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Thread: Box 1: First Box

  1. #1
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    Box 1: First Box

    Had bunch of off-cuts and wood strips that I could not bring myself to throw. Decided to glue them into a panel. Once I had a panel, I decided to use it as a lid for box.
    Attempted to cut dovetails by hand but it did not work out. Ended up cutting them with router.
    I actually made one more similar box with other left-overs maple, walnut and oak but did not take any pictures.

    Overall (if I remember correctly): Box is 11"x10"x1.5" in size. Wood used includes maple, oak, walnut, and paduk.
    Don't remember what I used for finish. It was either some left over marine varnish, poly, or spray can laquer.

    Top

    IMG_20191229_171406.jpg


    Inside: Lid is attached using a pin. Basically 1/8" iron dowels sold in HD.
    The holes in lid are to de-attach the lid. They have been plugged with matching maple since then.

    IMG_20191229_171457.jpg

    Side: This was my first attempt at hand cutting dovetails. Did not go well, and router rescued the wood.
    The small hole in front is for a pin that locks the lid.

    IMG_20191229_171509.jpg

  2. #2
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    Dec 2019
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    That’s a nice looking box! I’m going to have to be more inventive with my scraps if that’s what’s possible. My dovetails are a work in progress too but I’m not a fan of my router so I keep plugging away. I’m getting better of hiding my mistakes...

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Publicover View Post
    That’s a nice looking box! I’m going to have to be more inventive with my scraps if that’s what’s possible. My dovetails are a work in progress too but I’m not a fan of my router so I keep plugging away. I’m getting better of hiding my mistakes...
    Thanks David!

    I try to avoid router as well. Recently, during move, I gave away my full size router table. To messy, and when things go bad they go bad in big way.

    I am finding half-blind dovetails simpler. Less joinery on show faces.

  4. #4
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    Dec 2019
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    7FFD2476-9BDC-4042-A681-2B84D91949BF.jpg
    Hi Anuj,
    I mostly use my router for dados, rabbets or rounding over some edges. Nothing fancy. I have better success with halfblinds too but my last set of full came out a little better. I need to practice more. I have some small boxes planned for a summer project that I’m hoping helps develop my skills.
    The night table is a project I just finished with my daughter who’s home for the summer. Cherry and poplar. I was happy with my dovetails on this but they could be better.
    Cheers,
    David

  5. #5
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    Looks nice! Very clean.

    I like the looks of cherry. Once I am done with maple (two 4' boards left) I will buy and try making something with cherry.

    Roundover is one area where I miss router table. I will throw together a small bench top one soon.

    On small pieces I am finding router plane, plough and chisels to be pretty fast for dado/rabbets.

  6. #6
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    Dec 2019
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    Thanks! I liked working with Cherry but the figured grain stock was quite challenging to plane smooth without tear out. It definitely required a sharp plane blade. Straight grained Cherry is a real pleasure to work in my limited experience.
    My router table is a bench top but currently sitting on a low table as a stand-alone tool. I’m starting to resent the space it takes in my small shop lol! I have a plough and router plane on my wish list.

  7. #7
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    Geez Anuj - just a simple box. What a beautiful finished item it is, visually attention grabbing, simple hinge operation, nice attention to detail. I am constantly delighted by the work folks like you do on this forum. Thanks for sharing.
    David

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Eisenhauer View Post
    Geez Anuj - just a simple box. What a beautiful finished item it is, visually attention grabbing, simple hinge operation, nice attention to detail. I am constantly delighted by the work folks like you do on this forum. Thanks for sharing.
    Thanks for the kind words David!

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Publicover View Post
    That’s a nice looking box! I’m going to have to be more inventive with my scraps if that’s what’s possible. My dovetails are a work in progress too but I’m not a fan of my router so I keep plugging away. I’m getting better of hiding my mistakes...
    Yes, nice box and great use of wood!

    David, if you want some inspiration about ways to use small pieces of wood take a look at some examples by my good friend Frank Penta. Frank glues up different woods to make blanks for woodturning but they could easily be used for boxes, cutting boards, and more.

    He's made many hundreds of these with different colors of wood and veneer. I have one of his 16"x16"x2" glue ups in my shop waiting for me to do something useful with it. All wood is natural color except for some veneer

    A variety of laminations:
    (Make sure "Display Num" is set to "ALL" at the bottom of the page to see the latest entries)
    http://www.frankpenta.com/index.php/...minations-2015

    A few more, some plates:
    http://www.frankpenta.com/index.php/...ht-inch-plates

    Frank also has a document that may be useful for general woodworking as well as turning:
    http://www.frankpenta.com/index.php/...ood.pdf/detail

    BTW, instead of using "scraps" Frank buys new lumber from a wholesalers and importers and cuts boards up into little pieces for glueups. I've seen his huge stash of exotic planks waiting for slicing, imagine 16 foot long 2" stock of purpleheart, bubinga, wenge, etc. He has a bunch of big drawers fuil of bundles of strips of wood he has sliced, drum sanded, sorted and arranged into stacks of patterns so he can grab bundles when he feels like gluing something up!

    He often uses contrasting veneers as separators and accents in his creations.
    One "busy" example from Frank's gallery that includes black veneer:
    Penta_lamination.jpg

    JKJ

  10. #10
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    Yes! Great idea on how to use small scraps for the lid.

    David "....I’m getting better of hiding my mistakes... " this is the truth.

  11. #11
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    Dec 2019
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    Hi John,
    Thanks for the links to Frank’s work. Very impressive! It sure sounds like an exotic collection of wood. I don’t have a lathe but I am fascinated by some of the projects folks create with one. Perhaps one day...

    Stan,
    I’m hoping to grow out of the need to hide mistakes as often as I do but for now it’s a pretty useful “skill”.

  12. #12
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    Thanks for the links John. I am going to try something (but simpler) of that sort.

  13. #13
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    Simple Cutting Boards Based On the same idea

    I’ve done a dozen or so of these. They are fun projects. You can make parts and work with family, friends or children to tinker with a design and then let them help with the glue op. Then you can plane and sand and let them wipe on a food safe finish. I’ve done this with a few kid for gifts to parents
    Attached Images Attached Images

  14. #14
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    Dec 2012
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    I really like the box! It struck me immediately as not only an attractive box. Its simplicity and color contrast is its beauty - love it. Plus, it serves as a very functional box. I’ll have to make one like yours for my grandson to store his "whatevers'. Maybe even one for my wife & daughter.

    As an aside regarding dovetail joints, a few years back I bought a new Ported-Cable Dovetail Jig with Mini Template Kit (4216) thinking I would build a bunch of boxes, etc. using dovetail joints. I never use the jig and it still sits proudly on a shelf. I’m still using miter joints, lap joints, and box joints. Perhaps one of these days I’ll go for the dovetail joint.
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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Joe A Faulkner View Post
    I’ve done a dozen or so of these. They are fun projects. You can make parts and work with family, friends or children to tinker with a design and then let them help with the glue op. Then you can plane and sand and let them wipe on a food safe finish. I’ve done this with a few kid for gifts to parents
    Those are very beautiful! Another this nk to make in my list

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