Vintage Stair Spindle Projects Part Deux: Jewelry Trees

Remember these? ... Well, to recap, I chose four with the longest square tops for a little table.  Refer to my last post for instructions.

I had a few more spindles and decided to make one of my top-sellers...jewelry trees.

I went on Etsy and didn't see any jewelry trees like this so I'm thinking they will  be one of my first items to list for sale....I also did not see any jewelry like mine; which is good because that is also something I was hoping would be perfect for my shop.  I'm working on my new Etsy store, AJunkersJournal.  You can find me at www.etsy.com/people/sherrispear for a teaser.   I hope to be open soon.


Back to the project at hand:

1.  Cut the spindle to length leaving a square end if you can because it provides a sturdier base.

2.  I loved the original paint on the spindle so I finished it by lightly sanding and adding a coat of Fiddes Supreme Wax.

3.  For the base, I used a recycled piece of marble that already had a recessed hole in the center.  Sometimes you can find these from an old lamp or trophy.  You can also use something round.  I collect lamps just to deconstruct for projects like this.  I simply pre-drilled a small hole in the bottom of the spindle and used a large screw and washer to attach it to the base from underneath.

4.  The large ring on top is from a deconstructed lamp shade.  I don't like my metal parts to look new so I use rust patina from Modern Masters.   I always seal them with a coat of polyurethane to prevent further deterioration.

5.  In this case, I attached the lamp ring to the spindle using a vintage white porcelain knob that already had a hole in it.  The screw that comes with the knob may or may not be the right length.  This is where the scavenging begins...or continues as the case may be.  Hunting through my shop is half the fun...one of the biggest rewards from this challenge is being able to find everything I need without a trip to the hardware store...but, I like any excuse to run to Habitat For Humanity; you never know what you might find there.

6.  If you've been following me at all you'll have figured out by now that I'm a detail-oriented person.  I don't want to see the cut end of my spindle or be able to really tell that the metal ring is from a lamp.  Also, I like things that spin (or roll, which explains my affinity for casters).  This means I need a transition piece.  Again, I keep a good stock of lamp parts which work well for this type of project.  However, in this case,  I'm using another well-stocked item from my shop...doorknob parts.  This door escutcheon is the perfect compliment to the porcelain knob.

Note:  Not everything looks good with everything...but it's sure to look good with something.  It's really a "try this" and "try that" until it pleases "your" eye.  Always remember...beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  When it's right you'll know it.  Sometimes I'll get halfway through a project and then it sits around until the right part comes into my life...which it always eventually does...(like my husband).  I had to put that in there because until just a few minutes ago he'd never actually read my blog.  As he was reading my profile, at every phrase he would add "like my husband".  It gave us the giggles but I think now it really fit.  :)  And yes, he approved this paragraph and said now he's famous.

7.  Okay, my final note just to help you understand the level of my madness...or as I like to put it..."nothing" wasted.  The "S" hooks and double hooks to the left were actually made from staples I removed while deconstructing an old picket fence.  After a good cleaning and coat of sealer for obvious safety reasons, I bent them into "S" hooks for the jewelry trees; perfect for necklaces.  The double hooks keep a necklace and earring set together.

Once I ran out of staples, I had to come up with another idea for hooks for my trees....but I'll save that for another post...until then, happy hunting.

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Vintage Stair Spindle Projects: Small Side Table

Okay, so if you're at all like me, you go to vintage shows or shops selling architectural pieces and you see bins of turned spindles and legs with old paint and you just have to have them even though you have no idea what you'll do with them....sound familiar?

I know you're out there....well, here's one obvious idea that's a pretty quick simple project.

1.  First, assemble your collection of spindles and find four that match.  I chose four spindles that had at least 4 or 5 inches of square at one end to attach the table skirting.

2.  Trim the chosen four to equal lengths.  Since my spindles were going to be legs, I trimmed the bottom square part of the spindle completely off so it would look like a leg.

3.  I  liked the blue color and decided to keep it; but the spindles needed to be cleaned up.  I sanded them a bit to expose a little of the original white primer and natural wood.  Then I used Fiddes Supreme Wax for a quick easy finish.


4.  I dug through my scrap pile for some table skirting.  Obviously, I chose the legs and skirting on the left.  When I'm photographing, I don't always know what I'll be using to finish my project...after all, I'm just winging it!

5.  When using scrap wood, the length of your boards pretty much determines the size of your table.  I cut two longer pieces and two shorter so that my table would be rectangle.  Considering the length of my scrap, if I had cut four equal pieces I would have ended up with more of a plant stand.

6.  When I'm using salvaged materials for a project and decide to leave some parts their original color (in this case, the legs), I don't try to match the paint.  Instead, I just embrace the differences.  It's makes it look intentional instead of trying to match and miss.  One trick to pulling it all together is to finish all the pieces using the same technique.  With this in mind, I slightly sanded my white skirting boards and waxed them with the same Fiddes Supreme Wax.

7.  Time to pull out one of my favorite tools, the Kreg Jig.  I simply adjust the collar on the drill bit depending on the thickness of the wood.  This will ensure the hole is at the correct depth.

8.  Then just clamp the piece of wood into the jig and drill two holes on each end to attach the skirting to the leg.  I also drill several holes along the top edge to attach the table top from underneath.





9.  If you don't have a Kreg Jig, you can always drill holes in the skirt ends and  legs.  Then dowel and glue the base together.   If you're a project person like me, a Kreg Jig is well worth the investment!

10.  When I attach the skirt to the leg, I use a stir stick or some scrap that's about 1/8"-1/4" thick and set that under my skirt wood as a guide so that the skirting is set back from the edge of the leg and will be consistent on each attachment.  It's much easier than measuring and then trying to keep it there while screwing the joint.  Add a little wood glue to the end before screwing for  a nice strong joint.

11.  Once the base is together,  I can determine the size top I need.  I cut a piece of scrap shelving that happened to be the right width and then used my router to give it a nice finished edge.  If you don't have a router you can simply sand the edge to the desired softness.

12.  I waxed the top with Fiddes Supreme Wax in Rugger Brown to tie my three different colored parts together.

13.  Then, to attach the top to the base, simply add a little wood glue to the top edge of the base and screw the top on from underneath where the holes were pre-drilled in the skirting.

...and there you have it.  A cute little side table made from stair spindles and scrap wood.

...next time....a less obvious project using the same vintage stair spindles...since I have four more:)