This was the prototype I made for a wooden Menorah and case. It
was laid out on graph paper first, using 1" squares and then cut
from 7/8" materials. In my line of work, I had many Jewish
associates, employees and friends, so I would build and give them
away during the Holiday season. The most popular material for the
Menorah proved to be 3/8" mahogany on one side and 3/8" walnut on
the other, with a cherry or birch separator (grain at right
angles) for strength and for looks. The cases were almost all of
Mahogany. Once the Menorah was cut and sanded, I then used a 1/4"
rounding over bit on all surfaces, but left the top candle holders
and base square.

After the first year making these for friends, I found that
another variation was popular with most people. For years, my
favorite pistol was a Walther P-38 that had been removed from its
owner during WW2 by a relative who was faster with a trench gun
than the owner was with his pistol. As a young man, I'd purchased
a large quantity of old Nazi 9mm Parabellum ammo for target
shooting and had saved a lot of the brass, which was stamped with
a Swastika on the back.

I built a clamp of wood to hold the brass in my drill press and
used a 1" countersink IN REVERSE to flare the brass. The flared
brass shell casing was then inletted about 1/2" or so, as I
recall, into the end of the candelabra arms to serve as a candle
holder. As I said, some friends considered the source of the
brass to be repugnant, but most loved the irony and asked me to
incorporate it when I built them their Menorah. If you make one
using the shell casings, overbore the hole a tad and leave the
inside as rough as you can. Insert some plaster of Paris into the
hole and the press in the casing. The extractor grove on the rear
of the casing will fill with the plaster and it will bed the
casing nicely and prevent it loosening. The plaster of Paris, of
course, will not soften should a candle be permitted to burn all
the way down.

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Nonny

ELOQUIDIOT (n) A highly educated, sophisticated,
and articulate person who has absolutely no clue
concerning what they are talking about.
The person is typically a media commentator or politician.

Nonny wrote:

This was the prototype I made for a wooden Menorah and case.

Beautifully done ...

And that picture frame in the background is something else!

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www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/22/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"Swingman" wrote in message
...
Nonny wrote:

This was the prototype I made for a wooden Menorah and case.

Beautifully done ...

And that picture frame in the background is something else!

Thanks. The frame was a wedding present from our Best Man when we
married. It had been in his family for at least 2 generations.
When it was given to us, it was with the understanding that I'd do
some restoration on it, which I wanted to do. I used plaster to
patch small, missing areas, magic marker to blacken scrapes and
gouges and the did a finish over the whole thing. We had it many
years and it was always enjoyed.

--
Nonny

ELOQUIDIOT (n) A highly educated, sophisticated,
and articulate person who has absolutely no clue
concerning what they are talking about.
The person is typically a media commentator or politician.