Jason Clark2
01-29-2012, 5:47 PM
Kathy has posted a couple of spline joined lidded boxes recently, inspired by my recent demo at the Arizona Woodturners Associatidon. Here's my version of the box.
It's made from Ash and has been textured with a wire brush to help disguise the joint. In this case I turned the spline (faux tenon) out of some of the same Ash. Normally I would turn it in the same orientation as the rest of the box, face grain, but had to turn it end grain because that's all I had left. This one was done very quickly (~30 minutes) this morning as a sample and so I could get some in-progress photos for my blog.
Here's a basic rundown of the steps:
1) Mount blank in face grain orientation between centers, turn a tenon on each end. Leave the body square as it will make step 2 easier and safer.
2) Take the blank to the band saws and cut it in half following the contour of the grain.
3) Remount the 2 halves between centers and turn the entire piece to a cylinder. Alternatively you could mount each half in a chuck and turn the 2 halves round separately.
4) Mount 1 half in a chuck, hollow out most of the center and form a recess that will receive our spline (faux tenon)
5) Mount the material for your spline between centers and turn it to a cylinder. Check the fit for the recess you turned in the previous step. If necessary remount the piece and decrease the diameter until it fits the recess on the inside of the box.
6) Glue the spline in place (it is still solid at this point). Turn through the center of the spline, leaving only a solid wood ring left in the box. Complete hollowing the inside of this half of the box.
7) Remove the 1st half of the box from the chuck and mount the other half. Carefully turn a recess that will receive the spline from the first half of the box. Sneak up on this fit.
8) Mount the first half of the box onto the second half of the box using the spline as a faux tenon in the 2nd recess. The outside of the first half can now be completed. Use the tailstock for safety until you are left with just a small nub. Tape can be used to secure the 2 halves of the box together for the removal of the nub.
9) Complete hollowing of the 2nd half of the box.
10) Remove the 2nd half of the box from the chuck and reverse chuck it using your preferred method. I usually opt for my vacuum chuck. A jam chuck will also work. Finish turning the outside of the 2nd half of the box.
11) Texture the outside of the box with a wire brush. I use a 3" round brass bristle brush mounted in a jacobs chuck that is inserted into the headstock. Turn the lathe on and the brush spins, push the outside of the finished box into the rotating brush to texture the surface. I call it my poor man's sand blaster. Another advantage of texturing the box is that I don't have to sand the outside.
Jason
221783221784
It's made from Ash and has been textured with a wire brush to help disguise the joint. In this case I turned the spline (faux tenon) out of some of the same Ash. Normally I would turn it in the same orientation as the rest of the box, face grain, but had to turn it end grain because that's all I had left. This one was done very quickly (~30 minutes) this morning as a sample and so I could get some in-progress photos for my blog.
Here's a basic rundown of the steps:
1) Mount blank in face grain orientation between centers, turn a tenon on each end. Leave the body square as it will make step 2 easier and safer.
2) Take the blank to the band saws and cut it in half following the contour of the grain.
3) Remount the 2 halves between centers and turn the entire piece to a cylinder. Alternatively you could mount each half in a chuck and turn the 2 halves round separately.
4) Mount 1 half in a chuck, hollow out most of the center and form a recess that will receive our spline (faux tenon)
5) Mount the material for your spline between centers and turn it to a cylinder. Check the fit for the recess you turned in the previous step. If necessary remount the piece and decrease the diameter until it fits the recess on the inside of the box.
6) Glue the spline in place (it is still solid at this point). Turn through the center of the spline, leaving only a solid wood ring left in the box. Complete hollowing the inside of this half of the box.
7) Remove the 1st half of the box from the chuck and mount the other half. Carefully turn a recess that will receive the spline from the first half of the box. Sneak up on this fit.
8) Mount the first half of the box onto the second half of the box using the spline as a faux tenon in the 2nd recess. The outside of the first half can now be completed. Use the tailstock for safety until you are left with just a small nub. Tape can be used to secure the 2 halves of the box together for the removal of the nub.
9) Complete hollowing of the 2nd half of the box.
10) Remove the 2nd half of the box from the chuck and reverse chuck it using your preferred method. I usually opt for my vacuum chuck. A jam chuck will also work. Finish turning the outside of the 2nd half of the box.
11) Texture the outside of the box with a wire brush. I use a 3" round brass bristle brush mounted in a jacobs chuck that is inserted into the headstock. Turn the lathe on and the brush spins, push the outside of the finished box into the rotating brush to texture the surface. I call it my poor man's sand blaster. Another advantage of texturing the box is that I don't have to sand the outside.
Jason
221783221784