My small attempt

[Sandy Masquith]

I finished my box. It's very simple. It was made using some highly figured maple boards that were given to me. The first of which I attempted to straighten and flatten using a power planer. All that was managed was to chip the heck out of the piece. Fortunately, it was a small piece I had ripped carefully from the original board. The rest of that board I resorted to hand-planing.

On this one left-over "scrap" piece, I wanted to use it somehow. I managed to get a Performax 1632 Plus drum sander, and was able to sand it smooth on at least one face. Sanding it made it 1/4" thick, however. Still, the graining on this piece is fantastic, so I wanted to use it in a box. I was able to grain-match all the way around the box, so it kind of flows all the way around.

Unfortunately, the 1/4" thick pieces in a mitre joint weren't quite strong enough to hold their shape without some reinforcement. I had heard of using "keyed mitres" before, so I thought I'd give it a try. Fortunately, the keyed mitres could also be used to support the top and bottom pieces, as well as making the joints stronger.

The top and bottom panels are both book-matched. The top is flame maple, the bottom is black walnut. Using the drum sander is really the only way I could make these panels flat and even once glued together. I can't say enough good things about that drum sander. Glad I have the dust collector though!

The feet are simple squares of thicker scrap flame maple that I shaped using hand tools and a power sander. The handle is made from a piece of scrap black walnut. It was also hand-shaped and sanded. It is simple in design, so as to not take focus from the fabulous graining in the other woods. I call it my "Scraps Box" since it's mostly left-over pieces. ;)
http://bcicomputing.com/maplebox/boxcorner2.jpghttp://bcicomputing.com/maplebox/boxfull2.jpghttp://bcicomputing.com/maplebox/boxinside.jpghttp://bcicomputing.com/maplebox/keyedmitrejig.jpg

[Dan Drager]

Very Nice Sandy. Great look. I enjoy the different tones of the 2 maples and the walnut sets it all off.

Simple, yes. Elegant....definately.

[Tom Cowie]

Nice job Sandy
I also like making smalll boxes.

Tom

[Sandy Masquith]

Thanks for the kind words! This is the first time I ever tried resawing, and I'm rather pleased with the outcome. I too like the contrasts in the wood tones. The spalted maple stock is very old, being in wide boards that were originally intended for violin making. The boards were given to me by the violin-makers daughter. She has held onto them since her father passed many years ago.

I have 2 more boards of this same stock. With my current band saw I can't resaw the full board, as I'm limited to about 8" under the saw guides. Hopefully I'll find a place nearby soon that will either resaw for me or allow me to use their equipment to do it. I'd like to use these resawn, bookmatched panels for a coffee table.

I'm very lucky to have this stock. To have her give me these boards, knowing that they were a link from her to her father....well, it was quite emotional. I want to use the boards for some very fine furniture. To do this man justice is going to take all of my skill in both design and tool use. I can only hope to do his memory justice.

[Don Bullock]

Sandy, while your box may be simple, it sure is beautiful. Sometimes simple designs work better than complex designs. You did a great job. I've become a big fan of using contrasting wood. I would say that you used the wood well. Thanks for sharing.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Pretty box.

How did you attach the bottom?

[Karin Voorhis]

Very artful adn well done. I really like this piece. I am looking forward to seeing more from you!!!! Thanks for sharing the details of this too.

[Mark Valsi]

MY 2 CENTS WORTH: Creative criticism.

Great bookmatch top and bottom, good choice of wood for the carcas.

The handle is waaaaaaaaaaaaay too big !! I would change it if I could. All out of proportion to the box

The "slip feathers" are too thick as well, I think they should have been 1/8th, or even less if possible. The dis-harmonize the proportions of the box. Location of the s/f's is not within the limits of the "aura" of the box either.

The "feet" also distract from the great pieces of wood you used.

My personal opinions only.

[Sandy Masquith]

I appreciate and welcome all comments and criticism!

To answer Cliff's question, the box bottom is not attached to the carcass in any way. I felt that to do so may lead to splits down the road. I'm going to keep an eye on expansion and contraction. If I notice it's not moving much, I may attach it with a small amount of glue to one side or at the center. I could, eventually, screw it into the lower keyed mitre piece by removing the feet. This is the main reason the feet are merely attached with double-stick "turner's tape." ;)

Mark, I thank you very much for the input. Let me address a couple of the points you noted so you could let me know how I might do it different next time.

In the case of the corner inserts (what you call slip feathers and what I call keyed mitres), they are rather thick. This was done purposefully as their main goal is to give the corners the reinforcement required. As the box carcass sides are so thin, there was no chance of doing any kind of internal biscuit or dowel joinery. I would rather see the thicker pieces of black walnut than make even tiny holes for pins in the corner. As these corners are all end-grain joints, I had very limited choices on how to join the material and keep the flow of the grain all the way around the box. These devices also provide support for the top and bottom. The plan (as mentioned above) is to perhaps at some point join the bottom to the slip feather using glue or screws. Both the top and bottom slip feathers act as "stops" for the top and bottom for now.

The feet, while seeming large in the photo, are not really noticeable at all while the box is sitting on a table. They are just tall enough to give the box the appearance of "floating" about 1/4" above the table surface. You can't see the feet unless you pick the box up and look. This was, again, done on purpose to keep the feet from taking away from the grain of the wood. I'll have to get another picture of the box as you would see it sitting on the table.

The handle vexes me as well. There may be some changes forthcoming for it very soon! I have in mind a lower, sleeker design for it that may work better. I may end up replacing it altogether with a chrome handle, perhaps. I would, personally, prefer to make it out of black walnut. We'll have to see what scraps are forthcoming from the framing project I'm on now! But yes, that handle will be nixxed in the near future. I thank you for pointing out what I had thought in the back of my mind was a problem! :)

Thanks again for all your words, and taking the time to tell me. It's definately appreciated and will be noted. Hopefully, through excercises such as this you'll see the gradual improvement in my design and follow-through that I'm aiming for. Please feel free to comment on my thought process that led to these decisions, as well. This way I will learn to not only design correctly, but think correctly in the design and build process!!