Making Music boxes from the lathe

[George Troy Hurlburt]

I saw a wood turned Music box on another web site. I sourced out some music boxes, most have a square base and takes a key. You can also get a wire to make it work if you lift the lid open. I think I'm interested in making some of these. The one I saw have been made from staves. I figured this might be another good way to use some scraps,I was blessed with. So bottom line, have any other woodturners here made any? If so, I would welcome some techniques and suggestions. Thanks
George Troy

[John K Jordan]

I saw a wood turned Music box on another web site. I sourced out some music boxes, most have a square base and takes a key. You can also get a wire to make it work if you lift the lid open. I think I'm interested in making some of these. The one I saw have been made from staves. I figured this might be another good way to use some scraps,I was blessed with. So bottom line, have any other woodturners here made any? If so, I would welcome some techniques and suggestions. Thanks
George Troy

George,

I've bought a number of music box movements, from cheap little $5 things to a beautifully polished $250 marvel of engineering. They are several sizes and all rectangular. I've made a couple of turned boxes with flat bottoms, drilled through for the key, you just need space underneath, feet or a recess. All dry solid wood, I've never made anything with staves although that would be interesting. Segmented would be nice too.

The most recent one I did was in a lid in a Beads of courage box as bit of surprise. I hollowed a space under the lid and fastened the movement to a disk of wood with a hole for the key, and fastened that to a rim in the lid. On this one I didn't provide a way to turn it off, just let it run down.

If you can make a thin "sound board" you will get better sound, the bigger the better. Putting the sound board on or near the bottom and raising the box off the surface with three feet will let the sound out better.

Are you looking for design ideas? I generally start with some quick sketches then make a full sized drawing, probably more important since the space is critical. Here's the only one I have pictures of:

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BTW, I bought quality movements from the San Francisco Music Box Co. but that was some time ago. I have no idea if they are still available there.

Oh, I just remembered I have a picture of another one I sent to a friend in Italy a few years ago (hmm, odd reflections on the front). It has three feet from the same wood as the lid. I made a removable disk that rests inside this one to hold jewelry if desired.

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The box on this one is made from Sassafras. Sassafras wood has great tonal properties and gives a good sound. (We have a LOT of sassafras growing around here - I have a big log down I've been cutting and drying as time permits.) Almost any wood would work, though, even a very thin birch ply disk fastened into the bottom of a bottomless box would be good. That would prevent weakness in a thin bottom if turning an end-grain box from some woods.

JKJ

[Chris A Lawrence]

I have made several out of solid dry wood and a unhinged lid. I used cheap movements from amazon and i sourced beveled glass rounds from ebay for a few bucks each. I made a recess on the bottom deep enough for the key and a flat bottom 1/16 thick. I made a lip just lower then the lid to hold the glass snug.

[George Troy Hurlburt]

George,

I've bought a number of music box movements, from cheap little $5 things to a beautifully polished $250 marvel of engineering. They are several sizes and all rectangular. I've made a couple of turned boxes with flat bottoms, drilled through for the key, you just need space underneath, feet or a recess. All dry solid wood, I've never made anything with staves although that would be interesting. Segmented would be nice too.

The most recent one I did was in a lid in a Beads of courage box as bit of surprise. I hollowed a space under the lid and fastened the movement to a disk of wood with a hole for the key, and fastened that to a rim in the lid. On this one I didn't provide a way to turn it off, just let it run down.

If you can make a thin "sound board" you will get better sound, the bigger the better. Putting the sound board on or near the bottom and raising the box off the surface with three feet will let the sound out better.

Are you looking for design ideas? I generally start with some quick sketches then make a full sized drawing, probably more important since the space is critical. Here's the only one I have pictures of:

372686

BTW, I bought quality movements from the San Francisco Music Box Co. but that was some time ago. I have no idea if they are still available there.

Oh, I just remembered I have a picture of another one I sent to a friend in Italy a few years ago (hmm, odd reflections on the front). It has three feet from the same wood as the lid. I made a removable disk that rests inside this one to hold jewelry if desired.

372687

The box on this one is made from Sassafras. Sassafras wood has great tonal properties and gives a good sound. (We have a LOT of sassafras growing around here - I have a big log down I've been cutting and drying as time permits.) Almost any wood would work, though, even a very thin birch ply disk fastened into the bottom of a bottomless box would be good. That would prevent weakness in a thin bottom if turning an end-grain box from some woods.

JKJ

Thank you John for putting your reply together, every suggestion and idea helps. I just hope I can as good as you have shown.
George Troy

[George Troy Hurlburt]

I have made several out of solid dry wood and a unhinged lid. I used cheap movements from amazon and i sourced beveled glass rounds from ebay for a few bucks each. I made a recess on the bottom deep enough for the key and a flat bottom 1/16 thick. I made a lip just lower then the lid to hold the glass snug.

Thank you Chris for your input, now all I have to do is pull out the plastic and order enough movements for family and friends. Same old story so many things to make and just a little time to do it. Have to get my wife time in.

[Tom Giacomo]

The mechanical movements are very nice however take a look at the new electronic ones.

[George Troy Hurlburt]

The mechanical movements are very nice however take a look at the new electronic ones.

Thank you Tom,
I ordered a couple on Ebay and also some mechanical ones. Thanks. Started on my stave box bodies. My mitre saw gives me great cuts for this.

