A Ken Wraight box in 2 hours

[jefferson]

A few weeks or so back I sent Ken W the "best" piece of wood I had on hand - Congo Mahogany.

Unfortunately, I didn't know at the time that the piece was cracked and overly porous.

Never mind, Ken W pushed through all of that and came up with this little piece as a gift for my wife and I. The form passed Kitchen Quality Control (AKA Helen) in terms of shape etc, But the wood I sent wasn't up to the mark, but never mind.

The piece is now no 2 in my box collection. Ken did the other one too. (I have some of 's work as well but they will probably see more practical use ie table legs).

Here is it (a rough DJ shot after a few beers and in poor light). You can't see it all, including the inlays on the base and top. But it is very very nice.

Thanks Ken W for the gift. Many challenges ahead..... :rolleyes:

110572 110573

[tea lady]

Very pretty.:cool:

[artme]

Neat!!:2tsup:

Now when do you get to do one?

[Rum Pig]

Looks good to me:2tsup::2tsup:

[ElizaLeahy]

Wish I could do that!

One day....

[Ed Reiss]

Jeff you've got a good mate there to make you and the wife a nice present like that.:U

[jefferson]

Jeff you've got a good mate there to make you and the wife a nice present like that.:U

You are quite right Ed.

The Victorian members have been great to me, not only with great lessons but lots of friendships too. Ken W. had me turning all weekend without a catch - and that is saying something!

Jeff

[tea lady]

You are quite right Ed.

The Victorian members have been great to me, not only with great lessons but lots of friendships too. Ken W. had me turning all weekend without a catch - and that is saying something!

JeffAh! Come on! there must be a catch. Do you have to laugh at his jokes? Or make him cups of tea? :rolleyes::D




(I'm joking! I'm joking! :C )

[mick61]

Nice box ken.
Mick:D

[jefferson]

Ah! Come on! there must be a catch. Do you have to laugh at his jokes? Or make him cups of tea? :rolleyes::D




(I'm joking! I'm joking! :C )


No Tea Lady, I didn't have one catch.

Ken W did point out a high spot on my Chinese Hat box - and I agreed and pointed the skew at the spot.

Yes, it caught but it was a careless mistake, not a catch.

And yes, we did have a few laughs (one at least at your expense!) :D:D

And I now remember that the box took the best part of a day, not 2 hours. Thanks again Ken for the box and the hours you spent in sending me detailed instructions and pics on your way of doing things.

(Stay posted, I'm trying to put some words together from the Box Maker over the next month or so. Copyright Ken W of course.)

DJ is soon to post a pic of the Elegant Box we did today. Well, DJ did most of it - as he should have, as he blew my Box no 8 out the side wall! :( Plus some other stuff too....

[Calm]

..........................as he blew my Box no 8 out the side wall! :( Plus some other stuff too....

This could be caused by using inferior equipment - jeff

He only has a VL300 whereas a STUBBY doesnt seem to have that prob.:p:p:p:D:D

[KenW]

This could be caused by using inferior equipment - jeff

He only has a VL300 whereas a STUBBY doesnt seem to have that prob.:p:p:p:D:D

Calm,
what Jeff failed to mention, was he spent all his time turning with me on a Stubby, he made me use his VL100.
He did mention something about needing a new lathe.

[KenW]

Nice box ken.
Mick:D

Mick, thanks. The photo was taken before Jeff decided to see how high the box would bounce. Seems I now have a repair job.

[KenW]

Jeff is telling the truth, he did turn for two days without a catch, did some accurate turning also.

[tea lady]

Jeff is telling the truth, he did turn for two days without a catch, did some accurate turning also.ah! I thought he wasn't as bad as he makes out.:rolleyes: (Can't make it to 's tomorrow Jeff. I think I've got swine flu.:C Whatever it is, I can;'t seem to get out of bed much. So you'll have one less person peering over your shoulder.:rolleyes: ):)

[jefferson]

Thanks Tea Lady for the warning. Both and I smoke too much such that a swine flu might tip us over the edge. :(

Dunno what we'll do down at 's place tomorrow. (Aside from many cups of tea - he better have the billy boiling).


