seal box

[horizontalborer]

Hello good folk of the box-making forum,
I am a newbie to the forums but have been impressed with the high level of friendly and considered advice and support that seems to characterise them. So I thought I would take the plunge and say hello :). I'm pretty green at boxes - I've only made one and am currently on my second (but that will be the subject of a separate thread as I need some advice). By way of introduction I have included some images of my first box. I made it some years ago as a present for my partner to house a wax seal bearing her logo. I used some old "scrap" Australian Cedar I had - I think it was skirting boards from memory. I butt joined the cedar to eucalypt containing kino veins as my partner is a forest entomologist with an interest in those types of defect. The box has a "hidden" drawer in the side to store sealing wax. The front is decorated with a copper plaque acid-etched with her logo again. I used soss type hinges to attach the lid and boy was that an interesting exercise.
Hope you find my "take" on boxes interesting.

Cheers

[Sculptured Box]

horizontalborer

Welcome. Nice work which endorses the theory that there is no such thing thing as scrap timber, a nice blend of timbers.

[zenwood]

Welcome to the boxmaking forum, hb. Beautiful looking box: fit for a royal seal.

I'd be a bit concerned about the holding strength of those butt joints though.

The veins and finish look good.

[horizontalborer]

I'd be a bit concerned about the holding strength of those butt joints though.

The veins and finish look good.

Thanks for the welcome zenwood,

yeah I guess I should be concerned too but the box is pretty small (about 200mm long) and hasn't shown any signs of movement (yet). Butt joints was all that I was capable of back when I made it - now that I have a Gifkins though.....
The kino veins did add a nice touch - pity some consider them defects.

[meerkat]

Welcome and nice box

[DPB]

Lovely box, Horizontal Borer. This is an interesting, simple, clean design. Oh, and welcome to the Box Making Forum.

The longer I study box design, I realise I'm drawn to the 'less is more' approach. The elegance inherant in timber is its own merit and sometimes we detract from this with complex joinery and an unnatural blending of inappropriate species. Your box is understated and functional - nice work! :)

[watson]

I was interested in the acid etched plaque on the front of the box.
Any info on the process that you used??

Nice box as well...having never done a butt joint, 'cos I'm not into seeing the end grain...yet.
DPB's "less is more" comment gives me hope.
Regards,
Noel

[horizontalborer]

Thanks for all the encouragement guys - it's nice to be amongst friendly fellow woodworkers.


I was interested in the acid etched plaque on the front of the box.
Any info on the process that you used??


Yeah the process for acid etching is not too difficult Noel. Basically you need a metal to etch (copper is easy, brass is ok but harder to etch, sterling silver is good, steel is a pain). This needs to be clean and at least semi-polished - a wet and dry sandpaper finish is fine. You then need to apply what is called a "resist" to all the parts of the metal you don't want etched. The resist's job is to protect the metal. There are a number of things you can use as resists - a non-birttle wax (like candle wax), tar-based paints (like "asphaltum" which is what I normally use), lacquers etc. Basically anything which will hang onto the metal and not come off in the acid bath is potentially useful. You need to apply a thickish coat to the metal - .5-1mm would do but it does depend upon how flexible etc the resist is. You form the pattern that you want to etch in several ways. You can simply apply the resist where you want it (called relief etching) and leave the areas you don't want it (which will be the areas etched) bare. This method is suitable for brushable resists but pretty hard with say wax. The other method of forming a pattern is to apply the resist more widely over the surface of the metal and then scratch it away from those areas you want etched (called intaglio). This method gives you the ability to form very thin lines and is better for resists which are not too sticky. There are other resists used in printed circuit manufacture called "photo resists" which use light to form an image using the resist - but these are pretty specialised beasts.
Once you are happy that you have the pattern you want and the resist is dry for those that are paintable you are ready to etch. To do this you immerse the metal object in a bath of "mordant" which is the term used for the materials that carry out the etching. Usually mordants are dilute acids but there are other types. The type of mordant you use is determined at least partly by the metal you are etching. A traditional mordant for copper and brass is 1 part concentrated nitric acid to 2 parts water. However any acid is a very dangerous material in concentrated form - breathing in even the fumes can result in respiratory spasm and possible death to say nothing of the burns that they can cause so I really don't recommend people making their own mordants. A much safer alternative is to buy ready made ones used by hobbyist jewellers. Once you have mordant you put enough in a glass or ceramic container to cover the object to be etched and then immerse the object. You will see bubbles forming as the process of etching progresses. The longer you leave the piece in the mordant the deeper the etch but also the wider the lines as the resist starts to be undercut. Periodically take out the object with tongs and examine the depth of etch -when deep enough simply wash in water to stop the process. Then remove the resist and polish! Voila - an etched piece.
This is a potted version. It's a really powerful technique with lots of scope for artistic expression. It's not as hard as it sounds - sourcing the materials is the hardest part. Once you have them the process is pretty easy. I would suggest if you want to try it you should see if you can find a jewellery equipment supplier in your area as the technique is used by jewellers - I used to get my asphaltum and mordants from a supplier in Sydney years ago. Try doing a google on "jewellery supplies".
If you want any more info let me know what you are unsure of and I will try to help.

Hope this was of some use.

Cheers

[watson]

Thanks Greg,
Great info and I will add it to my growing list of stuff I really, really must do.
In a past life I've etched brass and copper using a photo resist and various acids, so I thank you for the update.
Regards,
Noel

[horizontalborer]

In a past life I've etched brass and copper using a photo resist and various acids
Golly sounds like I've been telling gran how to suck eggs :eek: - if you have used photo resists then you're no amateur to the etching game.
It is fun tho isn't it :D .

Cheers

[mlsa]

Welcome

I'm a newbie myself and check in here daily although I don't post that often. I love the box. Very very nice.

David

[Gecko]

Very cool. I really like the "secrect" drawer. That is one of those ideas I have thought about doing but never designed yet. I like the way you did it.

[watson]

- if you have used photo resists then you're no amateur to the etching game.
It is fun tho isn't it :D .

Cheers[/quote]

G'day Greg,
I had a look at the date on the last brass plaque that I etched, and that was over 15 years ago......so I'm back to newbie status in that area.
And your dead right...it was fun.

Regards,
Noel

[Howard Toronto]

You've got great taste - very simple, very elegant.

Your info on creating an etch resist is very helpful.

Many thanks.

Howard

[TTIT]

'Elegance in simplicity' - Looks great Greg. (Just hope the glue holds up for you) Really gives the seal an aura of importance - without the box, it would probably just float around the bottom of a drawer somewhere, ignored and unvalued. Like it a lot.:D

[dazzler]

Great box,

at first I couldnt work out how you kept the water in but can see now.

very nice