Thread: Any Ideas for Easy to Make Projects for Valentines Day?

www.interflora.com.au

Works a treat for me

or you could always use the time honoured stand-by " Valentines Day is just another commercial excuse to relieve the poor hard worker of his money... BAAAAH HUMBUG!"

however I must warn you. DONT expect too much love and respect after you use this one!

Kev


[This message has been edited by Brudda (edited 31 January 2002).]

I'm going on a fishing trip, won't even be here, so no need to but anything, eh? Boy am I in the good books, not.
Cheers
Rod

Argh the joys of being single! No worries about having to please anybody. Cheap too!

barry, thought you would have been on this BB long enough not to expect sensible answers from it

Without knowing what your other half is intersted in, this looks nice:

Val's Day

Thanks for the straight answer Oges.

Here is something I think I can handle.
http://www.robson.org/gary/woodworking/heart-box.html



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Thanks,
Barry G. Sumpter
Proud Tritoneer

Nothing says I love you more than a good well turned PEN

Ohh otherwise you could start on her Christmas (2001) present .... The wine rack

[This message has been edited by Sir Stinkalot (edited 01 February 2002).]

Looks nice .. is it as hard to make as it looks?

Hi Oges,

It wasn't when I first looked at it.

I've got a 6" (150mm) bandsaw which I've already used to construct a nice looking tower jewelrey box.

I've decided to use the burl I got at the last 3w show. I went to bunnings and bought a heart shaped art and crafts mdf template.

Its the perfect shaped heart. The one with the well rounded sides instead of the flat sides.

When selecting your shape make sure its not wider than the bandsaw blade will allow. As you'll be cutting the back and front off the workpiece.


The mdf template if really thin on the sides. So I traced the outside onto a 3/4 " plywood piece of scrap.

I then used my bandsaw to cut the pencil shape. If you don't have a bandsaw then you can use a Jigsaw. I should have used the new Triton Jigsaw attachment but the bandsaw was just so convenient. Leaving the pencil outline and about a 1/8" waist. As most like to sand the waist by hand.

I stapled the mdf to the unfinished plywood shape and used a straight edged bit in the router table to remove the 1.8"waist. Very easy and smooth. No sanding necessary.

I then stored the mdf heart away where its safe from water and physical damage.

I used the plywood to trace the heartshape onto the burl. Its important that you select your placement carefully. As the box is only a 1/4" thick and a really nice looking imperfection crack can cause the box frame to fall apart.

Again use the bandwaw or jogsaw to rought cut the shape.

Again use the router to finish eht shape as before.

Now I have to use a resaw technique to remove 1/4" from the back and the front.

I used the fence on the bandsaw.
Again you can use the tablesaw if you've chosen the size correctly.

Now scribe a pencilmark on your workpiece
about 1/4" from the outside edge all the way around the shape. I used a compass.

Make sure your blade is small enough to manage the curves. As you want to keep the center piece whole.

Now cut the along the line. Starting by breaking thru the shape at a single point only.

Go slow and be carefull to stay on the line.

Remove the center piece and resaw another 1"4 off the front of it.

Glue the frame closed and be sure to let it dry on a flat surface.

Glue the smaller front to inside of the larger front. Being sure to centre as well a possible. This will construct the lid.

The lid will be slightly larger than the box.
You can round the edges to make the lid overhand the box slightly or easy removal,

or


Tape inside or staple the lid to the FRONT of the box.
Use the router to finish the lid to a perfect shape. Remove the lid and remove the staples.

Glue the box frame to the back of the shape. The back will be slightly larger. Just center the frame in to the back.

Let dry.

When dry or set then use the router to trim the back/bottom to a perfect size.



------------------
Thanks,
Barry G. Sumpter
Proud Tritoneer

Barry, I like the sound of the box project, any chance we might be able to see a picture of it?

Kev.

Hi Brudda,
I'm in the process of trying different variations since all the things I've noted above in the 'be sure to' catagory I've experienced first hand.

If I mess something up - instead of just throwing it away I try different things to experiment.

So far I've cut out 4 heart shaped frames.
All from 1 & 1/4" redgum burl.

I should have been using 2".
The lid and base cut off would have made the depth of the box very shallow.

I've attempted to compensate using the 1/4" ply.

Being I can paint the ply black on the outside and perhaps red or dark blue on the inside.

I had planned on making the lids from anything other than redgum. But haven't got around to it yet.

At the moment I'm just not happy with the inconsistency in the width of the frame.

I'd prefer to have a standard 1/4" uniformed width but I just can't seem to get the hand of the bandsaw, template guides, jigs, and radius of curve with the size of the blade.

Our family friend who is an architect is over this avo with family in tow to inspect the deck. (translated: constructive criticism on how to improve or how to do the next one better)

I try to use him as a sounding block to see if I can sort out how to standardize the heart shaped box thickness.




------------------
Thanks,
Barry G. Sumpter
Proud Tritoneer

Just had another flash.

And thought I better note it here before I forget.

I should ......

Doh!


[This message has been edited by ubeaut (edited 03 February 2002).]

Barry, sorry to see OLD AGE is setting in, best get your thoughts down now before you... what was I saying again????

Kev

[This message has been edited by Brudda (edited 03 February 2002).]

[This message has been edited by Brudda (edited 03 February 2002).]

G'day Doorstop
Sorry for delay only just got back to this post. I'm off to southern yorkes.
What about you?
Cheers
Rod