I finally found my copy of Woodcraft mag that has the article on building the Kissmas Trees in it. I know Artie has made a bunch of them and some others have made some as well. But I read the article twice and then skimmed through it twice more and they don't call out a source fr the metal finial that's on top of the tree. So where did you guys get yours? Are they lamp parts from the box store?

Found this in their archives-

"The top of the tree is adorned with a decorative finial available online for a few dollars, although a carved angel or turned wooden ornament would make a suitable crown."

 

I imagine an electrical adornment would work but I think it would have a special thread

 

Edit

1/4-27 - 7/32" outside diameter, used on tops of lamp harps & most lamp finials.

Edited December 26, 20223 yr by lew

Fred,

I use 3/8" - 16 all thread for the 'trunk' and threaded a piece of turned wood for the finial. I have a set of wood taps for 1/4" -20, 3/8" - 16 and 1/2" - 13 and they work well for this. I thimk I bought them from MLCS but not absolutely sure.

 

You could also use a threaded insert to match your center shaft if you want to turn your own finial. Or do what Lew suggested above.

I just used "acorn nuts"

20 hours ago, lew said:

Found this in their archives-

"The top of the tree is adorned with a decorative finial available online for a few dollars, although a carved angel or turned wooden ornament would make a suitable crown."

 

I imagine an electrical adornment would work but I think it would have a special thread

 

Edit

1/4-27 - 7/32" outside diameter, used on tops of lamp harps & most lamp finials.

 Can you imagine sitting around talking about what thread size to use on lamp parts...then the engineer says: "Of course, the 1/4-27 is the perfect thread for it" Sheesh.  If I do some of these I may consider trying to turn one, though stuff that small may be an even bigger  challenge for me.

Edited December 27, 20223 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

22 hours ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

 Can you imagine sitting around talking about what thread size to use on lamp parts...then the engineer says: "Of course, the 1/4-27 is the perfect thread for it" Sheesh.  If I do some of these I may consider trying to turn one, though stuff that small may be an even bigger  challenge for me.

I watch some videos by a guy in Baton Rouge.   He does some furniture repair but a lot of lamp and wiring repairs.   IIRC, he said that the odd threads are a leftover from when gas lamps were the technology, and when they got wired to electric, they just continued to use the old sizes.