DIY Walnut Sea Glass Wax Cube Warmer

My girlfriend loves wax cube scent warmer, aka scentsy warmers. Scentsy is a name brand and there are many variations of them out there of all type. They boil down to a heat source, often a light bulb, used to melt wax cubes containing scented oils.

They are a safe alternative to scented candles and are often very nice looking.

I wanted to make a unique one for my girlfriend that wouldn't exist on any store shelf.

The wood base is made of walnut. Any wood and finish will work. I wanted an excuse to test out my new planer and make my first hardwood project.

The light fixture came from my local hardware store. It is a candelabra base socket premed with a regular cord to plug into an outlet. I used a rotary lamp switch for power control


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002YTP8C/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1483828951&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=candelabra+base+socket&dpPl=1&dpID=41opKHUdapL&ref=plSrch

That is a link to an amazon listing of the corded base with a switch already installed. Westinghouse part #70108.

I used 12 guage galvanized fencing wire for the frame that holds the wax jar.

The wax jar is a votive candle glass holder i found in the candle isle of walmart.

The sea glass came in a pack from amazon. Nebraska doesn't have an abundance of beaches lol.

The small wire to hold the glass is 22awg stainless jewelry wire.

This is just a open top wood box. I made 45 degree miter joints by running the board stock on my table saw with the blade set at 45 degrees.

Then I used my miter chop saw to cut the board into 4 peices each 3 inches long.

Next I glued the 4 peices into a square and used some pins to hold it together.

Follow that I cut a peice of scrap plywood to fit into the bottom of the wood box. I drilled a hole into the bottom to mount the light socket. I glued the light socket to tbe plywood with silicone because it was handy. I was worried hot melt glue would melt with regular lamp use.

Then I glued the plywood to the base with wood glue.

Finally I finished the walnut with some polycrilic water based polyurethane. I gave it a light shine.

Finding the glass votive holder was the inspiration for the shape of the wire that holds it...

The votive is shaped much like a drinking cup with edges that open up and outward.

I bent the 12 awg fencing wire with a jig I made from a small peice of pvc pipe. By drilling a hole in the round pipe and inserting the wire I was able to create nice round shapes by bending the wire tight aginst the pvc pipe.

I came up with the design by just bending wire free form until I liked it.

Finally I spray painted it purple as that's my girlfriend's favorite color.

This was something I don't know much about. I looked at many photos on the Web for inspiration and read some articles and this is what I boiled it down to.....

Just wrap it up and make it pleasing to your own eye.... Don't stress thus step much. Let the maker zen come over you and it you don't like how a peice is turning out grab some more wire and have a do over.

I wrapped the glass at various angles and as tight as possible to hold it steady. The end result is an item that will basically sit still so this doesn't need to be crazy strong.

I wrapped the jewelery wire to the fencing wire to suspend the glass pieces. Also I used some large peices that only sit in the wood base to allow for light bulb changes in the future.

I was super anxious to begin this project because I was simply over thinking it. In reality this design was easy to make and simple which is probably why it looks so nice. My girlfriend really loves it also. It functions great. Wax melts and makes the house smell like we're constantly baking yummiest and what not.

I hope not only that someone else make a scent warmer but that this inspires someone to just make somwthing, especially something they were nervous to try and build.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS