Salt Shaker Help

[Marmotjr]

I have a nice piece of sycamore that I turned into a salt shaker. Basically it's a lidded box with holes drilled in the lid. On the initial turning, the lid fit tight enough, but as I'm finishing it, it's come loose. It's perfectly tight enough to be a lidded box, but as a salt shaker, it won't end well. Right now, It fits perfectly tight with two layers of paper towels as a Jam chuck. I was able to do the final shaping and finishing like this, even at moderately fast RPM's.

So the question is, how do I make it tighter? The lid has the tenon, and the box has the mortise. I don't have a way to hold the lid to cut off the old tenon and shape a new one. The Box still has it's base tenon on it, mounted in the chuck.

Any ideas? Or should It just become a potpourri scent box?

 

[1080Wayne]

Abandon the lid and insert one of these or equivalent . You will then have one with holes which won`t plug up as the salt pulls moisture out of the air .

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/54/3189/Artisan-Salt-&-Pepper-Shaker-Kit

 

[jttheclockman]

I have a nice piece of sycamore that I turned into a salt shaker. Basically it's a lidded box with holes drilled in the lid. On the initial turning, the lid fit tight enough, but as I'm finishing it, it's come loose. It's perfectly tight enough to be a lidded box, but as a salt shaker, it won't end well. Right now, It fits perfectly tight with two layers of paper towels as a Jam chuck. I was able to do the final shaping and finishing like this, even at moderately fast RPM's.

So the question is, how do I make it tighter? The lid has the tenon, and the box has the mortise. I don't have a way to hold the lid to cut off the old tenon and shape a new one. The Box still has it's base tenon on it, mounted in the chuck.

Any ideas? Or should It just become a potpourri scent box?

Because wood moves so much I believe it is quite hard to make something that needs to be basically air tight. I believe when they do salt shakers they do a screw on lid and not a friction fit. You can do the old water trick and make the fibers swell and CA it or just layer CA on the tenon.

The other method is to make it a hollowed out fixture and use a cork or bong on the bottom to hold the salt in. I believe you may want to glue the top and bottom and just bung hole the bottom. Something like a piggy bank.

Last method is they sell the inserts for salt and pepper mils but you use sea salt. That is all I have for you. Maybe others can better help. Good luck.

Or wayne has another method.


I believe you are going to have to seal the wood also some way. If you decide to glue the top and bottom it would then behoove you to seal it before you glue.

 

[Marmotjr]

Yeah, I know about the kits, but I am trying to go kitless. This is for home use, not for sale, so it's an educational thing for me too. If I were to produce shaker's for sale, then definitely a kit.

Guess I'll drill a Bunghole. Which means I'll need to turn some cork. From past experience, don't turn cork TBC, compresses too much for accurate measurements .

 

[TellicoTurning]

I'm rarely successful making tight friction fit lids... when I make salt shakers, which is rare, I use the rubber bungs that fit in the bottom and permanently attach the lid. Not sure how you could drill for the bung at this point though.

 

[KenV]

Jerry Bealle of polishing and collet chuck fame used thin strips of cork in a shallow rabbet to provide friction and elasticity to keep the lids on treen boxes. Some have used a couple of O rings to do the same thing.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Jerry Bealle of polishing and collet chuck fame used thin strips of cork in a shallow rabbet to provide friction and elasticity to keep the lids on treen boxes. Some have used a couple of O rings to do the same thing.

I forgot about the cork tape... don't remember where I got it, but have a roll of cork tape that can be fitted in the shallow rabbet... do a search for corp tape...

 

[hilltopper46]

Nick Cook demonstrates a "Mystery Salt Shaker" that doesn't have holes in the top of it and that is made entirely of wood. Search Google for "Nick Cook Mystery Salt Shaker" and you will get a number of hits on it. Here is one set of instructions - there are others: http://www.mavenmakers.com/pdfs/mystery_salt_shaker2.pdf

 

[CREID]

How about turning a groove or two and using O'rings?

 

[CREID]

Oh sure, KenV. Sneak it in before me. Maybe it was the time difference between Alaska and Washington.:biggrin:

 

[jttheclockman]

Oh sure, KenV. Sneak it in before me. Maybe it was the time difference between Alaska and Washington.:biggrin:

A whole day!!!!! Some time difference:biggrin:

 

[CREID]

Oh sure, KenV. Sneak it in before me. Maybe it was the time difference between Alaska and Washington.:biggrin:

A whole day!!!!! Some time difference:biggrin:

Hey! It's only 12 hours. :biggrin:
I guess I should read ALL the other posts before I step in (it).

 

[jttheclockman]

Oh sure, KenV. Sneak it in before me. Maybe it was the time difference between Alaska and Washington.:biggrin:

A whole day!!!!! Some time difference:biggrin:

Hey! It's only 12 hours. :biggrin:
I guess I should read ALL the other posts before I step in (it).

Where is the fun in that:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin: