First attempt at a ermmmm box...

[arcos]

Just a piece of wet Medronho and wanted to have a little try at some kind of box.

The foot/tray is something that just happened.

My question is how to close the gap between the lid and the body. I thought that I had the joint pretty level and had hoped it would be a lot closer than it is.

Thanks for looking

[Roderick Evans]

Hi

Don't try and keep the joint level, always make it slightly concave,sloping inwards. This way the outer edges will always be a nice fit.
If you slope it upwards or outwards you'll have an even bibber gap. Hope this helps.

Rod

[woody]

I think you answered your own question wet Medronho wet wood it probably has moved

[arcos]

Rod thank you....

I was kind of moving that way but was not completely sure so the next one will have a closer joint (hopefully!).

Woody, the joint was 'nasty' even when I was turning the box... I m looking forward to seeing what happens to this as it dries next to my wood burner 

[julcle]

Hi Arcos  --  So long as it doesn't end up IN the woodburner you should be ok.

[arcos]

julcle why do you think its there? 

[julcle]

Well, you say it's next to the wood burner drying !
This was one of my first litle boxes, look a bit like a mustard pot
when I come back to it, Hmmm.

[Bryan Milham]

Arcos,

Everyone has got to love that pink blush in the lid of your box. But I'm afraid the shape does not do much for me.

You might get a better fit if you reduce the size/height of the connecting rim and as other tips with undercuts etc..

The base tray just happened - that happens when you let the wood dictate to you and not the other way around.

Sorry but expect it to warp and not fit at all, very soon, especially if it's near any heat source, it will dry faster one side at a minimum so maybe even crack. Boxes do need to be made with fully seasoned timber.

[arcos]

dr4g0nfly I think, for me, the physical act of making shavings is far more important than the end result!

I recently read an article on the BBC website relating to Etsy and alike where something like, and I cannot remember the exact numbers, but 80% produce for the fun of it, 30 may earn a quid or two and only 5% actually make money i.e a living...

The shape is rubbish, it's a lidded small egg cup-thing with a weird foot type effort... My first effort and I really started from not remembering the video I had watched!

Did I learn something? YES!!!!!!

Did I have a play around with using gouges, scrapers? YES!!!!!

Did I grind an old spindle gouge into a long sided fingernail gouge? YES!!!!!

And thats it! I LEARNED!

I am expecting it to warp and, likely, end up on the wood burner where it is sitting... I actually WANT it to warp, distort, BECOME......!

Odd eh!

I want to see what it will become because it can't be any worse than it is right now.

What I did learn was that I have an idea from a piece of 'ceramic' that I had as a child that will make a very nice piece in wood!

I rather fancy that I will work on this idea and develop it to be a 'signature' piece (one day)

Until that day, I will make shavings and have F-U-N! 

[Bryan Milham]

You want it to warp - GOOD...

I did just that many years ago when I started thin stemmed goblets, I wanted to see and understand how they moved and became organic in shape. It can be really enlightening as an end result.

Enjoy the experiments.

[arcos]

I have SO much Medronho and, with the weather we are having, it aint gonna dry for about 5 years!

So, turn it wet and see what happens!

I have one piece, that I think I posted here a while ago, that now looks like a deflated rugby ball and NO cracks!

I will try and get a photo and post here in the next day or two.

Gotta see just what happens to the wood!!

[woodndesign]

Arcos, thank you for another of your FUN pieces.

Be happy making shavings life is tooooo short ...

David

[woody]

That's what I call happy turning long may you enjoy Arcos

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi arcos,
           it's a waste of time me commenting on this piece as you know everything there is to say about it. What I do like is the fact that you are turning and learning andenjoying it. I used to turn bits of wood to nothing just for the fun of it and every time come away having learnt something. When I first started I spent hours practicing how to turn beads and when I got fed up I would spend hours turning coves until eventually the muscle memory thing kicks in and the shapes come naturally each time. You might try drying this piece a little slower and see if you can re-visit it in a few months time.
regards
John BHT

[arcos]

John BHT

Hmmm turning wood to nothing just for the fun of it? Who on EARTH would do that (Shhhh yes me too!) 

Just turning to learn not to produce anything at all... Beads, coves, gouge control, "what happens if...", etc etc

This piece is ugly, doesn't work, doesn't fit but I love it because it allowed me to practice and learn something