wouldwurker Posted December 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 So after 3 days of staying up until 3am, waking up at 4am, and squeezing in shop time between my kid's brief naps, waiting for minute rice to cook, and any other minuscule gap in my schedule I could find....I finished by my deadline of this evening. This includes scrapping several half completed boxes and lids because they weren't good enough in my opinion. Presented 2 of the 3 boxes to my mom and my 10 year old niece. They were carefully wrapped in soft cloth with a curled red and green ribbon tied around them. Then, packaged neatly in Christmas themed boxes. They opened the package. Looked at the gift. And put them back in their respective boxes. The marblewood bottoms went unnoticed, as they weren't even flipped over. No comments were made. My mom said a lackluster 'thanks'....and eventually coaxed a painful thank you out of my niece. Neither of them even popped the lids off to see the handwritten notes I enclosed. Merry Christmas to me. Think I'll crack open a beer and admire the craftsmanship of this bottle for awhile. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 So after 3 days of staying up until 3am, waking up at 4am, and squeezing in shop time between my kid's brief naps, waiting for minute rice to cook, and any other minuscule gap in my schedule I could find....I finished by my deadline of this evening. This includes scrapping several half completed boxes and lids because they weren't good enough in my opinion. Presented 2 of the 3 boxes to my mom and my 10 year old niece. They were carefully wrapped in soft cloth with a curled red and green ribbon tied around them. Then, packaged neatly in Christmas themed boxes. They opened the package. Looked at the gift. And put them back in their respective boxes. The marblewood bottoms went unnoticed, as they weren't even flipped over. No comments were made. My mom said a lackluster 'thanks'....and eventually coaxed a painful thank you out of my niece. Neither of them even popped the lids off to see the handwritten notes I enclosed. Merry Christmas to me. Think I'll crack open a beer and admire the craftsmanship of this bottle for awhile. A shame those were beauties!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Yea, that's too bad.. Sometimes people just don't get it. They were very nicely done VJ! You could send me one any time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Sorry to hear the responses you got. Those were some gorgeous pieces of craftsmanship ! I made a mahogany box for my niece as a wedding present. She took time during her wedding reception to find me and exclaim that something hand made was so special . She grew up in a family of mechanics and craftsmen, maybe you should send them a link to this thread so they can get an idea how much time and thought went into those great little boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Jimerfield Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 that's when you stand up and say, 'WHAT, YOU DON'T LIKE-A MY BOX?" Loudly, with an Italian accent. If you still get nothing, then throw something. Stomp out of the room, and curse like a sailor. That's how it goes with my family, except we're not Italian. Which is why I stay home on holidays now. Just me, the wifey, the kid, the dog, two cats and a few chickens out in the "back forty" blissfully enjoying the peace. Oh, nice boxes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 9 out of 10 responses are disappointing. I usually expect the worst just because people are boneheads and don't understand what they're looking at. The most common positive comment you can hope for is how pretty the wood is. Occasionally you'll get a comment on a design element. Slightly less common is a remark about the finish. And the most satisfying but also the most elusive by far - a RARE notice of complex joinery. That's the 1 out of 10 comment. I do my very best during a build to remember...I am pretty much the only one who will appreciate the work that I'm putting into this thing. I look forward to the few atta-boys you can get here when you finish a piece. The only opinions that matter, really. So atta-boy, Vin. We appreciate it. Screw the rest of 'em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapid Roger Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 I agree with all of the above. I've made something for my five grandkids out of wood every year for Christmas for the past ten years or so. Everything from games and toys to a bed headboard and small keepsake boxes and the response is always the same...."thanks Papa". Oh they sometimes play with a toy or game or work a jigsaw puzzle that I've made but, mostly it is just the same old look as they open the gift "Gee, I wonder what Papa made out of wood this year?". Maybe someday after I'm gone and they are a bit older, they may appreciate those "stupid wooden toys made in the techie age" a bit more. I hope so anyway. I sometimes wonder how many of those gifts are still around. Were they just tossed or sold at a yard sale or something? Rog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradpotts Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 That is really sad to hear. They are beautiful boxes. I would kill just to have some of that wood in my house. In a high tec throw away world, true craftsmanship is hard to come by. They will appreciate it one day. Unfortunately, it might not be for many years. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 I made a ribbon handle box I had seen in a mag a couple of years ago. I made it to hold index cards that my mom had left to my wife that had some of her old recipes written on it. My wife loved it and asked me to make her aunt one. I did and gave it to her. We visited them this past summer and I saw the box in an old tool shed under a bunch of crap. A couple of months ago, I built the little pull grasshopper toy everyone else was making and gave it to our 3 yo nephew. He's about worn the wheels down to the retreads. He loves that darn thing. Just never know where the smiles will come from! