding relate items for me or items to sell back to my wedding vendors
> - Items for craft shows I will during the year
> 
> In theory, if everything goes well, the craft shows will fund my wedding and the crafts I make for myself will add a personal touch to my wedding
> 
> and so let's dive in together!


Are you having a rustic themed wedding?


----------



## gurnie

gurnie said:


> *Welcome to the DIY wood worker Wedding*
> 
> Alright well first I want to thank you for joining me in this trip. I have no idea what dilemmas we'll face.
> 
> Some of you may know I had my first show In December, which immediately any money made from that that went toward the honeymoon, and of course taxes.
> 
> Basically I am doing two types of wood working this year:
> - Wedding relate items for me or items to sell back to my wedding vendors
> - Items for craft shows I will during the year
> 
> In theory, if everything goes well, the craft shows will fund my wedding and the crafts I make for myself will add a personal touch to my wedding
> 
> and so let's dive in together!


It's a garden wedding with burnt orange being the main theme color and the tree of life being a reappearing theme


----------



## gurnie

*The cake plate - a DIY design that will last*

The cake plate will be an on going project that I am trying to get done before the spring / summer.

On etsy if you do a search for many very nice cake plates that look rustic and woodsy. I first stumbled across this cake plate on etsy










If interested you can find the seller's shop here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/HensinDaisies?ref=seller_info

Now there's a lot of good and bad with this design, good being it's natural and pretty, it's rustic and it's just overall a neat idea of a cake plate for those who are doing an outdoor wedding. But i find issues with it structurally. Mainly the issue is with the plate itself - cross sectional parts of trees will split or usually will split over time. So if this is a piece you want to become a family heirloom - its not going to last. This piece is also made of what i believe is called base wood, which isn't the strongest white wood available.

There are some other issues with the base - when you're working with a chunk of wood that still has bark on it and the piece has not been kiln dried the piece has the potential to harbor bugs in the bark… and if you kiln dry the piece you're likely to crack the wood because it's a cross section. And if you air dry the base piece it'll take forever. well maybe not forever but I do think the rule is 1" of thickness takes about 3-6 months to dry (if the wood is green to begin with). That piece looks at least 4-6" tall, so that's time I don't have to wait for the wood to dry. Not to mention just because it air dries doesn't mean it won't crack.

So we have issues with this design - it could crack, it could harbor bugs, or it could take forever to dry which is time i don't have now. So I am going to do my best to create a piece that imitates a real tree stump, but one that will last a long time and feel wedding-y.

So i came up with the idea of gluing up some sort of log out of maple, and then glue a maple cake plate and then attach birch bark that I have. Doesn't elegant but it looks beautiful in my head. I swear it does.









An example of birch bark - see very wedding-y

So i searched for ideas on how to glue up the hollow stump when i came across a fellow lumber jock's idea for a jewelry chest:

shipwright's jewelry chest









What a brilliant idea! So i read his blog and started out on my own:

So far I cut four pieces of wood about 3" long, 1" thick. a 45 degree cut was cut in each piece.










These pieces we then flipped so the 45 degree joint was made into a 90 degree joint. The idea is for the back end to fit into that 90 joint. these two pieces will eventually be cut into smaller pieces to make a cylinder



















Here's an example from Shipwright's blog of what we should get (please read his blog, it's really great):










the next step will be to cut these 90 degree pieces to the correct height for the stand. then we will fit together the cylinder and then glue up.

I want to note that the two 90 degree pieces are not glued together despite they are next to each other. it was just easier to glue them up next to each other.

if my design goes off without a hitch I will make two cake plates and sell one to my wedding cake baker who has express interest in my design.

Stay tuned!!!

www.christinagurnham.com


----------



## superstretch

gurnie said:


