Popular Woodworking 2001-08 № 123, страница 53

To glue up the she// segments, I made a "gluing form" of the shell. I used this form to hold the pieces at the correct angle as the glue set up.

120° v-grooving bit: Eagle America, 888-872-7637, item #132-2805, $56.99

Toggle clamps: De-Sta-Co clamps, Reid Tool Supply, 800 253-0421, item # TC-215-U, $8.15 each

Avoid the normal (and commendable) habit of sanding before finishing except on the razor edges on the base. The sharp angularity of the lid, head, neck, and legs, gives the turtle its faceted geometric character. Finish with your favorite wipe-on oil.

Line the underside of the lid with self-adhesive felt to prevent wear and tear on adjacent wood surfaces, silence the assembly, and add a touch of elegance to the interior.

Finally, attach the chain lid supports. I use light-gauge "hobby chain" available at any hardware store. Install the chain with brass wood screws to the sides of the box and the inside center of the shell. Experiment with the length until the chain neatly folds itself into the box as the lid is closed. As you drive the last screw into the

WE ALMOST PULLED IT OFF

More correctly, we did pull it off — the head, that is. In the photo at right, you'll notice that the head is tenuously attached to a walnut tab protruding from the shell. In John's original incarnation of the Box Turtle, the head was to serve as the handle for the lid. After the construction photos were taken, the lead "location" shot was made by our intrepid wildlife photographer, Al Parrish. While positioning the turtle to catch its best side, Al inadvertently snapped off the head. Rather than blaming Al for mishandling the beast,John admitted the design flaw and reworked the project as reflected by the text, drawings and all other photographs in the article. We thought we'd successfully pulled off the switch until we

As you install the chain, be careful where you place the screw in the shell;parts of it are thin and your screw could appear on the outside of the shell.

noticed the turtle still rearing its head in the chain attachment shot. Rather than cropping the head, we thought we'd give you an insight into some of the behind-the-scenes madness associated with the evolution of a project — especially when John is involved.

53 Popular Woodworking August 2001