What parts of the wood is used for boxes?

[Alie Barnes]

before i go making pots and boxes i want to confirm what parts of the blank is used.

i have a piece of wood 1ft long spindle and was gonna cut it down for small pots, or do i use the same sort of wood that i would make a bowl from?

thanks

 

[PowerTool]

Hi Alie - the boxes I have made have been mainly branch wood,initially mounted between centres.Here is a good explanation of the common ways of making them,with method 2 showing the grain pattern.
I have also used an ordinary piece of olive,but that has no particular grain direction anyway :?

Andrew

 

[jasonB]

You can use endgrain or have the grain at right angles to the lathe axis, just make sure the wood is nice and dry as that lid that fitted perfectly will either fall off or be stuck fast as soon as it comes inside :wink:

Jason

 

[bobham]

In most cases the fit between the lid and body of a box turned from wood that is oriented spindle fashion will remain more consistent than a box turned from wood that is oriented as a faceplate turning. That is simply due to the way that wood responds to changes in ambient humidity with the changing seasons.

A box turned from wood oriented faceplate fashion will expand and contract across the grain much more than it will along the grain, so the opening and lid flange will vary from circular to slightly oval at different times of the year. Since the lid and box will both move the lid may still fit as long as the grain is aligned, but won't fit in any other orientation. Using quartersawn wood will minimize this variation but will limit the depth of the box unless the blank comes from a vary large log.

Orienting the blank spindle fashion helps in two ways. As long as the blank does not contain the pith of the log then turning it round automatically makes it quartersawn. Wood movement due to seasonal humidity changes occurs in the thickness of the box walls which are typically quite thin, so does not amount to enough actual change to really affect the fit.

Take care
Bob

 

[Alie Barnes]

When ive tried hollowing a spindle blank for a box/pot with sharp tools its VERY hard work. the wood comes out dusty, if i use a bowl gouge its usually catches and moves the blank in the chuck.

thatwhy iwas thinking you couldnt make them out of spindle blanks.

 

[TEP]

Hi Alie.

As Bob has said the majority of small turned boxes would be made with the grain in the spindle mode.

It is not hard to hollow end grain, but there is a technique to it. What they call back cutting.

You need a spindle gouge sharpened into a "lady's fingernail" shape, You then partially shape the outside of the box mounted in your chuck. Then cut a shallow 'V' into the center of the blank, and useing the gouge as a push drill, bore down the center to the depth you wish the box to be.

Then position your gouge with the flute pointing to approx 10 o'clock the tip just in the lip of the hole and scoop out towards your left shoulder taking light but positive cuts. Basically using the lower side wing to cut with. You continue in this fashion until you have the basic shape you are looking for, then use a scraper to shear cut around the inside to remove any tool marks. Sand and finish!

Nowt to it, BUT you do NEED practice to use this method! Good luck.

 

[bobham]

As Tam said, cutting end grain from the middle out with a sharp spindle or detail gouge works much better than cutting from the side in with a bowl gouge. It should also leave a much better surface finish right off the tool because the wood fibers have more support behind them when cut in that direction.

Good Luck!
Bob