> *The cake plate - a DIY design that will last*
> 
> The cake plate will be an on going project that I am trying to get done before the spring / summer.
> 
> On etsy if you do a search for many very nice cake plates that look rustic and woodsy. I first stumbled across this cake plate on etsy
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If interested you can find the seller's shop here:
> http://www.etsy.com/shop/HensinDaisies?ref=seller_info
> 
> Now there's a lot of good and bad with this design, good being it's natural and pretty, it's rustic and it's just overall a neat idea of a cake plate for those who are doing an outdoor wedding. But i find issues with it structurally. Mainly the issue is with the plate itself - cross sectional parts of trees will split or usually will split over time. So if this is a piece you want to become a family heirloom - its not going to last. This piece is also made of what i believe is called base wood, which isn't the strongest white wood available.
> 
> There are some other issues with the base - when you're working with a chunk of wood that still has bark on it and the piece has not been kiln dried the piece has the potential to harbor bugs in the bark… and if you kiln dry the piece you're likely to crack the wood because it's a cross section. And if you air dry the base piece it'll take forever. well maybe not forever but I do think the rule is 1" of thickness takes about 3-6 months to dry (if the wood is green to begin with). That piece looks at least 4-6" tall, so that's time I don't have to wait for the wood to dry. Not to mention just because it air dries doesn't mean it won't crack.
> 
> So we have issues with this design - it could crack, it could harbor bugs, or it could take forever to dry which is time i don't have now. So I am going to do my best to create a piece that imitates a real tree stump, but one that will last a long time and feel wedding-y.
> 
> So i came up with the idea of gluing up some sort of log out of maple, and then glue a maple cake plate and then attach birch bark that I have. Doesn't elegant but it looks beautiful in my head. I swear it does.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An example of birch bark - see very wedding-y
> 
> So i searched for ideas on how to glue up the hollow stump when i came across a fellow lumber jock's idea for a jewelry chest:
> 
> shipwright's jewelry chest
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What a brilliant idea! So i read his blog and started out on my own:
> 
> So far I cut four pieces of wood about 3" long, 1" thick. a 45 degree cut was cut in each piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These pieces we then flipped so the 45 degree joint was made into a 90 degree joint. The idea is for the back end to fit into that 90 joint. these two pieces will eventually be cut into smaller pieces to make a cylinder
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's an example from Shipwright's blog of what we should get (please read his blog, it's really great):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the next step will be to cut these 90 degree pieces to the correct height for the stand. then we will fit together the cylinder and then glue up.
> 
> I want to note that the two 90 degree pieces are not glued together despite they are next to each other. it was just easier to glue them up next to each other.
> 
> if my design goes off without a hitch I will make two cake plates and sell one to my wedding cake baker who has express interest in my design.
> 
> Stay tuned!!!
> 
> www.christinagurnham.com


Great idea for the stump. In response to your concerns over the plate splitting-it very well may split, but I see that it was cut on an angle, so there is a far less chance of it splitting tremendously. People do that often with plaques and those glued-on pictures you see at any mountain/rustic tourist shop.


----------



## shipwright

gurnie said:


> *The cake plate - a DIY design that will last*
> 
> The cake plate will be an on going project that I am trying to get done before the spring / summer.
> 
> On etsy if you do a search for many very nice cake plates that look rustic and woodsy. I first stumbled across this cake plate on etsy
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If interested you can find the seller's shop here:
> http://www.etsy.com/shop/HensinDaisies?ref=seller_info
> 
> Now there's a lot of good and bad with this design, good being it's natural and pretty, it's rustic and it's just overall a neat idea of a cake plate for those who are doing an outdoor wedding. But i find issues with it structurally. Mainly the issue is with the plate itself - cross sectional parts of trees will split or usually will split over time. So if this is a piece you want to become a family heirloom - its not going to last. This piece is also made of what i believe is called base wood, which isn't the strongest white wood available.
> 
> There are some other issues with the base - when you're working with a chunk of wood that still has bark on it and the piece has not been kiln dried the piece has the potential to harbor bugs in the bark… and if you kiln dry the piece you're likely to crack the wood because it's a cross section. And if you air dry the base piece it'll take forever. well maybe not forever but I do think the rule is 1" of thickness takes about 3-6 months to dry (if the wood is green to begin with). That piece looks at least 4-6" tall, so that's time I don't have to wait for the wood to dry. Not to mention just because it air dries doesn't mean it won't crack.
> 
> So we have issues with this design - it could crack, it could harbor bugs, or it could take forever to dry which is time i don't have now. So I am going to do my best to create a piece that imitates a real tree stump, but one that will last a long time and feel wedding-y.
> 
> So i came up with the idea of gluing up some sort of log out of maple, and then glue a maple cake plate and then attach birch bark that I have. Doesn't elegant but it looks beautiful in my head. I swear it does.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An example of birch bark - see very wedding-y
> 
> So i searched for ideas on how to glue up the hollow stump when i came across a fellow lumber jock's idea for a jewelry chest:
> 
> shipwright's jewelry chest
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What a brilliant idea! So i read his blog and started out on my own:
> 
> So far I cut four pieces of wood about 3" long, 1" thick. a 45 degree cut was cut in each piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These pieces we then flipped so the 45 degree joint was made into a 90 degree joint. The idea is for the back end to fit into that 90 joint. these two pieces will eventually be cut into smaller pieces to make a cylinder
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's an example from Shipwright's blog of what we should get (please read his blog, it's really great):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the next step will be to cut these 90 degree pieces to the correct height for the stand. then we will fit together the cylinder and then glue up.
> 
> I want to note that the two 90 degree pieces are not glued together despite they are next to each other. it was just easier to glue them up next to each other.
> 
> if my design goes off without a hitch I will make two cake plates and sell one to my wedding cake baker who has express interest in my design.
> 
> Stay tuned!!!
> 
> www.christinagurnham.com


