Umbrella Stand

   Often projects arise from a need, or perceived need.  For nearly three years our umbrella etc. have been sitting in a plastic bucket by the back door,  only a little bit in the way and slightly ugly to behold.  Finally two days ago an umbrella leaned out and tried to trip me once again  as I walked past with my hands full. That was it, my patience for the game was exhausted, I knew that one day the evil umbrella beasts would succeed and ruin my day.  I gave up the fight and decided to give the umbrellas and sticks a nice place to live in the hope that they would give up their plans for garage domination.

  Sitting on my rolling work station are the parts for my latest project, an umbrella/walking stick stand.  I don't usually think to take photos part way through the process but this time I remembered.  You can see the piece taking shape and the major tool for the job, a drill and a KREG jig.  When I was designing the stand I seriously thought about mortise and tenon joints.  Then.....I thought seriously about how long that would take, pocket holes won out hands down.

The nature of the project meant that pocket holes were perfect.  The dark stain on the elm looks good and unless you really go looking you don't notice the pocket holes at all.


The stain is a story in its self.  I bought a tin of stain in sort of paste wax form for a dollar at a yard sale years ago.  Why? 'cause it was a dollar and almost full to the top.  The stain is much like shoe polish, it stains and can be buffed to a semi gloss finish.  The tin had no label so I have no idea where it is from or what it is called and soon it will be gone.  For the time being it gives a nice deep colour to elm quickly and easily.

 This is the finished stand posing for a photo on our work table.  The result is sturdy, and fairly classic in design.  I suspect that the stand will hang out in the porch or garage for a long while before being reused as fire wood.

Here it is all loaded up with umbrellas and sticks.  It now sits beside the door in from the garage, snugly in a corner. It seems that the umbrellas and sticks are much happier since there has been no attempt on Eva's or my life since they moved to their more upscale and hand crafted home.