My Box Turning Learning Journey.

[Dalboy]

They are all looking good and that you are enjoying yourself (which is the main thing)


Would like to see a photo of all of them together when you have finished working your way through the book

[Hermit]

Boy, you're really knocking them over, Peter. Sixteen already!
And in that time I've only got half-way through one project.

Looking good - keep 'em coming.

[Sturdee]

Didn't get much turning done this week, Men's shed started again, installed the new spa cabling, garden maintenance and a funeral to go to. Still I managed to get into the workshop on Wednesday and Friday so I made box no 9.

Chris Stott calls this, and some other boxes, by the name of the woods he used, so I'll adopt the same with the wood I use, where this happens.

This box is similar to box no 7 but with a contrasting wooden knob glued into the lid. The box is very old redgum that came from a garden sleeper I found by the side of the road 6 month ago and the beech for the knob came from some donated pen blanks.

Finish is as usual with EEE and Shellowax. Pictures shows the front / top, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 301907 and Attachment 301908

Attachment 301909


Maybe in a larger size box the knob in a contrasting wood would look okay but with this size I personally don't particularly like it, but it's another technique learned.

Enjoy.

Peter.

BTW it took two days as my first effort became a disaster and went to the scrap heap.

[Sturdee]

This afternoon, after our wood turning club meeting, I got into the workshop and made box no 10 being made out of some nice and fine grained Oregon. I scored a very old large veranda post on Monday which was rotten through at the bottom and left at the Men's shed, which has a fair amount of usable turning timber left.

Finish is as usual with EEE and Shellowax. Pictures shows the front / top, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 301910 and Attachment 301911

Attachment 301912

Enjoy,


Peter.

[Sturdee]

Haven't done very much turning this last week. Doctors appointments, lack of sleep due to the hot weather and chauffering duties only allowed me to make two boxes, being two variations of box 11. The design is based on the previous one, but larger and more shapely. Both of them gave me a lot of problems turning them, the first with a lot of tear out and sanding and the second had a lot of hairline cracks.
Here are the two side by side.

Attachment 302874

The first one is made from Geronggang which is a great timber for flat work but not very good for turning. A few years ago I got about 10 large leg posts size of cuts from a furniture manufacturer and I have previously used this for tall urns but it has a tendency to have tear outs when hollowing. The lid whilst turning was tight but the finishing reduced it to a loose fit.

Finish is as usual with EEE and Shellowax. Pictures shows the front / top, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 302873 and Attachment 302875

Attachment 302872


The second is made from Cypres pine, normally a good timber to turn, but this large pieces had a lot of hairline cracks that only became apparent when turning. Both the lid and the box required lots of stopping to glue the cracks. The lid is a firm fit and although it's a suggested variation I prefer this one myself. Same finish as usual. I still have two pieces of this lot, each about 400 mm long, but I won't be using it for small boxes.

Attachment 302871 and Attachment 302870

Attachment 302869

Before I make the next box I'm finishing of a few improvements to the workshop, like bringing the on/of switches to the Air compressor and DC to the third lathe (so they can be switched on/ of at each lathe and in the main section) and some more shelving. All to make life easier.

Enjoy,


Peter.

[Hermit]

They're nice-looking little boxes. I like that rounded shape.

I had to look up 'Geronggang' - never heard of it before.

And you've done much better than me, even with your distractions. I've only made 1/2 box this week. Too hot in the shed.

[shedbound]

Those boxes are looking fantastic, you could let the imagination run wild on these things, my guess as to the unknown timber would be Merbau
cheers
Joel

[Sturdee]

Those boxes are looking fantastic, you could let the imagination run wild on these things, my guess as to the unknown timber would be Merbau
cheers
Joel

Thanks Joel, your guess is correct as another turner, on seeing the boxes in person, confirmed it as well.


I still prefer to work with Cypres pine for these boxes. A fencer working a few houses from me, today gave me two 500 mm length fence post and I will get the rest on Saturday for future turning.


Peter.

[shedbound]

I agree Peter, cypress is lovely to turn and makes the shed smell nice too!

[Grommett]

I find cypress is easy to turn but it does tend to crack. There were a few pieces in our x'mas shop that had been done a couple of months earlier but in a new environment just cracked.

[Sturdee]

This was one of them that seemed easy to make but turned out to be surprisingly difficult as each time I got close to the square edge of the lid the timber seemed to chip. I firstly tried European Beech, then Cypress pine followed with Vic Ash and finally some very old redgum.

The redgum didn't chip but was very hard to turn as I needed the tail stock support and the lid is rather small. Consequently I left the lid a bit thicker then I should but I was getting too frustrated to keep at it. The base was easy as it's a basic brandy-goblet shape.

Finish is a bit different from the usual way as after final sanding of the base on the lathe and the lid being hand sanded I used EEE and Shellowax on the inside of the box and the outside is buffed on my Beall three in one buffing system. I like my fingers too much to risk them by polishing it all on the lathe.

Pictures, as usual, shows the front / top, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 303150 and Attachment 303149

Attachment 303148

Enjoy,

Peter.

[Dalboy]

All the boxes are looking good.

Only another 38 to go

[Sturdee]

Only another 38 to go

If only.

Although that was box no 12 in the book, with the variations, I have made 22 boxes since starting on this learning and discovery journey.

I must admit that I'm getting better at them and also quicker.


Peter.

[artme]

You are doing a fine job on the boxes Sturdee!!

I'm really impressed by the square lidded box. It has a distinctly
Chinese look to it.

[Dalboy]

If only.

Although that was box no 12 in the book, with the variations, I have made 22 boxes since starting on this learning and discovery journey.

I must admit that I'm getting better at them and also quicker.


Peter.

Ahh but that is still only number 12 in the book. Glad you are enjoying the journey and that you can see the improvements as you go along. Have fun and look forward to the rest.