Funky Beaded Candleholders

Elementary school art teacher Julie Strauss from Tulsa, Okla., has a love of art, but it's her love of gardening that led her to begin creating her unique copper pieces. One spring she started decorating her garden with various metal pieces and after envisioning a particular piece she wanted, she decided to build it herself. She had dabbled in copper work in college so she had no problem diving in. Her projects include copper trellises, weather vanes, gazing balls and eye-catching candelabras.

Materials:

22 feet of 1/2" rolled (soft) copper tubing
1/2" copper caps (12)
4" copper plates (3)
3 copper tacks
glass beads
thin copper wire for beads
plumber's solder
plumber's flux
propane torch
ball peen hammer
2 C-clamps
tubing cutter or hacksaw
metal file
drill with small bit
fine steel wool
work gloves
9 cups of sand
paper rolled into a cone shape

1. Unroll copper and make slight bends (until wavy or desired shape) in the tubing by pressing it over the thigh of your leg (figure A).

2. Cut copper with tubing cutter (figure B).

• Cut large lengths of 45 inches, 26 inches and 21 inches.
• Cut medium lengths of 40 inches, 25 inches and 21 inches.
• Cut small lengths of 35 inches, 23 inches and 21 inches.

3. Determine where the short copper legs will attach to the large set of copper tubes and mark. Try different configurations until the candleholder stands securely (figure D).

4. Shape one end of each short leg to fit against the tallest leg, by flattening about 1-1/2" with hammer on an anvil or concrete. Curve it lengthwise until it "hugs" or fits snuggly against the other tube (figure E). File the sharp edges.

5. Clean areas of attachment on all three tubes with steel wool. Apply plumber's flux to contact areas.

6. Clamp legs in place with C-clamps (figure F).

7. Heat areas of attachment with a propane torch. Touch solder to the edges of the attachment, when hot, solder will melt and run in between the joined areas (figure G) to secure. Let cool for a minute or two before removing clamps.

8. Repeat steps 1-6 for medium and small sets of copper tubing.

10. Flip the candleholder upside down so the three legs are facing upward. Clamp the candleholder to the side of the worktable. Place the cone-shaped paper funnel into the end of the leg and pour a cup of sand into each of the three copper tube legs to add counterweight (figure I) and then solder the tube shut with a copper cap. Repeat the process with the remaining two candleholders. There will be a total of nine caps applied.

11. Drill three holes, evenly spaced apart, near the edge of each copper plate (total of 3). Each hole will serve to hang a string of beads.

12. Adjust and bend the tallest lengths of each candleholder until each copper plate can sit level on top.

14. Next, apply flux in the center of each plate, and on the head of the copper tack. Place tack, point end up, in center of the plate, heat and solder (figure K).

15. Rinse soldered areas with water and scrub with a toothbrush to remove flux.

16. Shine with steel wool to restore copper color.

17. String glass beads on copper wire and attach to the holes in the plate (figure L).

E-mail: jstrauss@art-sol.com

Website: www.art-sol.com