Stock Size: 2” square by 3” long – straight grain desirable
Quick Overview: You will make a box with the lid fitting over the bottom. The bottom is turned with a cone rising up from the bottom, with a long hole drilled through the middle of the cone through the center of the bottom.
- Round between centers and turn chucking tenons on both ends
- Chuck on one tenon and part off bottom of shaker using the 2:1 ratio
- Hollow the lid and cut inside lip for the bottom to fit into. (See step 4) Cut the outer rim thick enough to allow for shaping of the outside. Sand and seal the inside. Mark the depth of the lid hollowing on the outside of the lid.
- Chuck the bottom and cut a tenon for the lid turned in Step 3. Try to get a tight fit.
- Hollow the inside of the bottom, leaving a flattened cone sticking up from the center of the bottom. Make the top of the cone slightly below the top of the bottom, and cut a slight dimple in the top of the cone. Sand and seal the inside of the bottom.
- Drill a 1/8 inch hole in the cone all the way through the bottom. (Since a small bit may ‘wander’ and not come out at the center of the bottom, you can cut down from the top of the cone about half way, then turn the bottom over and drill from the center of the bottom to meet the first drilled hole.)
- Glue the two pieces together, lining up the grain accurately. Let the glue dry.
- Chuck on the top and hollow the bottom to a slight cone shape from the inside cone.
- Shape the outside of the shaker and finish. Use burned grooves or other technique to hide the glue joint.
- Carefully chuck on the bottom to finish shaping and finishing the top of the shaker.
- Fill with salt through the bottom hole and you’re finished.
- To use shaker, hold upright (with hole on the bottom) and shake up and down.
PDF of these instructions is here: Spano Salt Shaker
Write up and photo by Suzi Parker.