I am impressed with the art and workmanship. Very nicely done!
I have no idea how these are made, nor how the wood rings are integrated with the lids or threaded to match the jars. Can you share a few hints?
There was an article on the basic concept of turning wooden storage jar lids in recent issue 348 of Woodturning Magazine.
The standard Mason jar used in home canning has a two part metal closure consisting of a threaded ring and a metal plate with a gasket attached to the bottom. Users are expected to heat the filled container, place the plate on top of the jar, and then loosely thread the ring in place. As the contents of the jar cool and contract to create a vacuum in the airspace at the top of the jar, the metal plate is drawn down to seal the container. But many food items are sold in jars that are the same size as Mason jars but with one-piece metal or plastic screw lids, and it is also possible to purchase both one-piece (plastic) and two-piece (metal) replacement lids in supermarkets. So the nature of the project determines which type closure is required.
The concept for this project is very simple - start with a square scrap of wood that is larger than the diameter of the jar lid, and thicker than the height of the lid. My experience is that 3/4" dimension lumber will work, but starting with a full 4/4 blank makes life easier. Find the center of one face; press the blank against the jaw face of a scroll chuck, and turn to round. Cut a tenon on the headstock side of the blank, and then remount gripping the tenon in the chuck jaws, and turn a mortise in the tailstock side that is slightly deeper than the height of the lid (or jar ring), and that has a diameter such that the lid or ring will fit snugly into the mortise. I generally start the mortise with a Forstner bit, and then fine tune both the depth and diameter using a box scraper. Remount using the chuck in expansion mode to grip the mortise, and finish the top of the lid. as desired. Sand and apply finish, and then glue the jar lid into the mortise; I prefer epoxy, but polyurethane glue works and others have found that this is a great application for hotmelt glue.
Potpouri lids are sold by a number of suppliers including both PSI and CSUSA; they are metal castings (often pewter) with a tenon on the bottom. When making a potpouri jar, first measure the diameter of the tenon, and then while holding the blank in the mortise described above using the chuck in expansion mode, cut an opening through the top of the blank that is the same diameter as the tenon on the potpouri lid. Apply a small amount of glue on the tenon, and press it into the top mortise. Since potpouri jars must be open to allow the aroma to escape, glue a Mason jar
ring (not lid) into the bottom mortise.