Eliza's Onion Box (4)

**ElizaLeahy** · 3rd August 2009, 01:37 PM

Lots of photos. But I might not take so many next time, they do stop my flow.

This is one ugly piece of wood!!! It's a lumpy branch of jaccaranda, but totally grey. I have a tiny piece of nice jaccaranda - this is not it.

Because the branch was bigger one end then the other it gave me the idea to do a box with a bigger lid then bottom.

I think the photos are self explanitory. The jam fit of the lid to the bottom was interesting - I'm proud of it - it was an interesting shape to work out and cut, and I did it without measuring tools - and it fitted first time!!! I don't claim it was any cleverness on my part - flukes happen and this was just one of the. I was glad and grabbed it.

The fit was so tight that when I was turning the onion top I was starting to worry that it would never come off again. But I stood at the bottom of the lathe and put my thumbs under the swell of the onion and it came off with a pop.

Mistake - not listening to Ken and making a jam chuck. Honest, I thought about it, but wihtout the right size wood at hand I got lazy and reversed chucked the bottom to clean it up and marked it, even though I had some tissue and rubber band around it. Jacaranda is SOFT.

That's the reason for the point being not too long or pointy either. Too soft, would have broken off, so made it shorter and rounded the top so that wouldn't happen.

I could make a jam chuck now, fix up those tool marks - but honestly, the wood is so dratted GREY that I think I'll just do another one, in harder wood that is also prettier, so that I can put a longer point on it as well.

**wheelinround** · 3rd August 2009, 02:34 PM

Like turning Jacarranda nice stuff

Onion

or middle eastern more like Eliza

**ElizaLeahy** · 3rd August 2009, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by wheelinround

Like turning Jacarranda nice stuff

Onion

or middle eastern more like Eliza

Yeah, I didn't know what they were called.

It's nice to turn, just this piece is too grey.

I'll make another this sort of shape and then move on.

What's this shape called???

**tea lady** · 3rd August 2009, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by ElizaLeahy

What's this shape called???

Yuckie? I'm not so keen on this shape. Maybe the bottom should have been plump too, so it had the look of an Onion yo-yo.

IMHO.

(I think all your box threads could go into one thread. They kind of represent a design evolution. Plus you are showing everyone up. I haven't got around to mine box yet.

? Still haven't finished gazing at the wood.

)

**ElizaLeahy** · 3rd August 2009, 03:41 PM

The woods yucky, the design isn't. Otherwise it wouldn't be on so many roof tops in - Russia?

You are just jealous.

One thread? I was putting all my things in one thread when I first came here and was told to make a new thread for each on.

Make up your minds!

Yeah, I'm putting it down to jealousy.

Come on TL - get cracking! I've been waiting.

While these are simple designs I'm working on one or two (or one and a half) a day. Once I get the basics down and start working on design, then I'll slow down.

**ElizaLeahy** · 3rd August 2009, 03:42 PM

Tell you what - if you like I'll wait untiil the end of each week, put up one thread with my weeks work in it?

**echnidna** · 3rd August 2009, 03:51 PM

So your next post will feature an "Opinion Box" ?

**ElizaLeahy** · 3rd August 2009, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by echnidna

So your next post will feature an "Opinion Box" ?

I don't get it?

**tea lady** · 3rd August 2009, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by ElizaLeahy

The woods yucky, the design isn't. Otherwise it wouldn't be on so many roof tops in - Russia?

Well its not completely yucky. It s just that to me the straight sides of the box don't go that well with the plump squishiness of the lid.

Or maybe the lid is too wode for the box.... or something. Russian churches have beads and fiddly bits to help visually join the spire to the base. Well, It s just my opinion anyway.

One thread? I was putting all my things in one thread when I first came here and was told to make a new thread for each on.

Make up your minds!Oh! Must have missed that one.

Come on TL - get cracking! I've been waiting.

I'm gettin' there.

While these are simple designs I'm working on one or two (or one and a half) a day. Once I get the basics down and start working on design, then I'll slow down.

Originally Posted by echnidna

So your next post will feature an "Opinion Box" ?

Now, now! Its just a discussion.

**kdm** · 3rd August 2009, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by ElizaLeahy

Tell you what - if you like I'll wait untiil the end of each week, put up one thread with my weeks work in it?

No keep it coming!

Lid looks 1/2mm out of round to me

**ElizaLeahy** · 3rd August 2009, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by kdm

No keep it coming!

Lid looks 1/2mm out of round to me

Yeah, that's because I turned it on my square lathe!!!

**ElizaLeahy** · 3rd August 2009, 07:12 PM

Seeing TL won't let me have a new thread, I'll put this here. It should go here anyway because it's a development of the ugly jacaranda from this morning.

The story goes - Conwood gave me some wood, and there was a little plank with it and I didn't know what it was or what to do with it.

I got a knife scale from ebay in madagasca ebony, planing to make a hair fork.

I ended up cutting the light coloured blank (that I now think is maple) and gluing it either side of the ebony.

And there it sat for over a month. When TL suggested this challenge I thought I'd do something wtih it but didn't know what.

I thought that, being ebony, I could make a longer finial. WRONG. You can't make finials across the grain, did you know that? Of course you did. So did I. Now I know what it means. I was lucky to get this out of it.

The other thing - ebony runs into the lighter coloured wood.

Tomorrow if I'm up to it I'll rechuck and fix a few little issues, ran out of light tonight.

It's 3 and a bit cm across the bottom, 3cm the box bit and 8cm with the lid on.

Sucky indoor photos.

**tea lady** · 3rd August 2009, 07:34 PM

Hmm! Hard to get the stripe right in the middle. And I think the form needs to take notice of the stripe. (Hope I'm not being to critical!

I'm not gonna be game enough to put mine up soon.

) The idea really has potential thought.

**ElizaLeahy** · 3rd August 2009, 07:40 PM

Yes, lots of little problems, like the stripe being just a little off centre - the spire is not what I wanted, the curve of the dome isn't perfect...

But it's a developement of an idea.

It's funny too - I showed Zoe and she said "How on earth did you get that dark bit in there!" I thought it was obvious, but appearently to a non turner it's some sort of dark magic.

TL, I like this challenge. I like boxes.

**jefferson** · 3rd August 2009, 08:10 PM

Good on you, Eliza.

No-one else (including me) is posting their WIP, so you're doing well.

I haven't posted my new box - it took me an hour or so to get my new chisel handle nearly right for my detail gouge.....

The troops out there will have many thoughts and contructive criticisms.

Next time, please post a pic of the inside of the lid - I hope you hollowed it!

Ken W., Skew and others use a nice little "crush" jam chuck that allows you to hollow the lid OK.

As the experts will probably say, you need to aim for the right curve and sharp lines - and the "right" changes in shape when you decide to alter the outline. (There's a technical term for it, but I am a novice afer all. )

Stay posted, my next piece will be up soon.

Thread: Eliza's Onion Box (4)

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