Box lid question

[tekno.mage]

Hi,

I've just started turning small wooden boxes from some very well seasoned ash. Having made my first two I've noticed a small problem. The lids were a lovely suction fit out in the workshop, but now the boxes have been indoors for a couple of days both have tightened up quite a bit - they still come off but it's rather an effort and somewhat detracts from the feel of the items.

I know wood shrinks and expands in different environments, but neither box appears to have warped or gone oval so I'm mystified as to why the lid and the base have different shrinkage as they were made from the same piece of wood?

More importantly, how can this problem be avoided? I'm reluctant to make the lids a bit loose in the hope they will later shrink to fit! Would this problem be less apparent with closer grained woods? I used ash for practice pieces because I've got a a fair amount of it and I like how it looks.

Any suggestions from forum members will be gratefully received.

tekno.mage

 

[Blister]

Hi

This is quite normal for any wood items

after all they were alive , it will move, shrink, warp , distort

a change of climate also affects these items

best leave it for a couple of weeks with the lid on , then if its still tight , re mount the box or lid on a jam chuck a take a very fine cut and all should be fine

Any photos of your box :wink:

 

[TEP]

Mornin' TM.

Rough turn the box pieces taking some of the centres out, then keep them indoors for a month or so. Then turn to the finished item. Don't forget even seasoned timber moves if you take the centre out of it. To make really nice boxes you need a bit of patience while the roughed out blanks acclimatise.

What I do is rough turn a few box blanks before I make any boxes. That way you have a few seasoning, then you get on and turn the old ones.

 

[SVB]

Tam's advice is absolutely spot on.

They will move for two reasons:

Firstly the mass you remove from the centre will cause movement as stresses are redistributed etc. Different amounts for top and bottom as probable different sizes and different direction of turning (although not sure how much different the last point makes over a small item like a box).

Secondly, a modern, centrally heated house has a much lower humidity than your workshop / timber store that the 'dry' timber will have settled at. Therefore, it will move again because it is seen a step change and it will move quickly as the wall thickness is now small.

Therefore, follow Tam's advice and rough out and bring inside to acclimatise. This is particularly important (essential really) if you start doing threaded boxes with chased threads.

BRgds
Simon.

 

[tekno.mage]

Thanks to you all for your advice. I have actually rough turned a couple of apple boxes from some wood felled only last week and am leaving those in a bucket of shavings in the workshop to to season for a long time. When they are "dry" I'll bring them indoors for while before finishing them.

I hadn't thought of roughing 'dry' timber then bringing it indoors to season - will give that a try on the next ones.

I'd already thought of re-mounting the tight-lidded boxes for a small trim to sort them out!

Not taken any pics as yet as I'm still practising somewhat, will put some up when I have some finished boxes I'm happy with.

tekno.mage

 

[SVB]

Depending how tight the boxes are, you may get away with a wipe with some 400 grit.

I would be tempted to work on the 'female' part and be careful to keep the paper square so it does not just round over the opening.

BRgds.

 

[cornucopia]

I hadn't thought of roughing 'dry' timber then bringing it indoors to season - will give that a try on the next ones.



tekno.mage

its only "dry" relative to its enviroment- i would imagine at this time of year your dry timber in your workshop will be around 15-20% a piece in your house will be 5-10%
if you take your dry house timber and leave it in your workshop for a few days it will increase in moisture.
one thing i always do is take one blank at a time into the workshop with me and bring it straight back in once finished.

 

[TEP]

Put the photo's up anyway TM, we all start somewhere and believe me I doubt you have anything to be ashamed off. After all we're all adults together! :lol:

 

[Bodrighy]

I've got dry wood in the shed measuring 24% at the moment. Wood I have got from old furniture, mahogany and oak.

pete