Salt Box Aesthetics

Hi,
This is an aesthetics question, not a turning question, so I placed it here.

A thread a few weeks ago got me off on to Salt Boxes. The pic is a salt box I am making of first class, hard as heck, tool dulling, pallet wood.

The background: A salt box will be used frequently. Therefore it is probably wise to have a top that came off and on easily. I have a top that works very nicely.

The questions are: From the stand point of looks only, do you like the top? I made a top that is easy to grasp. However, when seeking function, did I make it too big for the box? Would a different design look better? The knob will be hollowed down, like a wine glass, to make it visually lighter.

Since this wood dulls tools faster than a piece of granite, I would prefer to modify it instead of making a new top. However, after saying that, I am still open for ANY comments.

Actually, because of the wood, this piece has been a bit of a pain (along with the fun). If I wasn't stubborn, I would have used it for kindling.

The first pic: The lid fit down over the outside of the box.
The second pic: I trimmed the lid down and made it fit inside of the box to reduce the visual mass.

The thing in the lathe is the jam chuck I used for finish turning.

Thanks for your responses and Enjoy,
JimBIMG_1525.jpgIMG_1528.jpg
 
I think it looks swell oh King of Pallets!!:thumb: Maybe some burn lines on the thin top grooves. As long as it fits your hand well, functions as advertisied and keeps the bugs out...I'd say you had a winner!!
 
OK, since it is 2 to 2 to put burn lines or leave it alone; I am going to leave it alone except I will put some shellac on it. Besides that, the Queen of the Bradley Manor said, "Don't darken the lines."

The lines she referred to were cut into the wood with a lathe tool. There are two concentric circles on the lid's flange and two more on the knob.

Thanks for your insights and Enjoy,

JimB
 
I actually made one a while ago I still use pretty much every day.

Mine has a swivel type lid, but I could see it being nice to have pull off lid that you use while you cook, then close up and put away when done.

That looks very nice Jim. :thumb:
 
The box looks great to me Jim, I wouldn't change a bit of it. However, do you use a spoon topick up the salt or your fingers? If so, the mouth opening has to be big enough to put them in. As it is a stand alone picture, without any scale indicator I can't compare it although it seems it is allright from here.
 
"another vote for hickory.. its just a wonderful wood for dulling tools and beating the onryness outa kids" You are way too late to give me that advice. Where were you 50 years ago when the info. would have been useful?

"The box looks great to me Jim, I wouldn't change a bit of it. However, do you use a spoon topick up the salt or your fingers? If so, the mouth opening has to be big enough to put them in. As it is a stand alone picture, without any scale indicator I can't compare it although it seems it is allright from here." Toni, There will be a small Danish spoon, with a properly curved handle, that goes with the salt box. Notice that the handle leaves the "spoon" part at an angle, it goes into a convex curve and then changes to a concave curve near the top. It works fine.

Well, the pic was a dumb idea. It really does not give much of a clue to the size of the box. The diameter of the salt box is 2 3/8. The other pics (previous posts) showed the top of the lid. This pic is the bottom (inside the box looking up) view.

Enjoy,

JimB
 

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