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Thread: My Burl Box

  1. #16
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    Another beautiful box, Paul. I really like your designs and the attention to detail. Meticulous detail and a real inspiration to me.

    Regards Adam

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  3. #17
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    Thanks Adam for those comments. That box was maybe a bit too large, but I didnt want to waste that section of burl that I had prepared. That shape box has pretty much become my "large box shape" at 300x185x100. Sticks to the golden ratio, pleasing to the eye, and more than adequate storage space for rings and bits and pieces.

    I've got another 4 of those in progress at the moment.

    Paul

  4. #18
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    I finished another two "burl boxes" today. This time from the RedGum Burl. The rest of the timber is Queensland Maple which I had from an old slab of QM I bought some time ago. I am enjoying playing around with these burls. Sanded down to 2000 grit (same as the rest of the box) the finish on these burls is amazing. I've started on another box also with the burl lid insert but with a different sort of frame. I'll see how it turns out in a couple of days.

    Just a few pics of one of the boxes, both are identical pretty much

    Paul

  5. #19
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    Another very classy box. I look forward to the others as you finish them. Very hard to beat a burl.
    Dallas

  6. #20
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    Thanks Dallas, and are you still making those pens you were mentioning. And if so what is the average size of the blanks that you use. IE, length x thickness. I'm getting a few offcuts from the burls that I am putting to one side.

    Paul

  7. #21
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    I love this one, Paul. The burl is gorgeous. I especially like the 'crack' - it gives it even more depth.

    If you don't mind me asking, how did you construct the lid (always looking to learn new ideas/methods)? It looks to me like you've cut the box to make part of the lid, then added the top grooved pieces to that? And how did you attach the burl piece to it? I really like the design.

    Regards Adam

  8. #22
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    Hi Paul, I do still make the occasional pen but usually on demand rather than adding to my collection now. The usual dimensions for pen blanks are around 20 x 20 x 120. You can get away with smaller cross section if making one of the smaller kits. I think the smallest I have used was about 13mm square when that was all I had to work with. Just means you have to be careful to drill your hole dead central.
    Hopefully if your offcuts are in the range you will be able to offload them to a local pen maker to make use of such beautiful woods.

  9. #23
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    Hi Adam, and thanks for your kind comments. I'll try and answer your question for you. First I make up the main box carcass, i.e, 4 sides, base, and two runners for the tray to sit on later. Then I will be making my lid and frame. I used to use mitre joints but have now gone over to panel and frame lid. Bit more fiddly but if you can pull off a very neat panel and frame lid I think they look pretty classy. Mitre joints would still be very useful eg, say you want to run a nice thin inlay inside the frame, you would use a mitre joint as the inlay will meet up (hopefully).
    Having got the 4 sides of the panel frame cut to required length, I'll cut the mortise on my table saw, having the blade of my saw up about 8mm. centre your blade and do one side, turn it around and redo it from the other side and the cut should be centre. Maybe then move your fence away about an extra 1mm and do this again, as I want my mortise 5mm wide. Now to the tenon joints only one two of the sides. Bit more tricky I use a sled on my sawtable and sneak up on it, cutting the shoulders away to leave a neat tenon (hopefully) to slip into the mortise. If this all works ok, you then have your lid insert piece about 14mm wider and longer than the inside of your frame. 7mm will slide into the mortise leaving 1mm all round to create that "floating lid effect". To cut this tongue on your lid insert I use a panel raising bit, back on my router table. Setting this to cut about 12mm in to your lid, that gives you that 5mm or so groove running around.

    Now I have my lid made. After all glued up and dry I put it through my home made drum sander to clean it up, all joints to be nice and even and smooth etc. Then I sand the underside of my lid down to 2000 grit (on ROS). To ensure it sits nice and neat inside your carcass and not move all over the place whilst glueing and clamping, I run a 1mm deep recess around the edge of the underside of the lid. (on my router). Once again sneaking up till it just tucks in nice and snug. Glue and clamp to the carcass and your main box is starting to take shape.

    Next day I clean up on belt sander then go over the entire box with ROS down to 2000 grit. Then I slice the lid off, one of the dovetails has been made 4mm wider and this is where I cut through with a 4mm spiral cutter on router table.

    Having said all this the other night I was re watching a dvd made my Roger Gifkin years ago (once again) and noted that he slices off his lid with the same spiral cutter before he puts his lid on. Hmmm, interesting. I thought about it but then decided against that as it would be then difficult to do my ROS all around the box whilst fully in tact down to the 2000.