Good start, I'll keep an eye on the blog. I know you'll produce a fine cake stand.


----------



## rivergirl

gurnie said:


> *The cake plate - a DIY design that will last*
> 
> The cake plate will be an on going project that I am trying to get done before the spring / summer.
> 
> On etsy if you do a search for many very nice cake plates that look rustic and woodsy. I first stumbled across this cake plate on etsy
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If interested you can find the seller's shop here:
> http://www.etsy.com/shop/HensinDaisies?ref=seller_info
> 
> Now there's a lot of good and bad with this design, good being it's natural and pretty, it's rustic and it's just overall a neat idea of a cake plate for those who are doing an outdoor wedding. But i find issues with it structurally. Mainly the issue is with the plate itself - cross sectional parts of trees will split or usually will split over time. So if this is a piece you want to become a family heirloom - its not going to last. This piece is also made of what i believe is called base wood, which isn't the strongest white wood available.
> 
> There are some other issues with the base - when you're working with a chunk of wood that still has bark on it and the piece has not been kiln dried the piece has the potential to harbor bugs in the bark… and if you kiln dry the piece you're likely to crack the wood because it's a cross section. And if you air dry the base piece it'll take forever. well maybe not forever but I do think the rule is 1" of thickness takes about 3-6 months to dry (if the wood is green to begin with). That piece looks at least 4-6" tall, so that's time I don't have to wait for the wood to dry. Not to mention just because it air dries doesn't mean it won't crack.
> 
> So we have issues with this design - it could crack, it could harbor bugs, or it could take forever to dry which is time i don't have now. So I am going to do my best to create a piece that imitates a real tree stump, but one that will last a long time and feel wedding-y.
> 
> So i came up with the idea of gluing up some sort of log out of maple, and then glue a maple cake plate and then attach birch bark that I have. Doesn't elegant but it looks beautiful in my head. I swear it does.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An example of birch bark - see very wedding-y
> 
> So i searched for ideas on how to glue up the hollow stump when i came across a fellow lumber jock's idea for a jewelry chest:
> 
> shipwright's jewelry chest
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What a brilliant idea! So i read his blog and started out on my own:
> 
> So far I cut four pieces of wood about 3" long, 1" thick. a 45 degree cut was cut in each piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These pieces we then flipped so the 45 degree joint was made into a 90 degree joint. The idea is for the back end to fit into that 90 joint. these two pieces will eventually be cut into smaller pieces to make a cylinder
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's an example from Shipwright's blog of what we should get (please read his blog, it's really great):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the next step will be to cut these 90 degree pieces to the correct height for the stand. then we will fit together the cylinder and then glue up.
> 
> I want to note that the two 90 degree pieces are not glued together despite they are next to each other. it was just easier to glue them up next to each other.
> 
> if my design goes off without a hitch I will make two cake plates and sell one to my wedding cake baker who has express interest in my design.
> 
> Stay tuned!!!
> 
> www.christinagurnham.com


Also there was a blog on L/J about making a log cake stand. 
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/33996


----------



## TJ65

gurnie said:


