shaker boxes

[Tim Sproul]

Back around March 19, I took a class on how to make Shaker boxes - Ralph Brendler.

Bay Area Galoots (informal group of woodworkers with at least some neander tendencies) arranged for Ralph to come to Cali and Manny Hernandez allowed us all to use his shop for the class. Here are the results of that class:

http://www.imagebarrel.com/img/05/99/09/shaker1post.jpg

http://www.imagebarrel.com/img/05/99/09/shaker2post.jpg

http://www.imagebarrel.com/img/05/99/09/shaker3post.jpg

http://www.imagebarrel.com/img/05/99/09/shaker4post.jpg

For those who are interested, I whole- heartedly encourage you to try. It is quite simple and you can visit John Wilson's site to get all the supplies you need - including precut bands and lids and such.

My boxes have lacewood veneer tops (as if that needed to be written out.....) and the bands are cherry. Those are #1, #2 and #3 size boxes. I finished with a couple wipings of thin amber shellac followed by a few wipes with thick platina and then knocked down the gloss with some abrasive pads - white pads.

[Martin Shupe]

Excellent, Tim! You know I love those Shaker boxes!

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Great work. I've been wanting to give that a try.

[Mark Singer]

Tim,

Excellent! Love the wood ...Love the work! The planes are nice too! How is that new little Knight doing?

[Jim Becker]

Those are beautiful, Tim. I really like the figured stock in the tops that absolutely set these off! I have a friend in CO that makes these and I always appreciated the style and the work necessary to make them "right".

[John Dingman]

Tim,

Great boxes and great photography! It looks like an advertisement for Knight Tool Works ;) You did fantastic work on those boxes.

Thanks for sharing,
John

[Lou Morrissette]

Tim,

Beautiful job on those boxes. Choice of woods and finish are great. For those interested, I just ordered the August 2003 issue of Popular Woodworking that has a very good article by John Wilson on how to make these beauties.

Lou

[Tim Sproul]

I added the other items to give some perspective on the size of the boxes we made.

It is a simple process - IIRC, Wilson will provide you with an instruction booklet for just a few dollars. If you purchase the bands from Wilson, be careful to figure out which side is which on the bands. They are knife cut rather than resawn with a bandsaw. The knife-based resawing leaves tiny little cracks on one side of the band.....if you bend the bands with that side out, you get a really rough surface that is extremely difficult to smooth with sanding or scraping. My #2 has this problem.....I also recall that Brendler posts the sizes of the bands on his website tutorial. Really, the only thing you really need to purchase are the copper tacks. I'm sure it is possible to make those yourself....but the cost from Wilson is quite reasonable. Also...this is second-hand....sand your resaws to 220 prior to soaking them as it makes for a much easier time sanding after the boxes dry. Manny has been a busy little elf making more shaker boxes....He ought to post a picture of what happens to Koa after boiling in water.

Photography - well, it made me want to pull out my N90 rather than fooling around with the point and shoot Coolpix 8800 I took those photos with. I really needed a flash diffuser or to bounce or perhaps even multiple flash sources. Perhaps this signals that I should seriously consider Nikon's D70......


Yes, I am a walking advertisement for Knight Toolworks. I've got around a dozen and a half of Steve's planes....from the little palm plane to the 32 inch planes to a plow to..... All have performed exceptionally well. I really like wooden planes! And I really really really like Knight wooden planes :) . I haven't used the palm plane much. I'm putting in lighting in my shop right now and .....gasp....cough - cough....electron burning receptacle.....all over the shop. Still need to get my lumber off the floor and into a lumber rack....guess it helps to make a lumber rack.....and I'm waiting for 4 sticks of apple lumber to arrive...and I've got to get to some of my black walnut under the tarp...to make bands! Where is that lacewood veneer order from Joe Woodworker????!!!!

[Mark Singer]

Tim,

What do you use to re sharpen the Knight Planes? What type of stone and what technique.? Is it a single bevel or do you add a micro bevel..?

[Harry Goodwin]

The boxes are beautiful. From
whence that beautiful plane. Harry

[Tim Sproul]

Tim,

What do you use to re sharpen the Knight Planes? What type of stone and what technique.? Is it a single bevel or do you add a micro bevel..?

I use Shapton waterstones (Hippos and Professionals). No microbevel as I freehand sharpen...well, sharpen is a relative term :o .

Harry,

The little plane is from Steve Knight. Google Knight Toolworks. So far, that little one with the brass is a one-of-a-kind :D. Don't be shy to email Steve. If there is a plane you want or you'd prefer a bit longer or shorter or heavier or lighter or blah blah blah...he's very accomodating. Goes with have a custom hand-built plane.

[Harry Goodwin]

Thanks Tim for the information. He sure has beautiful planes. Harry

[Roy Wall]

Tim,

Congratulations on some beautiful work!! I love the Lacewood!!! Nice tools!!

You'll have to show us your collection of Knight planes sometime - they look beautifull:)

As for the photography, the window light usually produces beautiful results like you acheived - good work!

[Jon Olson]

Those boxes are really neat and very nicely done. I also enjoy the collection of beautiful tool!!!

Jon

[Mark Singer]

I know....but I can't get any of them to sharpen anything...you can pick your chisels and planes...but you can't pick your relatives....:confused:
I use Shapton waterstones (Hippos and Professionals). No microbevel as I freehand sharpen...well, sharpen is a relative term

[Christopher Pine]

Nice job on the boxes.. AS coincidence I am taking a shaker box class at local community college.. Two saturday class. I see you made them left handed.. Are you left Handed? :)
Mine are still in drying forms from saturday. I have a split between fingers on one of them and a small split on anothers finger.. Still is a hugely fun time...
I am definately going to get going on making my own at home. STart making forms etc..
Nice job!
Chris