Tasmanian Blackwood & Southern Silky Oak jewellery box

[AlexS]

This is my latest, Tas. blackwood and southern silky oak. The blackwood especially came up well, quite dark with plenty of colour. The finish is Kunos oil over shellac.
Blackwood & Silky Oak box 1.jpg

Blackwood & silky oak 3.jpg

Blackwood & Silky oak box 2.jpg

[Dengue]

That is a very neat box Alex, well done as usual. Great contrast of beautiful colours.

Can I ask how you did the mitre joints for the sloping sides? That was quite clever. I particularly like the legs - a lot of work and thought has gone into them by the looks of it. did you glue or epoxy them to the sloping sides?

[Wongo]

Very nice work as usual Alex

[AlexS]

Thanks, Dengue. I calculated the angles for the mitres using this spreadsheet, originally found somewhere else on the forums.
The legs are glued to the corners using Titebond II. My concern initially was been that differential expansion could cause problems, but over a few years and varying humidity I've never had any problems.

Compound Mitre Angles (version 1).xls

[Woody1]

Alex

Another beautiful Box!

May I ask how you supported the tray as I could not see from the pictures.

Cheers

[AlexS]

Thanks Woody1, the tray is sized so that it fits the tapered sides of the carcass. There's no ledge for it to sit on.

[jow104]

Nice box Alex, nobody asked how you did the legs?

[Sawdust Maker]

Nice work

[Woody1]

Thanks Woody1, the tray is sized so that it fits the tapered sides of the carcass. There's no ledge for it to sit on.

Thanks Alex I should have realised with the tapered sides.
One more question if I may. When you apply your Kunos oil finish, how do you do it? Do you wait until the box is all assembled then give it sanding sealer then brush? spray? or wipe on the Kunos oil? Or do you put oil on the internal sides whilst they are apart then finish the outside once it is finished?
I have just completed a jewellery box and done the latter and found it quite tedious and I thought would I be better off to just do it all once assembled?
Thank you

[AlexS]

Thanks gents. The legs are marked and roughed out on the bandsaw, with the side that will eventually be attached to the box starting as a straight edge of the board. It is then rough sanded to the marked line. Then I cut the internal angle on this straight side, on the table saw. The TS angles are the same ones used to cut the box mitres. It's a matter of setting the fence so the blade is just inside the timber, rather than cutting outside it. I started with the blade low and crept up, cutting both sides of the angle, until it was the right height to get the exact angle. Then, I shaped the legs with pattern makers rasps, file and sandpaper.

With this box, before assembling it I gave it an inside and outside coat of shellac and sanded it, but I didn't oil it until afterwards because there was plenty of space to get to it to oil it. However, I usually put a coat of oil on the inside before assembly, because it's easier to get to, and it also stops any glue that's squeezed out from sticking. In this case, I put wax near the mitres to have this effect.

Hope this helps.

[bosox]

The amount of talent shown in this piece is blatently obvious. I like the wood choice and details are superb!

[artme]

Well Alex you continue to outdo yourself!! Gorgeous piece of work!!!

[Christos]

you really do produce some interesting pieces.

[TTIT]

Yet another masterpiece Alex - wouldn't expect anything less!

[AngelaPetruzzi]

Congratulations the box looks amazing, lovely to see the oils being used on such beautiful handcrafted items allowing not only the timber to be highlighted however also the wonderful craftsmanship.