First boxes

[Matt P]

I am a newbie and thanks to everyone's advice on this great forum. These are a couple of jewelry boxes I have made. What's notable is that I live in a studio apartment in New York City and have to do all the work in my bathroom.

[Mark Valsi]

nice boxes, how about more info on how you made them?

[Jim O'Dell]

Gives a whole new vision for a bathroom's exhaust fan!!:D Do they make a cyclone version of that? :D :D
Beautiful wood! And a nice job. Now you can just laugh at the guys and gals that complain about their small shops!!:p Jim.

[Nancy Laird]

Oh, my! Matt, those were the first words out of my mouth when I opened this thread and saw those boxes. They are just gorgeous. How about some more information, like sizes, woods used, finishes. Did you use a plan or are these your own design?

Just beautiful work.

Nancy

[Matt P]

Thank you!

Both boxes have miter joints and are about 6"x4"x2.5"high. I rough cut the miters, then use the router table with an Incra miter gauge and a 45-degree chamfer bit to clean them up. Works ok, but probably not as good as a table saw. I used Pony band clamps with corner brackets, but it always seems difficult to get the miters aligned perfectly. Must be a better way.

The Japanese Torii box is bocote with padauk edging, bubinga corners, and cocobolo handle. I used a program called Solidworks to model the Torii handle. I then print out the model sketch, tape it to the wood, and cut out with a bandsaw. This works great because the computer printing ensures my sketches are always perfect curves, etc. I glued the padauk edging all the way around because I figured expansion is going to be minimal in such a small piece. Finished with many coats of shellac - kind of a pain because it's impossible to stop adding coats.

The other box has "panel" construction and is tulipwood with the top panel bocote/cocobolo. The hinges are the mini barrel hinges, which were pretty easy to install. I finished it with a 3-way combo of urethane/BLO/mineral spirits, and then some paste wax. I think I'll use this type of finish from now on because it was much quicker/easier than shellac and seems to have brought out a pretty good luster.

[Bill Wyko]

Nice job Matt. I recognize the Bocote, whats the other wood? You're a real trooper. If my LOML came home and found woodworking going on in the bathroom I'd be hung from the shower head. But if it was the only place I had to do it I'd just lock the door.:D Good job.

[Matt P]

Hope you can see this - it is a curve done on Solidworks. Then printed, taped to wood, cut with bandsaw.

[Matt P]

I have several benchtop power tools that I move in and out as necessary. My back was killing me from hunching over on the floor though. I have to find a way to elevate the tools. Going to try using milk crates stacked in the bathtub.

[Matt P]

Nice job Matt. I recognize the Bocote, whats the other wood? You're a real trooper. If my LOML came home and found woodworking going on in the bathroom I'd be hung from the shower head. But if it was the only place I had to do it I'd just lock the door.:D Good job.

Thank you for the kind words.. The other wood is tulipwood.

[Mikail Khan]

Nice boxes. Nice workshop.

Did you make the wooden toilet seat yourself?:D

[glenn bradley]

I've heard of cottage-industry but, bathroom-industry? Now there's a twist. Congrats on some great looking boxes.

[glenn bradley]

I have several benchtop power tools that I move in and out as necessary. My back was killing me from hunching over on the floor though. I have to find a way to elevate the tools. Going to try using milk crates stacked in the bathtub.

I could see some fold-up table legs attached to a top of doubled up 3/4" ply straddling the toilet(?) as a work surface.

You make those guys with 8' x 10' basements seem to have all the room in the world. My two car garage suddenly seems HUGE!

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91041

[Rob Will]

Gives a whole new vision for a bathroom's exhaust fan!!:D Do they make a cyclone version of that? :D :D
Beautiful wood! And a nice job. Now you can just laugh at the guys and gals that complain about their small shops!!:p Jim.

LOL Jim :D, my jointer is bigger than Matt's shop!

Great post Matt. You have inspired me to try to make some boxes of my own. Your boxes look great.

I want to see pics of the bathroom woodshop. I'll never complain about space again.

Rob

[Gary Keedwell]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/evsac/Video/ThumbsUp.gif Great job!!!


Gary K.

[Paul Snowden]

I guess i'm no longer allow to complain about my one car garage shop.

[Eugene A. Manzo III]

Very nice Work They are Beautiful, I hope you dont sleep walk into the Bathroom and cut dowels ???????????? :cool:

[Evan Stockton]

Hey, Matt -

First and foremost, awesome work on the boxes!

Second, I'm in NYC too - Hello from another enthusiast that deals with a lack of space, too!

[Raymond Fries]

This is a slight modification of Glen's idea:

I would make a top that had fold down legs on the left side. Then you could place it on the vanity against the wall and drop the legs down between the bath and that porcelin thing with the wooden seat. You might be able to actually stand up and work. You might be able to store the top behind your bathroom door.

I applaud your woodworking in this room. I do not think I can ever complain again about the offset space in my garage. Looks pretty good now. Hang in there. At least you have a space to turn out awesome work.
Besides has anyone ever ask a wookworker "And what kind of shop did you turn that out in?"

[Alex Elias]

all I can say is... I guess nothing, since I'm speachless.
The things one can do in a bathroom with some motivation are insane.
Congratulations

[Keith Beck]

I live in a studio apartment in New York City and have to do all the work in my bathroom.

Say what?! :eek: If you can turn out beauties like that working in a bathroom, I can hardly imagine the masterpieces you'd create if you had a full shop. Great work!

Keith

[Lee DeRaud]

The things one can do in a bathroom with some motivation are insane.I am so not touching that line! :eek:

Great work, Matt. :cool:

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Ooohhh Purdy~!!