Instructions

Make a weathered-looking candle holder

Dislodge any loose dirt or wood from the material by scrubbing the barn board with a stiff nylon brush. This precaution will prevent dangerous bits from flying across your shop while you are working.

Next, rip a length of stock to width for the top and feet, then crosscut these parts to length. A tablesaw does a great job for both these tasks, but a handsaw also works fine on small parts like these. The materials list includes a 10" length for the top (enough for three candles), but feel free to make the project as long as you like. I've made versions that hold as many as 12 candles that run the entire length of a dining table, offering quite a presence.

Build the bottom

Once the top is cut to length, prepare the 45° chamfers on the ends. If you have a tablesaw it will make short work of these cuts. But a sharp chisel or hand plane can do a great job if you're just tooling up or prefer a quieter building experience. The tablesaw really shines at making the dado grooves underneath the top that hold the piece's feet. If you don't have one, make matching pairs of saw cuts the width of the required grooves, then clean out all the waste in between with a chisel that is slightly narrower than the groove.

Move to the drillpress or hand drill and bore the flat-bottomed holes, the seats for the candles. A Forstner bit does an ideal job because of its small central spur, but you can get a similar result by grinding the tip of a spade bit down to half its original size. Finally, attach the feet to the top with glue.

No finish is required here; it would only detract from the candle holder's rustic look. Just remember to use the candles that come in tin cups, commonly known as “tealights.” They won't drip wax on the wood.