Purpleheart and huon pine box

[growl]

I have just recently finished this box made from huon pine and purpleheart. I love both timbers and they contrast well.

It is finished with scandanavian oil and traditional wax.

It measures about 250 x 100 x 70

Greg

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

A truly beautiful colour contrast.

Have you worked out any way to fix the colour of the P/Heart or is it just going to live in a dark boudoir?

[growl]

It is a gift for my 8yo daughter to keep her earings in. I am hoping it will not darken. I had another I made a while ago which didn't darken very much.

I am hoping the same with this one.:o

Greg

[Hickory]

I noticed you used rare earth magnets as the latch. Did you use two magnets (top & bottom or one magnet and steel spot?) Also I see you have a pair of them, Doesn't that make the box rather hard to open?

Just courious as I am building a similar (yet different) box and am considering the magnets but don't know how many to use. These are questions I have been asking myself.

Lovely boxes , by the way.... What is the finish? I found WB finishes seem to capture Purple Heart's color a bit longer and If you keep it away from Sun rays, it will stay bright for a while. (But only a while) I often use WB Poly as a sealer coat and follow with Wipe-on Poly when working with figured (Spalted) and colorful woods, to keep the distinct differences.

[growl]

I used two pair of magnets, four in total. No they are not too hard to open as they are only 5mm diameter. Just right in fact.

Regards

Greg

[DPB]

I like everything about your boxes :), (sorry) except for one thing - the bevel at the back. I know that some hinge suppliers recommend this, but not all.

I use Lee Valley concealed barrel hinges. They make no mention of chamfering and mine have worked well without the bevel. http://tinyurl.com/e9rh9 (http://tinyurl.com/e9rh9)

Perhaps this varies depending on the manufacturer. They do supply brass pin hinges http://tinyurl.com/er8yq (http://tinyurl.com/er8yq) and with these they do recommend the bevel.

I love the contrast, and unlike Zenwood, find the corner detail very nice. I think I, too, would go for hidden magnets. I have a small supply of rare earth magnets, also sourced from Lee Valley, but find these too strong. Where do you source your stuff?

P/heart?
Hinges?
Magnets?

[growl]

Thanks DBP,

I have looked at your boxes and admired them while lurking.

I have looked at those higes also but my timber is only 10mm thick and hence not able to use your style hinges. Jut looked at your second link, they are pin hinges I use.

I would like to try them in the future.

I got the hardware from Veneer Inlay Australia and the timber was sourced from Trend in Sydney. I bought a 100x100x1m length and have cut is up on the BS. My first serious project with the BS other than cutting up some logs into slices to dry out for more boxes.

Greg

[DPB]

Thanks DBP,

I have looked at those hinges also but my timber is only 10mm thick and hence not able to use your style hinges. I would like to try them in the future.

I got the hardware from Veneer Inlay Australia and the timber was sourced from Trend in Sydney. Greg

You are correct, the smallest concealed barrel hinge supplied by L.V. is 10mm. I have purchased box timber from Trend in the past - good supplier!:)

[Auld Bassoon]

Veeeery nice! Purpleheart is just lovely - and Huon pine gives a pleasing contrast. Good one!

[Peter36]

Great boxes and I like the detail on the corners - provides an interesting break in the purpleheart sides . http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon14.gifhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon14.gif

[growl]

Thanks Guys to all the comments.

When I finish the other I will post picks.

You blokes are such ego carressers in your kind comments.

Growl

[outback]

Spectacular contrast. Verry nice indeed.

DPB, how do I go about concealing magnets, should I decide to use them? Do I cut a plug, whack 'em in and replug, or what?

[DPB]

Spectacular contrast. Verry nice indeed.

DPB, how do I go about concealing magnets, should I decide to use them? Do I cut a plug, whack 'em in and replug, or what?

I've tried three ways to conceal magnets.

Drill a hole deeper than the thickness of the magnet and plug with a dowel. This obviously doesn't hide the fact that a hole has been plugged because the end-grain of the dowel shows darker than the face grain of the surrounding wood. But I think it is more attractive than a magnet.
Drill a hole and plug with a face-grain plug. This requires a plug-cutter the same size as the magnet hole. It is less obvious, but unfortunately, unless very well done with a sharp plug cutter, is still noticeable. Sometimes something that is just barely noticeable is more obvious than you want, if you get my Irish. My motto is "if you can't hide it, feature it".:)
I think the best way is to cover the whole surface, i.e. the top edge of the box and the bottom edge of the lid with a thin slice (veneer-like) of the same timber. If this is, say 1.5mm thick, it will easily glue along the edges and conceal the magnets. If the lid is a flush fit, then this can still be done, but a dado will need to be cut into the bottom front edge of the lid to accept the veneer strip, and may be somewhat noticeable but should not be distracting if done well. If the lid is a mitred frame, then this has to be done before cutting the mitres in the frame.To be honest, I've moved away from using magnets in boxes. I'm not sure of the objective here. Gravity does a pretty good job of keeping the lid of a box shut. (I've used magnets to keep a vertical door of a small cabinet closed - here there is a need for the magnets.) But a magnet is not going to keep anything in or out of a box, so what does it accomplish?:confused: :)

PS: Sorry, Growl, I'm only expressing personal opinion here. I still love your boxes.

[outback]

I Hadn't thought of the veneer idea. I guess magnets aren't necessarily needed, depending on what ya keep in ya box. :eek:

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I've been waiting for someone else to ask, but...

As you say the sides are only 10mm thick, it has me wondering how you got strength in the mitre joints, especially with the Huon detail. How'd you manage it? Blind mitred dovetails then rebate for the Huon? Dowels? Tenon? Is the Huon in the corners just a detail or did you go tricky and give it tenons?

[TTIT]

I've been waiting for someone else to ask, but...

As you say the sides are only 10mm thick, it has me wondering how you got strength in the mitre joints, especially with the Huon detail. How'd you manage it? Blind mitred dovetails then rebate for the Huon? Dowels? Tenon? Is the Huon in the corners just a detail or did you go tricky and give it tenons?

What he said!:confused: :confused: :confused: (and it's a beautiful box!)

[growl]

Sorry for the slow response. Been on Holidays away from electricity for two weeks.

It is only a small box with close fitting mitres. I am taking my chances that it will not be handled too roughly. As it is it seems quite strong as is. I have three like it varying in size so I will wait and see before making any more like it.

Regards

Growl