Turned Lidded Box
A Precision Fit Lid that Snaps Shut
By Alan Lacer
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Of all the different forms of woodturning, I find the most
delight in creating lidded boxes. The satisfying snap of a well
fit lid as it closes, the beauty of the shape and the wood combined
with the usefulness of a lidded container just do it for me. Turning a
lidded box is a demanding project, but anyone with a few bowls and some
spindle work under their belt can produce these wonderful objects. All it
takes is a methodical approach and sound technique.
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1. Turn your blank into a cylinder then cut tenons on each end with a parting tool. Use a caliper to size the tenon to fit your scroll chuck.
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Click any image to view a larger version.
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2. Use a thin-kerf parting tool to separate the lid from the base. This tool removes as little material as possible and helps maintain the grain match at the joint.
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4. Rough out the inside of the lid with a 1/2-in. side scraper. Hollowing end grain is best done from the center out to minimize tear-out.
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7. Check that the mortise does not taper in towards the center of the lid by holding a rule against the mortise. The perfect mortise will position the ruler so that it sits parallel with the lathe bed.
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| 8. Mount the base in the jaw chuck. Cut a tenon that tapers so the lid just fits on the end. Twist the lid to create a burnished line then shave the tenon down to that line. The fit has to be tight so the lid won’t spin as it’s turned on the base. |
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11. Shape the top of the lid with a shallow gouge. Let your creativity be your guide for the top design. Shoot for a 3/16" - 1/4" thick top.
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12. Use a spindle-roughing gouge to shape the rest of the box. A groove cut with a parting tool marks the bottom of the box.
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14. Cut a shallow V-groove at the joint with a skew. This detail helps disguise slight changes in circularity that may show up at the joint over time.
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16. Use a side radius scraper to continue hollowing the base after drilling out its interior using a drill chuck mounted in the tailstock. Start in the drilled opening and work from the center out.
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17. Part the base off from the blank. Be sure to leave enough wood on the base so the bottom can be scooped out in the next step.
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