> *The cake plate - a DIY design that will last*
> 
> The cake plate will be an on going project that I am trying to get done before the spring / summer.
> 
> On etsy if you do a search for many very nice cake plates that look rustic and woodsy. I first stumbled across this cake plate on etsy
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If interested you can find the seller's shop here:
> http://www.etsy.com/shop/HensinDaisies?ref=seller_info
> 
> Now there's a lot of good and bad with this design, good being it's natural and pretty, it's rustic and it's just overall a neat idea of a cake plate for those who are doing an outdoor wedding. But i find issues with it structurally. Mainly the issue is with the plate itself - cross sectional parts of trees will split or usually will split over time. So if this is a piece you want to become a family heirloom - its not going to last. This piece is also made of what i believe is called base wood, which isn't the strongest white wood available.
> 
> There are some other issues with the base - when you're working with a chunk of wood that still has bark on it and the piece has not been kiln dried the piece has the potential to harbor bugs in the bark… and if you kiln dry the piece you're likely to crack the wood because it's a cross section. And if you air dry the base piece it'll take forever. well maybe not forever but I do think the rule is 1" of thickness takes about 3-6 months to dry (if the wood is green to begin with). That piece looks at least 4-6" tall, so that's time I don't have to wait for the wood to dry. Not to mention just because it air dries doesn't mean it won't crack.
> 
> So we have issues with this design - it could crack, it could harbor bugs, or it could take forever to dry which is time i don't have now. So I am going to do my best to create a piece that imitates a real tree stump, but one that will last a long time and feel wedding-y.
> 
> So i came up with the idea of gluing up some sort of log out of maple, and then glue a maple cake plate and then attach birch bark that I have. Doesn't elegant but it looks beautiful in my head. I swear it does.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An example of birch bark - see very wedding-y
> 
> So i searched for ideas on how to glue up the hollow stump when i came across a fellow lumber jock's idea for a jewelry chest:
> 
> shipwright's jewelry chest
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What a brilliant idea! So i read his blog and started out on my own:
> 
> So far I cut four pieces of wood about 3" long, 1" thick. a 45 degree cut was cut in each piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These pieces we then flipped so the 45 degree joint was made into a 90 degree joint. The idea is for the back end to fit into that 90 joint. these two pieces will eventually be cut into smaller pieces to make a cylinder
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's an example from Shipwright's blog of what we should get (please read his blog, it's really great):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the next step will be to cut these 90 degree pieces to the correct height for the stand. then we will fit together the cylinder and then glue up.
> 
> I want to note that the two 90 degree pieces are not glued together despite they are next to each other. it was just easier to glue them up next to each other.
> 
> if my design goes off without a hitch I will make two cake plates and sell one to my wedding cake baker who has express interest in my design.
> 
> Stay tuned!!!
> 
> www.christinagurnham.com


interesting! Very interesting


----------



## gurnie

*DIY Wood worker wedding #2 - The cake plate Chapter #2*

So I'm back in class now and the wedding approach-ith. T-minus 4 months (eeeep!)

So the last time i blogged i have glued up the two 45 degree boards. Thursday the chop saw was in action and i was actually able to get 10 pieces out of the two boards. turns out you only need 8 of these pieces to make a circle (you know, math and all).

So here's the log as it right now. Didn't have time to glue because i was working on several other projects, but I feel good about this so far. I can get it done.










i also forgot to post a photo fo the soon to be escort card holders. Here we are:










the idea is to sand all of them and put a small slit down the middle to hold the cards. they are about dry so i am going to get ready to slice these soon.


----------



## ivor

gurnie said:


> *DIY Wood worker wedding #2 - The cake plate Chapter #2*
> 
> So I'm back in class now and the wedding approach-ith. T-minus 4 months (eeeep!)
> 
> So the last time i blogged i have glued up the two 45 degree boards. Thursday the chop saw was in action and i was actually able to get 10 pieces out of the two boards. turns out you only need 8 of these pieces to make a circle (you know, math and all).
> 
> So here's the log as it right now. Didn't have time to glue because i was working on several other projects, but I feel good about this so far. I can get it done.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i also forgot to post a photo fo the soon to be escort card holders. Here we are:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the idea is to sand all of them and put a small slit down the middle to hold the cards. they are about dry so i am going to get ready to slice these soon.


Hi - am very interested in this 8 piece table base - or central leg? Could you please let me have dimensions of the timber.

