Thread: Journey Chests for three brothers.

The first chest is for my oldest brother, who has several ties to Queensland. Therefore this shall be made in Queensland timbers. I have selected QLD Walnut, QLD Maple and Northern Silky Oak for the construction

Step 1. I have used Dovetails cut on a Leigh D4R for the joining of the sides. I could have used finger joints, but I finally decided that little DT's would look better.

Figs 1-3 show the set up and final result of the process as performed on a Leigh D4R DT jig.

Figs 4 and 5 show the sides locked together (dry) with the dovetails. I'm pretty happy with the result.

The next thing I needed to do was to make the floor of the box. The idea of using Ply wood or MDF with felt on it didn't appeal. I felt it would cheapen the final appearance, so I cut 7 x 6 mm strips of the figured Maple which will be glued together to make the base. In addition, they will have two 20 mm deep braces put across them on the outside of the bottom.

Fig 6 shows the QLD Maple box floor.

Fig 7. shows the a piece of the Northern Silky Oak which will be used for the internal cabinetry.


Regards,

Rob

Next was the preparation of the timbers and finishing the box sides and base. The two timbers really look spectacular under Hard Burnishing Oil

Pic 1 Queensland Walnut under oil.
Pic 2 Burnished Walnut
Pic 3 Queensland Maple sanded to 400g prior to oiling
Pic 4 Maple under oil
Pic 5 Burnished Maple.

Regards,

Rob

Fig 1 and 2 are the of the box with the outside surfaces burnished. The Walnut has a shimmer to it in amongst the various stripes of colour.

Fig 3 shows the top tray sides, the top frame and the shelf for the top tray all sitting on the floor ruminating. (The tray base is being glued up.)

Fig 4 and 5 show the tray base sitting under the tray. The base has been burnished. The tray is yet to be finished.

Regards,

Rob

Now the box is beginning to take shape. The carcass is now burnished completely and the the box is glued up. The base is really showing the figure in the Maple.
Now I have finished the first tray. The one that sits on the rails at the top of the box. It is Silky Oak with a figured Queensland Maple base. The SO has taken the oil and given a reddish brown colour and with it's typical Honeycomb pattern grain looks quite sensational.
I have also been working on the lid and it's panel. The frame is QLD Walnut with Maple inset panel. Again the figure and colour of the Maple are exceptional. This view down from the top of the box gives a good idea of the strength of the colours in all three timbers.

It is my hope that my brothers (and I) will place objects and documents important to us into these boxes and that they will be handed down to their (and mine, if they will accept it) heirs. There is so much stuff we do just living, that we tend to forget what milestones we achieve and how we achieved them. It is my ernest hope that we will all review our lives in a different light and that our children and their children will be able to use the boxes for doing the same thing. Reviewing their lives and the successes they achieved, thus allowing their descendants to better understand what was done for them during their fathers' lives.

Regards,

Rob

So...this is it, mostly. I may put handles on the sides and also a chain to hold the lid open and take a bit of stress off the hinges. Hope you like it.

Regards,

Rob

Rob,

Very nice! Do you have any type of corner protectors on the bottoms?

Cheers,
Rob

The next box is for my elder brother and will be made from Tasmanian timbers. Blackwood, Black Heart Sassafras and Figured Tasmanian Myrtle.

Nice work, Rob. I'm watching this one with interest.

What a great Idea, and a great project to undertake. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Hi Rob, and thanks Alex,

Rob, there are no protectors on the bottom of the chest. The whole thing is mounted on wheels. Once it has some stuff inside it, lifting probably won't be an option.

Great project sire!!

The selection of timbers to match each person is a master stroke.

Love the work so far.

Originally Posted by AlexS

Nice work, Rob. I'm watching this one with interest.

Originally Posted by LGS

Hi all,

I recently began a large project making three chests.
snip
They will probably vary in form and final structure, but all will be about 0.75 metres in length x 0.6 metres tall x 0.5 metres deep.

Rob

I am very intrigued by the dimensions you have selected

are you prepared to elaborate on how you decided on the dimensions?

AND I really like the first chest