A recent Trinket Box

[xy mosian]

Hi all,

For some time I have had one of those pieces of wood that will "come in one day" and anyway it is "too good to chuck out". This piece was nice tight grained Oak, I cannot tell you the particular variant. It was given to me by someone who had been keeping it, on the same basis, for quite a while. He was getting rid of similar bits just prior to emigrating and couldn't bear to dump it.

When I saw the recent Monty Don series about aspiring craftsmen, and women, there was a wood based episode which featured a small box. Ah! just the thing.

Here is the result. The original was 230mm x 100mm x 100mm, or perhaps 9" x 4" x 4". Only hand tools were used, the top and bottom were from two pieces. Sides are 8mm, 5/16", bottom is 6mm, about 1/4". The finish is Hard Wax oil. The design is loosely based on that mentioned in the program with the addition of a rebate around the top.

I was pleased with the fit of the dovetails, pins and tails fitted from the saw. The shoulders needed trimming, these bits need more attention next time. All four corners are shown and the lid in all the positions I could think of. Overall size is 210mm. x 100mm. x 50mm.

Thanks for looking.

xy

 

[devonwoody]

It will most probably always be a piece to remember and bring back memories every time it is seen. Little things mean a lot.

 

[tobytools]

What's a beautiful box, I've been practising dovetails and this box is the perfect project after a few more practise attemps.
I hope you don't mind.

Once again a very classy box.

Thanks for sharing
TT

 

[xy mosian]

Thank you Dw. Sadly everyone else in this household keeps asking "What is it for?" and "Something else to dust?". Still I enjoy it.

Toby, thank you. It is not my design ... Go for it. I like the fact that I did not have to source any hardware. That is not as easy as it used to be, thirty or forty years ago! Good hand working practice, I particularly enjoyed curving the sloping sides on the top with a card scraper.

I have lots of bits of wood kicking about and have decided to pick a piece at random, now and again, and make something from it. This design will resize easily.

xy

 

[hanser]

Yep. I like that.

 

[tobytools]

I got a simular thing when I showed my nan a box I painfully constructed.
Bless her, being from a diffrent day, after I showed her I awaited the reply...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1pqv393h6z1hu ... .57.46.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/aga7txdlpyctg ... .36.14.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/65zg00d3qhmai ... .35.10.jpg

She replied "what a nice pencil case" :s
My grandad with out knowing my Nan's response said the same thing!
We all had a good laught about it.

I will begin this box tonight with selecting my timber.
Thanks again.

Ps. My box still has nothing in it and is in a draw, don't want to ruien it haha

 

[xy mosian]

Thanks Hanser.

Toby, I can see where the pencil box idea comes from. Nevertheless that is a clean looking box, in that it looks to be precisely made. Do you have any trouble with the slide sticking? It looks to be made of Cherry, a nice wood to work and, I'm told, often used as a Walnut substitute. Suitable staining required of course.

xy

 

[rafezetter]

I got a simular thing when I showed my nan a box I painfully constructed.
Bless her, being from a diffrent day, after I showed her I awaited the reply...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1pqv393h6z1hu ... .57.46.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/aga7txdlpyctg ... .36.14.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/65zg00d3qhmai ... .35.10.jpg

She replied "what a nice pencil case" :s
My grandad with out knowing my Nan's response said the same thing!
We all had a good laught about it.

I will begin this box tonight with selecting my timber.
Thanks again.

Ps. My box still has nothing in it and is in a draw, don't want to ruien it haha

but..it is a pencil case

 

[owenmcc]

Looks lovely. Very nicely executed.

Can I add to the wood debate... "tight grained oak", "cherry"... it looks like ash to me.

 

[xy mosian]

Owen, which one? I agree the piece I used might be ash..

xy

 

[tobytools]

Thanks Hanser.

Toby, I can see where the pencil box idea comes from. Nevertheless that is a clean looking box, in that it looks to be precisely made. Do you have any trouble with the slide sticking? It looks to be made of Cherry, a nice wood to work and, I'm told, often used as a Walnut substitute. Suitable staining required of course.

xy

Thanks for kind comment sorry to muscel in on your thread with my pics, it's made from hard maple, the dowels are birch. the lid is jointed by 2 pieces I carved the notch myself very happy with it to.
The isn't a single problem with the lid sticking tho at one stage I thought it was never going to fit , I tryed, corrected and try again till I had it perfect or as close to. The edges arnt feathered either so I'm happy. This took me a long time to make..

The box I next make using the design you have shown will house some japanese chisels I just aquired.


Oh ye, it's not a pencil case if it has no pencils in it

Many thanks.
TT

 

[xy mosian]

Toby,
Hard maple, well it just goes to show. I claim to have been thrown by the colour, my monitor etc. Still a great box. Don't worry about muscling in, the more the merrier! The grooves to the edges of the notch, look very evenly spaced that sort of thing eludes me as yet. I always get carried away and begin to get too deep. I have only recently made a small turned bowl in Birch. My first use of it, it felt good under the blade.
If you say it ain't a pencil box, who am I to disagree :lol:

Please don't forget to shows us your chisel box. If you have time take ages and enjoy it.

Regards, xy

 

[tobytools]

Toby,
Hard maple, well it just goes to show. I claim to have been thrown by the colour, my monitor etc. Still a great box. Don't worry about muscling in, the more the merrier! The grooves to the edges of the notch, look very evenly spaced that sort of thing eludes me as yet. I always get carried away and begin to get too deep. I have only recently made a small turned bowl in Birch. My first use of it, it felt good under the blade.
If you say it ain't a pencil box, who am I to disagree :lol:

Please don't forget to shows us your chisel box. If you have time take ages and enjoy it.

Regards, xy

Thanks,
It's a beautiful wood, it's hard to see but there is a bit of nice ripple going on, not a lot mind but some. Believe it of not that was my 2nd try at hand carving the notch, I drew around a coin and worke towards the centre and kept going till I was happy, couldn't be simpler, I use only one gouge too can't remember what size.
I much prefer it to the D notch.
It's just that added handmade quality I strive for.

With bowel making I like the adze, axe and chisels, tho I that stuff up as I cut the nerves and tenon in my thumb outch.


I was ment to start that box tonight but got side tracked with new toys

Thanks
TT

 

[xy mosian]

Thanks,
It's a beautiful wood, it's hard to see but there is a bit of nice ripple going on, not a lot mind but some. Believe it of not that was my 2nd try at hand carving the notch, I drew around a coin and worke towards the centre and kept going till I was happy, couldn't be simpler, I use only one gouge too can't remember what size.
I much prefer it to the D notch.
It's just that added handmade quality I strive for.

With bowel making I like the adze, axe and chisels, tho I that stuff up as I cut the nerves and tenon in my thumb outch.


I was ment to start that box tonight but got side tracked with new toys

Oh! Thanks for the 'How to' on carving that notch.

Thanks
TT

Toby,
In my best Leslie Phillips voice " OOO Nasty", but seriously I hope your thumb/hand has returned, or is returning, to a useful condition. A long time ago, in a place called Mankinholes (above Todmorden and Hebden Bridge), I met a guy carving Viol tops with an adze, he said he was accurate to a sixteenth. With the adze in his hand I wasn't going to question that. I had thought about a hand adze but rarely come across big lumps of wood so I'll avoid one. For now.

In terms of making bowls, I also have a preference for carving. My set up does not allow a permanently sited lathe and moving one, even a small one, around is non too easy. Besides when I use one there is a lot of clearing up to do, easier with carved chips.

New toys? Always fun.

xy