Church/Easter Woodworking Project
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 4:00 pm
I was asked by the church women's missions group to make a balance scale and cross for their Easter fund raising project for missions. The concept is derived from the 30 pieces of silver scripture. The idea is to have the cross in one tray, and then folks can put offerings in the other and see how many times they can raise the cross over the Easter Sunday Services.
It's made entirely from pine, and then some hardware of course. Tools I used are: my 'greenie' shopsmith, a cordless drill, 1/4 sheet random sander and my tape measure-that's it!
There's one coat of Minwax stain/poly-in-one on it, then I rubbed the high spots off with 0000 steel wool. It's a bit rustic looking close up, but that's what I wanted. I didn't want the focus to be on this gleaming shiny piece of furniture with 7 coats of finish on it that makes it gloss to perfection. The ladies will be painting the cross white.
After getting everything carefully cut and assembled, it's only out of balance slightly. 10 quarters and it levels out!
It stands 38" tall, and the balance beam is 48" long. Trays are 12 x 12 x 3. Base is a piece of 1 x 12 cut to square, laid over a mitered layer of 1 x 4 that's about 14" sq.
Materials:
4 x4 x 8' = post and cross
1 x 12 x 4' = base
1 x 4 x 8' select grade = base outer run, tray sides and balance beam (glued two together to make 1-1/2" thick)
1/4" MFD = tray bottoms
Hardware includes lag bolts,hex bolt/wing nut, screw eyes, acorn nuts, S hooks and 14ft of 30lb chain.
It was a pleasure to construct this for such a worthy cause, and the bestest part of all for me anyway since I am always sooooooo focused and organized is that it's done a week early!
It's made entirely from pine, and then some hardware of course. Tools I used are: my 'greenie' shopsmith, a cordless drill, 1/4 sheet random sander and my tape measure-that's it!
There's one coat of Minwax stain/poly-in-one on it, then I rubbed the high spots off with 0000 steel wool. It's a bit rustic looking close up, but that's what I wanted. I didn't want the focus to be on this gleaming shiny piece of furniture with 7 coats of finish on it that makes it gloss to perfection. The ladies will be painting the cross white.
After getting everything carefully cut and assembled, it's only out of balance slightly. 10 quarters and it levels out!
It stands 38" tall, and the balance beam is 48" long. Trays are 12 x 12 x 3. Base is a piece of 1 x 12 cut to square, laid over a mitered layer of 1 x 4 that's about 14" sq.
Materials:
4 x4 x 8' = post and cross
1 x 12 x 4' = base
1 x 4 x 8' select grade = base outer run, tray sides and balance beam (glued two together to make 1-1/2" thick)
1/4" MFD = tray bottoms
Hardware includes lag bolts,hex bolt/wing nut, screw eyes, acorn nuts, S hooks and 14ft of 30lb chain.
It was a pleasure to construct this for such a worthy cause, and the bestest part of all for me anyway since I am always sooooooo focused and organized is that it's done a week early!
