My Box Turning Learning Journey.

[jefferson]

Peter, I've got the same book you are working from. A great starter's box kit.

Email Ken Wraight and see if he'll send you drawings of some of his teaching boxes. Much more challenging, especially the inlays. Our club has had him up 3 times and we always learn much, much more.

[Dalboy]

I seem to be a bit behind and have just caught up on your boxes Some great bits of turning Peter. I agree with hollowing the tree decorations 1 just for the challenge and 2 it makes them a little lighter.

Well done on some great boxes, I must get that book but not to make all of them like you though

[Sturdee]

Peter, I've got the same book you are working from. A great starter's box kit.

Email Ken Wraight and see if he'll send you drawings of some of his teaching boxes. Much more challenging, especially the inlays. Our club has had him up 3 times and we always learn much, much more.

I tried to send Ken an email last night but it disappeared into thin air rather then go down the cable. Hate it when glitz-es like that happens but on reflection I should wait until I get closer to the end of the book.

But I'm looking forward to the challenged that his boxes would give me.

Peter.

[Sturdee]

Looking back on the design of box 31 I wasn't really happy with the shape after looking up the Seattle Space Needle on which the box was based. The base IMO appeared to be too short and the finial too long to do justice to the Needle and the secondary box contributed to that.

Hence using the same materials I made another with only one box but a longer and slender base and a short simple finial. The original is on the left and my interpretation is on the right of the photo.

Attachment 322932

The materials and finish are the same to highlight the difference in design and as usual the pictures shows the top/front, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 322933 and Attachment 322934

Attachment 322931


Enjoy,

Peter.

[jefferson]

No idea what went wrong with your email, Peter. If you don't have any luck, I'll get the plans from Ken direct. I've been encouraging him to charge (say $5) with instructions but all he wants to do at this stage is share his knowledge. And his boxes are a step up. In fact, a long step up.

[Sturdee]

Took some time of to build display shelves for my box turning journey high up on the wall of our office. Apart from three oversized ones they are all the boxes since I started and there is room for more.

Attachment 322935



Enjoy,


Peter.

[Sturdee]

No idea what went wrong with your email, Peter.

I composed the email and clicked on "Send" and the screen changed and then nothing, no acknowledgement or a copy in my out files so I gather it must have been at my end. Maybe it went and I will wait a little while first in case it did go through.

Thanks for your help so far.

Peter.

[Christos]

Took some time of to build display shelves for my box turning journey high up on the wall of our office. .....

One of our members at the wood turning club had moved houses and as part of the move he build a shed to house the lathe tools and of course a display area for the items that he made. The display area is already chokers with items two or three layered on top of each other.

Will this happen to your display.

It happens to every ones of us.

Enjoying watching the journey you are currently on.

[Wood Nut]

Hi Sturdee,

This is the first time I've had the opportunity to look at your journey. For anyone interested in turning boxes I think Chris's book is excellent value. I know several people at our club who have followed your path and it would be a great learning experience. Chris now gets 7 pence for every book sold, so let's make him rich!!!

In 2012 I, along with a mate, brought Chris Stott back from Turnfest and I organised a demo at our club. He is a terrific bloke, now living in Spain, and the amount he could produce in a one day demo was truly amazing. Chris has several DVD's that may also help you. Many clubs have copies available. By the way, he was one of the pioneers of natural edge bowls and using enhancement on turnings. Several of the world's top turners credit Chris for their inspiration.

You are doing a great job, and I can see real improvement as you progress, so I hope you won't be offended if I make some suggestions. I have not read other comments so some of this may have already been suggested.

1. Chris uses nitrocellulose sanding sealer on his boxes (thinned 50% with thinners) and wipes off excess with a paper towel, then friction dries. This allows for immediate sanding. Some timbers require more than one coat. Rags can be very dangerous - a mate of his lost the tip of a finger doing this. Paper will just tear if caught!

2. He follows up with wax, usually Briwax. Personally I like EEE followed by Shellawax Glo if you want more shine, or wax

3. Make sure your tools are really sharp and try to eliminate turning marks, burnishing and tearout etc before going further.

4. Scrapers, when sharp and used correctly, can eliminate these problems. Negative rake scraping can produce a really good surface prior to sanding, sealing and polishing.

For those of you interested in decorative turning, I had the pleasure of hosting Joey Richardson (England) for 9 days earlier this year and she did a two day demo at our club. She was taught to turn by Chris Stott! I think Bonnie Klein also credits Chris for her inspiration.

Sturdee, if you would like to talk further just send me a pm with your phone number and I would be happy to ring you - but not on a mobile.

Cheers, and keep up the good work.

[Sturdee]

Thanks for your comments Wood Nut.

Yes, I am enjoying the journey especially as it gets to the later boxes in the book. I'm surprised at the little Chris makes from the book, if I had known I could have photocopied it from the library and sent him the 7 pence direct.

I'm not using nitrocellulose sanding sealer on the boxes, not even sure where to get it, but now I'm using CA glue followed with EEE and Glow. Gives a nice shine and is quick to apply and you can keep working. Got this method from Gulio Marcolongo.

As I go along I'm learning more and more about making boxes, especially shortcuts, and how to hold the work for reverse turning without using various methods, none of which include jam chucks.

The only trouble I've got is that there is never enough time to do all the turning I want to do.

Peter.

[Sturdee]

Had a bit of time these last few days so I made some more boxes.

This box is loosely based on a UFO and was turned by Chris to show a lovely piece of bird's-eye maple he had and as such included in his selection of 50 boxes. Alas I don't have such kind of timber so I used some Geronggong which I still have a bit of in the size needed. This timber is not really suitable for turning as it's very dusty when cut but smooth enough after sanding.

The finish is to a thin coat of CA glue, followed with EEE and then Glow. Pictures shows the top/front, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 324156 and Attachment 324154

Attachment 324157

Enjoy,

Peter.

[Sturdee]

This box was inspired by a photograph taken with the Hubble telescope of the distant galaxy M87. This is said to have a black hole at its core which causes a jet of matter to be expelled from the centre to travel millions of miles into space.

Artistic licence allows the box to represent the body of the galaxy and the black spire to represent the jet expelled by the black hole.

The timber is Cypres pine which came from an old fence post being thrown out and the finial is black Corian.

The finish is to a thin coat of CA glue, followed with EEE and then Glow. Pictures shows the top/front, side, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 324159 and Attachment 324161

Attachment 324160 and Attachment 324158

Enjoy,


Peter.

[Sturdee]

This was a simple box with an interesting shape based on a clam shell, but I had some problems with the base cracking and wanted to split whilst reverse turning as the end grain of Cyprus pine is rather weak. However CA glue fixed this.

The finish is to a thin coat of CA glue, followed with EEE and then Glow. Pictures shows the top/front, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 324357 and Attachment 324358

Attachment 324356


Enjoy,

Peter.

[Sturdee]

This box is a beehive shape, again turned out of some Cypres pine fence post. I keep an eye out for fencers replacing fences and stop to ask for of cuts, they are always willing to help when I tell them that I use it for turning and not firewood.

Finish is the same as previous boxes and as usual the pictures shows the top/front, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 324360 and Attachment 324361

Attachment 324359

Enjoy,

Peter.

[jefferson]

Peter, what box number are you up to now? You are most productive.