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Perfect example is the reindeer phenomenon. You give someone one of those things, their eyes light up. Show them a bed you spent three months building...crickets. Morons, all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 I did 23 ice cream scoops and 11 cutting boards at Christmas and only got about 4 genuine complements and they were from the ones that really know what goes into making them. The funny thing is all the people (Morons to quote Eric) will be trying to figure out what I'm building next year because they actually do like/want those items. Some people are just poor at expressing gratitude. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Bailey Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 those boxes are amazing, both the wood selection and the work. when I made my wife's folks a cutting board they were genuinely impressed - see my wife had told her dad that I was making one for her mom (it was her birthday) and he thought I was just going to take a piece of wood and sand it down, maybe round over the edges, and be done with it. they were both shocked and very effusive at how impressed they were with what I made and truly, that kind of response is one reason why I think handmade gifts are so special. It was really the first thing I'd made and I think they did not know what to expect, so when that exceeded their expectations that may account for the reaction. they now want me to build a live-edge mantle for over their fireplace heh. maybe you guys are just too good at your craft and your family and friends have come to expect perfect work every time, and are taking it all for granted... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Jimerfield Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Perfect example is the reindeer phenomenon. You give someone one of those things, their eyes light up. Show them a bed you spent three months building...crickets. Morons, all of them. Next time just make a goose with a blue scarf. And if you really want to get fancy put a cheap clock in it. This very phenomenon is why it's VERY hard to make a living in the US making fine furniture. Most just don't understand why it costs so much more than Walmart. And frankly I don't think they want to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 2, 2015 Report Share Posted January 2, 2015 Going to try to make legs dado'ed into proud mitre keys, like this Vinn,I received this book last night. I don't know what happened to the other two I ordered. Some of the pics are a little too extreme for my taste. In fact the cover pic is borderline. There are definitely some in the book that appeal to me, the tastefully simple designed ones.Take a look at this ladies work. I've seen her and her work several times here at art festivals and was really impressed. More my style.http://squarepegnola.com/gallery.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted January 2, 2015 Report Share Posted January 2, 2015 That is a wonderful book. I really like the box with the lizard carved into the lid. It is far less complex than many of the boxes/containers in the book, but it has a simple elegance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted January 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2015 That lizard box is awesome...especially because the top is all inlayed, except for the carved head. The one on the next page with the 'Carpenter ants' is great too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted January 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2015 Vinn, I received this book last night. I don't know what happened to the other two I ordered. Some of the pics are a little too extreme for my taste. They're extreme all right...but it would be a pretty boring book of they were all square boxes. It's more of an art exhibit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted January 2, 2015 Report Share Posted January 2, 2015 Yeah, they're not all my taste, either. Many of them I find to be too gaudy or too rustic or too something. But I'm still inspired by elements of the work, and that's the only reason I have the book. Ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted January 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2015 I can't really figure out the ones that look like they're made of ganache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted January 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 Finishing the last 2 boxes. Different styles from the other three. Not pop-tops. Bolivian 'rosewood', marblewood, and a stained BBP bottom. These are going to grandmom. Grandma's appreciate everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted January 3, 2015 Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 Looking sharp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted January 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 I think I may have posted this before. This is a technique I saw in that Doug Stowe video. The boxes are made completely enclosed. The lids are cut at the tablesaw after sanding. But not all the way through, just leaving a very thin membrane. A marking knife finishes the job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted January 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 Chamfered and ready for magnets and finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted January 3, 2015 Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 They look great Vinny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 3, 2015 Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 Gotta like Doug Stowe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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