Every Now and Then

[Scally]

Every now and then I get the urge to make a box.

Sometimes it is because I have a realy nice piece of wood or have seen an interesting design, like here on the forum.
Mostly it is because I am stuck trying to get something to work on another project.

He are a couple I have done over the last few years.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

ARRRGH! No 3's almost identical to one I've almost finished! Except mine looks better. :p

Now I'll have to cut it up and start again... don't like "copying." :(

Nice boxes, I love your timber choice in the first one.

[DPB]

Wow, Scally, these are lovely!:)

[RufflyRustic]

ARRRGH! No 3's almost identical to one I've almost finished! Except mine looks better. :p

Now I'll have to cut it up and start again... don't like "copying." :(......

No Oh NO you don't Skew!!! It's Mine, Mine I tell you!!! Pretty Please with Sugar on top!?? :o :)

cheers
Wendy

[RufflyRustic]

Scally, your boxes are amazing. Love that quilting, sheen, the overall result! Just beautiful.

Cheers
Wendy

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

No Oh NO you don't Skew!!! It's Mine, Mine I tell you!!! Pretty Please with Sugar on top!?? :o :)

Some days I just can't win... on SWMBO noticing that post she told me the same thing, practically word for word. :rolleyes: It might have something to do with the fact that I rarely make boxes, despite (or probably because of) frequent hints to the contrary. :D

But... (quick glance over shoulder) if you really want, I'll sneak in another one. SSSH!

[ss_11000]

nice boxes, i like the first one the best.

[dai sensei]

Love the first one - what are the timbers?

[Peter36]

Beautiful boxes Scally - my fovourite is the first one too . Love the quilted top and inlay border . What finish did you use to give that great sheen http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon14.gif

[Scally]

thanks everyone

The first box was made for my mum.
She bought a carving set at a clearing sale and asked me to make a box.
I had a sheet of the spectacular quilted maple veneer so that went on top.
The box our myrtle. It was leftover from my dining suite.
I added a block of cedar to hold the carving set and carved recesses to fit.
A friend made the satin cushion to keep everything in place.
Mum was happy.

No 3 was a jewellery box for my daughter's 21st birthday. The joinery is basically Roger Gifkin's.
The timber is silky oak with the top panel solid birdseye maple.

No 2 was for another daughter to keep her oils in.
A cedar box with mitred corners and splines for contrast.
It really needed a more interesting piece of cedar because it just looks like a box.

I really liked the last box. No 4
The myrtle centre strip gave the impression the side pieces were bookmatched.
I tapered the lid so if you push down on an end it lifts the other end over the box end.
Then you slide it forward to open the box.
It is simple but sounds and feels good when you do it.
I gave it to my father who was getting shakey, so it would be easy for him to use.

Everything has a story.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I really liked the last box. No 4
The myrtle centre strip gave the impression the side pieces were bookmatched.
I tapered the lid so if you push down on an end it lifts the other end over the box end.
Then you slide it forward to open the box.
It is simple but sounds and feels good when you do it.
I gave it to my father who was getting shakey, so it would be easy for him to use.

So the lid sits down inside the rebate? I like that idea for opening it, any chance of a pic of it closed?

[zenwood]

These boxes are superb. Like Skew, I'd be interested in some pics of #4's lid in operation.

[Auld Bassoon]

Great stuff Scally!

Don't hide your light under a bushel - you make great boxes!

[Scally]

Peter, I usually use an oil and 1/3rd poly mix for the finish. Either Danish oil or Livos.
Wipe it on and buff it off.

It highlights the timber, feels silky smooth is is easy to apply.

The pics don't really help show how the lid works.
With some imagination you can see it tapers gently to the ends, top and bottom.
With the lid in place you can just see the end of the box is above the lid.

I think I made another one with the side tapered to match the taper of the lid but I prefer the side being straight.

It is fun watching people play with the box, trying to work out how to open it. When they work it out, they keep sliding the lid on and off.

These litle boxes need something to make them interesting. I didn't have a spectacular piece of timber but it is neat and the lid is a bit unusual.

[BobR]

Verry nice boxes. I like the design of No.4 lid.

[Wardy]

Great looking boxes Scally, really like the first box with the quilted maple top. Look forward to more pics :)
Wardy

[TTIT]

Top selection of boxes Scally! :):) Where on earth (or even in NSW) did you get hold of that quilted maple - very nice :D Interesting idea for that lid too:) (even if I can't figure how it works??)

[Scally]

I have put a few more boxes on another thread.(Auld)
I good excuse to give them an overdue cleanup.

(TTIT) The veneers came from a supplier in Nowra. He had a great selection of sheets so I picked several that I thought might look good on boxes. He had a number of veneers from single trees so you could buy several and bookmatch or similar. I have used the quilted maple on a few boxes, even a chess board.
I have a few pieces left even a very nice bookmatched pair of cedar veneers that I haven't found a use for yet.

I thought I would take a couple more pics of the sliding lid box to see if that would explain how it works. I couldn't find the box?
Here is a similar one but I think I cut a wider rebate in the sides for the lid.
It is a myrtle box with a crabapple lid.

I hope they help.

[TTIT]

I thought I would take a couple more pics of the sliding lid box to see if that would explain how it works. I couldn't find the box?
Here is a similar one but I think I cut a wider rebate in the sides for the lid.
It is a myrtle box with a crabapple lid.

I hope they help.

Now I got it:D

[zenwood]

Scally: finally I get the #4 lid arrangement. For some reason I was thinking it was somehow tapered in width and couldn't work it out. Then I noticed the second pic above and that the lid is tapered in thickness, duh!

Such a cool idea, that I've never seen before. I'm going to have to steal... er emulate... that one.

Have a greeny:)

BTW: how did you produce the taper?

[banksiaman]

Scally,

Beautiful stuff.
Nice and simple, and a nice contrasting piece for effect (I really like piece 1 and 3, as the top really is set off by the plain timber). I think too many people try to get too fancy, and the effect would have been lost if you had the whole box in those veneers.
Where abouts in Nowra did you get your veneer? Allwood in Geary Place, or somewhere else?

Greenie coming.

Chris

[Scally]

It is always obvious once you know. I'll try harder to explain more clearly in future.

Thanks Zenwwod, I was really just playing around with different ideas and techniques. I think I saw the idea in one of the older Fine Woodworking books.
I shaped the lid by hand - plane, belt sander then ROSander. I just kept going until it look right and gave enough lift to clear the lip of the box.

Chris,TTIT, it might be Allwood but I bought them from a fella who used to advertise in the Australian Woodworker. It was in North Nowra but he had a workshop attached to is house.
Last year at the woodworking show in Sydney I saw a stand for Rivergum timbers
http://www.rivergumtimbers.com.au/

They had some very good veneers and a great selection. They would be worth a try.