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.
- 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.
- Take off of centers and chuck the spindle's tenon.
- 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.
- Part off the lid at an appropriate length for desired shape.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Part the underfitting base tenon to a near fit, then carefully creep up to a reasonably tight fitting lid.
- 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.
- Remove lid and adjust fit and base opening size as desired.
- Replace lid, sand smooth and polish/finish as desired.
- Part off base leaving a slightly concave bottom.
- 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