Thread: My Box Turning Learning Journey.

This box evolved from the previous one bu extending the lid upwards and adding an oriental-looking onion shaped finial. Made out of some cypres pine and finished like the previous ones.


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

Attachment 300178 and Attachment 300179

Attachment 300180


I also made a variation which changed the onion shape with a spear shaped top.

Attachment 300181 and Attachment 300182

Attachment 300183

Enjoy,

Peter.

Originally Posted by Sturdee

The lid is a tad loose

Threads will overcome this Peter..
Jim

Some great boxes this looks like it could be a long thread if you are going to make all 50 from the book.

How big are they and before anyone says anything I don't know how big a 50c coin is

Originally Posted by Dalboy

Some great boxes this looks like it could be a long thread if you are going to make all 50 from the book.

How big are they and before anyone says anything I don't know how big a 50c coin is

Yes, I intend to try to make them all as it is a great and structured learning journey into design and making of boxes. Although they are small the same design and techniques are applicable to larges boxes, they just take more material and longer to do.

It will be a long thread as posting them will force me to make them all.

For those from O'seas the 50 cent coin has a diameter of 33 mm, it was remiss of me not to realize that everyone knew of our coinage.


Peter.

Originally Posted by Sturdee

For those from O'seas the 50 cent coin has a diameter of 33 mm, it was remiss of me not to realize that everyone knew of our coinage.


Peter.

Thank you for that just don't change the coinage that you use otherwise you will totally confuse me.

Another variation that the book suggest is to make one with a hollow flared top to give a more vase like appearance, similar to the standard bud vases. Again made out of some cypres pine and finished like the previous ones.


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

Attachment 300432 and Attachment 300433

Attachment 300434



Enjoy,


Peter.

I also turned the next one being a finial box, which again builds on the previous ones in this series. Again made out of some cypres pine and finished like the previous ones.

Although I personally dislike finials, as too often they look like oversized totem poles, I think this one seems to fit the style of box made.

Pictures shows the front / top, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.
Attachment 300435 and Attachment 300436

Attachment 300437


Next will be a few different style of boxes and with the extreme weather forecast for this week I may have to turn a few as the workshop is quite cool.

Peter.

I like what you are doing and the results say that you are a "worthy student"
Just a question....when you have shaped the outside of the lid, I am assuming that you just part it off from the bowl shape below....I would imagine the parting tool would leave the bottom of the lid a little coarse. How does the book say that smooth that surface is cleaned up for surface finishing?

Two more nice-looking boxes Peter.
That Cypress looks great.
Personally, I'm a bit anti-finial too, so the first of these appeals more. I love the shape of the lid, it has a really elegant look about it. (Filed for future reference.) Edit: A slightly larger version could be a box and a bud vase, with a suitable glass tube in the top.
I'm looking forward to the next ones.

Originally Posted by chambezio

I like what you are doing and the results say that you are a "worthy student"
Just a question....when you have shaped the outside of the lid, I am assuming that you just part it off from the bowl shape below....I would imagine the parting tool would leave the bottom of the lid a little coarse. How does the book say that smooth that surface is cleaned up for surface finishing?

Thanks, I like being a worthy student.

The book says to just part of and then hand sand both the top and the bottom.

For the boxes 3 & 4 I did that for the tops and the finish of the sharp thin parting tool is good, just requires the nub to be cut of with a sharp skew by hand and then hand sand. For the other tops and bottoms of the boxes I clamp them in a MDF faced scroll chuck. I have two chucks each with 8 " Cole jaw on which I screwed MDF faces, one for internal and one for external holding which work well for the reverse turning.

These kind of gadgets make life easier.


Peter.

Although it's called an easy box I had more trouble with this one then the previous ones. The design looks very similar to the old fashioned weights used with larger scales. Just need to be painted with a copper paint and you would fool everyone.

I made two, the first one out of cedar, which I think was too soft a wood to use as clamping for reverse turning left some small marks and then when buffing those marks out it was pulled out of my hands and went flying making some more small marks. However I was able to remount it on my new Vermec's internal step jaws and remove the marks and re-polish it whilst so held.

As usually they are finished by sanding to 400, then EEE and finally with Shellowax. Pictures shows the front / top, insides and the bottom views, each with a 50 cent piece for size indication.

Attachment 300701 and Attachment 300702

Attachment 300703

The second one was made from some unknown timber found a few years ago on the road side. It is rather heavy but has a wonderful grain but again difficult to turn the top of the box, as it kept chipping away.

Attachment 300704 and Attachment 300705

Attachment 300706

The second one is a bit larger then the first as can be seen when side by side. Both are a firm fit which, because of the style, took some time.

Attachment 300707

Enjoy,


Peter.

You are having too much fun turning these boxes. They are all looking great still lots more to make.

When you reverse turn try making a jam chuck this will help prevent getting marks on the softer woods

You are going great guns Peter!!!

Just an opinion on #4 - I think the finial is too fat. The overall
unit would look beter with a finer finial.

Originally Posted by Dalboy

When you reverse turn try making a jam chuck this will help prevent getting marks on the softer woods

IMO making individual jam chucks for each item to be reversed turned is so pre modern history and should be put in a museum along with the pole lathes to show how things used to be done in the dark ages.

If modern chucking and holding methods can't be adapted to perform multiple tasks quickly and easily hold the work effortless, then I shouldn't make it. My mistake was using a too soft a wood and using the wrong chuck.

But it worked out and another lesson learned.


Peter.