How bad of an idea is it to fit a cross-grain turned lid on a long grain turned box? Which lid-to-box mounting options are less prone to problems from mismatched grain direction?
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Cross-grain lid on long grain box
- Thread starter Holmes Anderson
- Start date
With a small, like 1 1/2 inch diameter max, it should not present too many problems. If you go over that size, it may end up being impossible to get the lid off some time. Burl does not tend to move as unevenly as side grain. When I make bigger boxes, I always make them out of end grain, and always from one piece of wood. That way, at least in theory, when you are done with the box, if it moves you should still be able to remove the lid. You may not be able to spin the lid all the way around, but, again, in 'theory' the lid and base will move the same so the lid should still come off easily.
robo hippy
robo hippy
It depends on the type of box and the fit that you want. Some boxes work well with an easily removed lid, one handed. Others are better with a friction lid.
How do you measure the badness of an idea? On a scale from 1=picking vanilla ice cream when you could have had chocolate chip to 10=my wife's decision to say 'yes' when I proposed, I'd put your mixed grain box at about deciding to put the old gas in the chainsaw instead of going to the gas station for fresh.
Seriously, with seasonal wood movement, you will not be able to have a snug fitting lid. Nothing wrong with a loose lid; it just won't impress other turners with your amazing skill. Otherwise, it might look funny. The only opinion that counts when it comes to funny looking or not is yours.
Seriously, with seasonal wood movement, you will not be able to have a snug fitting lid. Nothing wrong with a loose lid; it just won't impress other turners with your amazing skill. Otherwise, it might look funny. The only opinion that counts when it comes to funny looking or not is yours.
I've done it with ~7" diameter shrink pots. Loose fitting sit-on-top lids. Think of a flour jar on a kitchen counter kind of thing. Since the shrink jars are made from a hollowed branch you sort of have the same growth ring all around (not really, but close) so they don't go very oval.
Well, for me much depends on the wood and its characteristics. I orientate the grain in order to achieve the greatest effect, bearing in mind the species. So it's really a case of horses for courses.