Pine Box

[Curt Fuller]

Not many turners like to turn Pine. It's definitely not my favorite either. But it can be pretty in it's own Piney way. This is a recent one of many things I've turned from the same tree. One of the first brick houses built in our little town was torn down for 'progress' a couple years ago. The house had been in the same family since it was built. This wood came from a huge old Ponderosa Pine that was in front of the house. The owner has kept me busy making things from the tree as gifts to her family. The wood is getting easier to work with as it ages and the sap dries out. Anyway, this is a lidded box 8" x 4". It's finished with deft lacquer.

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[Greg Just]

I like it, love the grain. I have turned some Douglas Fir and it had some really nice grain to it.

[Ted Calver]

Curt, I really like pieces that have a story. This is a great form with a great story. I don't think I'm ready to start turning the Loblolly's that grow around here until the sap has dried a lot, but your Ponderosa looks nice. Thanks for sharing

[Harry Robinette]

Curt
That is just beautiful, you did a really nice job on this piece as usual. I love the look of pine no matter what type.

[John Keeton]

Beautiful form, Curt!! I haven't attempted to turn much pine. In this part of KY, we don't have a lot of pine. East of us a little and they have some white pine, but I suspect that Ponderosa pine may be more like southern yellow pine in composition. What you have certainly has more character than white pine.

[Dean Chapel]

If you heat the pine to 160+ degrees, it will set the sap that has a tendency to weep out over time. This works on softwoods; I don't know about hardwoods. It can weep for years depending on the sap content present. I suspect a hardening finish over the finished project would stop the weeping of the sap either way, but don't really know.

[Joe Bradshaw]

That is surely one sweet looking box. I have turned SYP and I love the smell.

[Doug Herzberg]

Curt, I have a few Ponderosa boxes on my shelf of shame - mine tend to split. Like you, we have a lot of it around here and I've done bowls as well as boxes with some success.

Yours looks great. I like the grain and the form. Is the handle one piece with the lid? What is the dark spot?

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a super cool box. Like the way the grain has come out.

[Steve Vaughan]

You're right, pine can sure be a pain to turn, but you hit this on the head! Beautiful. I think pine has a beautiful grain to it and that grain and color is just gonna get so much better with age. Really, really nice!

[charlie knighton]

very nice, i can say i started a piece of pine, never did finish it, beautiful work

[Curt Fuller]

Thanks everyone!


Is the handle one piece with the lid? What is the dark spot?


Doug, the handle and lid are separate pieces. The dark area is wood that is saturated with pitch or resin or sap. It's harder than the wood and somewhat translucent.

[Harvey Ghesser]

Sorry I missed this, Curt...it's a real beauty! I love the shape.