I confess that the little picked out grain spots that appeared on the lid after waxing would have become a ‘feature’ if it were my box. I’m impressed that you went after them.
This is by far my favourite wood turning channel. Informative, interesting in every sense, although I must admit I was holding my breath a few times in different parts of the process. Thank you for sharing yet another masterpiece. Greetings from Tasmania Australia.👍😁
I'm ten minutes in and had to pause to thank you for confirming the peeling cut to finish. Local members doubted me when I described turning a very curly maple tool handle. I said planing cuts caused tear out, but gentle peeling left a nice surface. Looking forward to the rest of the video.
Amazing you take a small piece of wood and make a beautiful little box out of it. I have really enjoyed watching your videos. Thank you so much for making them.
Another gem indeed! Many thanks to you and the late great Ray Key for the treasure trove of box turning lessons. It has long been my favorite time spent at the lathe.
Another example that I can learn a lot from. Your explanation of what you intend to do and then the example of doing it stick in my mind much better than a written ( even though fully detailed and accurate ) explanation. Thanks so much for what you do.
Great video all the way through. Nice to see a challenging bit of wood used to make this, and show the problems and how to address them. Great work. Thank you for sharing your experience Richard.
An elegant little box. I am not a woodturner, but I am a potter, and I am struck by the similarities between the two, although I do believe Woodturning is infinitely more difficult!
I'd reckon turning wood is much easier than throwing clay. Your biggest advantage is being able to recycle the clay if you mess up a pot. I'm delighted not to undergo the trauma associated with decoration, glazing, and firing.
I like the fact that you are using "real world" wood for this - or at least MY real world. So many of the demonstrators use wood that is really easy to work. Nothing against wood that is easy to work, but a lot of it is pretty plain (in my opinion). Cheers!
Another informative video and for me very timely as I just turned the first of several little boxes. The tips on shaping the joint of the top and bottom were very helpful. I also like the idea of the bead at the joint. Thanks again for making these videos, they are inspiring and educational. Cheers, Tom
Great box Richard, Lovely grain in red gum, I like turning it as well, although it certainly can offer some challenges with its twisty grain at times. Pity you don’t use resin to fill cracks and holes in wood as this would have made a great square or round bowl as well. Really enjoy your work and instructional videos Richard. Thanks for sharing.
I went through my filling-splits-with-coloured-epoxy phase 40 years ago and found that longterm the epoxy remains inert whilst the wood moves around it. Plus the wood darkens so eventually the surface is totally different to what I had initially.
How do do account for season in fitting? I find that if I turn a box in winter sometimes I can’t get the lid off in summer. I live in a place that is quite humid in the summer. Do you just go back and adjust?
I've found that if you choose a well-seasoned wood known for its stability seasonal movement isn't much of a problem with endgrain boxes. If the grain is aligned as it was in the log and both lid and base are about the same thickness, the chances are both lid and base will do the same so a slightly oval lid still suction fits over a slightly oval base.
I know this may seem a really petty question, but what brand is your sandpaper please as I love the coloured background to help identify the grit? I have to keep writing on mine as once I tear a piece off, it always lacks the grit number. Thank you and thank you for the informative and honest videos. It is reassuring to see someone of your experience make mistakes and get catches too.
A common question! The abrasive is Colour Coded Grit www.veneerinlay.com.au/product-category/sandpaper/emery/. If you’re in North America, I’m told it’s stocked by Craft Supplies USA.
Since I’ve been a subscriber I’ve learned how to clean the inside of an end grain box in seconds, I’m way more comfortable with my skew, and I’ve got beads on the rim of a lot of bowls, so thanks so much, I’m glued to the screen of my phone, learning everything I can. I was wondering why your parting tool doesn’t come to a point like mine? Does that shape cut better!
There are broadly two styles of parting tool designed not to bind: the diamond-shaped with the edge in the middle, and those like mine that are slightly wider at the bottom. The latter is much easier to grind, added to which diamond parting tools are often not that well made so it's tricky to get an edge on the widest part of the tool.
