It's again time to make favors for Lori's Navy Waves & Nurses luncheon.
I decided on small boxes as I have several 2 1/4 X 5 1/2 in mahogany
cut offs from a cabinet shop. This is my way to turn a bunch of boxes
quickly. Nothing new to you old hands, but might be helpful for a
beginner and since rcw has only 95 posts this morning I can waste a
little bandwidth.

Dimensions are for the wood I have, use your own, but make the drilled
underfitting base opening about 3/8" smaller than the overfitting lid to
assure enough wood for a strong tenon.

1. Round a 5" X 2 1/4" sq. blank between centers (spur's MT in or thru
a scroll chuck) and turn a 1/8"tenon on the driven end.

2. Take off of centers and chuck the spindle's tenon.

3. On the lathe drill a smooth & straight hole in the end of the
spindle with full 1/4" walls about 1/4" deep for an overfitting lid. I
use a forstner bit. Open up and dome the lid cavity as desired, then
sand & polish.

4. Part off the lid at an appropriate length for desired shape.

5. Drill an entry hole about 1/4" deep into the base (that remained in
the chuck after parting the lid off) 3/8" smaller than the hole in the
lid.

6. Drill a 3/8 or so hole to within 1/4" of the base bottom, leaving
enough room between chuck and bottom to cut off slightly concave.

7. gouge or scrape the base's cavity to desired wall and bottom
thickness, leaving the drilled entry hole short but discrete. Sand and
polish the cavity.

8. Part the underfitting base tenon to a near fit, then carefully creep
up to a reasonably tight fitting lid.

9. Attach lid to base and turn the entire box to desired shape. Use
tail center if desired. If so, remove the center and detail the top of
the lid.

10. Remove lid and adjust fit and base opening size as desired.

11. Replace lid, sand smooth and polish/finish as desired.

12. Part off base leaving a slightly concave bottom.

13. Remove nub from bottom and sand smooth. No need to detail it. I sign
without shame, since there are no woodturners in Lori's group to
micro-criticise.

OK, what have I left out, added unnecessary steps or flat out done
wrong? Please suggest a faster, easier way before I turn 26 boxes.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

Snip Snip



Im no pro, but this is how I do my boxes -:

Turn between centres turning a tenon on both ends to fit chuck.

Remove 4 point driver from chuck, and insert tenon, placing revolving centre
back into the centre of the " floating end " tenon to accuratly centre the
piece.

Turn to round ( or shape ) select lid part off point, ( normally at the
revolving centre end ) and part.

Move tailstock out of the way and hollow the base, then form the "step" to
take the lid

Clean up and seal inside and lip ,

Remove from chuck, put aside and mount the lid on the previously cut tenon.
Hollow as required and cut the step to engage with the base to a TIGHT fit,
offering up the base to ensure this. Clean up and seal the inside and lip.

Engage the lid to base, matching grain. Mount Base tenon in chuck, bringing
up revolving centre to the centre of the lid tenon lid with a light
pressure. Any adjustment to the body/sides must be done now, using the
tailstock to apply pressure to prevent base-lid slippage. Finish the lid
"top" using light cuts, ( a strip of sellotape around the lid-body join
helps prevents any slippage ) cutting off the tenon if required, but, to
save wood, this can be cleaned up and incorporated into the design.Leave the
central "pip" around the revolving centre till last. Clean up the top with
the tailstock retracted.

Remove tape (if fitted ) and clean up the body. If any further cuts need to
be made to the piece, apply slight pressure to the top using the revolving
centre and a "push block" between the revolving centre and the top to
prevent base-top slippage.

Unchuck the base, remove top, place elastic band around chuck jaws to
prevent marking the inside of the base, which is mounted in the chuck in
expansion mode, bring up the tailstock to accuratly centre the piece again,
and lightly tighten the chuck. Finish the bottom, again,leaving the central
"pip" till last. Unchuck.


The lid - base joint may be "slackened" as required, seal/finish both parts.

Job done

Brian

Have Fun, be safe and live to tell the tale

I like the 'elastic band' use Brian, I'll give that a go!

Tom

"brian white" wrote in message
...



Snip Snip



Im no pro, but this is how I do my boxes -:

Turn between centres turning a tenon on both ends to fit chuck.

Remove 4 point driver from chuck, and insert tenon, placing revolving
centre back into the centre of the " floating end " tenon to accuratly
centre the piece.

Turn to round ( or shape ) select lid part off point, ( normally at the
revolving centre end ) and part.

Move tailstock out of the way and hollow the base, then form the "step" to
take the lid

Clean up and seal inside and lip ,

Remove from chuck, put aside and mount the lid on the previously cut
tenon. Hollow as required and cut the step to engage with the base to a
TIGHT fit, offering up the base to ensure this. Clean up and seal the
inside and lip.

Engage the lid to base, matching grain. Mount Base tenon in chuck,
bringing up revolving centre to the centre of the lid tenon lid with a
light pressure. Any adjustment to the body/sides must be done now, using
the tailstock to apply pressure to prevent base-lid slippage. Finish the
lid "top" using light cuts, ( a strip of sellotape around the lid-body
join helps prevents any slippage ) cutting off the tenon if required, but,
to save wood, this can be cleaned up and incorporated into the
design.Leave the central "pip" around the revolving centre till last.
Clean up the top with the tailstock retracted.

Remove tape (if fitted ) and clean up the body. If any further cuts need
to be made to the piece, apply slight pressure to the top using the
revolving centre and a "push block" between the revolving centre and the
top to prevent base-top slippage.

Unchuck the base, remove top, place elastic band around chuck jaws to
prevent marking the inside of the base, which is mounted in the chuck in
expansion mode, bring up the tailstock to accuratly centre the piece
again, and lightly tighten the chuck. Finish the bottom, again,leaving the
central "pip" till last. Unchuck.


The lid - base joint may be "slackened" as required, seal/finish both
parts.

Job done

Brian

Have Fun, be safe and live to tell the tale