Hell's teeth...not ANOTHER box!

[woodbloke]

It's my baby brother's 50th coming up at the end of June so there's going to be a fairly big Bash round at his place. This is a little something from me to commemorate the momentous occasion. It's a fairly straight forward box in oak:

...through dovetailed at the corners, with a solid, quarter sawn, panelled top and veneered ply base. Jointing as mentioned is by through d/t's:

The inside has been lined in brown oak, scribed and mitred at the corners, with an:

...ebony insert all round:

...mitred at the corners. All edges have been chamfered with the LN block and have been left straight from the plane...no sanding. Finish is a couple of coats of matt Osmo-PolyX with teak wax over the top. Perhaps the worst part of the job (apart from the hinging :twisted: ) was the timber itself...a brittle bit of scabby old kiln dried oak that had to be scraped and sanded into submission. Having made and finished it, the top is maybe a little to big in relation to the rest of it, but as always, all comments welcome - Rob

 

[marcros]

a picture is worth a 1000 words...

 

[AndyT]

Classically good.
It's the woodworking equivalent of quality local ingredients cooked to show off their proper flavours, without being smothered in sauce. If he's got any taste at all, he'll love it!

I especially like the way the corner chamfer gives a stripe of end-grain colour all the way down. And the mitre at the top which fits as tightly as the dovetails do. And the contrast of the ebony.

 

[flounder]

Hi Rob, really nice, crisp looking box!
A couple of questions.... is the top just floating in a rebate? and have you put any form of catch on the lid like hidden magnets or is it just left unrestrained?

Top job!

 

[woodbloke]

Hi Rob, really nice, crisp looking box!
A couple of questions.... is the top just floating in a rebate? and have you put any form of catch on the lid like hidden magnets or is it just left unrestrained?

Top job!

The top is just located into the rebate and floats with around .5mm each side for shrinkage...there's a small dab of glue in the centre just to hold it in place. No catch on the lid as it just fits snuggly over the lining. The inside leading edge of the lid has been very slightly chamfered (not apparent on the pics :mrgreen: ) so that it drops down over the lining without fouling it, but there's enough there just to hold it when it closes - Rob

 

[Adam Mada]

Very simple and classy box. I love the contrasting woods and the dovetails look perfect!

 

[Jensmith]

Simple but really nice

 

[gasman]

Nice Rob.... did you make the box as a whole and then but it on the bandsaw? Also where do you get your ebony from? I bought a 5kg 'bag' of oddments from Dick a few years ago but it is getting sparse
Regards Mark

 

[woodbloke]

Nice Rob.... did you make the box as a whole and then but it on the bandsaw? Also where do you get your ebony from? I bought a 5kg 'bag' of oddments from Dick a few years ago but it is getting sparse
Regards Mark

The ebony was 'acquired' :-" in a different life Mark and is almost all gone, but each time I go to Yandles I usually pick up a length of Indian Ebony for around a fiver or so which I use for this sort of accent detail. The box was sawn on the bandsaw through the double width centre pin which is a first for me...I usually do it by hand in the vice - Rob

 

[Kalimna]

Lovely execution of the box - aesthetically simple lines (though how that translates into 'straightforward' construction is a different matter!), especially the effect that chamfering the corner edges gives. However, whilst I like contrasting timbers, to my eye the ebony is a little *too* contrasty. Still looks fantastic, however!

Adam S

 

[Racers]

Hi,

Very nice box, but I also think the Ebony stands out a little to much.
How about some ebony feet on the bottom to ballance it up?

Pete

 

[woodbloke]

Hi,
How about some ebony feet on the bottom to ballance it up?

Pete

Been there with the feet thing on a box Pete. Remember the RI box from last year with the brass feet?...'slam dunked' I was (and rightly so) over that so on this one I've left them off - Rob

 

[Unib]

Ebony doesn't look over the top to me at all. Very nicely done, lovely and simple but beutifully executed

 

[gasman]

I do agree with Pete that, if it were mine, I would have added something to balance the ebony - maybe inlaid initials in the top - or a lock with the escutcheon cut out in a square of ebony - something to balance it. Not taking away from your superb craftsmanship tho'. 'tis a matter of tastes as we all well know

 

[TheTiddles]

I think the ebony is a bit "much" by itself. I'd balance it up with an inlay on the top and some ebony feet. Which might work, or might make a mess of an otherwise ok piece...

Aidan

 

[Charlie Woody]

Well done Rob, that looks very nice.

 

[SammyQ]

=D> =D> =D>

Sam

 

[shim20]

super job, nice and neat

 

[Ian]

Very nice Rob with nice clean workmanship, the ebony is a nice feature perhaps a bit thick - but I agree there needs to be a balance (not feet) perhaps a small inlay on the lid or a fine ebony border at the shoulder where the side meets the lid.

Cheers

Ian

 

[spad]

Really like the box