DJ was planing some fiddleback redgum today with the skew, but the gouges did so much better. So and I might talk theory for a while....... :)

[RETIRED]

Gouges generally work better on fiddleback unless you use the skew as a scraper. Did I really say that.:-:cool:

[tea lady]

Thanks Tea Lady for the warning. Both and I smoke too much such that a swine flu might tip us over the edge. :(

Dunno what we'll do down at 's place tomorrow. (Aside from many cups of tea - he better have the billy boiling).


DJ was planing some fiddleback redgum today with the skew, but the gouges did so much better. So and I might talk theory for a while....... :):doh:

Actually I'm feeling a bit better now. Couldn't lift my head off the pillow this morning. Kept having dreams where my eyes were welded shut. My dog was very worried. :rolleyes: Dunno though. Prolly should stay in isol;ation or something. :shrug: Or just NO KISSING, :D and you'll have to make your own cup o' tea.:p

[jefferson]

Gouges generally work better on fiddleback unless you use the skew as a scraper. Did I really say that.:-:cool:

I notice with some humour that you finally admit that the skew (of which you are a master) is not necessarily the right tool all of the timel. :D We'll discuss tomorrow. A heated debate between master and pupil. :doh:


:doh:

Actually I'm feeling a bit better now. Couldn't lift my head off the pillow this morning. Kept having dreams where my eyes were welded shut. My dog was very worried. :rolleyes: Dunno though. Prolly should stay in isol;ation or something. :shrug: Or just NO KISSING, :D and you'll have to make your own cup o' tea.:p

As for you Tea Lady, please stay at home!!!!!

(But make sure you visit us at Xmas-New Year if you can.)

[tea lady]

I notice with some humour that you finally admit that the skew (of which you are a master) is not necessarily the right tool all of the timel. :D We'll discuss tomorrow. A heated debate between master and pupil. :doh:I ain't never heard him say that.???? Th skew is prolly a good tool for jobs a skew is good at.:rolleyes:



As for you Tea Lady, please stay at home!!!!!

(But make sure you visit us at Xmas-New Year if you can.):C But but........ oh! OK. Will just make sawdust at home. Will prolly be down there on Friday anyway if isn't' sick of having visitors. :rolleyes:

[KenW]

Gouges generally work better on fiddleback unless you use the skew as a scraper. Did I really say that.:-:cool:
I thought a "real" turner never used the skew as a SCRAPER.

[tea lady]

I thought a "real" turner never used the skew as a SCRAPER.:think: Maybe only if he doesn't own that many scrapers? :D

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Or too many skews?

[RETIRED]

I thought a "real" turner never used the skew as a SCRAPER.:p


:think: Maybe only if he doesn't own that many scrapers? :DYep.:D


Or too many skews?Yep too.:D

[jefferson]

was showing off today with the skew. Surprise, surprise :D:D

And the detail gouge. Bowl gouge. Roughing gouge. Parting tool......

One day I'll fix him and the other practical joker (AKA Ken W.) :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

A pet project that I must work on. Anyone with some good ideas, PM me ASAP.

Jeff

[tea lady]

was showing off today with the skew. Surprise, surprise :D:D

And the detail gouge. Bowl gouge. Roughing gouge. Parting tool......

One day I'll fix him and the other practical joker (AKA Ken W.) :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

A pet project that I must work on. Anyone with some good ideas, PM me ASAP.

JeffGet 'em to have a go on the Potter's wheel. :D

[ElizaLeahy]

Naturally I've been studying this box! Now I have a question...

The stand - is it "finished" underneith or just cut off? If it's finished, how did you support it in the lathe while you cut it?

Thanks :)

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

As the whole foot is separate to the bowl it could've been turned like a finial, finishing most of the underside before parting off. That'd leave a small nubbin in the middle which is easily cleaned up.

However, as Ken mad it, I imagine it was probably reverse mounted in a jam chuck. (A jam chuck is just a sacrificial bit of wood held by the chuck/faceplate, shaped in such a way that the piece you're working on can be just "jammed" into it.)

