Boxes and Vases

[Bernie Weishapl]

I am going to attempt to make a couple of boxes first and then would like to make a vase. I know with bowls I have been soaking them in alcohol when green and letting them dry after roughing. I got some wood from John and I assume with it being waxed it is green. Can you do boxes or vases with green wood? If so what is the procedure for turning them? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Michael Stafford]

Bernie, the short answer is yes you can turn boxes with green wood and use the alcohol method in drying. But I recommend you start with dry wood until you get a little more familiar with the box turning. And I also recommend you see cheap wood, if there is such a thing, to do your initial turning of boxes.

When I turn green wood for boxes I rough the two halves into an approximation of the shape I want for the finished box, leaving the walls about 3/8 or less thick. Then I submerge the wood in DNA(denatured alcohol) over night. I take the pieces out, let them drip dry a little and then wrap the tenon end in heavy paper, grocery bag paper, and leave the open end exposed. I let the wood dry for 3 weeks or so and unwrap and then place it in the closet with the hot water heater until I am ready to turn it. I also check the moisture level with my moisture meter on the tenon end. If it is too wet your box will distort and the lid will fit poorly.

[Ron Ainge]

Bernie

Since I know that you have some connections in Colorado I would suggest that on you next visit here you try to find some Aspin to turn. You can turn it wet or dry and it will not move on you much green and not at all when it is dry. It is so soft that it is a fun wood to learn with and it makes really nice turnings. The only problem with it is if you have to sand to much the softer parts will sand away fast.

[Raymond Overman]

Bernie,

I turn my little boxes with green wood with the grain running long ways in the piece. I turn the sides and bottom down to an even thickness less than 1/8" and finish it completely. Wood movement isn't as much of a problem orienting it so you hollow end grain since the wood is going to shrink and expand at essentially the same rate. You won't get the different rates of shrinkage like you would turning face grain orientation. Of course, I'm only using a 2" x 2" x 2 1/2" chunks of wood.

Here's the complete run down on turning the style box that I'm turning:

1) Take a 2" x 2" x 2 1/2" block and glue it to a waste block. I use CA and use a end grain to end grain orientation.

2) Bring the tailstock up and make sure you're centered to hold the block in place while the glue dries. (Activator for the impatient)

3) Turn the outside profile of the box including the lid so that it's in one block. I do this with the tailstock still pulled up because I'm going to cover the dimple with a finial anyway.

4) Now I cut a 1/16" to 1/8" deep rabbet with a 1/16" parting tool about 1/16" below where my lid breaks toward the finial. I follow right behind this and part the lid from the body of the box.

5) After parting off the lid I clean the inside of the lid with sandpaper and CA a cut off from a pen blank to the outside of the lid. I usually put a dimple in the pen blank with a 10MM drill bit to allow for more surface area for glue contact.

6) I now turn toward the bottom section of the box and create a 1/8" collet just big enough for the lid to seat properly. I use calipers and the lid itself to size it properly being careful not to make it too large. In this case, cut twice, measure, cut again, measure, etc.

7) After seating the lid, I pull the tailstock back up and turn the finial until completed. Near the end I use masking tape to hold the lid to the box while I sand and finish the finial.

8) Finally I hollow the box keeping the sides less than 1/8" using a homemade 1/4" straight hollowing tool.

9) I replace the lid and sand the outside of the box and lid to 12000 with micro mesh. I sand the inside of the box to 1200. I coat the boxes with danish oil and friction polish.

10) I take a picture and post it on SMC - Turner's Forum.

[Corey Hallagan]

Bernie, just can't get enough! LOL... I am pulling for you Bernie! Your a braver man then me! Good luck Bernie!

Corey

[John Hart]

Yup Bernie....The wood is green. You're going to turn it and the shavings will come off warm and wet....It's a great feeling.:) I recommend the alkie method.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks for the info. Going to give it a try.