Drum Style Box with Pewter Insert

PROJECT #2211

Skill Level: Intermediate

Time: 4 Hours

Cost: $30

Interested in the novelty of melting, casting, and texturing pewter? With this turned drum style box, I’ll show you how to make a beautiful enhancement to any woodturning or woodworking project.

Begin with a blank of wood that is 6" long and 3" square. I chose a rippled maple blank, often referred to as curly maple. Find the center of one end by marking a couple of lines on each end, from corner to corner. Then I use a center punch to pop an indent in the middle where the drive and revolving center will be located. I prefer to use the Sorby Stebb center or a similar drive from PSI Industries to mount the square and a revolving ring and point center in the tailstock.

Prepare and Separate the Blank

First, I use a spindle roughing gouge to turn the box blank from square to round. Next, I use a pair of dividers to set the diameter of the tenons. There will be a tenon turned on each end of the blank