Box making advice

[Kermit]

Hi all

I've just made this silver box. it is a long way from perfect and I'm trying to learn to make the next one better.





When cutting the lid from the main body - I'm presuming it is just practice to get this cut level! Any tips to help?

There are a few marks around the body of the box, the only thing I can think of is that I've pressed too hard onto my bench peg whilst holding it to saw.

I've also noticed that it isn't perfectly round, despite using a mandrel. I need to pay much more attention to this next time so that the lid sits perfectly on the body.

I'd be grateful for any tips on improving this

Thanks

[Faith]

Hello,
I'm not an expert (not remotely) but just re the marks you spoke of (and maybe the roundness), I used to have a problem of accidentally squashing bezels while sawing / filing them. Now I fill the hollow part (where the stone would go) with a small piece of grs thermolock, which gives a bit of support to the walls from the inside while working on it. Other people will probably give you much better tips in a bit - but just in case it helps.
Faith

[Dennis]

Hi, making a box is quite challenging, so you have done very well. To answer some of your questions:

To scribe the side of the box, so as to separate the lid from the body, lay the scriber on some books or flat object on your bench at the required height and then rotate the body against the scriber.
I have also found it easier to cut through patiently in several places and then join them up. Finally when rubbing the cut edges on a flat abrasive surface, describe figures of eight, to get an even effect.

Marks are easily picked up due to grit and filings on the bench. Keep a large paint brush to clear these and use low tack masking tape to protect vulnerable surfaces on your work.

If you achieve roundness in a tube, it can still distort at the next heating, so you need to need to be sure it is completely annealed before you fix
its shape permanently with a top and base. Dennis.

[Kermit]

Thank you both, those tips are really helpful


Next challenge is to try a square one!

[CJ57]

I would also put the collet in the base rather than the lid, then the lid can be precisely matched to the box as long as the level of the box is true. It's worth , once you have soldered the base on, taking dividers right round the top to mark an edge to work to. The collet in the box will strengthen that structure then carefully sand down the lid to fit before soldering on the top. It's always difficult to cut a large tube and I have found sometimes scoring with the saw all the way round helps and as Dennis says always sand on a metal plate in a figure of eight

[Patstone]

I made a box to hold pound coins for parking etc, with the collet in the bottom but never got around to putting the bit on the outside so the lid had something to sit on. I will get around to it one day but it's in my "to do later" box.

[CJ57]

I made a box to hold pound coins for parking etc, with the collet in the bottom but never got around to putting the bit on the outside so the lid had something to sit on. I will get around to it one day but it's in my "to do later" box.

The bit that holds the lid is the bit I'm calling the collet, not sure what else to call it if you'll excuse the pun!