How to Turn a Small Box on a Lathe 

Thanks so much!

Thank You very much.

4/2024 watching again, again. My first lidded box is struggling. Lid little loose, and my teacher did it different way. I want to yours start to finish.printing out notes

5/2024 3 rd box..made . Your clear video is so helpful. Watch often and share!

I really liked it as well. It cuts so easily and cleanly that it takes your turning to a new level. After making this video I went back to my wood source and purchased 2 giant slabs of the sycamore. Another wood that turns as nicely is sassafras. It isn't quite as nicely figured but the smell is great, sort of a cross between root beer and licorice.

You are very welcome!

At Atco Elmentary and TR

Yup. Now that I am retired this is what I do. How are ? I hope all is well with you.

I am good, but we miss you. You were the BEST! Congrats on your channel that's got 1,000 Subscribers! Hope you continue to be successful!

It is called a Bedan (short a sound). The tool and name are French. The original word was bedane. I actually have 3 of them, a Woodriver (Woodcraft), a Sorby, and a Benjamin's Best (Penn State Industries). Just last night I was turning a bunch of tenons for mounting stock onto jaws and used my bedan. In the past I have used the edge of a skew chisel with a straight in push cut. I find the Bedan much better suited for the task. There are some woodturners who use a Bedan exclusively, just like a spindle gouge, for all of their woodturning and nothing else. Do a RU-vid search to see for yourself. Hope this helps. Dave

It depends on your needs. I use an 18in Husqvarna gas chainsaw. It will cut through anything I throw at it. Many people use electric chainsaws so that they can cut inside the shop in very cold weather. I know of many people that own one of each.

I have a couple of bedan's with different grinds. The standard is one side is straight and the other side goes off at an angl, around 45 degrees. The other grind is when both sodes come to a point in the middle just like a parting tool.

No problem at all. many of my boxes are years old and the lids fit just as well as when they were made. I gave away quite a few of them to fellow teachers before I retired. They are really handy for holding change for the soda machine. They all seem to be holding up as well.

I recently made a cherry box by using the traditional bowl type blank where you use the side 1/2 of the log after cutting off the pith area. While it's reasonably stable if I rotate the cover it tightens up in certain spots. Someone at our turning club said I should always turn lidded boxes using round wood leaving the pith in the center so it will shrink and swell evenly... I wonder if it will be more likely to crack like firewood always wants to crack to the center pith area. Your thoughts and experience on this.

Great points you raise! I have a local sawmill right down the road. The box in the video is a sycamore billet I purchased pre-cut. I was so thrilled with turning the sycamore I told him to let me know when he had some slabs available. Got the call and am sitting on 2 slabs 5 feet by 2.5 feet and 3 inches thick. I have cut some turning billets from the edge of this stock no where near the pith. Have not had any problems at all. Of course the slabs have been kiln dried. This could be a big factor,

Sorry if it bothers you. I was an elementary school Physical Education Teacher for 40 years. When I am in teaching mode I revert to an animated voice pattern that would help make the kids maintain focus. Blame it on the day job.