How Could I Turn This Box?

[Doris]

Hi everyone

This is my first post in this section and am sort of a beginner woodturner so am hoping someone can help me out here.

Basically I've had this idea to turn a cylindrical box with a round glass lid recessed into the lid slightly. Could someone suggest a way I could turn this on my lathe please. I currently don't have a chuck with my lathe and am currently looking for one.

I have attached a quick sketch up drawing of what I am hoping to achieve. As I am a beginner this is a project well into the future but thought I could at least gather the tools I made need to make it.

Hope someone can help.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

It's a fairly straightforward end grain box with an extra detail of the glass. But before anything else, it's not really viable to turn it without a chuck because, possibly more so than almost anything else, a lidded box requires good work holding of both the lid and the base while you hollow each respective component. With your design you have the added complication of housing the glass.

It is quite a challenging project for a beginner I think you should know that and be realistic about its likely accomplishment.

But short of a lot of glue chucking and/or jam chucking you'll struggle without a 4 jaw scroll chuck.

 

[-Matt-]

Agree'd ^^^

Although I now want to have a go at making one myself.

 

[Dalboy]

I have just started to make a box of a very similar shape and I am taking photo's to do a WIP so if you are not in a rush to make it I will be doing this in between other things that I am doing. I am using a chuck to do mine. As Random Orbital Bob pointed out it can be done without a chuck but you will find it a lot easier with one, as well as finding it very useful for other projects.
Forgot to add that I will also be doing some filling of voids with this one.
One thing to remember is that this will be how I would do it others may have different ideas

 

[nev]

Here is a link to a pdf file 'how to make a lidded box without using a Chuck ' if you discount the final. You should get an idea of the process involved and should be able to adapt it for your design by going through your lid and creating a recess for your glass

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... H4GBaCsexw

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

Don't be put off by not having a chuck, I turned for around 2 years without one. You just need to be inventive with work holding.
Remember too, the original turners had no scroll chucks.
If you have a faceplate you are well on the way, but will lose more timber to waste. Screw a waste block to a face plate, glue the blank to it, and bring the tailstock up to support the work while you true it up. Part off your lid and hollow the inside of the box, not forgetting the tenon for the lid to sit on.
At this point you can break the glue joint on the work.
Next, face up your waste block. Cut a reasonably tight mortise into the waste block, and fit the lid into it. Hollow the lid as necessary, and make sure to cut a mortise to fit the tenon on the box.
Simply carry on in this vein until you have the box hollowed and shaped to your satisfaction. Clip the box and lid together for sanding, to ensure they are uniform when together.
For added support, you can use a tennis ball between the live centre and the work.

I know this is over simplified, but it can be done.

One thing to note. Glue joints are pants on green timber. Make sure your work piece and waste block are well seasoned.

 

[Paul Hannaby]

It shouldn't be too difficult using jam chucks / faceplate.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I would also add that given you're relatively new to this that if using glue chucks make sure you have decent face protection by which I mean a full mask. The problem with accidents on the lathe is that they're most likely to happen while you're learning what does and doesn't work because that's when you're taking the most risk.

Once you're into having to buy pre-seasoned timber, a hot melt glue setup etc unless its rubbish from B&Q you're well on your way to affording a chuck anyway. What lathe have you got by the way and what spec is its spindle and taper?

Final point, I would also strongly encourage you to join your local woodturning club. They are a wealth of information and resources let alone meeting an entire group of people who can mentor you. They are also as cheap as chips to join. Membership for mine is £20 a year with a small fee for each meet. Fantastic way to inculcate people into the craft. In the medium term it will save you a fortune on mistaken purchases because of the collective wisdom therein.

 

[Doris]

Don't be put off by not having a chuck, I turned for around 2 years without one. You just need to be inventive with work holding.
Remember too, the original turners had no scroll chucks.
If you have a faceplate you are well on the way, but will lose more timber to waste. Screw a waste block to a face plate, glue the blank to it, and bring the tailstock up to support the work while you true it up. Part off your lid and hollow the inside of the box, not forgetting the tenon for the lid to sit on.
At this point you can break the glue joint on the work.
Next, face up your waste block. Cut a reasonably tight mortise into the waste block, and fit the lid into it. Hollow the lid as necessary, and make sure to cut a mortise to fit the tenon on the box.
Simply carry on in this vein until you have the box hollowed and shaped to your satisfaction. Clip the box and lid together for sanding, to ensure they are uniform when together.
For added support, you can use a tennis ball between the live centre and the work.

I know this is over simplified, but it can be done.

One thing to note. Glue joints are pants on green timber. Make sure your work piece and waste block are well seasoned.

Excellent advice. I've had a few ideas since I made this thread on how to do and will give them a go in the future.

What lathe have you got by the way and what spec is its spindle and taper?

A Clarke CLW6b. I don't know the specs of it, I just use it. I'm quite happy with it at the moment.

 

[andersonec]

If you are bent on using glass then your wood has to be very very dry. If the glass is a tight fit and your wood moves the glass will break, you could inset the glass with a loose fit then turn a tight fitting ring of a contrasting timber and glue it in to hold your glass in place. Presumably you have a way to cut small circular glass discs?

Andy

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

Indeed. Be very wary of wood that is not 100% stable. I turned a cage for a Galileo thermometer some time ago with timber I believed was completely dry. It may well have been, but bringing the piece in to the house from the shed introduced a different climate, and wood being an organic material, decided to move.
Not a pretty sight.

 

[Doris]

Sorry to bump this old thread but have gone and bought myself a new lathe which came with two chucks. I was turning a couple of boxes on my faceplate before hand and found that it did indeed waste an awful lot of wood.

I was hoping someone would now be able to explain to me how they would be able to turn the box but now with a chuck instead.

 

[flh801978]

Theres lots of ways to do it but I would....
if you are starting with a square blank then cut to 2cm over finished length of box and mount between centres and turn to your cylinder
Then using your chuck mount blank and bore down to your diameter for the glass
then part off lid
then remove inside of box
then turn tenon to lid joint
remove base and mount lid upside down and finish hole for glass
then make tenon to fit the base
then remount base either directly in chuck or on a bit of scrap and clean base of base

job done after gluing in glass or you could turn a holding ring to hold glass in

Ian

 

[chipmunk]

I'd be inclined to use transparent silicone to fasten the glass into a slightly larger recess (perhaps with a holding ring) rather than glueing the glass into a tight recess because the wood will move and most likely shrink.

Depending upon the relative strength of the wood and the glass, the weaker will give way as the wood moves. Either way, it'll end in tears.

Jon

 

[monkeybiter]

I'd be inclined to use transparent silicone to fasten the glass into a slightly larger recess (perhaps with a holding ring)
Jon

+1 Just a couple of small dabs to stop any rattle while remaining unseen.