November 2024 Meeting

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The November meeting of the CraobhEo 2024/25 year took place on Thursday the 14th November in the CraobhEo Centre in Aghamore.

Our demonstrator for the evening was Pat Horgan from the Limerick Chapter. 

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Pat’s demo was a box with a ring holder lid. This lid looks better if wider than base.

This project is made from rough turned kiln dried wood initially, dried out again and finally turned.

Rough turning.

Mount a beech blank, 110 mm by 55 mm in the screw chuck for box, true up and turn 3 mm deep recess in bottom for chuck using square end scraper. Remount in chuck, true up and decide design. Remove bulk from inside.

Mount beech lid blank 120 mm by 30 mm in screw chuck, true up and turn recess. Trim edge and remount in chuck. Remove bulk. Put both blanks in suitable area to finish drying.

Final turning

Mount dried out box and adjust until it runs true. Turn outside to your desired shape. Pat uses beads and coves in his design. Hollow out the inside with scraper, finish with a spindle gouge and use a special tool for bottom corner. Sand, apply sanding sealer and wax finish of your choice. Reverse and finish the bottom in the same way.

Next mount dried out lid in the screw chuck, true up the bottom, mark lid diameter and remove stock from side towards the inside, slightly undercutting the finish. Fit the lid to the box, hollow out underside and leave a chucking recess.  Turn curve on rim to a height of 15 mm. Sand and finish as above. Remount in chuck and turn top of lid which can be concave or convex depending on your design. Turn small recess in middle for ring post. Sand and finish as above.

Finally turn a ring post of contrasting wood, sapele in this case.  Mount a 25 mm square blank, turn chuck tenon and remount. Turn tenon to fit in lid undercutting the top and fit to lid. Turn the outside to your preferred design, remounting to complete. Sand and finish as above.  Box completed.

This was a very practical and informative demo. The finished box is very attractive and would make a lovely Christmas gift for someone special. Well done Pat and thank you for making the journey to Mayo and hopefully we will see you again in the not too distant future.