To provide a positive grip for the housing, you’ll need to chisel a 1⁄4"-deep recess into the base that’s as wide as your plywood is thick. Lay out the recess using measurements taken from your completed housing. Use a sharp chisel to remove the waste material. Don’t worry if the groove you cut is a little wider than your plywood—just use a gap-filling glue such as epoxy when assembling the joint.
Lighting it up
The candle sits on a square platform inserted through a matching hole in the base. This platform is rotated by 45º to hold it in place. To secure the candle, drill a 27⁄16"-diameter hole 1⁄4" deep in the top of the platform. To create clearance for your fingers when inserting the candle, the bottom of the candle holder must be narrowed. I chucked the platform in my lathe and turned a concave profile. However, the same effect can be achieved with a carving gouge or bandsaw.
Once complete, centre the candle holder on the base and trace around it. Cut out this area to allow the candle holder to pass through easily, then turn the candle holder by 45º and trace around it once again. This time, chisel four recesses in each side of the base 1⁄8" deep. This prevents the candle holder from rotating and falling through the base. Finish up by routing a 45º chamfer along the top edge of the base.
Power down
Put your tools away; it’s time to apply a finish to the cap, base and candle holder. I used spray lacquer again. Pre-finishing before assembly prevents glue stains and makes any dried squeeze-out easy to remove. Before opening a bottle of glue, perform a dry-fit.
Apply a bead of glue to the recess around the perimeter of the base and the rabbets in the housing sides. Start assembly by inserting the two rabbeted sides into the base first, followed by the other two sides, using elastic bands to clamp the assembly together. Epoxy the finial loop onto the cap and the cap onto the housing.
All that’s left is to remove any squeeze-out and wait for dusk.
How to choose copper
The warm colour of copper makes it a great metal to add to your woodworking designs. And with this project, using copper in the roof also provides a level of protection. The candle can heat up the inside of the lantern, even with the air holes; if you leave the bare wood on the roof, it could scorch and leave burn marks. The copper protects the wood and enhances the look of your finished project.
When shopping for copper, you can go to either a craft- or metal-supply store. With the thin material you need for this lantern, the craft-supply store is likely your best bet.
Copper comes in a variety of thicknesses. For this project, pick something very thin and soft, allowing you to use hand tools. (Although a jigsaw, scrollsaw or bandsaw can cut through the soft copper with ease, be sure to use a scrap piece of wood behind the metal for safety.) Anything thicker than 5 mm and thinner than 22 mm will work for this application.
With your copper sheet in hand, you need to get it to the right size for your project. In this case, you need a 5" x 5" square piece for the roof. Use an awl to score the layout lines and a pair of tin snips to cut the piece to shape. Work slowly, with long, smooth cuts, but stop your cut before closing the snip’s jaws the entire way; the sharp tip of the snip can pucker the thin copper. —Jodi Avery MacLean
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