Right at the start of the project, Pieterjan had already turned a similar box under Bob Krijnen’s guidance. Now, with a wealth of experience under his belt, and this time using self-forged tools, it was time to see how much had stuck and how his own tools functioned.
It starts with a log, already carved to a reasonable degree into the desired shape. This block then goes on the lathe, where the outer shape is turned first, and then the hollowing can begin. This box needs a lip at the top, under which the lid’s tabs can fit. The new hooks worked well for turning under this lip (see the second photo above).
As you can see in the photo with the wood shavings, Pieterjan is already quite adept at playing with the hooks. The thick, coarse curls at the front of the photo are from roughly shaping the pot, while the small, fine curls toward the back are from the finishing touches.
Once the pot is finished, the lid is made. Besides the tabs that need to be attached to the lid, it also has to fit perfectly. This requires careful work and frequent fitting.
A handle is cut out and carved on top of the lid, and the box is finished. Or at least, it still needs to dry, then be finished with oil or paint, and then the lid should fit and close properly.