    Now Adam, having said ALL that for my next box (after one I am making at present with different frame), I am going to use the Gifkin method of doing a frame and panel lid all on router table and see how that goes.

    https://gifkins.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/04-frame-panel-lid.pdf

    Clear as mud?

    Paul

  10. #24
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    Gee, thanks very much for such a detailed explanation, Paul! The PDF is very useful info too.

    I like the idea of putting it all together to sand, so you get a uniform result all over the box, nice and flush etc. And using the 1mm recess to get it to stay all together. Neat trick with the wider dovetail too! I hadn't thought about using a spiral bit but might give that a go. I was thinking about using a hand saw to cut the box (don't have a table saw), but do have a router table (homemade but it's accurate) so will get a spiral bit for it.

    Do you cut through the full thickness of the sides in one pass? I never know how deep a cut I should make when using my router table so tend to make a pass with a shallower cut and then increase/repeat etc. I have the 3 1/4 HP Makita plunge router so it's a beast in power, but worry about chipping/tear out if cutting too deep.

    The first ever 'joinery' woodworking project for me was a very plain dovetail box, with a completely separate mitred lid with a Myrtle chamfered lid set in to it. The dovetails were all handcut, but I used my router table to rebate under the mitred lid to insert the Myrtle (with matching rebates on the Myrtle from the top to match). If you're interested (and not to hijack your thread) you can see it here - My woodworking journey so far.... As I said, pretty plain but it got me into joinery.

    I like the more pronounced raised panels of your lids! I'll give those a go when I make my next box.

    Thanks again, Paul. All this information is invaluable for me

    Regards Adam

  11. #25
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    Wow Adam, excellent read, I just read through your entire post, well done. Some very nice woodwork there and the box looks great also. You'll have this game beaten in no time at all. That 4mm spiral bit you asked about. I do it in several stages as I have already snapped one. They are rather fragile but if you take your time and do it in several cuts no dramas.

    After I do that slicing cut, as this box is 185mm wide, (too wide for my 150mm belt sander), I have a large whiteboard with 120 grit sandpaper glued to it. Clamp that on a table and run the box over and over it, to get a nice smooth surface. I also made a sanding trowel (like a concrete trowel with handle), maybe about 400mm x 115mm and just run that over where I sliced the box, also gives a nice smooth finished cut.

    Good luck,

    Paul

  12. #26
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    Is that the Special Jewellery Box DVD by Roger that you have Paul? I brought that one at this year's Timber, Tools & Artisan Show and just this week received the companion book that goes with it to take to the shed. Apparently (haven't had time to read it yet) it has details on the many jigs etc he uses in making the box which look quite helpful.
    Always like reading everyone's different ways of smoothing off the timber after separating the lid.

    Dallas

  13. #27
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    Hi Dallas, it is indeed that DVD. I bought mine from Col when I first bought my gifkin outfit from him 6 to 7 years ago. I never bought the book though. I made that "Special Jewellery Box" after watching that DVD, long gone now though. You certainly learn a lot of Roger's tricks from that DVD.

    Off to play bowls now,

    Paul

  14. #28
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    Sorry for my late reply, Paul. And thank you for your kind words.

    That's a good idea for the sanding, I'll definitely give that a go. I just realised I could probably cut a box on my old 80s model bandsaw. That would be a much thinner kerf. Plus it will get some use as I've hardly used it.

    Those spiral bits are expensive! Especially the solid carbide ones. I'd hate to break one, but also think I've been a bit too keen with trying to make too big a cut with my router table. Will try things over several passes from now on.

    Thanks for the ideas and advice, Paul.

    Regards Adam

  15. #29
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    Hi Chaps, just finished another box using my Burls, another with the Redgum Burl. I also wanted to experiment by doing the lid frame different. I used some "spalted" Silver Ash for the rest of the box. Some of the spalting that I had to get rid of/rip off, the colours in it were amazing. But those parts of the timber were too unstable. Then even when I finished my lid frame two of the corners, small pieces broke away. Hence I had to make the edges all round, which in the end turned out rather nice.

    Paul,,..(the lining is embossed velvet)
    Attached Images Attached Images

  16. #30
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    Starting to get through some of these burls, but loving the outcome. Simple little cute box here from Recycled Rosewood, Qld Maple and Coolabah Burl. I've started making another 4 of these but 10mm wider and going to work some ring holders into them (and using some of my burl offcuts in the process).
    Attached Images Attached Images

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