Richard Raffan turns a box with a suction-fit lid.

[@ronreynolds3353]

i love how unedited these are. :) excellent video.

[@victoryak86]

Same. Editing sometimes removes little details that are instructional.

[@victoryak86]

Every one of these videos is almost mesmerizing, watching this master woodworker turn a plain chunk of wood into a beautiful piece of art.

[@bradleycrewe1754]

Been watching your videos and turning for a few years now , and still learning everyday . Thank you so much for what you do .

[@tricolorturners]

Amazing! What seemed a bit of a struggle (mostly because of the camera issues) turned out perfect in the end. These longer videos are so fun as they help bring a dose of reality into the picture. Thanks gentlemen!

[@jakegevorgian]

Beautiful!❤ love your humor lol "don't take a photograph with a mirror behind" 😂

[@johnfrick9159]

It’s very enjoyable, to watch professional, and to see how you solve any challenges that come up. Thank you.

[@inspectr1949]

My most favorite turnings as the turning world has gone in all kinds of different and wacky directions in recent years, thank you Richard for bringing me back.

[@glennnord2511]

Thank You for your vidos , And I argree it is nice watching a master at doing woodturning and when you explain all your steps really helps .

[@glencrandall7051]

Thank you Richard. That is a very nice little box.

[@William_Kenny]

Wow what a stunning piece of wood and a Top class turn nicely done mate 👍👍

[@jimneely4527]

I love watching your technique in addressing the wood with the tools. Thank you for sharing.

[@tomislavtomasicwoodturning]

Awsome video as always 😀 These are only long videos that I like to watch..... Hope that in your age will have the will ans streinght to do woodturning like you do..... Looking forward to new one. All the best Richard and Dave

[@pjseiber2774]

Always enjoyable to watch a master craftsman.

[@jackmiyamoto5270]

great to see you producing more videos. We learn from the Master!!!

[@steve_blake]

I've been watching for a few weeks and my turning has already noticably improved! Now I feel the need to find some suitable wood and give box turning a go. Thank you Richard

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

If it's not fully seasoned, it's worth rough turning the box and leaving it a few weeks so the wood can do what it needs to do. It helps to pick a wood known for its stability.

[@steve_blake]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning I managed to get some really well seasoned wood and got a vacuum fit on the second try thanks to your guidance. I keep opening the lid to hear it pop, music to my ears!

[@ValioMadre7]

Enjoying & learning with all your videos. Much appreciated, thank you.

[@hfbowerndesigns810]

Thanks for the demonstration Richard. Appreciate your time and knowledge sharing Take care Cheers Harold

[@brianrowland5593]

Always rewarding to watch your videos Richard - you impart so much knowledge that not only inspire but enable viewers to refine techniques. Huon Pine looks like an interesting timber to try - beautiful fine grain but not too hard to turn. Love your masterly use of the skew - you make it look so easy! Subscribed!

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

This Huon was particularly fine grained - on the diagonal of the original 100mm square I counted over 500 annular rings. A catch on endgrain can pull out up to 3mm. As a timber Huon pine is oily, quite soft, and forgiving.

[@tomcoker9882]

Richard, thanks for the informative video. I heard that you show the process in real time, if that so and the turning parts were not speeded up, then I must be in snail speed, because it would take me a day (or more) to complete a box like that. I guess there is something to the saying “practice makes perfect”. Thanks for giving me a target to try for. Cheers, Tom

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

If you want real real time, with no talking this would take me about 25-35 minutes. In production I did 6 in a batch in about 2 hours: hollow six lids, then fit the lids and turn the profile, then turn the bases. That way I got into a rhythm for each stage. On a good day I'd turn twenty 40mm diameter boxes in cocobolo or African blackwood. That was in the mid-1970s.

[@tomcoker9882]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning Impressive as is, but mind blowing back then. I don’t have enough years left to get that good. And I couldn’t afford that much African Blackwood nor Cocobolo at todays prices. 😁 Thank you for providing us the instructions on how to do so much and giving us a target to aim at. Stay safe and well so you can keep the informative videos coming. Cheers, Tom

[@jamespence48]

How are doing now days? You are the best teacher I have had in wood turning. My 2 sessions with you in Provo UT. are quite memorable. Glad to see you are still making videos. Best wishes from James Pence.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Still alive and kicking, James, as you can see. Good to hear from you.

[@DougMilleratWoodSpunRound]

Great box with wonderful technique. Thank you Richard.

[@Roy1Cowboy]

This is a wonderful project with clear instructions. Thank you for sharing your expertise with the world!

[@dtork47]

Great instruction thanks again. Always learn a great deal. Stay well.

[@JWWoodturning]

Great demonstration and many tips on how to improve my box and lid making. Again can I ask that the cameras are moved back a little so we see more. There are whole sections, particularly in the split screen sections when there is very little in frame on the left hand side. I have made a few videos of my own and have gone back to look at footage afterwards to find I have not caught what I hoped in frame. To help with this frame your images a little wide and then you can crop or zoom your shoots in the editing software. A small tip in return of Richards many. Please keep making these as Richard is by far the best woodturning tutor I have encountered.

