Lidded Box

Making a simple lidded box is a fun project.

You can click on any of the images to see a larger version.

I started with a piece of spalted sweetgum just over 2″ x 2″ square. I placed it on the lathe between centers and turned it round. I formed a tenon on each side to fit my chuck jaws, marked the line dividing the base and the lid and then parted at that line.

I then mounted the lid section in my chuck and turned it true. I rough hollowed the inside of the lid and then cut the lid flange. It is important that the lid flange is the same diameter throughout its length. The sides must run parallel to ensure a nice fit to the base flange. I then finished hollowing the inside of the lid and sanded that. I trued the rim and rough shaped the outside of the lid.

Next I mounted the base section and established the approximate diameter of the base flange. I hollowed out the base and marked the depth on the outside of the blank. I parted to the headstock side of that line to a depth of about 1/2″. I then sanded the inside of the base. The next step was to refine the flange so that the lid was a tight fit. Go slowly on this step, it is very easy to overshoot and end up with a loose fitting lid.

I mounted the lid to the base and shaped the outside profile of the lid and base, including detailing the joint with a small bead either side. Just to be safe I brought the tail stock up during this stage.

I then parted off the lid and refined the fit of the base flange to the lid. I sanded the base and then parted it off.

Using the piece of wood left in my chuck I formed a tenon to make a jam chuck that the base was reverse mounted on in order to finish the bottom of the base.

As you can see from the next image the piece that I used for my jam chuck proved to be to small and punky. I had to make another jam chuck from some scrap wood in order to reverse mount the base. Here it is with the bottom finished and sanded.

The completed box, ready for a coat of finish. If you plan on applying a friction polish then it is best to do that on lathe after each sanding step. I finished my box with a couple coats of spray lacquer.

A great book to read is “Turning Boxes” by Richard Raffan. He covers all the details of turning a box, from cutting out the blanks to design considerations.

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