Needle case

[TimD]

Has anyone made any small wood containers called "Needle Holders" or "Needle Boxes" and carried to craft shows? For the thing we've got coming up in June I want to make up a few to carry to see how they do. Let me describe it: a small (approx. 1" dia. x 4" long") with a 1/2" or so hole drilled about 2-1/4" deep and the thing turned with a a solid 1/4" or so bottom left in. The top of this is turned down to about 3/4" dia. x 1/2" with a groove parted for a 3/4" o-ring. The other piece (top or cap) is turned to about 1" dia x 3/4" long with a 3/4" dia x approx. 1/2" deep hole in the center.
I'm going to make these out of bubinga, bloodwood, black locust and canary wood. I also want to make up a few file handles by taking copper solder on reducer couplings and drill out the step flange then turning a wood hand and after attaching the copper ferrule drilling a small hole down that end for the file handle to slip into. I've made and used these myself for several years, to me they're much nicer than those bought ones with a zinc cap.

[pops-shop]

Haven't seen those, Tim

How about a picture of two. Be sure to let us know how they go.

fred

[stevefromnfld]

Sounds like a great idea!!!I like the little needle boxes.I'm going to search for some pictures.Good luck,,Steve.

[stevefromnfld]

http://www.moorewalnutworks.com/product/nt1.htm
I hope I did this right,I found lots more by googling "turned needle boxes",,,Steve

[TimD]

I finsihed one this morning and a friend was here so his wife grabbed it even before I could get a picture made. It was bubinga wood, 1-1/8" in dia. and about 4-1/4" long with the lid. I had burned 3 black lines around the body of it with a stainless steel wire and two on the lid. There are 4 turned bodies in my little shop and will try to do the lids tomorrow then maybe I'll get a pic or made to post. Of course my friend wanted to know how I sanded the top and bottom ends so smooth because he was expecting to see the lathe marks from the head and tail stocks.
That part is simple, I made a couple of wooden jigs to slide them down onto as I turn them. When I part a little off the bottom the tail sput mark is gone.
I would hae had 5 bodies turned but another friend came by and told me he was in a pickle. Tomorrow is mother's day and he didn't have anything yet. So a piece of bubinga went onto the jig and I turned him a miniature vase to give her. It was 4" high and 1-1/4" in dia. He is tickled to death & said that I had took him out of the dog house.

[stevefromnfld]

Sounds like an excellant idea Tim.I'll check back after to see if you get either picture up.I wonder could you explain alittle about the jig you use for making them.I'm new to the lathe,and I've made a couple of pens and keychains,but when I get some half done other projects cleared away I am going at the lathe for an uninterupted(I hope) time.lol.And I was going to send away for a treen mandrel,but as I already have a 1&3/8" expanding collet chuck,I was wondering do I really need a treen mandrel.Perhaps I can make up something.I'm sure in older days craftspeople didn't have much fancy chucks.
Anyway guys,,have a great day,and hopefully talk to you later,,Steve
PS:Happy Mothers Day to any mothewrs out there!!!

[TimD]

OK, here's a few pics. Steve the jig is just a couple of pieces of cherry that I drilled a hole into (for the smaller one I used a 3/4" hole and a 1" hole for the other one). I epoxied a 4" length of hardwood into the hole and let it set til cured then mounted the piece with the dowel on the lathe's 3" faceplate, turned and tapered the circle of wood so that it wouldn't be rough on the knuckles. I then turned the smaller 3/4" pc down to 1/2" and the bigger 1" to 3/4"
That way the turned dowel pin is always centered to the lathe head. Slide the drilled out piece of wood onto the jig and turn it down to make the needle case or whatever.
The darker pieces in the one photo is bubinga wood and the lighter case is ash. The 2 curvy things are little minature vases that I turned when a friend had forgot to get his wife something for Mother's Day.The 1 photo shows the o-ring groove that I cut.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Tim

Nice work. Now when you are talking needles, are you refering to knitting needles??? Seems like these are not long enough for them.

[TimD]

Sewing needles.

[stevefromnfld]

Thanks Tim,I just looked at it this morning,and that's a great idea.They're really nice those needle boxes!!So are the mini vases!!That's a great little set up for making those !Thanks alot,I'm going to give it a try later on...Steve :D