First Turned Box

[DIY DAN]

My first attempt at an all turned box. Used sassafras for the trays and lid and river gum for the swivel pin .Had a lot of trouble with rough endgrain, although I made sure all my chisels were sharp. Is there any way to min imise this problem?

This is just a small trinket box. Might make a larger version for a jewel box.

regards
DIY DAN

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Cool idea! Is it swivelling on a dowel?

As for the end-grain tear-out; sharp tools, planing cuts, shear scraping and holding the tongue just so are about the only real hope. Oh... and a lot of sanding in the worst cases. :rolleyes:

[Gil Jones]

Well done, Dan!
Very neat design idea.

[Speanwoody]

I use a 1/2" ring tool, the one I have is a sorby shaft with a handle fitted to it that was in the workshop, see attached photo off the inside of a purpleheart dice shaker, its approx 3"s wide the finish you see on the bottom end grain is straight of the tool, hope this helps.

[Tex B]

Very nice work Dan. Still can't figure out how the swivel thing works. Does it lock?

Tex

[DJ’s Timber]

Beautiful Dan, they only thing I would change is the felt. I feel that a darker felt would look more suited

[Doughboy]

Great idea! I would like to know, like skew, does it swivel on a dowel? Very nice finish indeed.

Well done mate on your first turned box!

Pete

[Simomatra]

Very nice Dan

Clever idea. Like the others how did you do the pin:dunno:

[OGYT]

Looks like you've done a fine job on the turning. Some of it had to be eccentric, too. Well done.

[DIY DAN]

[quote=Skew ChiDAMN!!;438212]Cool idea! Is it swivelling on a dowel?

Hi Skew,

Yup, it swivels on a dowel. The top and bottom trays have a blind hole and the dowel is glued into the bottom hole. The middle tray has a through hole and this and the top tray are just an interferance fit on the dowel.

I was going to make the trays lock in the closed position but I could not figure out how to make it happen without a great deal of fiddling about, so I left it out.

Regarding the end grain problem, someone told me to wet the wood slightly with EEE paste or even water and gently use a scraper on it. I tried this and it does actually work, but doesn't completely solve the problem.

Thanks for the encouraging comments guys.

DIY DAN

[dai sensei]

Well done Dan. I like the design, might try your design one day :roll:

[BernieP]

G'Day Dan

Yet again something different love it

Cheers
Bernie

[Wayne Blanch]

Great job Dan a terrific effort for your first box and I love the design. :2tsup: I may well end up stealing your ideas:D Thanks for showing us
Wayne

[rodent]

dan try end grain sealer that works for me

[Boxinator]

Great looking first box! I like the design and shape.

Corey

[TTIT]

Neat idea Dan - great stuff but I gotta agree about the felt - not into that green at all :B:;

[mick61]

Great job .The end grain problem might be the BLACKHEART SASSAFRASS i have had a bit of trouble with it on some projects that i prefer not to turn that timber anymore.:2tsup:

[DIY DAN]

First bowl and first goblet.

Not happy with the finish on both these. Can't seem to get rid of the tool and sanding marks even though I used EEE paste and Shellawax. I presume you need a lot of practise to get a nice smooth finish straight off the tool.
Also not sure about the acrylic stem on the goblet. Does it look out of place?

DIY DAN

[ss_11000]

good onya dan. they look cool.
:2tsup:

cheers

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Not happy with the finish on both these. Can't seem to get rid of the tool and sanding marks even though I used EEE paste and Shellawax. I presume you need a lot of practise to get a nice smooth finish straight off the tool.

Yep. Practise, practise and more practise. Even then you'll probably find that sanding's still a part of your finishing routine... just that you start with a finer grit. [sigh]


Also not sure about the acrylic stem on the goblet. Does it look out of place?

I like it. Any chance of a closer up close up of the stem details? The only thing I'm a bit doubtful there is the strength of the joints. Dowelled'n'glued? Epoxy?

[Wayne Blanch]

Hi Dan,
I quite like the acrylic stem on the goblet but to my eye, maybe it could have been a little smaller. :? But who am I to say?? As long as you are happy with it!

Regarding the tool marks, I find that when I am getting towards finishing it is best to make sure the tools are really sharp and to take small neat cuts.

For bowls I now have a rotary sander as well. These don't necessarily do a better job than hand sanding and I still have to do some hand sanding to get the finish I like and to get into places that the sander can not get to, however they can make the job a lot quicker and easier.

I hope this helps and I am sure that the more experienced turners on the board will offer more and better suggestions than I can, but thats my two bobs worth.

Keep up the good work you certainly seem to have plenty of talent, :2tsup: these are great for a first effort - better than my first ones were for sure:~ .

[DIY DAN]

Skew,

Yup, the joints on the goblet are dowelled and epoxied. Forgot to say, the bowl is Red Cedar and the Goblet is New Guinea Rosewood. Also attached is a close up of the acrylic stem. ( Image a bit fuzzy, but its the best I can do).

DIY DAN

[tashammer]

i kept looking at the goblet thinking that it was an excellent profile but something didn't seem quite right and i couldn't work out what it was. It is the bead between the cup and stem. Perhaps it would look better if it was wood? Anyway, for me, it is the transition twixt cup and stem especially the dia of the upper part of the stem (not the bead).

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Thanks Dan, I wasn't sure whether the pattern in the acrylic was marbled or decorative flowers. Marbled, I see.

Tas, you mean that the wooden side of the bead is thicker than the other side? Yeah, it detracts from it a bit but all in all for a first goblet that's a little ripper! It's something to be proud of, Dan.

I like the thinking behind it, too... I may have to do something similar with antler. :)

[tashammer]

Oh, i wasn't having a go. Dan you have done a really nice job. If i drank i would order a dozen. :-)

[DIY DAN]

Listen Guys,

I'm not offended by your comments, really I'm not ( sniff sniff). Its probably the last goblet I'll ever make, but I'm not offended. If you don't like the look of the thing you can all go and............. Sorry, just got carried away there for a minute.

Just kidding guys. I really appreciate your honest comments because that the best way for me to learn.

Thanks
DIY DAN

[Simomatra]

Very nice Dan

Yet to complete my first goblet as yet. Had a few problems in the end grain and had to duck. Ha Ha thats a learning curve

[Twinnie]

wow are you sure these are firsts? i spose that could be a compliment on your turning or an insult to your honesty :D either way wow! i like the way your thinking outside the box (pun intended) keep posting your work there will be alot of people here thinking why didn't i think of that.

Matt