[George Troy Hurlburt]

Music movements are on the way and I have been making stave shells to get ready for them. Photos will show the saw I use and some of the progress I have made to date. I counted 15. Making bases, glue blocks and segmented flats for the top. I will process the scraps using my mini saw and or the Dubby sled. As you can I use a funnel to line the box up on the base. Designs in mind at this point. I have carving tools, woodburners and I can paint, I elect to enhance body or top lids. I'm production minded that's why I make runs like I do. George Troy
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[John K Jordan]

Photos will show the saw I use and some of the progress I have made to date. I counted 15. Making bases, glue blocks and segmented flats for the top.
...I'm production minded that's why I make runs like I do.

Wow, that's inspiring. I'm the furthest possible from a production turner! (I'm too darn slow)

Kansas is a long way from here (although I was born in Osage City/Quenemo) but I wish I could attend the George Troy school of staved turnings. :)

I hope you'll post photos of some finished ones.

JKJ

[George Troy Hurlburt]

Showing a completed Stave Music Box. Size approx. 3" x 3 1/2" my other boxes will be a little bit bigger. Instead of saying I'm making these from wood scraps, it will now be from selected wood for each one, sounds better. I have some outside wood help374369 with these, thanks Stave box body is red oak, base is walnut. Ring is cherry and top is cherry. Finale is bloodwood. Minwax Tung Oil Finish.Finales and lids will be different on the remaining 14. Music box is electronic, pop the lid and it plays. Batteries included. Photo also show a plain cherry box, and it too will accept the little yellow box shown. These are not top of the line art boxes more of a craft box. Same effort just different wood and more embellishment. However, these will be very sellable. Time wise a plain box wins hands down.

[John K Jordan]

Showing a completed Stave Music Box. Size approx. 3" x 3 1/2" my other boxes will be a little bit bigger. Instead of saying I'm making these from wood scraps, it will now be from selected wood for each one, sounds better. I have some outside wood help374369 with these, thanks Stave box body is red oak, base is walnut. Ring is cherry and top is cherry. Finale is bloodwood. Minwax Tung Oil Finish.Finales and lids will be different on the remaining 14. Music box is electronic, pop the lid and it plays. Batteries included. Photo also show a plain cherry box, and it too will accept the little yellow box shown. These are not top of the line art boxes more of a craft box. Same effort just different wood and more embellishment. However, these will be very sellable. Time wise a plain box wins hands down.

Those look nice.

I've never played with an electronic music box so I'm curious. Does it have multiple tunes or one? If you leave the lid off will it stop eventually or play until the batteries run down? Does it sound like a music box? Volume control? Does it need to be fastened to a sounding board for acceptable volume like a mechanical music box?

JKJ

[George Troy Hurlburt]

They play one tune only. . Tom Glacomo suggested I take a look at the electronic ones. If you leave the lid off it will run down. Yes it sounds like a music box. No volume control and no sound board is needed.You just drop these in the box. The will play outside the box. There is an off and on switch. On Ebay I paid about $8.00 each for these. They are cheaper than the Sanyo gold plated ones, which run about $15.00. Is this a good way to go, who knows for sure, will it sell?. 6 of these will go to relatives.

[John K Jordan]

They play one tune only. . Tom Glacomo suggested I take a look at the electronic ones. If you leave the lid off it will run down. Yes it sounds like a music box. No volume control and no sound board is needed.You just drop these in the box. The will play outside the box. There is an off and on switch. On Ebay I paid about $8.00 each for these. They are cheaper than the Sanyo gold plated ones, which run about $15.00. Is this a good way to go, who knows for sure, will it sell?. 6 of these will go to relatives.

Thanks. I have no idea about what will sell and what won't - I don't normally make things to sell. I personally would prefer one that had the mechanical moving parts and didn't need a battery but everyone is different. I know my youngest grandson would like the battery version but he'd probably run the battery down the first day.

JKJ

[George Troy Hurlburt]

I now have 15 staves boxes to finish and put lids on. One have already gone out the door to my daughter. I competed that one fully. Photo will show the boxes ready for further work I use a Club woodwriter I got from Craft supplies in the mid-eighties. When the box comes off the lathe, there is a stub on the bottom, from there I use a dovetailed type saw after reducing with a series of parting tools. If that big chuck was not there to grab me, I would just catch it when I part it off. I use a couple of No 3 carving tools to take that stub down before I put the box on the cole jaws. By the way I hate that adjusting single key for the Nova G3 chuck. I wasted a lot of time over the years with it, trying to find the hole. I use Axeminster cole jaws most the time. I think I will put a seal coat of Miniwax Tung oil finish on them before I start fitting the lids.

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[John K Jordan]

...By the way I hate that adjusting single key for the Nova G3 chuck. I wasted a lot of time over the years with it, trying to find the hole.

That looks like a great production line. Don't forget to show them all finished.

If you think the G3 is bad try the SuperNova (not the SuperNova2). For extra fun they put the gear on a swivel. I have to peer around behind and inside the chuck to get the key in properly. I've switched to SN2 chucks for the jaws I use the most and they did that right - the gear is in the chuck and the key is just a big hex key.

JKJ

[George Troy Hurlburt]

Showing 11 Stave music boxes with lids as of this date. I'm using a recess on the bottom of the lids after a fit on the box tops. With the recess, I can remount at any time and turn or replace the finale. If the top is too large,I will take it down. I have settled on one thing I will be using a bead at the box opening to have some continuity. These are Craft boxes done to the best of my ability at this time. If I wanted Art boxes, I would be using maybe exotic woods and more embellishments. Wood is selected woods (scraps). Questions are welcome on what i did or didn't do. After 30+ years, I sure don't have all the answers. This is the first ever I did boxes in staves instead of solid woods. George Troy

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