Many thanks - Ivor


----------



## Fridgecritter

gurnie said:


> *DIY Wood worker wedding #2 - The cake plate Chapter #2*
> 
> So I'm back in class now and the wedding approach-ith. T-minus 4 months (eeeep!)
> 
> So the last time i blogged i have glued up the two 45 degree boards. Thursday the chop saw was in action and i was actually able to get 10 pieces out of the two boards. turns out you only need 8 of these pieces to make a circle (you know, math and all).
> 
> So here's the log as it right now. Didn't have time to glue because i was working on several other projects, but I feel good about this so far. I can get it done.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i also forgot to post a photo fo the soon to be escort card holders. Here we are:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the idea is to sand all of them and put a small slit down the middle to hold the cards. they are about dry so i am going to get ready to slice these soon.


I think it's actually 16 pieces if I'm seeing it right. It looks like 2×4s mitered and glued together.


----------



## Ha27

gurnie said:


> *DIY Wood worker wedding #2 - The cake plate Chapter #2*
> 
> So I'm back in class now and the wedding approach-ith. T-minus 4 months (eeeep!)
> 
> So the last time i blogged i have glued up the two 45 degree boards. Thursday the chop saw was in action and i was actually able to get 10 pieces out of the two boards. turns out you only need 8 of these pieces to make a circle (you know, math and all).
> 
> So here's the log as it right now. Didn't have time to glue because i was working on several other projects, but I feel good about this so far. I can get it done.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i also forgot to post a photo fo the soon to be escort card holders. Here we are:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the idea is to sand all of them and put a small slit down the middle to hold the cards. they are about dry so i am going to get ready to slice these soon.


Can you tell me how deep is the 45 degrees cuts? Would any depth work as long as it's all cut at 45 degrees?


----------



## Fridgecritter

gurnie said:


> *DIY Wood worker wedding #2 - The cake plate Chapter #2*
> 
> So I'm back in class now and the wedding approach-ith. T-minus 4 months (eeeep!)
> 
> So the last time i blogged i have glued up the two 45 degree boards. Thursday the chop saw was in action and i was actually able to get 10 pieces out of the two boards. turns out you only need 8 of these pieces to make a circle (you know, math and all).
> 
> So here's the log as it right now. Didn't have time to glue because i was working on several other projects, but I feel good about this so far. I can get it done.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i also forgot to post a photo fo the soon to be escort card holders. Here we are:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the idea is to sand all of them and put a small slit down the middle to hold the cards. they are about dry so i am going to get ready to slice these soon.


I would also like the dimensions of your eight pieces. They don't appear to be square pieces, so did you cut 4×6s for that?


----------



## britchic

gurnie said:


> *DIY Wood worker wedding #2 - The cake plate Chapter #2*
> 
> So I'm back in class now and the wedding approach-ith. T-minus 4 months (eeeep!)
> 
> So the last time i blogged i have glued up the two 45 degree boards. Thursday the chop saw was in action and i was actually able to get 10 pieces out of the two boards. turns out you only need 8 of these pieces to make a circle (you know, math and all).
> 
> So here's the log as it right now. Didn't have time to glue because i was working on several other projects, but I feel good about this so far. I can get it done.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i also forgot to post a photo fo the soon to be escort card holders. Here we are:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the idea is to sand all of them and put a small slit down the middle to hold the cards. they are about dry so i am going to get ready to slice these soon.


I love this idea and think I'll use it for a table base. I think its 2×4's but am thinking 2×6's or larger will create a larger diameter. I'm going to play around with some scrap pieces.
Thanks for the idea.


----------



## gurnie

*DIY Wood worker wedding #4: The cake plate Chapter #3*

So some progress has been made. first i rounded off the cylinder with a bandsaw to remove a lot of those pointed edges.

Then came root cutting. Several pieces of 2" thick X 2" wide were cut in the shape of roots (approx., 7", 9", 8", 11"). I free handed the shape of the root. I left 1" on the end uncut for the sliding dove tail i will use to connect the roots to the stump










Concentrating hard so i don't cut my fingers off










So once the roots were cut i played around with assembly of the roots. Teacher told me to go with a sliding dovetail joint for the roots going into the tree stump










Here's an image of a piece of cherry wood sitting on top of the stump. I will use a 22" round piece of wood for the actual cake plate. Not sure how i will design the plate. still thinking about it - i really want it to look like a cross section of a tree stump.










For awhile i liked the idea of having branches coming out of the stump "supporting" the cake plate (really there for visuals). instead i think it makes the tree look more creepy and too busy. if you look on the right side of this picture you'll see the printout of the limb. what are your thoughts?










that's all i got  it's coming along!


