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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Holland Park, Brisbane QLD
    Age
    48
    Posts
    361

    Default Our first attempt at a box - a cutlery box

    From tree to cutlery box, it has been quite the journey. In 2003, a friend of mine gave us three logs from her brother's property at Binnaway. These logs travelled with us when we moved from Sydney to Brisbane and we stored them until they were seasoned and dried. The cardboard box our wedding cutlery came in didn't do it any justice, so we decided to mark our second wedding anniversary with the making of this box.

    We went to Richard Vaughan's workshop to mill the logs initially (we don't have a bandsaw that big). The hardness of the timber really gave his bandsaw some curry, but we managed to get through the logs. In between one slice, a "creature" flew out of the timber, but before we could identify it, he had swiped it down and squashed it! :eek: We since found out that it was an Eastern Swift moth (see photo), that emerges from the ground at the first rain in April, dries it wings, finds a mate, and lays eggs under the Acacia - then dies! The pupae can live for a number of years, eating the heartwood of acacias (very similar to a witchetty grub). In the bush, you quite often find casings of the pupae, as thick as a thumb. Anyway, these worms had eaten all through the timber in a random pattern. The timber was initially a dark chocolate brown heartwood and yellow sapwood when we first had it milled, but now the colour has changed to show more red in the timber now and a paler sapwood. Figured that the worm holes added some character and the wood was especially cut down for us with a chainsaw, just before the devastating bush fires that wiped out many of the trees from the property.

    These photos are of the raw, sanded timber and then photos of the first coat of danish oil. Once we buff off the danish oil, we will then wax it with bees wax. Tom has to do that bit, as I am allergic to bees and rubbing the wax in makes my hands swell! :eek: Tom used raw leather on the sides and front (rather than handles) and the cutlery box locks with ball hinges and brass hinges that were mortised in at the back (you can't see them when the box is closed).

    The moth holes were filled in with a clear epoxy resin. The joinery work is tongue and groove for the panels and then finger joints on the sides of the box. We also got ourselves a dovetail jig for our anniversary, but haven't used it yet! Next project....

    Cheers
    Dan and Tom

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Toowoomba Qld.
    Age
    64
    Posts
    2,792

    Thumbs up

    Nice work Dan & Tom! Another truly unique piece for your house.
    How did you cut the finger joints?

    Cheers,
    Andy Mac
    Change is inevitable, growth is optional.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Brisbane
    Age
    63
    Posts
    1,337

    Default

    The wax really brought it to life in colour - great anniversary present both the project and the jig


    Cheers
    Cheers

    TEEJAY

    There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

    (Man was born to hunt and kill)

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Over there a bit
    Age
    17
    Posts
    2,511

    Default

    Like the box. I'm thinking of trying some red gum, yours looks like Blakelys Red Gum, sounds right for Binaway too. We got friends near there also.

    I'm allergic to bees also, but only their sting. I gotta give meself a shot of adrenalin when stung.
    Boring signature time again!

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Elimbah, QLD
    Posts
    3,336

    Default

    A very nice box. I trust that the lid panel is floating, rather than being glued in place. Otherwise, you may have problems with seasonal wood movement. But then you knew that

    Rocker

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Warwick, QLD
    Age
    45
    Posts
    3,462

    Default

    Fantastic Work Guys. The box looks spectacular. Something to show off in the years to come when the grandkids visit.
    Have a nice day - Cheers

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Port Pirie SA
    Age
    52
    Posts
    6,908

    Default

    Just think on your 50th wedding anniversary you still have memorys of the 2nd anniversary... to look back on the past and reminisce of days gone by!
    Nice work guys.
    ....................................................................

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Camden, NSW
    Age
    74
    Posts
    3,576

    Default

    Beautiful work guys (a bit worried about the seasonal effect on the lid though), I hope however that every anniversary won't require the sacrifice of a native moth!
    Keep up the good work, now get to work on the matching dresser to hold the cutlery box off the floor,
    Fletty
    PS congratultions

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Brisbane - South
    Posts
    2,395

    Default

    Great box guys!
    Cheers

    Major Panic

  11. #10
    Join Date
    May 2000
    Location
    Clovelly Park SA
    Age
    54
    Posts
    729

    Default

    Lovely, you'll admire it every time you pull it out to use the cutlery.

    So did you work out what type of acacia the wood is?
    Greatest Movie Quote Ever: "Its good to be the king!"
    ____________________________

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    tasmania
    Age
    60
    Posts
    387

    Default

    Something Very Special

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 1999
    Location
    Westleigh, Sydney
    Age
    77
    Posts
    9,542

    Default

    Congratulations, you've made yourselves an heirloom. Well done.
    Visit my website
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  14. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Mornington Peninsula
    Age
    48
    Posts
    2,825

    Default

    Happy anniversary and love the box. Would be a good present for weddings too... my sister is getting married next year...

    Corbs
    It's only a mistake if you don't learn from it.

  15. #14
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Eden Hills, South Australia
    Age
    62
    Posts
    3,458

    Default

    Mmmm...beautiful box, and nice to hear the story of the shared construction. Good to have something like that you can do together.
    Those are my principles, and if you don't like them . . . well, I have others.

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Holland Park, Brisbane QLD
    Age
    48
    Posts
    361

    Default

    Thanks to all for the feed back.

    Andy, I cut the finger joints and T&G on the Durden table saw. I had made up a crosscut sled with a high and rigid (150mm x 50mm) rear fence which gave me the stability I required for the end on cuts. Marked out the fingers, clamped all four sides together and made some very careful cuts. In future I would probably create a specific jig, or use the dovetailing jig.

    Rocker, The T&G top has floating tongues of MDF that extend into the sides. The end grain of the top panel I cut at an angle and actually sits into a groove made with a dovetail router bit... I guess you could say the top is a sliding dovetail. I would like to think that should prevent any issues of seasonal change.

    I am quite sure that there are no more moths living in the timber. I eventually milled, planed and sanded it down to less than 8mm.

    Thanks again for the encouragement.
    Cheers
    Tom

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