Thread: Banksia box - WIP

I removed the dams etc. from the burl ready to attack it tomorrow. This is how it looks at present.

It has a few kinks in it. I've never worked with a burl before, so I'm planning on damping it with white spirits before taking light shavings with the jointer. When I've got enough flat on one side, I'll put it through the drum sander. That's the plan, unless anyone has any better ideas.

Bugger bugger bugger. Better luck tomorrow Alex.

How exactly did you blow out the back of those blind dovetails? Paring end grain? Something else?

Perhaps, rather than doing it in the vice, the workpiece should be laid flat on the bench -- ?

Thanks for sharing: my probing is so that I don't make the same mistake when I try my first blind dovetails.

Originally Posted by zenwood

How exactly did you blow out the back of those blind dovetails? Paring end grain? Something else?

Perhaps, rather than doing it in the vice, the workpiece should be laid flat on the bench -- ?

Thanks for sharing: my probing is so that I don't make the same mistake when I try my first blind dovetails.

Yep, paring end grain.
The thing is, I always do it on the bench. But I'd done this one and started on something else, then decided it needed just a bit more and whacked it into the vice without thinking. Thumb in bum & mind in neutral.
The other thing to watch when cleaning up the pins is that you don't split the half pin off the edge. DAMHIK.

How are you finding the banksia to work with? It's weird stuff. Quite heavy but not very strong. The stuff I've got moves like you wouldn't believe - sucks up any moisture in the air like a sponge. I've so far only used it for panels, haven't been game to try cutting joints or anything in it yet. One of the panels I made just after some recent rain was a good fit in the frame until it dried out again. Now I can slide it to one side and see daylight. I swear it has shrunk by about 10mm :eek:

Originally Posted by silentC

How are you finding the banksia to work with? It's weird stuff. Quite heavy but not very strong. The stuff I've got moves like you wouldn't believe - sucks up any moisture in the air like a sponge. I've so far only used it for panels, haven't been game to try cutting joints or anything in it yet. One of the panels I made just after some recent rain was a good fit in the frame until it dried out again. Now I can slide it to one side and see daylight. I swear it has shrunk by about 10mm :eek:

So far this looks pretty good, but I reckon it would absorb moisture if the humidity rises. It's not bad to work with, and in most cases (see pic) I can plane in either direction without any tear out - quite strange.

I had planned to use some of the thin offcuts from the sides for the bottom - had just enough. But as pic 2 shows, when I put them through the thicknesser to get them all the same, it blew the back end out of one.

So, (Pic. 1) I decided to use some myrtle that I had. Thicknessed them all to the same (6mm), joint the edges then join them with masking tape.

Turn them over (Pic. 3.) and run a line of glue down the joints.

Pic. 4. Pull up tight with masking tape, clamp it down flat and tap along edges of joins to level the whole panel.

Cut the lid sides to length and cut tenons. I do this by setting the table saw to the desired depth and setting a stop block on the X-cut sled, the n moving the piece sideways & forwards, and removing the waste - sort of like coving.

Pic. 5. After cutting the tenons, cut the mortices. Did these by hand, but If I had lots I'd probably do them using a router.

Pic. 1. The lid frame pieces ready to go

Pic. 2. The dry assembled frame sitting on the burl to work out where abouts to cut it to size.

Pic. 3. As planned, I wetted the burl with turps then took a couple of fine cuts on one side on the jointer, to get a stable surface.this worked OK, but wouldn't like to try taking too much off this way. Then I put it through the drum sander (other side up) with 120 grit, taking fine cuts, until the surface was flat. The flipped it over & did the same with the other side. Doesn't look too bad, eh.

Originally Posted by AlexS

Pic. 3. As planned, I wetted the burl with turps then took a couple of fine cuts on one side on the jointer, to get a stable surface.this worked OK, but wouldn't like to try taking too much off this way. Then I put it through the drum sander (other side up) with 120 grit, taking fine cuts, until the surface was flat. The flipped it over & did the same with the other side. Doesn't look too bad, eh.

WOW that worked great considering what you started with ... I will have to bring my other piece around now

Looking great so far...keep em coming..

Blokz

Pretty quiet day today, routed the slots for the bottom & lid panels. Sanded the lid panel to 400 grit with the ROS, then cut it to size and cut & shaped the edge on the raised panel.

Hand sanded all lid components up to 400 grit, cleaned & shellacked them as a sealer.

Sorry about no posts on this for a couple of days - been a bit busy with other events.

Pic 1. Oiled all the pieces with Kunos oil before assembly, being careful not to get it on anywhere that has to be glued. This helps remove any squeeze-out afterwards

Pic 2. The glue up. The diagonal gauge is to check for squareness, and the clamp that's at an angle is to pull the box into line.

Just realised that I've been visited by the ####-up fairy, or rather, the not-thinking fairy. Because the back & front have 1/2 blind dovetail pins, they extend further back & front than the sides. As I've extended the sides above the back & front, there is an untidy little step. Buggar! Looks like this box will have some new 'features'.

Originally Posted by AlexS

I removed the dams etc. from the burl ready to attack it tomorrow. This is how it looks at present.

It has a few kinks in it. I've never worked with a burl before, so I'm planning on damping it with white spirits before taking light shavings with the jointer. When I've got enough flat on one side, I'll put it through the drum sander. That's the plan, unless anyone has any better ideas.

AlexS
I have only today come across your thread and it certainly looks a nice project.

Would you please comment further on the use of the white spirits, it's a first time for me that one.

Coming along well, pieces look great with the oil on them.

Originally Posted by jow104

AlexS
I have only today come across your thread and it certainly looks a nice project.

Would you please comment further on the use of the white spirits, it's a first time for me that one.

You can prevent tear-out on the jointer by damping the wood surface with water first. I mentioned to Wongo that I'd probably do this, and he suggested using turps instead, to avoid corrosion from damp wood. Sounded reasonable, so I used white spirits because it evaporates faster.