----------



## gurnie

gurnie said:


> *DIY Wood worker wedding #4: The cake plate Chapter #3*
> 
> So some progress has been made. first i rounded off the cylinder with a bandsaw to remove a lot of those pointed edges.
> 
> Then came root cutting. Several pieces of 2" thick X 2" wide were cut in the shape of roots (approx., 7", 9", 8", 11"). I free handed the shape of the root. I left 1" on the end uncut for the sliding dove tail i will use to connect the roots to the stump
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Concentrating hard so i don't cut my fingers off
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So once the roots were cut i played around with assembly of the roots. Teacher told me to go with a sliding dovetail joint for the roots going into the tree stump
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's an image of a piece of cherry wood sitting on top of the stump. I will use a 22" round piece of wood for the actual cake plate. Not sure how i will design the plate. still thinking about it - i really want it to look like a cross section of a tree stump.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For awhile i liked the idea of having branches coming out of the stump "supporting" the cake plate (really there for visuals). instead i think it makes the tree look more creepy and too busy. if you look on the right side of this picture you'll see the printout of the limb. what are your thoughts?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> that's all i got  it's coming along!


You can become a facebook fan at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christina-Gurnham-Wood-Working/145804812139150


----------



## gurnie

*The cake plate shaping the stump and roots*










So i bought a Pneumatic Sanding Drum set and i used my lathe to wear down the rough edges (pictured above). While this looks great I started to feel that the tree was looking too manufactured. It needs to look a bit more natural / organic. So last night I went to the shop and recut the sides on the bandsaw. I'll post photos of me working with the Pneumatic Sanding Drum set and the re-sanded roots tomorrow.


----------



## gurnie

*The cake plate - a tree made of wood and table settings*

This is a project my fiance and I did together for our upcoming wedding.

Um so wow a lot has happen since i worked on this thread. i will try to describe what i have done but i'm not sure if i have photos (I will try to check if people ask)

So after we cut up the roots / branches for the tree stump we ended up used a inflatable cylinder sander that attached to the drill press thingy attached to my lathe. So instead of a chuck spinning around i have a nice cylinder full of 80 grit sandpaper spinning around. It was awesome for shaping the roots and branches.

We did dove tails for the branches / roots. In some areas we removed way too much wood for the dove tails to fit snugly. So we did a 50/50 ratio of cherry wood dust and tightbond II and used it to the fill the gaps. It really worked awesome.

below is a photo of the joints glued up. the glue-up was messy but my dremel too totally took care of that











__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content










Ohhh messy glue job.

Anyways

So everything was looking great but we really needed to stain in. the idea was to stain the whole trunk darker and to have a dark ring around the cake plate surface to imitate a cross section sitting on top of the stump.

Thanks to all the jocks who helped determine a finish and lead my to the wood whisperer video about how to prevent blotching. i think we still did get some blotching because we let the stain sit to long and there are marks left from the dremel. but i think it looks badass (can I say that here? I'll find out if the filter filters me)




























ok so how did we get the awesome ring around the cross section piece.

first i taped white paper over the "circle" (it's not perfectly round). at the approx. middle there's a little hole dapped in the middle so i took a piece of string, tied it to a push pin and the other side to the pencil. i used the push pin to anchor as my center and was able to trace a semi symmetrical circle on the paper. then we cut around that line. then we applied painter's tape to the edge, and then removed all but 1/4 sticking out of the edge of the white paper (so only 1/4 of tape was holding the paper to the surface of the wood. we then taped the top of the paper in case when we wiped we were a little careless and wiped onto the paper. Mike made a funny face out of it.










so then we applied it to the wood and then applied the finish










we were ecstatic to see a clean line!










Ok so table number card holders - these are piece of cherry wood from my parents fruit tree that died earlier this year. it was cut on a chop saw. Then with the bandsaw i cut 1.5" into the center. then the top was made pointed by cutting the tops pointed with the bandsaw (does that make sense). it as smooth out on the sander. Voila, table markers. This was the fiance's idea - awesome way to dot eh table numbers










I want to take a moment for the awesome jocks who took the time to answer my staining questions and a big shout out to shipright and his amazing jewelry chest that really inspired me to make the tree cake plate.

if people can maybe land me some suggestions on making the stain a little more even that's great. otherwise it might look nice a tiny bit blotchy… more "organic" looking


