Popular Post BeautysBeast Posted July 6, 2016 Popular Post Report Share Posted July 6, 2016 I made this box on Monday for our neighbors in Tennessee. We have a vacation/retirement home down there, and our beloved neighbors keep a really good eye on it for us. So I wanted to make them something to show our appreciation. I still need to finish sanding, and decide on the finish. It is made out of Redheart, Tigerwood, Canarywood, and Walnut. The top is Zebra wood. Oh. I made the mallet the same weekend. It is also my first. Walnut and Blister Maple. The handle I made out of a piece of log from the firewood pile. Not sure the type of wood it is. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterDrow Posted July 6, 2016 Report Share Posted July 6, 2016 Cool box! How does the top open? Hinges or lift-off? What sort of joinery did you use? Would love to see it once you've applied finish to it. I'm going to be tackling some small wooden boxes for collectible card game decks soon... taking ideas from ones I've seen online and trying to combine the interesting features of a couple of them. Is it just me or does it seem that smaller boxes are harder than larger ones to pull off well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janello Posted July 6, 2016 Report Share Posted July 6, 2016 It's all down hill from here...hold on to your wallet, it will want to get away from you now that the addiction is embedded. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterDrow Posted July 6, 2016 Report Share Posted July 6, 2016 Yeah, it's definitely not a cheap hobby. I've learned that as long as I make stuff for my wife along the way, she's very supportive. Craigslist finds have saved me a lot of money, though. Was able to upgrade from my old Skil tablesaw to a Craftsman 113 for $50. Still need a better fence but it's already light years ahead of what I had. I've also discovered that I can order wood from my company's supplier at their cost so that means 4/4-8/4 rough cut walnut for $6.80/bd-ft, cherry for $3.50/bd-ft, etc. Easily half of what I can get the same wood for elsewhere in town. That certainly helps in a big way, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeautysBeast Posted July 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2016 The lid will be hinged, and the joints are just but joints into the squares on the corner. The box was about a quarter of an inch thick, and I didn't want to practice cutting joints I have never used on expensive wood. Next time I will use better joints. Smaller is always harder if you compare equally. the mistakes show more. I have fallen in love with that red heart. It has such amazing colors in it. But I agree with Janello, it is REALLY expensive. I can see using it for inlays and such. But that is about all I can afford at this point. I also built a 16 foot workbench, complete with a drop for the miter saw, and inlaid my router table. It was a productive 4 day weekend. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted July 6, 2016 Report Share Posted July 6, 2016 Box looking good...Like to see the woekbench also.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeautysBeast Posted July 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2016 The shop is posted in the shop section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted July 6, 2016 Report Share Posted July 6, 2016 Thats quite the selection of woods there ! Nice work. How did you join the end grain of the front/back/side boards to the long grain of the corner pieces? Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted July 6, 2016 Report Share Posted July 6, 2016 I challenge you to build a pair of gigantic dovetailed blanket chests and tell me one little box is harder. ? Nice job man! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeautysBeast Posted July 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2016 Uhm, that is why I mentioned when you compare them equally. Am I wrong in thinking a small dovetailed box is harder? I honestly don't know, I would just think that with smaller dovetails, there is less room for error. Again, I will admit that I am no expert, and will defer to those who are. I joined the edge grain with the long grain using glue, and clamps. My next box I am going to tackle lap joints, and then on to dovetails, but I didn't want to screw up 70 dollars worth of wood "practicing".. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted July 7, 2016 Report Share Posted July 7, 2016 Nah I don't think so. There's no room for error in any project regardless of size. But bigger means more joinery, more wood to work, heavier and more awkward parts to fit together. They're all challenging but I'll take a small project over a giant one any day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted July 7, 2016 Report Share Posted July 7, 2016 The only thing better about a small project is that it takes less gkue & sawdust to hide the gaps. Nice work, keep those projects coming! I am quite serious when I say that hearing / seeing someone's path to discovery is often more enlightening to me than a more experienced woodworker simply stating how it was done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeautysBeast Posted July 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2016 Thank you Eric, lesson learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 7, 2016 Report Share Posted July 7, 2016 Box making is a great start and I started with this book by Doug Stowe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prov163 Posted July 7, 2016 Report Share Posted July 7, 2016 BeautysBeast, nice project! The variety of woods is cool. Welcome to an extremely fun hobby that can quickly become an obsession. This forum is great for advice and encouragement. Keep challenging yourself and posting your progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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