Finally - My Bird Box

**mrpedersen** · 20th December 2011, 01:54 PM

Hi everyone, finally got a project done. Many delays with house reno’s and other frivolous stuff. Since my shop area is a little cold this time of year I decided to do all my major ‘machining’ then pack it all inside and downstairs for all the handwork. In all I have 6 or 7 BS box blocks ready for the many hrs of sanding and tweeking.

In early Sept. I purchased a combo oscillating spindle & belt sander (Ridgid), A good investment for me. And at the same time purchased some blue pine timbers 2”x6” 8ft, the blue pine is from the JPN beetle infestation and it’s offspring and fungus. I also spotted a 2x10 that had a very unique pattern in it, caught my eye and brought it home too. Figured it’ll make a neat box…. One of a kind.

http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/y...rdTimber01.jpg

After the initial cutting which gave me this, as you might have guessed,.

http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/y...dBlank02-1.jpg

then proceeded to do a glue up with a couple additional pieces. Unfortunately I did not get any photos of the initial block or the pattern (drawn onto the piece). The block is 9”h x 11”w x 4.25”d. I used a 3/8” blade to cut ‘most’ of the outline (new blade – had to try it out). With the outline cut, then off came the back. A change of blades to 3/16”, finished the outline – under the chest area. Then proceeded to the drawers and the fronts and backs.

http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/y...ox/Brd-011.jpg

test fit !! - um! Looking ok, as planned.

http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/y...ox/Brd-012.jpg

I was quite pleased with the cutting as there was a minimal amount of serious blade marks in the cavities. But still a lot of sanding. For the bigger external areas I was able to test out the new sander with 80 and 120 grits. Very please. Also picked up a new Ridgid 6HP vac which follows me around to all the power tools, another great investment. Once the drawer cavities were sanded, glued back, time for another look,

http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/y...ox/Brd-013.jpg

in the following pic note the butt of the box (left area).
http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/y...ox/Brd-014.jpg

Forgot to mention that the lower drawer has an up and down compartment.

Finishing::

Ok, not to bad – now for some more sanding, 180 then a 220. A good wipe off and dusting. and applied a coat of shellac. It been a long time since I used this, except for a light coat to clean up some mahogany floor trim. So on went a coat. Then a couple hrs later I went back and said ‘ gotta take a little bit of the butt’ and do some edge rounding.

http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/y...ox/Brd-015.jpg
http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/y...ox/Brd-016.jpg

Ok, more sanding and a little shaping, shellac and a very light 220 sanding, shellac and a light 320, another coat, sanded with a 400, one more coat and a wet but light 600. And a coat of wax.

Flocking: Never done this before either, sealed the drawer cavities with shellac, gave them 24hrs, a good scruff, applied the glue - lots, sprinkled the flocking in them, then piled in a lot. 24 hrs later, got the nerve to check ‘em out. 95% of it came off and another bit was teased out with a palette knife. Another layer of glue,
Use the flocking tubes, gads it worked ok,,

http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/y...ox/Brd-017.jpg

A little cleanup, polish with the cuff of the shirt and,

http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/y...ox/Brd-018.jpg
http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/y...ox/Brd-019.jpg
http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/y...ox/Brd-019.jpg

The back is very plain except for 2 finger push holes !!

Problems:
Most of my problems came in the finishing, shellac, as you might have noticed there are few ‘little’ puddles on the box, especially around the edges. Initially I used a good cotton cloth to apply the shellac, and 3 or 4 coats with a 1” brush – pulled in one direction, with the grain, working in one area at a time.. After very light 600 sanding these and or even working with a dab of metho they still persist.. more practice ??

Thanks for viewing,
Still learning and more boxes to come.

Glenn

**Sculptured Box** · 20th December 2011, 08:47 PM

Glenn,

Well done, a good design and an original.

As an aside, your workshop is very clean! By the time my bandsawns are ready for photography there are mountains of saw dust, timber off cuts and a messy array of bits of and paper & tools! I now feel compelled to gt the broom out and start the New Year with a cleaner workshop.

thank you for posting this work, an interesting read!