[@edwardchapman1914]

Glad to see you use the toe of the skew on large sphere’s away turns. Anything more than 3 inches or more has always been difficult if I am even slightly out of practice, on really large I even need to switch hands. Always been awkward for me.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I've always used the long point across the grain so I could see what I was doing.

[@kevingeaney7741]

I love the honesty of your videos! I'm not the only one that has to struggle with these things!

[@jamescarter8813]

Great presentation once again Richard. It is nice to see how to deal with troubles that an individual piece can bring and how to deal with them.

[@jackthompson5092]

A great teaching video Richard.

[@choffee]

A fascinating video. Such a delicate touch when required but those confident deep cuts when you can. Years of practice! Thank you for sharing that and taking the time to explain the reasons for the various steps. You are also a very good teacher it seams.

[@edwinleach7401]

Thanks for sharing a great video. Happy New Year 2.22.2022.

[@Jonathan-hd3hg]

Richard, I've been watching through your videos all weekend since Rex Krueger recommended your channel. It's truly amazing watching the work.

[@justinahrens1868]

Always a pleasure to watch your videos!

[@SiamWoodShop]

Thank you for sharing, such a wealth of experience and knowledge. I learn many tricks for your videos. Stay safe, John

[@moonwoodworks4607]

Very nice, gonna have to give this method a try.

[@DiemenDesign]

Thanks for sharing, and imparting your years of knowledge.

[@stevenhansen8641]

Outstanding, thanks for sharing.

[@alangibb3100]

Richard, loads of great tips there and what a lovely wee box , I think I need to practice a bit more before I try some of your tricks. Alan

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

The so called tricks make life easy... so I'd give them a go right away.

[@nielsvlietland5406]

great job!! Ray Key would be proud of you. nice channel mister. just discovered it.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I don't think proud is quite the right word. It's what he'd have expected from me. We chatted regularly for 40 years.

[@nielsvlietland5406]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning i,m sorry . i,m a beginning woodturner and i did not know you where such a big name in woodturning you,re self. i love the videos of ray key with the boxes and the level of finisch is the highest i think from all the videos i,ve watched. so that is why i reacted like that. great channel i can learn a lot here.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@nielsvlietland5406 No problem.

[@nielsvlietland5406]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning thanks, i,ve looked you up futher, but you are really big in this world.😁😊

[@debbiecoull6957]

I've really enjoyed your videos. I always encourage new turners to look at them. Are you planning on making more? Ta Debs

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I hope there will be more videos. My cameraman/editor has moved 2500km north, but we hope to do another shoot at the end of June. Meanwhile I'm trying to find time to learn to do it all myself. Alternatively people can still buy my Turning Wood, Turing Boxes, Turning Bowls, Turning Projects or Turning Toys videos, each full of useful stuff and more detail than here.

[@denisvienat849]

Belle réalisation et très bonne explication merci et bravo 👍👏🇨🇭👋

[@mattrichardson9012]

It’s cool to hear an Aussie voice. Still love urs tho Richard hahah but it’s nice

[@glennconstable3789]

Thanks for sharing Richard can you please tell me what scrapers you’re using and thickness of them please.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

All the tools are either Henry Taylor or Sorby. The scrapers are either ¼-in or ⅜-in thick. Either are okay hollowing to 50mm, but beyond that flexing can be an issue so I'd use the thicker.

[@leftymcshea6876]

There I thought I was the only one to rough fit the lid to base and forget to mark lid thickness. Wish I had a nickel...........😉

[@TheTequilaron]

Why is sticky wax better than tissue paper when taking up looseness between lid and base?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I found tissue paper tends to loosen the fit further whereas beeswax spreads to what is required and I retain the suction. If the lid is loose enough to require paper I'll remove the flange and turn another, even though that makes for a shorter box.

[@001Tezza]

Learning a lot from this series of video. Thoroughly enjoyed sitting in on your session at the symposium in New Zealand a couple of years ago, too. Just wondering about lathe speed - what you are using here and why that speed? Seems pretty fast to a novice like me. Thanks for continuing to help us learn this great craft (and art).

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

This blank is small and of even density, so would have been running about 1800rpm. Remember that turning is about letting the wood come to the tool, so a slower speed requires the cutting edge to be advanced more slowly, otherwise you're more likely to have a catch or, when turning a box, heave the lid off.

[@kenvasko2285]

Nice. Not a fast project. It must be precise.

[@victoryak86]

Did anyone hear what kind of wood this is? Thx.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Huon pine. There were around 520 annual rings across the original 100mm square.

[@timemachinewoodturning876]

hello I watched your film with interest beautiful finale of your work please see my last film and rate my work - thank you and best regards