Black and Yellow Box

[Cody Colston]

This box making is addictive. :rolleyes:

This one is Bois d'Arc with ebonized Maple for the top and feet. The miter keys and lift are Ebony. The bottom is again Aromatic Cedar. It's 11 1/4" x 7 1/2" x 4 3/4" and finished with Deft Gloss Lacquer from a rattle can.

[John Keeton]

This box making is addictive. :rolleyes:But, cheaper than rocking chairs!!!!

Nice job on this one, too, Cody. The osage will probably fade in to a nice warm brown over time, and will still look very nice with the ebonized maple and ebony.

[John Thompson]

I really like these Cody, especially the ebonized maple used in contrast on the top and feet. I have some ebonizier brewing in a jar at the moment as I have never ebonzied. If I may ask.. what did you use to ebonize? I am going the vinegar-steel wool route and am curious to see if it is enough to get a deep black or will I need to wash-coat a tannic acid mixture to the maple before?

Next question is.. did you feel the ebonized maple was not enough when you used the ebony for the miter keys or.. were you just attempting to constrast even more with the deep black gloss of the ebony as opposed to the lighter shade of black on the top and feet?

Well done on the box and finish...

[Cody Colston]

If I may ask.. what did you use to ebonize? I am going the vinegar-steel wool route and am curious to see if it is enough to get a deep black or will I need to wash-coat a tannic acid mixture to the maple before?

Next question is.. did you feel the ebonized maple was not enough when you used the ebony for the miter keys or.. were you just attempting to constrast even more with the deep black gloss of the ebony as opposed to the lighter shade of black on the top and feet?

Well done on the box and finish...

Thanks for the comments, John and John.

JT - I used black liquid shoe polish to ebonize the Maple. I've used it on turnings before and it works well. It does require a light sanding with steel wool because it is water-borne and raises the grain a bit. As soon as it's dry, I spray it with lacquer to seal it in because it will rub off easily.

I also have some steel wool soaking in vinegar that I'm going to try later.

I used Ebony on the keys and lift because I had a few scraps of it left over from a previous project. I would have used Ebony for the lid and feet but the only close hardwood dealer that carried Ebony has gone out of business. I discovered that fact after a 60 mile round trip. :mad:

[John Thompson]

Thanks for the quick reply Cody as I have heard some say they used shoe polish.. dyes.. etc. And regarding the top and feet in ebony.. they ain't giving Gaboon ebony away. I pay around $35 for a 2" x 2" x 12" block to use making A & C accents. I breaks my heart to have to rip the block and lose a gram of it in the process. :>) I wouldn 't even consider the cost to do those legs and top with real ebony and the very reason I am seeking a solution with other methods to ebonize when needed on larger components as it is just too expensive to use the real deal for me!

Regards...

[gary Zimmel]

Nice job on the box Cody.

[Mark Valsi]

Cody,

as a guy who has built a ton of boxes and own probably every book printed about making boxes, I have a keen eye for them.

this one is one of the nicest I have seen in a while. The proportions are great, you got that part perfect. The contrasting woods are very nice.

So over all, I give it an "A+" good job

[John Olson]

Cody I too have a large collection of box making books and I could see yours right on the cover of most of them. Where I am sitting I can see 6 home made boxes I have done in the past.

[Cody Colston]

Cody,

as a guy who has built a ton of boxes and own probably every book printed about making boxes, I have a keen eye for them.

this one is one of the nicest I have seen in a while. The proportions are great, you got that part perfect. The contrasting woods are very nice.

So over all, I give it an "A+" good job

Wow, thanks for the compliment, Mark. That's very encouraging, to say the least. I'm flattered.

[Cody Colston]

Cody I too have a large collection of box making books and I could see yours right on the cover of most of them. Where I am sitting I can see 6 home made boxes I have done in the past.

Thanks for the comments, John. You guys are giving me the big head. :D

[Ryan Sparreboom]

Nice box. I like it (mostly). My only critique would be that the ebonized maple really cheapens the real ebony IMO. I would never use the two together in the same piece. It's not likely that anybody is going to think you used real abony at all, and to me, thats a waste. I would have saved it for a different box to use by itself.

That being said, the box is still visually appealing in its design.

Ryan

[Richard M. Wolfe]

Nice proportions on the box, Cody. I haven't tried ebonizing before and have a project in mind for it. You seem to do the same thing for a bottom as I do...I put aromatic cedar about everywhere I can. It's cheap, smells good, easy to work.

[mike holden]

Nicely done!
Mike

[Dean Karavite]

Cody, you deserve to have a big head. As someone who just posted pics of their first flawed box, seeing your work both inspires me to do more, learn more and continue, but also to look for the delete feature on my own post! :)

I have some kitchen cabinets to make, a dresser and a desk, but I think I am catching this box bug too. It is a lot of fun. I have been downloading pictures of nice boxes, not to copy, but for ideas and as examples of great work. This box of yours is right there in my "scrapbook." Thanks for posting. Great stuff.

[Cody Colston]

Again, thanks for the kind comments, everyone. "The rest of the story" is that this box has already been sold. That's the best compliment of all, IMHO, when someone thinks enough of the work to pay hard-earned cash for it.

I think I will make some more boxes. :)

[Joe Leigh]

Great job as usual...love the contrasting woods.