Thread: Pacific Kauri box

Very nice, I like the way the endgrain shows up on the fingers

Great looking box Rob The Leigh makes some very, very crisp finger joins. Great stuff. Undecided about those stunninly beautifull non mortice hinges though

The finger joints looks absolutely perfect, Rob. In many ways, I think they're more attractive than dovetails. The contrasting line bordering the lid is a nice touch too.

Is the bottom floating in a groove? If so, how did you make the groove to stop it showing through the fingers?

Hard to believe there was still roughness after sanding to 4000! Specially after the latest FWW article saying 120 is good enough.

What is a Herb coral, and why would it have odours?

Hi Zenwood,
I agree with you on the finger joints. In the right circumstances, they add a sense of order particularly against dark timbers in such things as side tables.
The bottom is indeed in a groove. Its about 5mm deep x10mm high. I initially thought of cutting small pieces of endgrain to fill the holes, but finally used a mix of the fine dust I get from sanding with straight PVA glue. I think I would rather have gone with the timber, but these plugs have worked well.
Since yesterday, I have mortised the hinges using a Veritas Router plane. This is such a joy to use. Again, in retrospect, I would use a Piano hinge. Its less obvious and lets the box be the box for its own sake.
A Herb coral is an enclosed container for herb bottles. My neighbour has her herbs loose in the cupboard and doesn't like the smell she gets whenever she opens the cupboard door. So they will be coraled in this box.

Hope this answers the questions and thanks for the interest.

Regards,

Rob

how did you make the groove to stop it showing through the fingers?

I've done this a number of times in the past. Just make a stopped groove with the router or table saw. On the two boards with no finger at the bottom, it can be through but the other two you just stop it within a few mm of the end so it doesn't show through in the end grain.

Hi Silent,
That's the one thing I keep forgetting to do.

Regards,

Rob

Originally Posted by Flowboy

A Herb coral is an enclosed container for herb bottles . . . they will be coraled in this box.

Thanks Rob, now I know. I thought it had something to do with coral (i.e. the marine animals), rather than herbs, and I was expecting a fishy smell. More like the Gunfight at the OK Corral.

Silent: would you be able to stop the groove using a tablesaw, and still get the groove deep enough all the way into the corner? Would have thought a tablesaw blade would be too big (in diameter).

Depends on the thickness of the sides and the depth of the groove you need. I've done it a couple of times but a router is definitely a better choice. Otherwise, you have to finish it by hand.