Lidded box from green wood?

[Dan Forman]

Does anyone here rough out lidded boxes, let them dry, and then finish, or do you always start with dry stock? I wouldn't try fitting the lid until dry, but will the roughing out part work, or do I need to wait for years for my blanks to dry? Is there something about the end grain orientation of the box that makes it difficult to do in two stages?

Thanks,

Dan

[RL Johnson]

Try to always use kilm dried wood but sometimes I wait years:mad:

[Don Carter]

Dan:
I have turned several from less than kiln dried wood. I turn to round and then put a tenon on each end deciding which is to be the lid and the box. I then rough hollow leaving both box and lid thicker than normal. I don't do any fitting. I then soak for two or three days in DNA. When I take it out I put the two tenons together and wrap with several layers of newspaper and I tape the rims with masking tape. This leaves the hollows open to dry. I let them dry for two weeks or more. Most times, no cracks but some warping. Remount and true up the blanks and turn to final thickness and match box to lid.

I hope this all makes sense.

Give it a try, it is only wood.

[Mike Peace]

Richard Raffan in his book on making lidded boxes describes the same rough turning process Don uses (except without the DNA). I have rough turned a cherry and Bradford Pear box blank and they are a few months old. As you know rough turning green is fast and easy. Where I live I suspect I could proably finish turn after about 3 months. I just haven't gotten back to finishing them yet. Make the walls about 10% of the diameter similar to bowls. Maybe even a little less since you are doing side grain.

Good luck. Boxes are fun.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I turn most of my lidded boxes out of green wood. I use the same method that Don uses and have excellent luck. In about 2 to 4 weeks out of the DNA and wrapped they are dry.

[Reed Gray]

I have been turning more boxes the last 6 months. I will rough turn even kiln dried wood and air dried wood and let them sit for a few weeks. Even 'dry' wood will adjust to having mass removed. This is critical for threaded boxes. Friction fit boxes will still fit as both top and bottom will move in the same way, kind of oval, but you can't have that with threads.
robo hippy

[Dan Forman]

Thanks, that's a relief, as I have lots of green blanks now.

Dan

[Mark Hinchliff]

Is there a Brand name for the product you refer to as DNA. Is it some sort of grain sealer?

Thanks

Mark

[Brian Brown]

Is there a Brand name for the product you refer to as DNA. Is it some sort of grain sealer?

Thanks

Mark

DNA is our SMC abbreviation for Denatured alcohol. Buy it at any paint store. It is not an engrain sealer. Search for DNA on this forum and you'll be inundated with info on using it to help in the wood drying process.

[Philip Morris]

Dan,
DNA = Denatured Alcohol

Denatured is another word for poisioned. The alcohol used can be various types, but usually has some component made up by ethanol (the drinking kind).

Be cautioned that many companies are now using higher concentrations of methanol, which is much more toxic. I encourage you to review the manufacturer's Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) before purchasing. The MSDS is usually available online.

Dave Smith wrote an excellent article on the soaking / drying process and it is posted on another forum. You can also read up on this on his blogspot, which can be found by doing the following Yahoo search.

Dave Smith alcohol soaking

[Mark Hinchliff]

Thanks for the help Brian.

Mark

[Jeff Brockett]

Sometimes on green boxes I will glue a dry hardwood collar of a contrasting wood into the opening, turn it down to blend in with the vessel and then turn a lid to fit the collar. Haven't had any issues doing this and end up with a start to finish vessel.