Figured walnut jewelry box for the wifey

[justin byers]

My latest, and most certainly toughest, project. I picked up a monster piece of 12/4 curly walnut almost a year ago and i've been sitting on it ever since. My wife always complains that I test out new projects on her, then master them for others, so I left this project until I had finished a half dozen others first. This is a big box, 20" long, 15' high by 12" deep. The drawer fronts are 6/4 walnut with lipped half blinds at the front and through dovetails at the rear, all handcut. The carcass is sliding dovetails. The hardware is all from brusso, I've really fallen in love with everything they make. The finish is a quick coat of danish oil followed by 5 coats of ultrablond shellac sprayed through an HVLP and finally rubbed out with a couple coats of wax on 0000 steel wool. Let me know what you think, I've gained so much from this forum, constructive feedback would be lovely.
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[Sam Force]

Outstanding!!!!!

[Andrew Hughes]

Awesome wood Awesome craftsmanship.

[glenn bradley]

Whew! Thank goodness I was looking at this while the wife was gone shopping. That came out just beautiful but, I don't need her seeing it :D. I like the twist on the side doors with sliding panels behind. Sign up for Brusso's emails. They have sales throughout the year and I haven't paid full price for any Brusso since signing up. Love their stuff.

Wonderful job on grain selection and the book-matching. Great attention to detail. The time it takes to address every aspect of an item is what elevates a piece to where this one stands. Well done. The material is, of course, beautiful. What is the ebonized wood used for the pulls?

[Phil Mueller]

Justin, spectacular piece. I’m sure your wife loves it. I had to laugh at your comment on the test pieces to the wife. I can relate. I made a dozen or so boxes for nieces and nephews, and one turned out so well my wife said “nope, that’s mine...make another one”

[justin byers]

Haha. My wife claims many things. The pulls and handles are proper ebony, not cheap, but just so gorgeous

[Mike Henderson]

Wow, that's beautiful. You need to give advice, not seek it!

And the wood is stunning.

Mike

[Bruce Volden]

Justin,

I wouldn't give that to your wife yet.
That to me looks like a "get out of jail free" card for when she gets mad at you for too much time in the shop.
Great work!!!

Bruce

[Mike Null]

That is indeed, a masterpiece. A very skillful, no, make that artistic, use of the grain patterns.

Even if I had the skill I'm much too frugal to build such a beautiful piece.

[justin byers]

My wood supplier called me about that piece of walnut when he got it in, said it was the prettiest piece he’d seen in a long time. 10’ long, 10/4 thick and 15” wide. So it’s been sitting in my rack taunting me for the past year. The problem with building a box that’s grain matched as much as this one is, is that there’s literally no room for error, so the dovetails and glue up was insanely stressful. Thankfully though it came together well, and the shellac and danish oil really did the trick for bringing that grain to life. I always try and learn a new skill with every build, unfortunately with this build it was many more than that. Haha.

[Keith Outten]

Looking at the front of the box I see the original board, the box details seem to just fade away. Can't say that I have even seen anything like that in all my years.
Yours is a knock your socks off project....WOW.

[Brad Shipton]

I think someone likes their wifey. Great show of craftsmanship.

[Stan Calow]

Wow! I like that even the drawer sides are the same wood and finish.

[Lee Schierer]

That is a really nice project. I especially like the matched grain on the drawer fronts and book matched doors. I'm sure your wife will like it, but it might cost you as she fills it up with new jewelry.

[Mel Fulks]

I like the way you have used the grain on the two verticals to make a painted stage prop op art bombe chest pop! Would
be great on stage. The real over acting to play the unreal.

[Jim Matthews]

Such beautiful work.
The pulls are perfect.

Kudos

[Jon Grider]

Stunning. Well done.

[Jake Boeger]

Wow! Beautiful and outstanding craftsmanship.

[Mark Rainey]

Wow! Walnut shines!

[Tom Alison]

Wow, fabulous work Justin!! Outstanding!!

[Ron Citerone]

That is a stunning piece of woodworking! You sure made the best of that piece of walnut!

[Ron Bontz]

I am not much on contemporary styles, but that is stellar. Excellent work.

[Larry Frank]

I do not know what to add but it is beautiful. You have done a masterful job maximizing the wonderful grain patterns. The front is just amazing.

[justin byers]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it, thankfully she likes it too. It was an awful big project for my 2yr woodworking career.

[Joe A Faulkner]

There is so much to like in this piece. The figure in photo #6 is stunning. Was it a difficult decision to use that piece inside the box rather than featuring it on the outside? I’m thinking your wife will wear necklaces more often just to have an excuse to view inside of the box!

[justin byers]

Oh ya, that feather crotch figure is truly beautiful. Honestly when I saw it the first thing to come to mind was the vertical necklace drawer. I didn’t want to break it up for the side doors. I thought perhaps it was a bit aggressive for the outside of the box.