Weighting a Wooden Pedestal Base

[Robert E. Lewis]

A friend has moved into a new house and needs some nice, simple pedestals to hold things around the place. I'm going to make him a couple out of some

1/2-inch birch plywood, just square columns of varying heights for things like lamps, a globe, sculpture, etc. (if he insists on painting them, I'll probably switch to MDF for any subsequent ones).

I expect the columns will be pretty lightweight, and with something like an expensive, heavy stained-glass lamp resting on it and the pedestal on cushy carpet, I'm wondering if I need to weight down the base somehow, and if so, what's the best reasonably-priced way to do that.

I could just pour a slug of plaster in the bottom of each pedestal, but I'm concerned it might shrink when it dries and come loose inside.

Suggestions?

Thanks

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Are there openings in the base? If so, sandbags would be good.

[Steve DeMars]

Put foam rubber border 1" thick, 6" high around the interior perimeter. Pour plaster in bag, drop it in. It will dry in the shape of the perimeter. As it shrinks, the foam will take up the slack . . .

[J T]

Sat, Aug 13, 2005, 10:59pm (EDT+4) [e-mail] (Robert=A0E.=A0Lewis) doth query: A friend has moved Suggestions?

Just posted a plan, and saw this thread. Now you know how to get rid of sawdust.

JOAT Whoever said a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work never had thier boat sink.

- Unknown

[dadiOH]

Use lead shot and epoxy instead of plaster. No, the lead isn't dangerous.

-- dadiOH ____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at

[Edwin Pawlowski]

But what if they have kids the one of them overturns the table and starts chewing on the lead shot? It "could" happen so we should have a law to prohibit lead used as pedestal weights.

SAVE OUR CHILDREN. BAN LEAD WEIGHTS IN TABLES.

[bridger]

plaster shrinks a little. I'd be more inclined to use sand bags, though, because you can easily adjust the weight, as well as take the weight out entirely for moving them around.

[Phisherman]

Consider iron ore pellets, gravel, sand. Although, there would be a mess if the pedestal should ever break open. The moisture from the plaster will cause the wood to swell.

[Robert E. Lewis]

Thanks to all for the replies.

I could use lead weights -- I've got a big box of old lead weights from my grandfather, who used to make cast nets, and fix it with some epoxy. Or I could use gravel with some epoxy, couldn't I?

The sandbags approach might work best for me.

Thanks again.