Thread: a few more Resin Boxes

Why would we ever get suck of looking at something amazing like this?!

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I imagine that was one cranky piece of Blackbean?

Very nice!

Could never get sick of looking at them. Like the way you have matched the darker timber in the lid frame with the burl in the insert.

Hi gang, You might recall in another thread somewhere I bought 5 pairs of those $20 solid brass stop hinges. I had used 2 pairs, those two boxes are elsewhere, but I wanted to use the other 3 pairs, just to get rid of them. I made up a few similar type trinket boxes but with resin and timber in the lid insert. I was trying to get a translucent look, by not using much mica powder and allowing the resin to be more see through. To see the live edges of the timber. I'm not really happy with my results but thought I would show them here. The other ring box I am very happy with the result in that one. I experimented with a different technique by pouring a thinnish layer of swirly blue, then another layer of clear resin on top of that. Bit tricky but, all experimental. The photo doesn't show the clear layer it comes up like glass and you see right through it. Having used that technique gave me another idea for another box, its in progress at the moment.

That ring box, I cut out 22 of them several months ago, from offcuts, and just so happened I had one left with the sides from River Oak. So when I got some other old River Oak with live edges, it was perfect for the two sides of a small resin river. You can look through the clear layer and see the live edges on top of the swirly blue. hard to see in the photo.

Paul

Some more beautiful boxes. It's amazing how different the outside of the resin looks compared to the inside on those first 2 boxes. Really like the outside of the second one with the red resin.

Me again, with one more resin box. The previous boxes gave me an idea which I now just finished making. I used a mold that I had made before for my lid inserts. 280mm x 150mm. My idea being that I wanted the top of the lid to be a full layer of clear resin polished to a glass finish. With timber (river oak) submerged about 3mm under the clear. And also clear resin down the sides of the live edges of the river oak, with the swirly blue only on the bottom. Very happy with the end result. The top is just like glass.

I'll shortly make another mold the size of my usual large boxes, 315mm x 185mm and do a similar. The tray caused me a lot of grief, being much smaller than usual, but still wanting to fit 8 rings in it. The last take on the tray turned out great, with those little "buttons" with thumb/finger grip. The old red cedar and silver ash just compliment each other so well.

Paul

I can see it is time well spent trying to perfect your methods. It's a pity that the photos don't show the gloss you have obtained but I'm sure it's there. I found that if I took photos of my pens in natural diffused light I was able to capture the shine on the CA finish.
I like the little handles you put on the tray and the accent pieces around the top. I just picked up some Silver Ash the other day so I am keen to give it a go. I see Col using it quite a bit in his tutorials, and like your box, it really sets the box off.

Hi and thanks Dallas, The photos don't show the clear resin on top as its identical to looking through a sheet of glass. When I first take the lid out of its mold and put it through my home made drum sander, with 120 grit sandpaper in it, you can imagine how scratchy it was. A lot of sanding and polishing after that.

Those little button handles I put on the tray was an after thought as the little handle I put across, didn't really allow 4 of the rings to be picked up freely, so I had to come up with another plan.,,..........hence those little handles. And that 2mm layer of cedar on top of the tray with the little handles really set it off.

Thanks Dallas, I noticed your name on the list of live viewers of Col's show the other day. I never watch it live but always catch up later on over a few days.

Paul

I normally don't sit down during the day to watch anything but for some reason I feel I need to watch Col live.

Hi All, As I mentioned in the last resin box above, (now sold), I made up another mold for a full resin lid 315mm x 185mm. I actually made the mold 320mm x 190mm, gives me a little room for trimming. 315mm x 185mm is my preferred size for my large boxes. Just seems to have a nice look about it. A lot of work in these resin lids, selecting the timber, ripping and sanding it down to about 9mm. 9mm as I want to have about 3mm of clear resin over the entire top, from which I produce a glass like finish. I dont have a thicknesser. Sealing the timber twice to prevent it from breathing and making air bubbles. But I love the finished look. I can honestly say I haven't seen any other boxes anywhere, with similar lids.

I've got several pieces of timber out in my shed at present with the first coat of resin seal on them. Enough for me to make 4 more lids. I'll start prepping timber for 4 boxes in the next day or two.

The submerged timber in the lid of this box is needlewood. Mal told me he got it from Western NSW. Its as hard as. The other timber is red cedar and silver ash. I have a heap of this, and it goes so well together.

This is my latest design for trays now, no lift handle, just two little button thingies on either side of the ring section with thumb/index finger grips. And on a tray this size takes 12 rings easy.

Paul

I would love to see that lid in real life as I'm sure it's a stunner. You are right, the Silver Ash and Red Cedar go really well together as a contrast. I have recently picked up some Silver Ash and I'm keen to have a go with it as it seems to come highly recommended by Col. You new tray resign looks really neat

That box I just put on, sold in just over 1 day. I'll have to get busy.

Paul

Absolutely beautiful boxes you should be justifiably proud very well done.

Cheers Peter

A couple more resin boxes. There's been a few more in between these two and the last ones, but wanted to share these ones. One is from very old Walnut timber a mate from bowls gave me. He used to make gun stocks from this walnut, said to me he hasn't used it for 20 years and is now 78, so I may as well have the lot. Tell you what though, this would have been up there with the hardest timber I have used, smoke coming from my table saw blade as I was milling it.

With the finish on the resin I've been experimenting with that many polishes/compounds lately I must have a full shelf in a cupboard just full of it. The other day I bought a Meguiars pro dual action polishing/buffing machine, on special at Repco. The highest speed on it is slower than the slowest speed on my De Walt ROS. That seems to work much better on the resin. I do an insane amount of sanding/polishing on this resin to get it to the glass like finish. I have a compound that is supposed to sand/buff/polish to 100,000 grit. I'm still not convinced it is better than other cutting/polishing stuff I have.

I hope you all had a great Christmas.

Paul