I finally turned out something I thought was good enough to take a picture of.
It will be a mothers day present for my mom. The stock is 1 in. and I thought I would cut it off about an inch below the twist and attach it to some sort of base. I would appreciate any suggestions on how to make a base from the stock already there. I know it falls way behind the majority of work I see here but is the best piece I've made yet.

Steve, that`s a very nice nice looking cross. Rustic and with a lot of character. As far as the base it may depend on the location where you mean to place it. nelson.

Nicely done Steve. It requires no special finial treatments, plain is good.

If you make the bottom reasonably flat it'll stand leaning against a wall. You can make a spot in the center that will catch on a nail to hang.

A nice forged stand is another option.

Frosty

Steve,

Don't be in too much of a hurry to put your own work down. That is a nice cross so its congrats all round.

Cheers

Being your own worst critic is usually a good thing. Keeps you improving and a humble head. That being said, you are your own worst critic. It looks great and I'm sure it will be loved. Now get the stand made like frosty said.

Thats very nice work Steve, I'd be well pleased with that! :)

Very well done Steve, I would leave it on the end of the square bar and put a tapered point in the end to stick in the ground.

I like the way you have decided to texture the cross, but kept the twisted area clean with the chisel cuts making a nice boundry.

I would be really proud of that.

Next project: make something big enough to justify using that grumman as a slack tub. :)

Nice cross, If you are debating what to do with the stand, here is my suggestion, find a decorative rock, and roto hammer a hole and sink it in. You can tenon the bottom down to whatever size hole you need, here is one I did for my church out of 1" stock, I used epoxy as a bonding agent.

Edited April 27, 200917 yr by divermike

I don't have any advice about a stand but I really like your cross.
Is it intended for indoors or out? I guess you have to think about it disappearing if it is for outside.
What do you plan for finish - paint or natural?

Looks great to me, I would probably want some kind of protective faux rust finish.

Bill

Thanks for all the words of encouragment.
Bob JS, when the canoe gets to small for a slack tub, there's an 1860 modified v on the left side of the photo.
I havent decided if it will go inside or outside yet. If inside then I will have to come up with a base. If outside then I'll taper it and stick it in the ground. My mother is 74 years old and has more nick nacks than shelf space, so I'm leaning toward it going in the flower bed.