**John T** · 20th December 2011, 10:32 PM

HI GLEN
A very nice wip well done i like the wood choice is that your own design

,
regards john

**mrpedersen** · 21st December 2011, 04:12 PM

Hi and G'day,

No clean workshop yet, but the area I'm doing my finishing in is a downstairs room that my lady set up for me. And it's used as a storage room - including me. And its quiet. My shop area is on the main level, a sunroom, and my portion is full of everything. I made up 6 or 7 blocks back in Sept, applied the patterns and did the major cutting and sanding. A few boxes of cutoffs and scraps, all the power tools and a pile of timber stacked against the walls. The work area is also a walk thru for my tenants. Love them, they don't mind.

Some cutoffs, maybe most, can be used for future projects. Just need to get my imagination going with them. But the reason for doing this move was to beat the Cold. It's not heated and the temp's have already dipped to -10C. Having everything cut pre-cold, saves my pinkies and I new my speed wouldn't get me completely finished by this time. This way all finishing materials and timber are room temp too. And only hand sanding..lots of it.

John, the pattern on this is right from the blank I put together as shown if the first 2 pics. The bird, nest and 'egg' the knot lead me right into it. Although I didn't include an inside photo of the lower box, the 'egg' knot goes right thru. It didn't get flocked as the rest of the drawer cavity.

have a good one,
And the Best of the Holiday Season to All.

Glenn

**munruben** · 22nd December 2011, 11:32 PM

Excellent work Glenn, great WIP, thanks for sharing.

**artme** · 8th January 2012, 07:49 PM

That's a shmick box Glenn!, love the design!

**Robson Valley** · 22nd January 2012, 06:27 AM

The box is wonderful. How big a bandsaw does it take to cut those out?

What's your opinion of the "bug-wood?" As you well know, we have millions of cubic meters of standing, dead, dry, cracked bug-wood.

I found some very nicely figured pieces with the plan of building a couple of kitchen shelving units. Did that. Looked great. Flecto satin Varathane finish. Major disappointment = just look finger-grime dirty.
I found it cuts funny, drills funny, sands and glues funny and finishes dirty. Never again.
-35C last week, shop was +12C.

**mrpedersen** · 27th January 2012, 05:12 PM

Happy Australia Day to All,

Sorry for my laate return reply, landed up in the OR new years eve, major left leg artery work, the docs got it done but recovery is the pits - -again. But must hold my eagerness to bay for a while yet.

Robsen Valley, my BS is a caftsman 14" (Rikon 10-325 clone) 8+ " resaw capabilty, so for my projects that is all I need. Find it a good machine - the only on I've worked with.

The pine for the 'bird' is just lodgepole pine that missed the bugs. The Blue pine (remodelled by natures pest) seems pretty good to work with. I did definitely notice that cutting speeds can vary thru the piece, the infected areas seem a little softer and have thrown me off cut lines. It darkens real easy

I have several blocks ready for he finishing phase, and one basically done using shellac but did run into few problems.. I am trying to retain the original colors of the fungus wood. Using an amber color shellac threw me a color that I wasn't expecting. I have enough 2x6 timbers do do some experimenting with (like everything I have in my staining, oil and other bottle goodies) - Its still all a learning process for me. So in another 6 weeks I should be able to make a little progress in the finishing dept.

Wow, one terrible explosion at that mill in Burns Lake, heard today that the sawdust level was 2 times over the limit that had just been tested a couple weeks ago,

Hopefully my next posting will be a couple more completed projects. And a friend just donated an older Ryobi 16" scroll saw to my shop - nice since I was in he market for one.

glenn

**Robson Valley** · 30th January 2012, 03:59 AM

Thanks Glenn:
Home Depot must have been having a Loss-Leader sale, I got a benchtop Ryobi BS for $100, same for a 10" table saw. They're OK for what little I need them for. I wish the BS would take a 4" thickness.

Bugwood: I'm done with using that. Unfinished, it looks so interesting but I can't find anybody who know how to keep it looking that way.

Burns Lake: Quite a blast. Literally blew the skin off one guy's face. I saw some news video shot from a chopper = the beehive burner looked OK, there was quite a lot of stacked lumber ready for shipping and the entire rest of the place was FLAT. We may never know the root cause. Some said they smelled gas in the basement. . . . . . .
I'm a little surprised to hear about sawdust but that might have been the flashes that many reported before the whole place went into orbit.

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