Small Mesquite Lidded Box

[Kathy Marshall]

At our club meeting on Saturday the demonstration was on lidded boxes. One of the boxes was a spherical splined box with a hidden joint. It looked pretty cool and I wanted to give it a try. By the time I got home it was getting a little late, and I cut the blank in the wrong orientation, so I just did a modifiied version and just turned a somewhat spherical box with a spline. I could have just used a tenon, but in the full version a tenon won't work, it needs a spline, so I did this one with a spline so when I turn the full version I'll have a feel for using a spline.

It's 3 3/4" x 2 3/4" from an old dry piece of mesquite, with a coat of danish oil and the spline is walnut. I hadn't planned on a knob, but when I was turning off the tenon and the waste from the top, the knob just kind of emerged and I decided to go with it.

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Thanks for looking!
Comments and critiques are welcome.

[John Keeton]

Very nice little box, Kathy! That mesquite has a really nice color - the inside of the top seems darker, but I am sure it is shadow.

What is the concept behind the spline? Is it to preserve grain alignment on the exterior?

[Fred Belknap]

Well done. I like to do boxes but have trouble with the lids. I blame it on the weather around here.:rolleyes:

[Jon Prouty]

Kathy - you are a machine! I didn't have shop time last night to try this too. I've been thinking about that demo all night and have all sorts of interesting ideas floating around in my head. It was really nice to meet you and thanks again for the piece of sisso!

Jon

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice box Kathy. I do like the mesquite. 1:29 am Kathy???

[Jeff Fagen]

Really a cute form,looks antique.

[Doug W Swanson]

I like the color of that, Kathy. The form and handle are well done, too!

[charlie knighton]

very nice, love the the handle

[Steve Schlumpf]

That's cool! Really like how you left the crack in so you know where to align the two sections!! ;)

[David E Keller]

Pretty neat! These splined boxes are cool... On my list of things to try at some point. I suppose if I was in the shop at 1 or 2 in the morning, I'd have more time to try this stuff!:D

[Curt Fuller]

That's cuter than a bugs ear!

[Jason Clark2]

Sounds like a pretty cool demonstration. ;)

Jason

[Robert McGowen]

I have not been to many demonstrations where I wanted to run home and immediately give it a try. Sounds like it was a good demo to watch and your box looks like you were paying attention!

[Jon Prouty]

Sounds like a pretty cool demonstration. ;)

Jason

The demo was pretty cool Jason - ya done good. Got my mind spinning (pun intended).

JOn

[Baxter Smith]

Neat box Kathy!

[Kathy Marshall]

Thanks everyone!

Very nice little box, Kathy! That mesquite has a really nice color - the inside of the top seems darker, but I am sure it is shadow.

What is the concept behind the spline? Is it to preserve grain alignment on the exterior?
Yes, the dark on the inside is shadow. The concept for the spline is easier to demonstrate than to explain (at least for me), but I'll give it a shot.
The box will be turned face grain. To hide the seam between the top and bottom, the blank is cut on the bandsaw following one of the ring lines (tenons are turned on both ends first and the blank is left square to make it easier and safer for the bandsaw cut). Since the separation of the top and bottom portion follows a grain line, the rims are not level/straight so turning a recess and tenon won't work. Instead, you turn a recess in both pieces and glue in a spline on one of the pieces and it will serve as a tenon.
I'm going to try and get one turned this week and I'll try to remember to do some process pics.


Kathy - you are a machine! I didn't have shop time last night to try this too. I've been thinking about that demo all night and have all sorts of interesting ideas floating around in my head. It was really nice to meet you and thanks again for the piece of sisso!

Jon
It was nice meeting you too, always good to meet another Creeker! Lidded boxes are the President's Challenge for next month so if you get one turned be sure to it to the next meeting.

Really nice box Kathy. I do like the mesquite. 1:29 am Kathy???
Time difference, 1:29 = 11:29 my time, a little early for a Saturday night ;)

Sounds like a pretty cool demonstration. ;)

Jason
Your demos are always cool Jason, I just need to try one of the little pill boxes too.


I have not been to many demonstrations where I wanted to run home and immediately give it a try. Sounds like it was a good demo to watch and your box looks like you were paying attention!
I'm always up to give something new a try, and more often than not that's just what I do after a meeting "run home and immediately give it a try" :D as long as it doesn't require some type of equipment or materials that I don't have on hand.