Ambrosia maple lidded box 2.0 work in progress

[Chris A Lawrence]

Been working on the 2nd lidded box for a little while now. Pretty happy with the results still have some hand sanding left. C&C welcome.

[Allan Ferguson]

Well here we sit, waiting for comment . So I will do so after having waited since it was posted. My thoughts are this turning has way to many elements causing it appear cluttered and without a flow of form. Drop the base, smooth out the form from top of the knob into the bottom with flowing curves , one melding into the next. Let the wood and form say it all. PM me if you like. John Keeton would be good to contact .

[John K Jordan]

Been working on the 2nd lidded box for a little while now. Pretty happy with the results still have some hand sanding left. C&C welcome.

I somehow missed this. I really like the wide, shallow cove detail around the wide part of the box - that detail alone makes it distinctive since the huge majority of a similar shape have no such detail. (I can't quite see what looks like diagonal detail down in the cove.)

The lip of the lid looks great to me where it joins the box, different from the first one but still pleasing.

I do agree with Allen on some things. To my eye the base is to "heavy" to my eye. I realize we all see things differently and I'm not saying I think this is bad, it just doesn't appeal to me. The base, and the detail in the middle of the lid and knob tend to distract my eye from the main event - the box.

You might finish this one then set it next to the other one and look at them both for a while, from different angles, in different lighting. Show them to others too - I find it better to see and hold pieces since a photo never tells the whole story. I've made plenty of pieces that suggested changes to the next one. Another thing I've done several times is turn a quick form from "practice" wood just to evaluate the shape - no time sanding and maybe not even hollowed. It is easy to evaluate variations of bases, feet, lids, knobs, and finials this way.

BTW, I might be partial to the type of shallow cove detail you used on the box since I've used it quite a bit myself, but mostly on spindles and smaller things like goblets. I may steal that idea for a bowl or something! I may also try putting the accent grooves within the cove instead of on the edge as I usually do. I took this picture to show how I make a small morse taper to hold spindles for turning - for handles I like the feel as well as the look of the wide, shallow cove.

371483

JKJ

[Chris A Lawrence]

Thanks for the comments different eyes see things differently. I can see where a shorter base may look better but i am pretty satisfied with the piece. Its already been dunked in danish oil and drying. The cove is detailed with diagonal marks made from a decorating elf tool with the bud cutter. I just got the bud cutter attachment recently this was a test run on how it would look. I may revisit making a box with a different shape base but time to move on to other things for now.

[Chris A Lawrence]

Finish is on and all buffed out.

[Raymond Fries]

That looks real nice! I am always amazed how the finish makes the grain pop.

[Allan Ferguson]

Looking good, nice finish.

[Dok Yager]

Nice lidded bowl Chris. I especially like the inset lid and the deatil.

[John K Jordan]

I like the look of the oil finish too.

I've been using danish oil on more things lately, the last one was about 8 applications wiped on cherry and walnut over nearly a month.

[Chris A Lawrence]

I like the look of the oil finish too.

I've been using danish oil on more things lately, the last one was about 8 applications wiped on cherry and walnut over nearly a month.

I do not do the wipe on wipe off thing i have a 2 gallon bucket of it. If the piece is small enough to fit in the bucket i toss it in and weigh it down with a piece of heavy perforated stainless steel. depending on how good my memory is that day it could be in there for a few hours or the next day if i forget about it.

[Robert Willing]

I do the same thing with Duck calls (all my calls turkey included) but in Teak oil finish for 24 hrs dry than buff after 24 hours of drying.
How tall is the box W/O the base? I like the decorative touch on the side.

[John K Jordan]

I do not do the wipe on wipe off thing i have a 2 gallon bucket of it. If the piece is small enough to fit in the bucket i toss it in and weigh it down with a piece of heavy perforated stainless steel. depending on how good my memory is that day it could be in there for a few hours or the next day if i forget about it.

I've used the oil both ways and I do sometimes use the one-coat method, especially if I am in a hurry. I think it really depends on the look of the surface you want. One coat will give a softer look and show the pores in some woods (unless previously filled) while multiple coats can make a smoother surface and allow for a glossier shine when buffed. Each coat adds an extremely thin layer of resin/varnish. If I want a glass-smooth surface but not a gloss (and I have enough time), I'll apply multiple coats then rub it with something to give a sheen instead of a shine.

Lots of turners do use multiple coats of oil for finish and some do immerse in oil for the first coat - probably the best way.

BTW, not many people have a 2-gal bucket of danish oil! A way some use to immerse with a much smaller amount of oil is to put the piece in a big plastic bag, add oil to the bag, and squeeze out the air.

JKJ