A box for Elsa

**fletty** · 12th January 2013, 08:32 PM

I've started a new project, a special box for a little girl to take with her through her life. It will have drawers, hidden compartments and all the special things that a special girl needs. By the time she is old enough to appreciate it, she will be back in Sweden with her family and probably no memory of her first 2 years in Australia.
So, it will be made of Australian timbers and contain, somewhere, the story of the box and its maker, a set of Australian 2012 coins, bracelet charms of Australian animals AND a set of classic Australian childrens' books .... of which I have now found 3 exactly the same size ..., which is bliss for a box maker.
I was going to do a WIP and post near the end BUT......
I decided only today to change from australian red cedar (ARC) to rosewood. All of the slides, catches, trickery and latches require something harder than ARC so I went to the back of the stash to retrieve the rosewood that I got from Nev in Coffs Harbour after the heads up from underfoot.
I ran 1 of the planks through the sander and watched in awe as the grain appeared. I was SO in awe that I had completely forgotten that (especially NSW scented) rosewood gives me acute and sudden asthma attacks. After I got up from the lawn where I had lain for 15 minutes or so, I splashed mineral turps onto the NSW SCENTED rosewood and photographed it to share with you before I die in my sleep tonight......

elsasbox01web.jpg

I've just remembered, I cant die tonight, I'm doing my first run of the year tomorrow

fletty

**AlexS** · 13th January 2013, 07:36 AM

Sounds like a wonderful gift for a young lady. I always like the idea of including its story somewhere in a piece. Looking forward to this one.

**Dengue** · 13th January 2013, 08:36 AM

Looking forward to this one.

**crowie** · 13th January 2013, 03:34 PM

Watching with interest.....

**wheelinround** · 13th January 2013, 06:34 PM

Fletty best hand over all the remaining RW to me before it kills you........I have no problem with it.

That way you can enjoy retirement.

Oh how I recall coveting those planks so much you and Pat nearly didn't get them at all.

**fletty** · 17th January 2013, 02:18 PM

I am particularly keen on making the box with the main structure being finger jointed BUT the box sides will have many grooves and dados for internal drawers, secret compartments etc etc. The problem with this is that all of these grooves etc would interfere with the delicate fingers unless I did them all as stopped dados and kept them clear of the fingers but this then creates a problem in cutting the grooves and making them consistent on the sides and ends.
I've come up with an idea that allows me to cut all of the grooves the full length and then cutting a rebate across the end and putting a new reinforcing piece in effectively making a blind end to all of the grooves.
I wanted to see if I could make this reinforcing piece a design element giving a stitched effect so I've made a pilot piece and I'm very happy with the result.

I cut 2 pieces, rebated them and added and dressed a reinforcing strip of huon

elsasbox02web.jpg

I then cut the fingers (thankyou Mr Gifkin)

elsasbox03web.jpg

but left the outer fingers uncut so I could handcut the ends as a mitre

elsasbox04web.jpg

when glued, (which is bl**dy difficult for a single corner) I got the stitched effect I was looking for......

elsasbox05web.jpg

the next question was how would it look with a heavy radius

elsasbox06web.jpg

or would it be better left 'square'

elsasbox07web.jpg

I'm happy with the result and the colour combination of the rosewood and huon pine.
The final verdict is rosewood body, huon pine trim, 'stitched fingers', heavy radius and finished with shelac and UBeaut Traditional wax.
fletty

**groeneaj** · 17th January 2013, 02:24 PM

The contrast of the Huon pine and Rosewood is very nice

I'll be watching this one.

**enelef** · 17th January 2013, 02:30 PM

That is a great resolution to the problem.

Even better - it looks sensational.

**fletty** · 17th January 2013, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by groeneaj

...I'll be watching this one.

Thanks Andy, it is SO good to have you safely back in the country. My nephew is (probably literally) following in your foot steps.
take care,
fletty

**fletty** · 17th January 2013, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by enelef

That is a great resolution to the problem.

Even better - it looks sensational.

Thanks NLF, I couldnt visualise it without making the pilot. I kept thinking it would appear on the ends but the mitred end neatly removes it. All I've got to do now is make the real box!

fletty

**wheelinround** · 17th January 2013, 03:59 PM

I can hear you wheezing from here.

Like the stitched/zipper (says Sue) effect the Rosewood and Huon what else would you use a perfect combination.

I may be out voted here but the look of 1/2 rounded and 1/2 square has a great deal of appeal

**Christos** · 17th January 2013, 07:31 PM

Watching this one.

**Sawdust Maker** · 17th January 2013, 08:22 PM

Watching as well, and ...

I'm extremely curious about the stubby chisel in your first photo. What gives?

**fletty** · 17th January 2013, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

I'm extremely curious about the stubby chisel in your first photo. What gives?

Hi Nick,
It's a 'Ward cast steel' butt chisel. It was in a stash of tools I was given a few years ago and has proven so useful that it is never far out of reach. When I needed someting to give scale to the timber it was the first thing that came to hand.

fletty

**Dengue** · 17th January 2013, 10:32 PM

How good, and how clever, is that eh? Well done fletty, most impressive and innovative

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