My Box Turning Learning Journey.

[Sturdee]

Chris states as introduction that a spherical box looks easy to make, but looks can be deceptive. Having tried to make them I fully concur.

About two years ago as a club challenge I made a few ball, and every so often I've made more, including in Corian, to keep in practice as per photo below.

Attachment 306191

So I thought making a box in them would be relative easy. Unfortunately that was not the case.

I tried to make five boxes and number two and four shattered apart in the process and the other three are not perfect but IMO acceptable.

The first box is out of pine and is pretty good except there was some tear out. It's sanded to 400 and finished with EEE and Shellowax. Pictures shows the front / top, insides views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 306192 and Attachment 306193

As I wanted to improve on the first box I made the next box out of some old hardwood . This turned out quite well but the joint ended up being a bit rough. It's sanded to 400 and finished with EEE and Shellowax on the inside but the outside, after sanding, I buffed on the Beal three in one buffing system. That works well as it's permanently set up on a spare lathe in my workshop.

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

Attachment 306194 and Attachment 306195

For the final box I made it bigger using Cypress pine. The inside hollowing was very easy as I used my goblet drill bit which drills a nice hole that only required a bit of fine sanding. Finish was the same as box number three.

Attachment 306196 and Attachment 306197


With each of them the basic shaping into a ball was easy but when turned and held between centres for reverse turning the last stubs away I started to have problems. With a normal ball there is no problem but with two halves and pressure at wrong positions made the two halves shift around, thus the walls are uneven thickness on some parts and not perfectly round.

This would have been avoided with screw joints but I'm not up to that at this stage of my turning. Jim, if you lived closer I would have asked you to do the threads for me.

Also if I was making a few I would have made a ball chuck, similar to the egg chuck, or the ones that David Springett published in one of his books.

Ideally I should have used both, and if I decide to go down this track again I would at least make a chuck. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the problems I had, it was four days enjoyable turning.

Enjoy.

Peter.

[Dalboy]

Great job Peter does it have a slight flat spot to stand on or it is free to roll around.

[Sturdee]

Great job Peter does it have a slight flat spot to stand on or it is free to roll around.

Thanks Derek.

There are no flat spots, so they are free to roll.

For display purposes I thought of turning some small rings for them to rest in and some small eggcups for the egg boxes.


Peter.

[Dalboy]

I like the idea of the rings as stands

[artme]

Should drop in here more frequently!!

Great progress Peter!!!

Certainly the variety must be getting your skill levels a lift and of course
the interest level and challenges are bound to keep you going!!

[Sturdee]

Certainly the variety must be getting your skill levels a lift and of course
the interest level and challenges are bound to keep you going!!

Thanks,

Yes, I'm learning and improving as I go along. And every box has a new challenge.

The other thing that will make sure I keep going and finish the 50 designs is that if I stop everyone who are watching will ribb me mercilessly.


Peter.

[Grommett]

Thanks, Yes, I'm learning and improving as I go along. And every box has a new challenge. The other thing that will make sure I keep going and finish the 50 designs is that if I stop everyone who are watching will ribb me mercilessly. Peter.

So true.

[Sturdee]

So true.

You won't get the chance for I'll finish them all or if a particular one, after giving it a good try, is too difficult I'll say so and why. For even not succeeding with some is part of the learning experience.

Peter.

[Dalboy]

You won't get the chance for I'll finish them all or if a particular one, after giving it a good try, is too difficult I'll say so and why. For even not succeeding with some is part of the learning experience.

Peter.

Difficult is no excuse but impossible we will let you off

[Sturdee]

For this box I altered it somewhat from the book. Chris used a plank of Yew with sapwood along the sides to make the original. Hence he was able to use a screw chuck to make the basic shape.

I'm not so fortunate enough to have such exotic timber available but I still have a fair supply of Geronggong posts, using normal end grain, available for making the saucer box of this size.

This timber, being not good turning timber, required extensive sanding and a suitable clear grain filler/sealer (like diluted NC lacquer) would have been helpful, but they are not available in small quantities. I have tried shellac in the past but this required a number of applications and made the wood too dark.

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

Attachment 306799 and Attachment 306800

Attachment 306801 and Attachment 306802

The boxes are becoming more interesting in shape and challenging and taking more time to do but also more rewarding.

Enjoy,


Peter.

[Dalboy]

Great job on these two boxes.

[Sturdee]

For this box I used some old redgum, part of a house stump, which in retrospect might not have been the best timber to use. Making the basic box and lid was easy enough but making the feet was more difficult with such hard timber.

The feet are part of the box and not glued in. When the base was chucked for reverse turning the tenon is turned into a ring so that the flowing shape of the box continues. Then using a powerfile and a dremil rotary sanding attachment I filed away part of the tenon to leave the three little feet. Although I'm happy with the result, notwithstanding some over sanding, I wouldn't make this type of box again.

Sanding of the insides and top was done to 400 on the lathe, but the outside of the base was hand sanded as the little feet got in the way. Inside finish and the top is as usual with EEE and Shellowax, but the outside of the base, again because of the feet, was done on the Beall buffing system.

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

Attachment 307003 and Attachment 307004

Attachment 307005 and Attachment 307006


Enjoy,


Peter.

BTW so far 35 boxes since I started.

[Sturdee]

Mushrooms and toadstools come in all shapes and sizes, so there is a fair amount of leeway in this design. Notwithstanding that freedom I made mine the same dimensions as the book's copy. Not as difficult as first thought and I enjoyed making this box.

The wood is again Cypres Pine and finished the usual way. Pictures shows the top/front, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 307392 and Attachment 307393

Attachment 307394


Enjoy.

Peter.

[Dalboy]

Really like the shape of this one. How about carving a gnome to sit on top was going to suggest a fairy but not really a man type carving.

Are you going to get a thread chaser and do some threaded boxes once you have finished all of these

[Sturdee]

Really like the shape of this one. How about carving a gnome to sit on top was going to suggest a fairy but not really a man type carving.

Gnomes, fairies, dwarfs, frogs and other assorted people live in our whimsical garden beds and not inside, but for you Derek I brought one of the little ones in to have a look at the Mushroom box to see if he could open it.

Attachment 307435

Alas he did nothing so he must go back outside.


Peter.