Heart shaped boxes

[Fred Voorhees]

Does anyone have any knowledge of where I might look on the internet for plans or ideas for heart shaped boxes? I think I might like to try to make some. Thanks

[David Giles]

Well, I can warn you away from one plan that frustrated me recently. Thumbing through some old American Woodworker magazines, Feb 1997 had a pretty good looking heart shaped box. The boss liked it and, being between larger projects, decided that it would be a nice weekend activity. Four weeks later, I finally manage to produce a heart shaped box that was sufficiently acceptable that I could call it quits. Twice I almost trashed everything, but pride prevailed over common sense. There are at least half a dozen ruined boxes and another 2-3 custom made jigs from following the article's instructions.

Do you ever wonder if those magazine writers actually built the project from their article? Or do they just write down what they think will work? It was an elegant approach involving complementary templates and cradles, at least four different sizes. It made so much sense in theory and was so disastrous in practice. The only way to prevent chipout was to climb cut a 1.5" thick piece of wood, not the safest WW practice. In fact, not possible to do even unsafely. And complementary templates work great on paper, but centering templates on router bits is less than precision work. Which makes less than precision templates.

The final plan involved bandsawing a heart shaped box so that it looked pleasing to the eye. Glue it to a base and attach a lid with barrel hinges. Flock the inside and call it a day.

[james bell]

not to hijack this thread at xmas time, but David, I have to agree with you - editors obviously do not test or proof the plans they put in their magazines. i just finished a can crusher as a present and the list of hardware was wrong (dumb of me but extra trip to store) and dimensions were off.

i have found other neat items which sounded great, took some effort to make and obviously did not work.

Back to thread - bandsaw or scroll saw box? Either should be fairly easy, cut the heart, cut off the back and top, saw out the inside and then cut a piece of the inside to glue onto the lid and glue the back on.

[Richard McComas]

Does anyone have any knowledge of where I might look on the internet for plans or ideas for heart shaped boxes? I think I might like to try to make some. Thanks

I made a heart shaped from that plan. And yes it time consuming. I tried to make on from purple heart and boy trying to route the shapes was brutal.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o159/rmccomas0043/heart.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o159/rmccomas0043/heart1-1.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o159/rmccomas0043/heart3.jpg

[Jim Finn]

I make them with a scroll saw like this. Swinging lid or hinged.

[Dick Aubochon]

I seem to remember one on the Wood Whisperer site, or something very similar.

[Fred Belknap]

175117

This is bandsaw box I did a while back. I remember sanding, sanding and sanding some more. :)

[Richard McComas]

For those who may be interested in the American woodworker article on making the heart shaped box like the one I posted, see the link below.

http://books.google.com/books?id=CPYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA65&lpg=PA65&dq=heart+shaped+box+american+woodworker&source=bl&ots=nw3P2yGPr0&sig=FqgutktG-oPP2UCoYElbouv_g3I&hl=en&ei=e0gWTYXgNILSsAPlqpivAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

[David G Baker]

A friend of mine built several of the heart shaped boxes. The first thing he did was buy a new band-saw and the smallest blade he could find. They turned out great but he put a lot of labor into each of them. He has since switched to making rectangular boxes and has made around 20 of them. He got the heart shaped plans from a wood working magazine but don't know which one.

[Jim Becker]

I did a small one a few years ago using the "bandsaw box" method, Fred. I think it's in my shop somewhere...if I find it, I'll let you know.

[Steve LaFara]

Here's one I did last year for Valentines Day on the band saw and lathe:

175478175479175480

Cherry body, birds eye maple lid, maple dowel & ball and ebony pin.

[phil harold]

Here's one I did last year for Valentines Day on the band saw and lathe:

175478175479175480

Cherry body, birds eye maple lid, maple dowel & ball and ebony pin.
I like this one!