[KenW]

As the whole foot is separate to the bowl it could've been turned like a finial, finishing most of the underside before parting off. That'd leave a small nubbin in the middle which is easily cleaned up.

However, as Ken mad it, I imagine it was probably reverse mounted in a jam chuck. (A jam chuck is just a sacrificial bit of wood held by the chuck/faceplate, shaped in such a way that the piece you're working on can be just "jammed" into it.)

Skew, jam chuck is not a good idea when you have decorations on the spindle. I held the base in one of my wooden crush chucks, with the decorations through the middle.

[tea lady]

Skew, jam chuck is not a good idea when you have decorations on the spindle. I held the base in one of my wooden crush chucks, with the decorations through the middle.:rolleyes: Now you'll have to tell us what a "wooden crush chuck" is.:U

[KenW]

Get 'em to have a go on the Potter's wheel. :D
Always wanted to try a potters wheel.
I showed you how to make a crush chuck at Robbos.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Skew, jam chuck is not a good idea when you have decorations on the spindle. I held the base in one of my wooden crush chucks, with the decorations through the middle.

That depends. :shrug: I simply hollow out the inside of my jam chucks, in much the same way as your crush chuck. The interesting bit is getting the lid back out! :U

I often drill a hole or two in the sides of the jam-chuck (before mounting the piece, of course!) so that it's simply a matter of inserting finger-tip and poking... which also lets me use calipers to test thickness.

[ElizaLeahy]

Always wanted to try a potters wheel.
I showed you how to make a crush chuck at Robbos.


Yes, but you didn't show ME!

Please?

[KenW]

That depends. :shrug: I simply hollow out the inside of my jam chucks, in much the same way as your crush chuck. The interesting bit is getting the lid back out! :U

I often drill a hole or two in the sides of the jam-chuck (before mounting the piece, of course!) so that it's simply a matter of inserting finger-tip and poking... which also lets me use calipers to test thickness.
I do it the same way with a normal lid and base. There isn't much to hold onto with a pedestal base, and if it slips goodbuy details.

[jefferson]

:rolleyes: Now you'll have to tell us what a "wooden crush chuck" is.:U

I know!! :D:D

So does Skew. :D:D

Can't give all the secrets away, can we?

[Calm]

:rolleyes: Now you'll have to tell us what a "wooden crush chuck" is.:U


I know!! :D:D

So does Skew. :D:D

Can't give all the secrets away, can we?

Bloody women they want to know everything:ranting2::grumble::gaah::arge::D:D

cheers

[KenW]

ElizaLeahy,
First photo (sorry about focus): cut a recess in a scrap of wood that is a tight fit for spigot formed on base of lid, (this is the jam chuck).

Second photo: Lid pressed into jam chuck, and top of lid shaped.

[jefferson]

Eliza,

you may have missed it, but the second "trick" Ken W just posted was the white paper background under the lathe. (Held in place with a magnet). It sure helps when you're cutting and watching the profile).

Or do you have copyright on that one Ken?

[tea lady]

I showed you how to make a crush chuck at Robbos.
:C That must have been on the Sunday. I couldn't come both days.:doh:

[ElizaLeahy]

So "wooden crush chuck" is the same as "jam chuck"?

And I see why you might drill a hole in it - if it's a tight fit I can imagine it would be hard to get some things out of there.

So the one for the long stand - you used a long piece of wood, drilled a hole in the middle that was long enough to encompas the long bit, and the only "jam" was for the base of the foot?

My instinct says "that's a lot of trouble to go to, to just tidy under a foot" but at the same time I understand that finishing a job can be important.

I think I'll buy some green velvet...

;)

[RETIRED]

As they say in the Ads: But wait, there's more!:D

[KenW]

So "wooden crush chuck" is the same as "jam chuck"?

And I see why you might drill a hole in it - if it's a tight fit I can imagine it would be hard to get some things out of there.

So the one for the long stand - you used a long piece of wood, drilled a hole in the middle that was long enough to encompas the long bit, and the only "jam" was for the base of the foot?

My instinct says "that's a lot of trouble to go to, to just tidy under a foot" but at the same time I understand that finishing a job can be important.

