Cindy Drozda Finial Box

The Finial Box Step By Step

(A picture of this box can be seen on my website at www.cindydrozda.com) 

·         Material Selection: Start with a piece of dry, straight grained, dense wood 2” x 2” x 3.5” 

·         Rough between centers, and turn a chucking point on each end 

·         Top of box in the chuck. Part off bottom of box. Shape, sand, and finish inside of top. Lid diameter is about 1.5”, with a parallel-sided tennon about ¼” long. 

·         Bottom of box in chuck. Flatten end of block and friction drive the flat inlay disk.  Disk is about 5/16” thick. For a 1/16” bead, the size of the disk is <lid diameter + 5/32”>. Disk should have parallel sides and flat face for about 3/8” in from edge. 

·         Shape box bottom, transfer disk diameter to its face. 

·         Partially hollow bottom of box. Don’t make the walls thin or the base small at this point. 

·         Fit the disk into a recess in the box bottom: If the lid recess is to be cut to the depth of the box body, the depth of the recess equals <desired lid tennon length minus desired bead height>. 

·         Sand the outside of the box bottom and glue the disk in place. 

·         Flatten the disk and cut a recess for the foot. Part in to remove the foot blank. 

·         Jam fit lid tennon into a recess in the inlay disk 

·         Shape, sand, and finish lid and finial. 

·         If desired, form a bead on the inlay ring with a skew chisel. Refine lid fit. 

·         Hollow, sand, and finish inside of box bottom. 

·         Chuck up a waste block and jam fit the box bottom on. Shape the box bottom, ending with a tennon for the foot blank. Sand the box bottom now. 

·         Glue on the foot blank. Shape and sand the foot, and finish the box bottom and foot. You’re done! 

For more hints on success with this project, check out my “Hints for successful box-making” handout.

This presentation can also be seen on the 2004 AAW Symposium DVD/Video. 

Many other designs are possible using these techniques. If we all share, we all grow. Feel free to copy, but let that be a stepping stone to discovering your own voice! 

Please turn responsibly!

Use eye and lung protection!

Have fun!