Turning Box Question ???

I have been turning a few boxes lately (see Picture below) and the way I have been doing them is like this......round the stock and turn a tennon on both ends........about 1/3 or so down I cut thru it so there is one short pc for the lid and one longer pc for the box part itself.....two distinct sections...put the lid in the chuck and hollow it out - sand and finish the inside - leaving the edges intact and not sanding them (if necessary i can sand with a block of wood and sandpaper and it will keep it true)

Next - chuck up the box part and turn down a tennon that will snuggly fit into the lid (that is not on the lathe)....then hollow it out......turn the bottom and finish off the contour of the box totally...... sand and finish inside....put the lid on the box with the tennon and touch up the entire project.....tail stock out of the way and trim the top flat.....wrap the two sections together with duct tape and make a crater to accept the finial on the top in the middle.....then finish off the entire box however you want.....

Question:......after the nub is turned away and gone wondering if there is a better way then duct tape to hold the two halfs together to turn the crater etc............................??????
Besides making a friction fit.......

Dan Mosley said:

Besides making a friction fit.......

Click to expand...

That last line threw me a little; it seems like you already have a "friction fit" ... or at least had one at some point. But I'll assume that the snug fit of the base tenon into the lid is considered insufficient.

In that case, I think you're on the right track with tape ... although I would suggest blue "painter's tape" instead of duct tape. Another option is that clear pallet wrap stuff ... or even several layers of kitchen-type "cling wrap", pulled tight and secured by whatever tape you think is best.

If the base/lid joint has been compromised, and seems unacceptable even for tape-based methods, you could always turn a jam chuck from a (softer wood?) scrap.

Kerry........messed up the the terminology I guess.........yeah I understand I can make a jamb chuck............the tape method works ok for alot of the touching up but when I cut into the lid (end grain) it can loosen but then again maybe i should wrap it more than just once around...........
I have also used paper towel if it is a bit to loose to cover the tennon between the lid and body and then press it on - that works to.......ill try to get better pictures today if im off.............thanks

I either use a friction fit and if I get it a little loose use a paper towel. Failing that I will make a jam chuck. I guess tape would work but have never tried that myself. Great looking box you have going there Dan although for my personal preference I would cut the finial down by 2/3's. Just me though.

Bernie...........yep friction - tape or jam chuck......I just was being a bit lazy and did not want to mess with making a jam chuck unless i had to.

Agree on the finial but im making several boxes for some people at work and I have been using some of the finials I had laying around. Most of the time I like shorter thicker finials. The big reason is I have made alot of thin very fragile ones and people have broke them. Even dusting and knocking them on the ground will break them. I had to remake several so I try to make them a bit thicker now a days...................Thanks