Make an Egg Box

“It’s springtime, the season when eggs traditionally get their moment of glory” so I made an eggbox. I hope you get inspired and if you don’t want to make an egg you can always eat one.

Step 1: How It Got Started

I turned this egg last week and found the result pretty boring. I wanted it to paint the egg with strips but I didn’t find out how to get perfect stripes. So then I got the idea of natural strips and started to search after different kinds of wood. And there they were: Paddock, birch, walnut and oak.

Step 2: What You Need

Paper,

pencil, ruler

Several pieces of wood I different colors and different thickness

Lathe, gouges

Wood glue

Chisel, mallet

Lathe, turning tools such as parting tool, spindle gouge, roughing gouge,

Sanding paper (240-600 grid)

Wax

..... and Easter eggs

Step 3: Let's Get Started

The dimensions of the final egg are 11 cm high and 8 cm width. I glued two parts, one for the bottom and one for the lid. Both with 4 cm waste wood on one end (to mount the piece in the chuck) and 6 cm colored wood which would be the lid or the bottom.

Gather different kind of wood with different colors. I used birch, walnut, oak and paddock. Next time I would exchange the oak with another kind of wood because it is very hard and therefor difficult to turn.

Plane the wood in different thicknesses. Mine thinnest was 0.3 cm and the thickest was 1.5 cm. Saw the pieces in 9.5 cm by 9.5 cm.

Step 4: Before Turning

Mark the center on both ends once the glue has dried (I let it dry overnight).

Make an incision with a chisel and mallet on one end for mounting the log between centers in the lathe.

On the second piece I removed the edges. (This made it easier to turn). The oak was very hard and difficult to turn.

Step 5: Turning the Upper Part (the Lid)

There are many ways to make a box and many different tools you can use. Take a look on YouTube to get some ideas.

Put on your face shield a dust mask and start turning between centers and turn at slow speed until your log is round. I started with a roughing gouge.

Make a chucking point and mount the piece in your chuck so you can hollow out the inside of the lid. I used a scraper for this, unfortunately I haven’t neither a ring tool nor a hollowing tool, but it worked out fine and I didn’t have to sand too much.

Make a tenon (a rim? Sorry how is it called?) so you can fix the lid to the box. I used my parting tool and deeper the inside. When you have your depth sand and wax the inside.

Step 6: The Lid Part 2

When you’re finished with the inside of the lid turn the outside in theright shape. I used my spindle gouge.

And ouch I turned the end to small so it broke, but that wasn’t a problem as I put the lid later on the bottom in the lathe to finish the top.

Step 7: The Bottom

Turn the bottom round between centers make a chucking point and chuck it up. Make another tenon and be careful try all the time if the lid fits. If you turn to much you have to start again and your egg will be smaller.

When the lid fits take it off and turn the inside of the bottom. Sand and wax.

Work on the outside with your spindle gouge or the tool that you prefer.

Step 8: The Finishing

Yes we are getting closer soon finished!

Put the lid back and if you turn an eggbox in one kind of wood you can line your grain back up. Now turn the lid in its final shape.

Continue with the bottom and when you pleased put back the lid, lower the lathe speed and sand. I used 240-600 grid. Put some wax on, take a rest, turn the lathe speed back up and polish it up.

Take the egg from the lathe and cut away the little mark with your knife or a carving tool.

Step 9: Enjoy!

Happy Easter to you all!

If you like this project, please consider to vote for me. Thank you!