----------



## shipwright

gurnie said:


> *The cake plate - a tree made of wood and table settings*
> 
> This is a project my fiance and I did together for our upcoming wedding.
> 
> Um so wow a lot has happen since i worked on this thread. i will try to describe what i have done but i'm not sure if i have photos (I will try to check if people ask)
> 
> So after we cut up the roots / branches for the tree stump we ended up used a inflatable cylinder sander that attached to the drill press thingy attached to my lathe. So instead of a chuck spinning around i have a nice cylinder full of 80 grit sandpaper spinning around. It was awesome for shaping the roots and branches.
> 
> We did dove tails for the branches / roots. In some areas we removed way too much wood for the dove tails to fit snugly. So we did a 50/50 ratio of cherry wood dust and tightbond II and used it to the fill the gaps. It really worked awesome.
> 
> below is a photo of the joints glued up. the glue-up was messy but my dremel too totally took care of that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __
> Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
> Show Content
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ohhh messy glue job.
> 
> Anyways
> 
> So everything was looking great but we really needed to stain in. the idea was to stain the whole trunk darker and to have a dark ring around the cake plate surface to imitate a cross section sitting on top of the stump.
> 
> Thanks to all the jocks who helped determine a finish and lead my to the wood whisperer video about how to prevent blotching. i think we still did get some blotching because we let the stain sit to long and there are marks left from the dremel. but i think it looks badass (can I say that here? I'll find out if the filter filters me)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ok so how did we get the awesome ring around the cross section piece.
> 
> first i taped white paper over the "circle" (it's not perfectly round). at the approx. middle there's a little hole dapped in the middle so i took a piece of string, tied it to a push pin and the other side to the pencil. i used the push pin to anchor as my center and was able to trace a semi symmetrical circle on the paper. then we cut around that line. then we applied painter's tape to the edge, and then removed all but 1/4 sticking out of the edge of the white paper (so only 1/4 of tape was holding the paper to the surface of the wood. we then taped the top of the paper in case when we wiped we were a little careless and wiped onto the paper. Mike made a funny face out of it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> so then we applied it to the wood and then applied the finish
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> we were ecstatic to see a clean line!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ok so table number card holders - these are piece of cherry wood from my parents fruit tree that died earlier this year. it was cut on a chop saw. Then with the bandsaw i cut 1.5" into the center. then the top was made pointed by cutting the tops pointed with the bandsaw (does that make sense). it as smooth out on the sander. Voila, table markers. This was the fiance's idea - awesome way to dot eh table numbers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I want to take a moment for the awesome jocks who took the time to answer my staining questions and a big shout out to shipright and his amazing jewelry chest that really inspired me to make the tree cake plate.
> 
> if people can maybe land me some suggestions on making the stain a little more even that's great. otherwise it might look nice a tiny bit blotchy… more "organic" looking


Great work. I'm flattered that my experiences were of service to you. 
Hope you have a great wedding and a great marriage.


----------



## gurnie

*Wood worker wedding success*

So I have had some questions on how our woodworker wedding went. let me post a few photos

These are escort card holders but our photographer photographed our rings on them










Table with table card number holder










Us and our cake plate










escort card holder










And of course, we married










All professional photos are property of Sarah Hodzic Of Blink Photography


----------



## Ken90712

gurnie said:


> *Wood worker wedding success*
> 
> So I have had some questions on how our woodworker wedding went. let me post a few photos
> 
> These are escort card holders but our photographer photographed our rings on them
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Table with table card number holder
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Us and our cake plate
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> escort card holder
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And of course, we married
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> All professional photos are property of Sarah Hodzic Of Blink Photography


Well congrats to both of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## DocSavage45

gurnie said:


> *Wood worker wedding success*
> 
> So I have had some questions on how our woodworker wedding went. let me post a few photos
> 
> These are escort card holders but our photographer photographed our rings on them
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Table with table card number holder
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Us and our cake plate
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> escort card holder
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And of course, we married
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> All professional photos are property of Sarah Hodzic Of Blink Photography


Because this is the most recent blog I wanted to comment here on your success. Good luck on the marriage.

Looked through your intarsa work (sp?) and it's more than clever. It is art on a small scale, which gives me pause to think and appreciate. The cat piece was great.

Would like to see a large piece with similar inspiration. Are the designs from life all the time?

Really liked your boxes as well.


----------

