Keith's lattice insert box

kdm · #1 26th Aug 2009, 10:26 PM

The idea with this box is to have a lattice insert in the top that contrasts with the rest of the box. This is again inspired by Hans Weissflog.

Not much idea what I'm doing here so any suggestions welcome!!

Chose to use a bit of beech for the insert as I think it is close grained and hopefully will take the detail. It's 3mm thick as the rings will be 1.5mm since I have a 1/16" parting tool to use for making the grooves.

Making the offset chuck - turned to round on a faceplate then marked the offset (15.5mm in this case). Remounted on the face plate and turned an inset for a jam chuck for the beech plus a hole to eject it! Also put a 1.5mm deep ring around the inset, far enough out not to affect the jam chuck. This is to help know when the grooves are deep enough.

Remount on the face plate in the original holes and mark out the cut lines. Cut with thin parting tool, measure depth with vernier guage, round edges with skew (as scraper - thanks Ken).

The insert needed to be reinserted with paper as it was getting loose. I used MDF for the jam chuck and don't like it for two reasons - has no give and makes lots of dust. Had the dusty going the whole time but I can feel the dust this evening. The lack of give ironically leads to looseness and that is not good when working with fine detail. The rings are not nearly as well shaped (ie the rounding of the beads) as I'd like for this reason.

That side done, turned round and in a normal jam chuck to start the rings from the other side. First jam chuck had an ejection hole in the middle but the lack of support underneath the beech led to lots of chatter so I made another one. Figured I'll get it out somehow if I ever finish it

tea lady · #2 27th Aug 2009, 12:09 AM

I like the "ring" idea. You can see where you are up to. :I'm gonna have to have a go at it now.

I've got this wacky idea.

kdm · #3 27th Aug 2009, 08:24 AM

The idea to have a ring cut to depth around the insert came from Tony's thread. In his case the ring was actually on the lid.

Rum Pig · #4 27th Aug 2009, 08:53 AM

Looks good

Tony Morton · #5 27th Aug 2009, 09:25 AM

Hi Keith
Doing it this way you have a better vision of the depth of grooves especially in the inside and if you have a failure you only need a small piece of timber to go again. One of the members from our club has done one using two thin pieces of timber glue is important each half the depth of the disc cuts from one side to the glue line the the other to the glue line. Some of Kens and Hans are done this way on domes and spheres again accuracy is the secret.

Cheers Tony

Ed Reiss · #6 27th Aug 2009, 12:08 PM

hmmmm....should be pretty neat when finished !!

Ozkaban · #7 27th Aug 2009, 03:24 PM

Following this one with interest... So far, so good

Cheers,
Dave

kdm · #8 27th Aug 2009, 08:53 PM

The chatter killed my first attempt so I started again twice (you're right Tony this method doesn't waste wood which is just as well).

The jam chuck (for the second set of rings) needs to be nice and flat and so does the blank otherwise chatter gets out of control - chatter (or squeal

) was still a problem though.

Second time I used hot melt glue in the offset chuck and it worked a treat - I really didn't want to remake the chuck! So the first picture is moving on from where I got to last time and the second is where I'm up to. A bit rough but at least it is one piece!

I was a bit timid with the second set of rings (should have gone a tad deeper) and had to spend ages with a pin picking out the bits that should have turned out.

Now I need to make a box for it to go in.

Can't decide whether the lid should be have a hole in it where the insert sits or not. The rings on the inside are all rounded over so they could be visible but I'm leaning towards a recess in the top for the insert to sit in.

Tony Morton · #9 27th Aug 2009, 09:07 PM

Hi Keith
Good one you have now caucht the lattice bug.

Cheers Tony

TTIT · #10 27th Aug 2009, 10:39 PM

Looks like you got the result you were after so that's a win Keith

tea lady · #11 28th Aug 2009, 12:47 AM

'Triffic.

I reckon you should have a see through lid though. Make it a pot poure or something. Or a bit of coloured glass behind it if you really want it dust proof. Would be a pity not to be able to look through it.

Ozkaban · #12 28th Aug 2009, 09:09 AM

That's really cool. I reckon the see through lid idea is a good one...

Cheers,
Dave

kdm · #13 28th Aug 2009, 09:38 PM

Well I made the box for the insert. It is Cooktown Ironwood and it is #$%^ hard

. I spent lots of time sharpening tools and will have to again before I turn anything else.

The lid didn't like being one piece but eventually surrendered to the CA. I think I have some learning to do with these really hard woods.

That's the end of my August box challenge (I'll be away from the lathe for a few days), 12 boxes in all. Maybe I should get them to line up for a group photo

.