Garden obelisk

You will need:

Cost: $175 excluding paint

1)  Cut the pine into 1500mm lengths. Using the skill saw and the guide (set at 55mm), cut each length into two pieces. On the wider piece, mark 180mm down and 15mm in, and cut the angle. Match the angles on the narrow piece and cut. (images 1 and 2). Repeat to create two matching pairs.

2) Drill and countersink screw holes in the narrower piece and lay onto the wider piece matching edges and top angles. Glue and screw together. Allow to dry. Fill the holes and sand all the edges well. Glue and clamp two sets together at the top angle. Mark and cut a flat base on each leg.

3) Cut the ball off the post top. Drill a dowel hole in the base and glue into position. Mark out the design with the aluminium bar and cut to length with the metal snips – create four sets of each length. Undercoat the timber surfaces with Resene Quick Dry Primer and one top coat in your chosen colour – I used Submerge. Undercoat the aluminium bars with GP Metal Primer and top coat as above.

4) On each half of the frame, clamp the aluminium bars in place, drill and screw into position using the 20mm screws. Assemble the obelisk, drill and countersink screw holes in the top, and glue and screw together. Fill the screw holes and sand when dry. Add the remaining aluminium bars. Drill a matching dowel hole in the top and glue the ball in place. Add a final topcoat to the whole obelisk.

Photos: Rose Hughes

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