Thread: When is a box a BANDSAWN BOX

C'mon Tony- we should be able to hash this out between us and the rest of these fine guys and gals. Or, maybe it just cannot be pinned down. My Armadillo Box, for example, is undoubtedly a band saw box- but it is not free-flowing. Hmmmm
This could be impossible.
Anybody else with more ideas?
Donna

A Bandsawn box must be a sculpted box where the primary shaping or sculpting is done with a bandsaw. So this eliminates items like shaker boxes where the bandsawing is merely an element of joinery instead of sculpting.

Donna's Armadillo is a bandsaw box.

I'm a big fan of Bandsawn boxes and so have been following this thread with great interest. It's made me think, what do I like about these boxes so much.

It's the curves, the flowing designs that beg to be picked up and run your hands over them, to see the grain appear and be amazed at how they are made. It's the whole idea of these boxes that they seem to defy 'normal' practices of cabinetry. While a lot of boxes aren't as free flowing as others, in my mind they are still bandsawn boxes because they are cut with the bandsaw - exactly as Echidna said.

cheers
Wendy

Donna

Show us your Armadillo Box, I don't recall ever seeing it!

Except- I have some boxes with edges. The 'Double-Cross Box, for example is all straight lines and straight line inlay- all done with the band saw. It was actually an exercise I gave to myself to design a band saw box that didn't look like a band saw box. I succeeded. It even has fully mortised brass hinges- as a way to fit the 'how to' of that technique in too. The box is beautiful though- some like it best.
Ya see- I wanted to inform with each chapter- something beyond how to make the box- after all, there are only so many ways to construct a band saw box- 6, I believe. In order to justify all the rest of the boxes I made them all different and introduced some other skill too. I tell ya, guys and gals, it was a complete brain-dump. I hope everyone likes what I did. Donna

Tony,
On my web site, on the band saw boxes page, there is a rendition of the armadillo box, in butternut.
http://www.woodworks-by-donna.com/bandsawboxes.html
I made this one specifically for my financial analyst son, to hide bills in, so it is a little fatter than usual.
Donna

Well said wendy.
in my case its the wood that dictates what it will be.

Originally Posted by Sculptured Box

Baxter

Have you found the answer to your initial question ~ what is a bandsawn box?

No Tony , I am still pondering on that question. But with the activity today maybe everybody has arisen from the snooze over the Christmas - New Year break and we might get some input from those that have been on holidays and not involved to date.

There does however seem to be some concensus that sanding is not a definitive issue.

Some form of freeflowing or sculpting seems to be gaining support.

At post #6 Donna listed six categories or styles of boxes which she considered could be defined as bandsawn boxes. Maybe others have comment on the styles that Donna has listed, or maybe they have other styles that warrant consideration. Lets hear your comments.

The thread came about because I had seen advertising material, promoting a DVD, which mentioned bandsawn boxes. In another thread Sprog has described the method involved and it does not appear to involve the freeflowing style that seems to predominate this thread. Therefore is the category description "bandsawn box" appropriate or should the freeflowing style have a different category of its own with a different name? If so what should it be?

I would consider any box made predominately using a bandsaw as a bandsawn box - which could include a square box with flat top and dovetails - if you could be bothered making the dovetails with a bandsaw.

A bandsaw box however is one in which the majority of the cutting/shaping could really only be done (in practical terms) by using a bandsaw, and this would certainly include almost all freeform shapes, but could include squarish boxes with curved lids and drawer inserts (such as Donna's Ultimate Box on her website).


But then again isn't a bandsaw box the crate the new bandsaw is delivered in???


Don

Originally Posted by Don Nethercott

But then again isn't a bandsaw box the crate the new bandsaw is delivered in???
Don

Good'ay Don, been on holidays .

Don your question raises another question. When is a box a crate . Sounds very American to me. For the purpose of the exercise we had better leave crates out of it .

The reason bandsawn boxes attract so much attention and admiration is that they are "free form", I am not sure that is the correct definition - what I am trying to say is that they are a departure from the straight sided rectangular shaped boxes. (In no way do I wish to detract from the great work that is often evidenced in the neighbouring Box Makers Forum.)

This is what I meant when I said previously "there are no rules" that is the shape limitations are only limited to what can be conceived and made with the use of a bandsaw. Here the maker is often rewarded for the level of creativity, a.k.a. "imagination"!

Bandsawn box shapes are often referred to as "organic", a term not often applied to rectangle/straight sided boxes.

In addition a bandsawn box can contain drawers within drawers, hidden drawers, a box can have drawers which operate east/west and at the same time have drawers which operate north/south, all from the same block of timber.