Day 4 of the knife box project - PIC*

[Dennis Peacock]

Well....I was able to save enough of the thickness of the board and have enough to work with. The thickness I have left after all the cutting and drilling will be 0.17" thick. This will be enough to keep from "blowing out" the spots where I have to machine for the "button spots" on the knife box.

First of all....Thanks to the Wood Supplier for working with me and being willing to "make it right" if I couldn't make this board work.

Second of all.....Thanks to fellow SMC'er Kevin Brown for overnighting me the REM's that I desperately needed in time for machining the box parts for a proper fitting and accurate measurements.

Here are the pics from todays efforts.

1. A shot of the LV bullnose router bit that I will be using to make the wooden hinges, the Veritas Corner Chisel to help cleanup the inside corners of the knife profile and IF the wooden hinges don't work out, some nickle plated bullett hinges.

2. The final prototype of carving out the interior of the knife profile. This took several hours to get everything just right while allowing for the Black Velvet that will line where the knife goes.

3. "The Board". Gaboon Ebony, 19" long or should I call it a "groovy board".?

4. A closeup of what I mean by "groovy board"?

[Dennis Peacock]

More pics.

5. Me sanding this Ebony with a sanding block to remove the scratches where I ran this through my Performax to remove "as little material as possible". WHEW!!!!

6. The final pic for today.....The board sanded and the layout lines have begun. Measurements are within tolerance...around 1/128th of an inch of matching lines. I'll just HAVE to call this close enough.!! :eek:

Gotta go and get ready for "work" now. I'll check back in tonight.

[Jon Olson]

That ebony will sure make the box pretty. Nice job on the knife section! Looking forward to the final product, thats keeping us up to today.

Jon

[Kurt Aebi]

Dennis,

That board sure came out nice after surface finishing! Man I hope you end up with enough material - sure cutting it close!.

Looking like it should be a reality - was looking scary for a while there - For Sure!

It looks like you'll have the long weekend to rest up and do a great job for the Knife-Maker. Can't wait for the pictures of teh finished box.

[Dick Parr]

Very nice Dennis. Now go to work so you can get some rest for the long weekend. :rolleyes: :D

[Scott Coffelt]

I hope when it is all said done, you are paid quite fairly for your work. and the stress too. Looking good and excited to see the finished product.

[Jerry Olexa]

Dennis great work and a lot of attn to detail and accuracy! Anxious to see final product. Then u can wear your SMC hat again! Seriously, great work!!

[Dennis Peacock]

Dennis great work and a lot of attn to detail and accuracy! Anxious to see final product. Then u can wear your SMC hat again! Seriously, great work!!

Jerry,

I'll wear my SMC hat tomorrow and take a pic with it on. That way you will feel like I'm "me". :rolleyes: :D

[Jim Ketron]

Looks Like you whiped that board into shape Dennis.
I agree with you that was some rough looking wood for the price.
But it looks great now.
don't forget to show us some good pics of the wood hinges.:D
good luck!
Jim

[Dennis Peacock]

I hope when it is all said done, you are paid quite fairly for your work. and the stress too. Looking good and excited to see the finished product.

Scott my friend......

The finished product ain't gonna be nuttin' fancey. I am making it to the exact specs that the knife maker wants....well...within a few thousandths or so any way.!! :rolleyes:

The thing that will set this box off from all the other boxes that he has delivered to his customers....will be the wooden hinges. Made from Ebony as well, you won't even know they are there until you look at the back of the box.

Due to the "funky" shape my Ebony was in when I got it from the supplier, I had to rethink my design and carving to even closer tolerances. I will be within 0.19" from blowing out the bottom and top of this box due to having to work the wood thinner than expected to make it "flat" on two faces.

I now have to come up with a way to "route" out the knife profile and NOT allow the wood or template move even the slightest bit. I will have to make router passes in as little as 1/32" at a time so as to not split or splinter the wood anywhere. I will have to route 0.42" deep for the knife profile and then another 0.20" where the "buttons" on the knife are. This will bring me "extremely" close to the outside of the box (in normal woodworking terms that is.) The most extreme care will have to be while nearing the botton of the knife profile and carving out where the buttons will recess in the box.

I have other "carving" to do inside the box to make allowances for the accessories that go with the knife and he left the design up to me on how I wanted to lay those out insde the knife box.

I now have 2.5 days beginning Sunday afternoon to get it all done, sanded to 2,000 grit, lined with Black Velvet where the knife will sit, get the hinges mades and fitted to the box, round over all the edges, sand some more, and finally mount the REM's that will hold the lid closed. After all that? I have to make a little handle for the box to make it easier to open.

I'm sure glad he doesn't want any inlay work done on this baby..!!! :eek: :D

[Mark Singer]

Dennis,
Great work and planning!

[Dennis Peacock]

Dennis,
Great work and planning!

Thanks Mark.

It seems like this has been going on 4-ever, but time really slows down when you have troubles like this and then time "slips" by all of a sudden and then you have less time than you thought.!! :eek:

I'll get started on the prototype of the wooden hinges tomorrow before I have to come back to work. Then Sunday after church I will be in the shop getting ready for the Monday cutting of the ebony!!!! :eek:

Not ONE mistake can be made from here out until the project is delivered.! :eek:

[Mike Mastin]

I know that this board looks rough in its raw state, but if you ever purchased this wood before, this it the typical state that it arrives from Africa. We try not to plane or prep much of our Ebony stock, as we never know what a customer's final use of this wood will be. With the high cost of Ebony, I feel it is not our place to scrap away all of those dollars just to pretty up a board either!
Dennis I am sorry that we did not ask enough questions of you at the time of your order to determine that you needed a full 7/8" thick finished blank for your project. All that we can normally guarantee on any 4/4 stock is that it will finish out at 3/4" final thickness after sanding, which you were able to get easily.
I work very, very hard to always provide our customers with the finest quality woods, at all times. The quality of this Ebony is a reflection of these efforts I hope to all, regardless of what it might have looked like in its raw state.
Thanks again Dennis for allowing us the opportunity to be of service to you. I look forward to seeing the final project at completetion.

[Dennis Peacock]

I work very, very hard to always provide our customers with the finest quality woods, at all times. The quality of this Ebony is a reflection of these efforts I hope to all, regardless of what it might have looked like in its raw state.
Thanks again Dennis for allowing us the opportunity to be of service to you. I look forward to seeing the final project at completetion.

I know you do Mike and I greatly appreciate all you do. Now I know what kinds of questions that I "need" to ask before saying "send it on". :D

Thanks for all your efforts Mike...It's greatly apprecaited. Even your attitude during all this has been one of pure customer satisfaction. Next time I'll ask if the "whole board" is 1-1/8" thick? :rolleyes: :D You have won future business from me.!!!!!

Now...let's just get this box done and get it in a national magazine.!!!!