My Box Turning Learning Journey.

[Sturdee]

I'm looking forward to your next boxes when the drudgery is out of the way.

Well the drudgery is finished, Took nearly 3 months working 7 days a week, with a few days of in between to go to the woodturning club meetings, and the kitchen renovation and walk in pantry improvements are done.

Some statistics why it took so long:

cleaning and painting walls and ceiling,
replace light fittings, range hood, sink and tap ware,
alter existing cupboards, replaced drawer fronts and cupboard doors,
replaced 54 cupboard and drawer handles with new ones,
used 4.5 large sheets of melamine and 110 metres of glue on edging strips,
tiled new splash-backs using 160 tiles of which 110 needed cutting to size,
replaced 7 meters of bench tops,
built lots of extra shelving and altered existing ones,
replaced blinds and added window tinting,
and then replaced the kitchen table and chairs with new ones to match the new decor.

Now the fun is over so back to turning.

Peter.

[Sturdee]

I started this box before the kitchen interruption and finished it of today.

This pagoda style box has a square base and a square section on the top of the lid. These square sections gave me a lot of trouble because of the small size and is not my favourite part of turning and is difficult to sand and polish. The rest of the box is straight forward. Thus there are some flaws in it and the experience of making this box has convinced me to never do square edged work on items this small.

The timber is some unknown hardwood picked up from a kerbside collection and finished with EEE and shellowax on the inside inside but the outside was buffed on my three part buffing system.

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

Attachment 316669 and Attachment 316670

Attachment 316668


Enjoy,

Peter.

[artme]

Interesting Peter but for me it is a bit chunky. Otherwise well done!!

[Hermit]

...... the experience of making this box has convinced me to never do square edged work on items this small.

I'll keep this in mind. No small square boxes for me, having read this.
I was considering one with a square at the top & bottom of the body, with small barley twists at the corners, but might re-think this, or make it bigger. Bigger will be easier for the barley twists, too.

So size does matter....

[Sturdee]

I have finished the kitchen renovations, which was something like the age old question of how long is a piece of string ?. Well in my case the string got longer and longer every time my wife looked at me working and decided that more could be changed, altered or renewed. But finally we are all happy.

Then my daughter offered to pave the bbq area and we decided to locate the new and larger spa in there and alter the cooking area to a proper outdoor kitchen. I'm about half way through but the weather has not been conducive to working outside so for the time being it's back into the workshop and turning some boxes.

Over the last two weeks I've done a few as follows.

Peter.

[Sturdee]

This box is not really a box but more a Christmas tree ornament but was included in the book as it's made similar to a box which has its lid glued on. Still have to glue them together but as the fitting is tight it may not be necessary.


The timber is Cypres pine and finished with EEE and shellowax on the outside but the inside was left unfinished as it is meant to be fully enclosed.

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

Attachment 321361 and Attachment 321362

Attachment 321359



Enjoy,

Peter.

[Sturdee]

This one is another Christmas tree ornament but larger and different design. The bottom still have to glued to the top but as the fitting is tight it may not be necessary.

Again the timber is Cypres pine which is easy to work with and I seem to manage to get a good supply from the local fencers ofcuts.

The finish of this box is different from the usual EEE and Shellowax.

At our wood turning club we recently had an all day demo by Gulio Marcolongo and he showed us his favourite finishing technique which is to apply a thin coat of CA glue, followed with EEE and then Glow. Gives a very nice finish and is easy to apply which with box making is essential as each part has to be finished and polished as you go whilst making the box.

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

Attachment 321364 and Attachment 321365

Attachment 321363


Enjoy,


Peter.

[Sturdee]

This box is back to the normal style of boxes rather than tree ornaments. Whilst making tree ornaments is nice I prefer the normal but quirky style boxes.

The design is an egg shaped styled box with finial and standing upright on a little base made again out of Cypres pine.

The finish for a while is the Ca glue, EEE and Glow method which is easy and quick to apply.

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

Attachment 321368 and Attachment 321369

Attachment 321370


Enjoy,

Peter.

[Sturdee]

This is a quirky style of box and is called a tipsy box.

Making the lid was done first in the usual manner and for the base I used my Vermec multi centre chuck to firstly turn the basic shape and then to turn the smaller of centre inside of the box to make the tipsy box. This was an interesting project and fun to turn.

Timber was again Cypres pine and the finish as the previous few boxes. Pictures shows the top/front, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 321373 and Attachment 321372

Attachment 321374

Enjoy,

Peter.

[Hermit]

Good to see you back at it Peter. More nice little boxes. I've been meaning to try an egg-shaped one for a while. Must give it a go soon.

That last one's interesting, too. Got me thinking....

(If I were making the Xmas tree ornaments, I'd leave them solid, I think. Not as much fun though.)

[A Duke]

Hi,
I am not a turner and do not know why I am interested, but I am enjoying your journey, thanks for sharing it with us.

Regards

[Sturdee]

If I were making the Xmas tree ornaments, I'd leave them solid, I think. Not as much fun though.

Steve,

Leaving them solid is not a challenge to your skills and would make it look like it was made by a machine, which I believe would go against the grain.

Peter.

[Sturdee]

For this trinket box the author designed it with with a "little more impressive" finial rather then a round knob. Personally I don't like the extra long finial as it does not comply with the golden rule but seems more an oversized phallic symbol and I would have preferred a knob instead.

As it is a trinket box the lid is a loose fit just resting on a little rim inside the base.

Timber is privet and the finial is turned out of black Corian to give it a nice contrast.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 321565 and Attachment 321564

Attachment 321566

Enjoy,

Peter.

[Sturdee]

The design of this box was inspired by Chris seeing the Space Needle on a visit to Seattle USA. It's an interesting design as it is actually two boxes on top of each other as the tower base is hollowed to make one box and the middle is another box.

The tower base timber is Privet, the middle is Blue gum ( milled by Neil last year) 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, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 321996 and Attachment 321997

Attachment 321998


Enjoy,


Peter.

[Christos]

I like the shape of box number 31.