I could see myself inadvertently making the lid fit a tad loosely 😐. In such a case is it possible to “build up” the finish a little to correct that? I guess there’s only so much one could do. Another excellent video.
In that situation I shorten the base until it does fit. Some early boxes were almost entirely lid. Maybe I should do a video on what can go wrong turning boxes with suction-fit lids.
@@RichardRaffanwoodturning thanks for that. One of the things so helpful about you and your teaching is how you confront the inevitable “challenges.” Instead of getting frustrated you adapt which is a great example for novices like me. Love the design of those boxes and just finished your one on those thin bowls that take on different form as they dry. Those are really neat as well and are the kind of things people admire and say “how in the world was that done?” Getting close to buying a lathe so returning to your channel often😄. Best, Chris
@@RichardRaffanwoodturning I do think any videos you do on the boxes, challenges etc would be great. I like the idea of making a set of spice jars when I get to that point. I’ll watch anything you put out. No one explains stuff better. Cheers
The abrasive is Colour Coded Grit www.veneerinlay.com.au/product-category/sandpaper/emery/. If you’re in North America, I’m told it’s stocked by Craft Supplies USA.
The abrasive is Colour Coded Grit www.veneerinlay.com.au/product-category/sandpaper/emery/. If you’re in North America, I’m told it’s stocked by Craft Supplies USA.
Hi Richard, we’ve talked about me buying a piece of your work in the past. If this box made of Redgum is available please let me know a price and we’ll do it. Regards, Vic
There''s a video on honing ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-98gCdVQ5F9I.html and the skew is honed the same way. I only hone a skew for scraping and will return to the grinder before using that bevel again for shear cutting
Absolutely awesome work. You do some really great turning but you scare me to death. I’m setting here with 5 stitches in my little finger and there you go sticking your finger to fill a piece of wood with it turning. I look and say that could be a broken finger. Beautiful work but scary sometimes
I learnt decades ago how to stick my fingers into endgrain without catching them, but for a few weeks I did sustain some messy wounds. Turning for a living there's no time for stopping the lathe every few minutes to check stuff you can feel.
Hi Richard, I had a problem bit of wood where I tried everything to stop tear out, didn't realise about a peeling cut working so will try. Could I ask you about why you wax first then oil? Thanks again for your video's. Dave UK
Low peeling usually copes with very twisted grain. Finishing boxes I usually go with beeswax on its own, whereas bowls mostly get oiled, then waxed. It doesn't matter too much which goes on first as the oil and wax are mixed on the spinning wood.
Just out of curiosity. Have you ever got into the chuck with the tool? I always worry a little on that but don’t personally know the consequences of it. As always, I enjoyed it.
Several reasons small boxes are endgrain. 1. The endgrain on a small diameter crossgrain box is very difficult to cut cleanly and heavy sanding will make the cylinder slightly oval, long grain being softer than endgrain. 2. With endgrain there's less movement with changes in humidity. 3. Finials and similar fine details are easier to turn and less likely to break. 4. Endgrain is much easier to sand and it doesn't distort the shape because the grain density is even.
I guess after 55 years of turning I don’t like making things from end grain.. weather cause swelling and cracks.. wood has to be sealed to prevent it. why push it just make from long grain Richard.. I have seen to many failures.. how do I say it nicely..Folks get the wrong idea..
I'm not sure what you're trying to say nicely. I know a reasonable amount about turning boxes having turned about 4000 endgrain boxes during my 53 years as a professional turner, as well as a few hundred crossgrained boxes. I've always used well-seasoned timber known for its stability and suitablity as box material and never had the porblems you're alluding to with endgrain boxes. You do get movement problems with crossgrain boxes which is why it's prudent to have loose lids on crossgrain boxes. You might find my book Turning Boxes useful. www.richardraffan.com.au/books-and-dvds/
