Ort box???? in cocobolo...

[Michael Stafford]

I never tire of turning cocobolo as it turns so predictably and does not need a ton of sanding. While I was turning all the ort bowls there was method to my madness as I was actually practicing for some little box shapes I had in mind to turn.

Here is the first of them. This one, in cocobolo is 1 5/8" tall and 2 1/2" in diameter. The lid flanges are a little thick but I was going for a bold look to top of the big curves on the body of the box. The interior is undercut severely below the rim so all the "hollow form" practice I got was put to good use.....:rolleyes: :D

[Jim Ketron]

Wow now thats a pretty little box!
Nice Job Mike!

[Keith Burns]

Aw, man...............Big Mike you got it goin' on when it comes to this box turning stuff. Youv'e been giving us a lot of little surprises lately and they have been great ! I really like this one. Great stuff:) :)

[Tom Sherman]

I concur that is a pretty little box. But the truth is out the HF's are on the way, only thing needed is a little hole in the top:D

[Mark Cothren]

Very nice, Mike! Great detail once again!

[Henry C. Gernhardt, III]

No wonder you kept telling us you don't do hollow forms, Big Mike! That is, as far as I have seen, a unique approach to the turned box. I like it! So... When's the wide-bodied, narrow-lidded it's-a-hollow-form-without-its-lid box coming? :)

[Corey Hallagan]

Very nice Mike, I like it. How do you go about hollowing out under the rim like that. Very cool.

Corey

[Mike Ramsey]

You are a box turning machine! Beautiful....but I think a tool
handle would have been a better use of that beautiful wood.....

[Bernie Weishapl]

WOW Big Mike that is beautiful. That is a wonderful job Big Mike and the wood is awesome. Finish is great. Good grief Big Mike I am losing ground every time you post.

[Michael Stafford]

Corey, if I told you how I do the undercut I would have to eliminate you.....:p No actually I have a little hook nosed scraper that I ground from a 3/4" scraper I wasn't using. Actually got the idea from a catalog.

Mr. Ramsey, sir, I wish I could afford cocobolo for tool handles.....;) I have to use old hoe handles and such for my homemade tools....:p

As far as hollow forms are concerned, I really have no plans or desires to turn them. I love turning boxes and as long as there is a new box shape to turn in a new wood I think I will stick with that.

Thank you all very much for the kind words. I do so enjoy turning boxes but I fear that you guys get tired of them...

[Jim Becker]

I really like this "ort" series, Mike! Outstanding, with a hat or without!

[Corey Hallagan]

Thanks Mike, I really didn't have any idea how you would go about doing that. Naahhh are you kidding... get tired of your boxes.... no way! Somethng struck me here! With this shape... i think your ready to graduate to threaded lids and boxes.. Now that would be the icing on the cake :)

Corey

[John Miliunas]

Hey, lookie there: Mikey made a hollow form with a lid on it!!! :D Ok, ok...Almost a HF! As usual, though, beautiful work, Big Mike!!! Very neat concept for a box and you pulled it off in grand style! :) :cool:

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Big Mike.........your ability to come up with new box forms amazes me. This one is another beauty!

[Tom Sherman]

Big Mike I never get tired of looking at excellent work and your unique ideas for lidded boxes are very inspiring keep up your awsome work. At our next meeting our local turning club president is going to demonstrate his lidded boxes that look like shotgun shells, and they have threaded lids, I am really looking forward to that.

[Michael Stafford]

Mark Cothren asked that I post a picture with something to provide a point of reference as to size. Here is a picture with a ruler behind the box. It really is only 1 5/8" tall.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hey Mike, great work as usual!

Nice looking wood for sure, and you certainly released the beauty within!

Cheers!

[Dennis Peacock]

Very nice Big Mike. For some reason, I really like the shape on this one.

BTW, do you ever use a skew on the outside of your smaller boxes?

[Michael Stafford]

Yes, Dennis I do use a skew for cleanly cutting end grain such as on the lid of this box and on the bottom curve. I use a big ole 1" skew which I keep razor sharp and with the heel of the skew I can cleanly cut and smooth the shape of a curve like this while it is still held in the chuck by a small spigot.

[Mark Cothren]

Mark Cothren asked that I post a picture with something to provide a point of reference as to size. Here is a picture with a ruler behind the box. It really is only 1 5/8" tall.

I didn't doubt you...:D I was just having a hard time visualizing the small size of this box for some reason.

Thanks for the extra pic!

[Ernie Nyvall]

Cool box Big Mike. The lid almost looks to be floating.

Ernie