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Bring the charm of candlelight and appealing metallic shimmer to your Christmas table with an easy-to-DIY centrepiece, handmade using readily available timber dowel and copper hardware. Create one, two or more – you can even adjust the design to make a long, narrow rectangle piece. Once you’re done, your handiwork is a brag-worthy talking point for any festive gathering in your home.
Gather your supplies
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Handsaw
- Mitre box
- Tasmanian oak dowel 1.8m x 22mm-dia (1)
- 90-degrees 25mm x 25mm copper capillary elbows (4)
- 25mm x 25mm x 25mm copper capillary tees (4)
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks (optional)
- White taper candles (4)
Here’s how
STEP 1
Measure and use pencil to mark dowel into 8 lengths of 120mm. Use handsaw and mitre box to neatly cut each piece at marked positions.
STEP 2
Using this picture as a guide, assemble candelabra by slotting ends of dowel into the copper components. Elbows go in the corners, while tees go between each two side lengths. If you wish, you can add a dab of hot glue to the end of each dowel before slotting into the copper components to help secure the assembly while you fit it together.
STEP 3
Slot the final length of dowel into the candelabra assembly and trim the dowel a little shorter for a snug fit if necessary. Place candles in the upward-facing openings of the tees. If required, use a utility knife to shave down the ends of the candles and place them in the openings.
Tips
1. If you choose copper elbows and tees of a narrower or wider diameter, simply adjust the diameter of the dowel to suit.
2. You can adjust the finished shape from a square to a rectangle by shortening the dowel lengths at two ends and lengthening the dowel along the remaining two sides.
3. Mix up the look by using near-straight dried tree branches – just whittle the ends to allow a neat fit within the copper components.
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