Cherry Burl Boxes

[Baxter Smith]

I needed something for the wife and kids for Valentines Day and wanted to try something a little different. After looking through my roughouts for ideas, I decided on the three boxes I roughed out from some cherry burl I cut last spring. Its been almost a year so thought it might be time to finish some of the smaller pieces. They are all about 3.5” x 3.5”.
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The roughouts were just basic boxes of similar sizes so the end designs are rather plain . They were sanded to 400 on the inside and 800 on the outside. Finish is AO on two, and Bush Oil on the third. The were then buffed with Tripoli and Ren wax.

After finishing the inside of a Christmas cookie jar with WOP and then not being able to get rid of the smell after being closed, I left the inside of these boxes unfinished for now.
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For those of you that do boxes, any suggestions as to finish or do you just use the same finish on the inside as out?
Comments and suggestions are always welcome!

[Kathy Marshall]

Nice little boxes and some nice wood too!
For the boxes I do, I either leave the inside bare, or I give it a light coat of oil (either BLO or DO) and leave the boxes open to let the oil cure.

[Don Nicholas]

Very nice looking group of boxes. Do you rough turn and allow to dry?
thanks for sharing.

[Richard Jones]

Baxter,

For things like boxes, drawers, etc, that will be closed most of the time, I use shellac. Seals well, helps retain more natural color, and you can always go back and put another finish, like DO or WOP over top if you get a hankering.......... I am using it more and more on just about everything.

[John Keeton]

Nice work, Baxter, and some beautiful wood! You have some nice cherry burl, for sure. I would recommend the shellac, as well. In flatwork, that is what is used most often for drawers for the same reason - less odor. It will take several soaking coats if you use the standard 2# cut in a can. The #3 cut is not dewaxed and not recommended under poly, but will build much faster. If you mix your own, you could mix it even heavier.

[Donny Lawson]

Those are some nice looking boxes. The Cherry burl has some nice figure.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Very nice! Love the cherry, and the finish is Jude right to show off the beautiful wood.

+1 on shellac for the inside. You could leave it bare, but it might absorb odors or colors from whatever you put inside. I do not know if waterborne poly has the same odor issue - might bed worth an experiment.

[Carl Civitella]

Shellac as well. I only wish i knew how to keep it longer. It goes out of code quick. Carl

[Michelle Rich]

pretty little ones & great wood. I'm sure the family was pleased. shellac & here's my rule: when in doubt, shellac!

[Bill Hensley]

Those are very nice keepsakes Baxter. You done good!

My wife commented yesterday she thought I would have turned her something for Valentines and I told her I thought she would be tired of them so I didn't. I screwed up. Again, you done good.

[Doug Herzberg]

Nice wood and excellent work. I haven't done that many, but shellac makes sense to me, too.

[Doug W Swanson]

Nice little presents!

[charlie knighton]

very nice.....

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice Baxter. I always use shellac inside my lidded boxes or water base poly.

[Peter Elliott]

1/2 lb cut of dewaxed shellac. light coats to you feel happy with it. You can get a spray can of it at the borgs if you want to spray the outside and wipe on for the inside. There is also water based Enduro Var from General Finishes, a great wipe on product!

[Baxter Smith]

Thanks for your comments and suggestions. I will give them a coat of shellac shortly. I had considered it but hesitated since what few boxes I have seen always seem to have a matching interior and exterior. These probably won't hold anything edible again.

Very nice looking group of boxes. Do you rough turn and allow to dry?
thanks for sharing.
These were rough turned last April, then anchorsealed and bagged. Since they were turned initially to about 1/2" in thickness, I thought they would be ok to return.

Those are very nice keepsakes Baxter. You done good!

My wife commented yesterday she thought I would have turned her something for Valentines and I told her I thought she would be tired of them so I didn't. I screwed up. Again, you done good.
Thanks Bill, I know what you mean about perhaps being tired of "turned stufff". Luckily I had the boxes and they were something different than what I have given before. Sometimes its danged if you do and danged if you don't, but its generally better to be danged if you do.;):)

[Mark Patoka]

I like them, nice and simple. Small boxes are something I have on my to-do list also and a good way to use small leftovers. You could also try just a wax finish on the inside if you don't need the protection of a poly.

[Tim Rinehart]

Some fine boxes Baxter. Glad you asked the question, I learned a bit on this thread also.