1st Winged Box

[Kathy Marshall]

Our club's President's Challenge for August is to turn something from pieces of figured walnut that were given out at the July meeting (which I missed). The pieces given out were about 8" x 3" x 1", so I had the option of purchasing a similar blank (Woodworkers source just down the street from my office has them for $2 or $3), or using something from my own stock with similar dimensions.
It just so happened that I had a nice piece of Bubinga that fit the requirements.
I've turned winged bowls before, but never a box, but I think it turned out pretty good. I had virtually no waste from the blank, so it's just under 8" x 3" x 1" (about 2 1/4" if you count the lid and knob). The lid was turned from a small scrap of figured walnut that I had and the knob is more bubinga. The lid, knob and top of the bowl are finished with antique oil. I still need to do a little more sanding on the underside and then it will get the same treatment. I could have gone with more taper on the knob, but it sure looked like it had more when it was on the lathe.
Fun to do and pretty quick since there's basically no roughing to do (the hand sanding is another matter).

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Thanks for looking!
Comments and critiques are welcome.

[Allan Ferguson]

Wirr wirr wirr. Looks good.

[Roger Chandler]

Very nice work, Kathy........I like the design........I agree you could have gone thinner..........funny.....as you say, they always look thinner on the lathe!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice Kathy. I like it as is. I don't think it would have looked this good if you went thinner.

[Mike Golka]

Very nice winged box Kathy, well done.

[Donny Lawson]

Great little box. I've never tried one but it looks like fun.

[thomas prusak]

Love it as is Kathy, very nice design and proportions

[Steve bellinger]

Kathy i've tried these and your turned out a lot better than mine did. Great job Lady.

[Stephen M Johnson]

that's a beautiful box!

[Kathy Marshall]

Thanks for the comments everyone!
A fun little project (just be sure to keep your fingers on the right side of the tool rest!) and a good use for those thin little scraps.

[Matt Whitenack]

I've never tried to turn one that started from such thin stock...what method did you use to affix it to the lathe to start...screw chuck, glueblock etc??

[Kathy Marshall]

I've never tried to turn one that started from such thin stock...what method did you use to affix it to the lathe to start...screw chuck, glueblock etc??
Matt, I started it between centers. I got it lined up so it was just about perfectly square, then did a light skim across it to make sure the ends were true. Then I used a gouge to turn a recess so I could reverse it and turn the top. The top was turned to finish and I turned a step in the top of the bowl section for the lid to fit in, and I used the step as a recess to turn the bottom. When I turned the bottom, I started at the outside and worked my way in about a 1/2" at a time, getting the thickness where I wanted it, and never going back over a finished section.

[Matt Whitenack]

Thanks Kathy...I'll have to try that. On the larger ones I normally use the woodworm screw to start...Thanks for the tip. I've got tons of thin stuff and now I have something to do with it all ;)

[Keith Christopher]

They are 'interesting' to turn for sure. I remember the first one I did, sounded like a propeller spinning. Looks great !

[Rich Aldrich]

That is really cool. It must have been interesting spinning on the lathe.