Curly maple, East Indian Rosewood, Birdseye box...

[Big Mike]

I mentioned in a response to Travis on the Verawood box that the figure or lack thereof is important to turned boxes. I have a lot of curly maple that is highly figured on the side grain but the end grain is completely blah.

In an attempt to make use of this wood I used some East Indian Rosewood that was dark and featureless, or almost featureless, on the side grain and had no visible grain features at all on the end grain to make a lid for a curly maple box and then inlaid a piece of birdseye maple.

The body of this box is turned from curly big leaf maple, the lid is from East Indian Rosewood and the inlay is birdseye maple inlaid as side grain. The box finished up at 2 1/2" tall and 3" in diameter.

 

[sapwood]

Mike, it's a delight to behold. I didn't pay much attention to your explanations . . . just gawked at the pretty box :eusa_danc

Roger

 

[Kyle]

nice job.. I really enjoy looking at your work.

 

[MikeH]

That's another great looking box!!! Great job!

 

[skeeter]

awesome!!

 

[cskipper]

Another gorgeous box!:icon_thum

 

[woodArtz]

Man! you make some great boxes. I have got to try that. Beautiful!:eusa_clap:icon_thum:eusa_clap:icon_thum

 

[Travis Porter]

The more I see of your boxes, the more I like them and studying the pictures.

Did you do the inlay work on the lathe?

 

[Gary G]

That's right purty! :icon_thum

 

[Big Mike]

The more I see of your boxes, the more I like them and studying the pictures.

Did you do the inlay work on the lathe?

Yes, the inlay is formed by gluing it to a blank and turning it to the size you want. Then you just part it off. While turning the lid to shape it is then just a matter of turning a recess to fit the inlay in. You sneak up on it carefully. A drop of glue and pop it into place. Let the glue dry and finish shaping the box.

Thanks everyone. I do appreciate the comments.

 

[Big Mike]

A drop? So the insert can expand and contract independently from the lid?

I am almost getting up the gumption to try a box like some of your simpler ones. :eusa_thin


maybe

:eusa_pray

A drop, exactly, Mike, right in the center so the wood can expand and contract. This is particularly important when the inlay is cross grain as in this birdseye maple. If the inlay is end grain it is not so important.

Go ahead and get your feet wet. I would love to have another addicted box turner to compare notes with.....It is great fun and a wonderful way to use small pieces of relatively expensive wood.

 

[Big Mike]

Well, I made a small box last weekend and I made a few 20 years ago. My wife carries one for a pill box. It is mahogany, very simple, but has held up well over time.

This is the ebony box I made last week. It's 9mm across.

Well, that cute little box could be a pill box as well as long as you don't want to put more than one pill at a time inside.:rolf::icon_thum

I have done a few miniatures using pen blank scraps and they are fun. I haven't done a miniature in ebony. Nice job, Mike.

 

[gsdoby]

Nice work. I am going to have to try a box if I ever get caught up with pens.