I think I'll buy some green velvet...

;)
A Jam Chuck, has a fixed size hole that a spigot can be pressed into.
A Crush Chuck, has a hole in it that can be reduced in size by tightening scrol chuck,
like a collet. Both are similar in size.
The stand passes through the wooden Crush Cuck into the inside of the body of the scroll chuck. The stand is held only by the base, which can be turned. It is dificult, but not imposible to use a normal Jam Chuck this way.
A Jam Chuck can be made in a couple of minutes,so why not finish the bottom of a piece to match the rest of it.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

A simpler version of Ken's crush chuck is to start with a thin-walled jam chuck, make a couple of saw cuts in the end to give it "jaws" and then use a hose clamp on the outside to clamp the jaws onto the work-piece.

It's not perfect; the screw part of the hose clamp can knock your fingers about if you're careless, and adds an element of imbalance. Still, it's something I've used on more than one occasion. :)

[jefferson]

Given the recent interest in the box challenge and finials, I thought I'd post some more pics of Ken's box, this time with a new finial attached. (DJ forced me into dropping the lid while down at his place.:wink:)

The piece is maybe 125mm tall. I really like the detail on the finial and base, plus the ancient kanooka inlays.

Thanks again Ken for the fix.

111793

111794

111795

[ElizaLeahy]

Quest for knowledge!!!

How did you (or Ken) do that inlay bit inside the bowl???

We didn't see that in the other photo! Holding out on us!

That is too kewl!

[jefferson]

Quest for knowledge!!!

How did you (or Ken) do that inlay bit inside the bowl???

We didn't see that in the other photo! Holding out on us!

That is too kewl!

Eliza, I'd love to claim that box - or some part of it - as my own. Alas, not. :( (You should see some of the good stuff in person. Your hands will shake, I guarantee it.)

I'm not too sure that Ken will share with us too many of his little secrets. It seems the inlay work on his boxes is a trademark, so to speak.

I know that Ken learned some tricks from Hans Weisflog (another master box maker from Germany) and I think Ken has promised not to divulge the trade secrets. (Not sure whether this is a Guild thing or not. Sounds fair to me though.)

I think you and I (and other beginners) need to practice some more on our chisel control, shapes and finials before we ask too much of Ken at this stage.

So I will continue to practice before I (again) put the hard word on the anal one from Melbourne. :D:D (I mean no disrespect here. But anyone who takes several months to complete ONE project that might fit in a shoe box has some serious problems! )

Please Mods, don't take this one off. I owe Ken W. a little surprise to two....

[KenW]

Quest for knowledge!!!

How did you (or Ken) do that inlay bit inside the bowl???

We didn't see that in the other photo! Holding out on us!

That is too kewl!
The ring in the base is turned to fit over a step in the base. The lid ring has a 2mm wide recess for the lid to fit into and a step to fit inside the base ring. Using two disimalar woods at the lid join stops lid from sticking. The rings were on the box when I first made it, Jeff didn't take photo so you could see them.

[ElizaLeahy]

Thank you Ken, I hope you aren't giving away secrets! Although telling how it's done, and us managing to do it, are two very different things!

I appreciate everything you say, and although learning through text isn't ideal, it's better then not having anyone helping at all.

I really do appreciate this forum for all the advice - and timber! - that I've received.

[jefferson]

That would be right. I've pleaded with the Carriage Maker to tell me how to do those inlays for the best part of a month. Obviously, I'm not cute or female. :rolleyes: (Another answer may be that I'm not ready for it just yet. Never mind. :doh:)

I'll practice some more when the new specs arrive..... At least I will be able to see what I'm doing.

[KenW]

That would be right. I've pleaded with the Carriage Maker to tell me how to do those inlays for the best part of a month. Obviously, I'm not cute or female. :rolleyes: (Another answer may be that I'm not ready for it just yet. Never mind. :doh:)

I'll practice some more when the new specs arrive..... At least I will be able to see what I'm doing.
Jeff, cute is something you are not. How can I teach you to make and inlay rings, if you can't see what you are doing. I hope new glasses help you see, you will still have to practice.