Thread: Curly maple and bocote

Originally Posted by Alex.R

well done on your box, it looks terrific, I realy like it how the two contrasting woods go togerther, very nice detail indeed!


Do you think you or someone could perhaps PM me and explain to me how to go about doing "splines" or whatever the are called on the corners of the box? Would be very appreciated,

Sorry for hi-jacking your thread.

Alex.

There are a couple different jigs I use for cutting the grooves for splines or keys to fit. One slides in the miter gauge slot on the table saw, and the simpler one slides along the fence. If you are going to make a lot of boxes, or larger ones, go with the first jig.

nice work,,,

Doug's sleds are much prettier than mine. I designed this one from scratch a couple of years ago out of necessity. It's been well used and is gettnig rather chewed up, but it still gets the job done. This is designed to go against the fence. I have a rather tall sacrificial fence board so it is very stable with a box on it. The sled is 6" wide and 12" long. I made it using cheap poplar from a big box hardware store. That bottom board started out as one solid piece by the way.

Originally Posted by ciscokid

Doug's sleds are much prettier than mine. I designed this one from scratch a couple of years ago out of necessity. It's been well used and is gettnig rather chewed up, but it still gets the job done. This is designed to go against the fence. I have a rather tall sacrificial fence board so it is very stable with a box on it. The sled is 6" wide and 12" long. I made it using cheap poplar from a big box hardware store. That bottom board started out as one solid piece by the way.

That sled has obviously made lots of fine boxes.

My sled an advantage in that the saw blade always cuts in the same place, and you move a stop block on the sled to change the position of the box on it. So it doesn't get worn out from making so many different cuts. It fits in the miter gauge slot rather than running along the fence, so it can't wander off track when your mind goes fuzzy and your attention drifts. The grreat thing about jigs you make yourself. You can wear them out and fix them or throw them away and start over.

Originally Posted by DougStowe

The great thing about jigs you make yourself. You can wear them out and fix them or throw them away and start over.

Or throw them in the pot belly stove on days like we are having here. -1 F in Virginia yesterday morning.

Don't want to hijack this thread but thought I would attach a pic of the box I made using the same plan by Doug Stowe from Fine Woodworking mag.
Box is just pine out of bin and top and splines are made from Black Wattle.
This is my 1st ever box. Am going to put flocking on inside of box but waiting on order from Jim Carrol's to arrive so I can have a go at that. Also made the jig Doug shows in mag but made mine a little wider so that it had 2 slides to run in mitre guide slots on either side of saw blade.
David

Very nice, I like the refinement of pull. Did you use the flipping story stick on installing the hinges? Your box is a beauty.

Originally Posted by ciscokid

Or throw them in the pot belly stove on days like we are having here. -1 F in Virginia yesterday morning.

I have thrown a number of jigs in my pot belly stove. They burn great, but have to close down the damper to keep the flames low. I hope it warms some for the Inauguration. Are you close to DC? My daughter is there with tickets for the Inauguration.

Doug
Thanks for your kind assesment. The pull was sanded on drill press Wasp to curved shape. Smallest router bit I had for pull recess was 5mm so made pull curve downwards to hide thickness of recess. Looks like a tongue?
No I didn't use the flipping story stick on the box - I thought I could use chisel and ended up butchering rather than cutting a recess for hinge so for lid part I went to the trouble (no much) of making a story stick to finish the lid side off and now wished I had done so earlier before I attacked it with chisel and hammer. Next box will be better I hope.
Took a pic of the gide for cutting splines this am - you can rotate it 180 degrees so that other way round can be used to cut splines at an angle. Angled blade cuts through in different spot as mitre guides are different distance away from blade on each side. Might try that on the next box. My wife has put order in for another dozen for presents during the year so looks like I might be going to get some shed time - maybe.
David

David,

I like your sled, and the idea that it can be reversed when you want to cut angled key slots.The pull does look like a tongue, now that you mention it, but it also looks like a good fit for the finger, like those old pulls on card files at the library.

Doug

The effect of the curly maple is to make the sides appear in the photo to be made of bunched cloth. That is a very interesting illusion. Well done.

David,

Really nice job.
Bob

Doug,

I see that you and another poster use the table saw to make the splines. Do you find it preferable to use a table saw rather than a router table?

John

Cisco,

Wonderful craftmanship and presentation.

John