wtnhighlander Posted August 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 I got a little time on the boxes this week. I cut fingers on the cherry box sides, but I'm not as happy with them as I would like I did the long fingers on the TS, but had some chipout at one corner. I did the short sides by hand, and my saw didn't track perfectly. It fits, but with a slight gap. Still thinking about how to improve that. I switched back to using my TS and miter sled for the walnut "straps" on the pine box. Still one piece to cut. Getting there, slowly. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 A few more minutes of stolen time in the garage today (a quick few, since it is our 29th wedding anniversary!), so not much accomplished. I decided to try tightening the fit of the finger joints on the cherry box, by glueing a plane shaving on each side of the end-grain figure. That should give me enough "meat" to pare to a snug fit. I know most would just re-cut the parts in a little box like this, but I have my reasons. I'm cheap. I need the practice recovering from such mistakes. Sharing it here may help some poor noob fix THEIR mistake in the future. While the glue dried on the cherry parts, I started forming some wooden hinges for the pine box. These are made of mulberry, and will be applied over the walnut strap in the back. Mulberry has a nice gold color when fresh cut. I'm hoping a good finish and avoiding the sun will help it stay that way, so it emulates a brass hinge. The hinge pins are just finish nails. I will cut them to length and use CA glue on each end to lock them in place. The leaves of the hinge will eventually have a more decorative shape. How decorative depends on how ambitious I feel at the time! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 No shame in practicing some skills that could be needed on a project where you'd cry with a mistake! Nice job! I look forward to seeing how it worked out! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Very cool! Happy anniversary! 29 years is quite an accomplishment nowadays! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Cool indeed. Looking good 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapid Roger Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Might I suggest the you exchange the STEEL finish nails on your hinges with some BRASS rod of equal diameter.I'm afraid the even with glue and finish over them they may eventually rust and stain the wood. You can find small diameter brass rod at you local hardware store in one foot lengths and it is not really very expensive. Rog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Might I suggest the you exchange the STEEL finish nails on your hinges with some BRASS rod of equal diameter.I'm afraid the even with glue and finish over them they may eventually rust and stain the wood. You can find small diameter brass rod at you local hardware store in one foot lengths and it is not really very expensive. Rog Thanks, Rog. I had considered using brass, and may do so if my local hobby store has some in 1/8". I worry more about the steel rust binding the hinge than about the appearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Taking Rog's suggestion to heart, I decided to go with brass pins. None of my local hobby or hardware stores seem to carry 1/8" solid round brass rod, so I had to improvise by filing some brass machine screws down to size. Works pretty well, but the screws are harder that the rod stock I've used before. Planned to peen the ends for a friction fit, but that might not work, we'll just have to wait and see. Any opions regarding attachment of wooden hinges to the box? These will go on the outside, strap-hinge style. What say ye, glue or screws? On another note, these arrived to use on the cherry box: First time using Brusso, but they seem very well made. Glad I don't live in Cali, though: Seriously???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dewald Swanepoel Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 (edited) First time using Brusso, but they seem very well made. Glad I don't live in Cali, though: Seriously????No, the kind of diseases you'd get from a screw are entirely different - but then the screw is also a bit different from the ones you're talking about here... Edited August 13, 2015 by Dewald Swanepoel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Moore Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 I've found 1/8 brass rod at TruValue Lowe's and Menards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 I've found 1/8 brass rod at TruValue Lowe's and Menards Larry, I tried Home Depot (no brass), and Hobby Lobby (no solid rounds, only tubing). I don't recall having seen any brass at Lowe's in the past, but like HD, their stock varies by region. We actually have two Lowe's stores in town, and they carry significantly different inventory at each, geared toward their neighborhood market.No TruValue hardware in the area that I am aware of, and no Menard's.... and I'm too lazy to drive 1.5 hours to look for brass rod in Memphis. There is probably an industrial supplier in my area, but no retail that I can find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapid Roger Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 I use Ace Hardware store or Lowe's. They both have a selection of metal (steel, stainless steel, brass and aluminum) rods in various diameters and lengths (12", 24" and 48"). You must live in a far away area of the country. They also carry some square stock and tubing in metals, just for future information. Rog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 I use Ace Hardware store or Lowe's. They both have a selection of metal (steel, stainless steel, brass and aluminum) rods in various diameters and lengths (12", 24" and 48"). You must live in a far away area of the country. They also carry some square stock and tubing in metals, just for future information. Rog Home Depot had 1/8" round rod in steel and aluminium, but not brass. Haven't made it to Lowe's yet. I think there is an Ace Hardware somewhere near my workplace, maybe they'll have it. * Note: The forum's built-it spell checker must be British. See spelling of aluminum above. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 While at the hardware store you may try looking at brass welding rods too. The stuff I have is 3/32". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 Well, Ace hardware has the brass, but at $5 a foot, I think I'll try the screw shank first. I'm cheap, remember? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 Well, Ace hardware has the brass, but at $5 a foot, I think I'll try the screw shank first. I'm cheap, remember?Ross, buy 6' and cut off 5" and take it back. They'll never miss it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 I got some brass rod from Amazon for <$4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Bob Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Larry, I tried Home Depot (no brass), and Hobby Lobby (no solid rounds, only tubing). I don't recall having seen any brass at Lowe's in the past, but like HD, their stock varies by region. We actually have two Lowe's stores in town, and they carry significantly different inventory at each, geared toward their neighborhood market.No TruValue hardware in the area that I am aware of, and no Menard's.... and I'm too lazy to drive 1.5 hours to look for brass rod in Memphis. There is probably an industrial supplier in my area, but no retail that I can find.The tubing would work. I use them for pins for knife scales. But I have always thought they would look nice on exposed wood hinges. They are easy to make, just brass tubing, smaller rods or tubing inside, tinted epoxy and a hand vacuum pump. They are kind of fun and quick to make and with a little imagination no two are alike. They can't be peened, but a friction fit for a hinge should work. The second picture with the square tube washed out, but in the center is a stainless rod. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Those look really cool, Bob! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 I got the walnut 'straps' glued into their dadoes, after sanding the box to 320 grit. Then I used files to radius the corners of the walnut. Afraid of damaging the soft pine beneath, I taped around the walnut, and sanded it by hand. This sanding strip works really well, even at higher grits. That's all I had time for this morning. Still mulling over some design changes to the cherry box, more on that later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Looking awesome! I cant wait to see that box finished. Its really cool with that walnut strap. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Worked a bit on the cherry box today. My wife asked for a sliding tray, and I am making it captured. Got as far as planing the tray bottom, sawing to width, grooving the box sides, and rabbeting one end of the tray bottom to fit the groove. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Way to adapt on the fly.Both boxes are coming along nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2015 This morning, I finished cutting the tray bottom to size, then cut & glued some sides on it. Doing this 15 minutes at a time really stinks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted August 20, 2015 Report Share Posted August 20, 2015 Maybe start getting up at 3am instead of 4am? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.