This box required a great deal more time and care during the final sanding,mostly in trying to maintain the edge of the ridges.At first I intended to keep them as crisp as possible…which took alot of time…but I didnt care for the look afterwards.It just looked too machine made,not as organic as like.I started out with a concept of sand dunes that I thought would tie in nicely with the grain of the Myrtlewood,but thats about it.I dont try and plan out every detail of the shaping ahead of time.I just go with the flow,letting one shape tell me where to put the next.Its more about feeling than planning.
WAIT A MINUTE!! I dont want you thinking that I am getting all Artsy Fartsy!!
All I am saying is what we all do to some degree anyway,both Men and Women,but as MEN we often hesitate to let ourselves admit it.We care about what we are making,we put our hearts into our work.
What I am talking about is just letting our feelings go…to say what we feel through our hands, to run on autopilot a little now and thenWhen we break away from a structured plan and let our hands direct us with a chisel or grinder, we are letting our subconscious do some of the talking.Dont get me wrong,I love challenging myself to build a table for example, from the pages of FWW or WOOD magazine, just to prove I can follow directions.But occasionally, its more rewarding to cut loose from a plan and see what happens.Yes,its risky and takes a lot of trust that we wont screw up all of our hard work,but the more we relax and let it happen,the better the results can be.We can step back and say “Look what I did…thats me expressing how I really feel”
Its risky too, because we are exposing ourselves to others and not everyone is going to understand what we are saying,and they might not like it.
So what! At least you will be saying something strictly from your own viewpoint.
Thats what I did with this box.I have made enough of these boxes to feel comfortable about really grinding away on this one.Each one has brought me a little closer to doing this design.It wasnt really planned out exactly…but I just knew I still wanted to say more than I have.
I wanted to express the feelings I get when I go the coast and walk down the beach,over the sand dunes, looking for shells or driftwood.I could have named it “A Trip to the Beach”
I am happy with results :-)
The dividers can be reconfigured or removed as desired.
Tip:Here is a simple way to hold your small pieces when finishing them.Just apply a strip of double stick tape and press each piece down, leaving enough space between for spraying both sides.
The bottom is lined with a piece of heavy cardstock,(usually salvaged from the back of a legal pad),and covered with velvet.I cut it about 1/8’’ smaller L x W to allowing for the fact that the velvet will fold over the edges.
Years ago I used spray contact adhesive to stick down the fabric,but it is very easy to get a sticky mess.I also tried rubber cement,but with the same problem.Lately I have been using double stick tape and it works great.
Thats all,thanks for reading and commenting on this series.I appreciate all of the feedback!! You have been a great group and I hope this has encouraged some of you to try something new.
Here is a link to more pictures.
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/20446
I really hope to see your versions of this box design posted on LJ.
Feel free to contact me with any errors you see and to ask for clarification on anything.
Thanks for your patience too,I had no idea it would take me this long to do this.haha
ANDY
-- " If I can make it,so can you" Andy in Oregon
21 comments so far
Scott Bryan
home | projects | blog
20538 posts in 714 days
posted 91 days ago
Andy, thanks for allowing us to come along for the ride on the construction of this box. It has meant a lot to me personally to follow along on the tutorial. I can honestly say that I have learned more about box construction from your tutorial than all of the books that I have read on box making. It has been a wonderful trip and I have enjoyed every post.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
a1Jim
home | projects | blog
16577 posts in 469 days
posted 91 days ago
Great Blog and wonderful art box
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon
Julian
home | projects | blog
687 posts in 417 days
posted 91 days ago
Wow, Andy! Being that I go to the dunes almost weekly to go to the beach, I can honestly say that you nailed the look.
-- Julian, Park Forest, IL
blockhead
home | projects | blog
292 posts in 200 days
posted 91 days ago
Outstanding job Andy!! The box and the blog are magnificent! The design and colors of this box are a perfect match. Thanks for all of your hard work!
-- Brad, Oregon- Wood, it's what's for dinner.
Blake
home | projects | blog
2755 posts in 766 days
posted 91 days ago
Awesome tutorial. I have always wanted to try one of theses. I definitely learned a few tricks. Thanks!
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
DAN
home | projects | blog
6438 posts in 875 days
posted 91 days ago
a treasure ! beautiful craftsmanship
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
Billp
home | projects | blog
329 posts in 1092 days
posted 91 days ago
Andy you have a knack for teaching, everything is explained so completely. From now on when ever I make a box I ‘ll say I learned it from Andy.
-- Billp
Russel
home | projects | blog
2057 posts in 831 days
posted 91 days ago
This has been a great series and I appreciate the time you’ve taken to do it.
-- When you give someone a chance it may well be their last.
littlecope
home | projects | blog
575 posts in 394 days
posted 91 days ago
Great Job, in every way, Andy! Many Thanks!!
-- Mike in Manchester, NH---Unpleasant tasks are simply worthy challenges to improve skills.
kcrandy
home | projects | blog
84 posts in 324 days
posted 91 days ago
My friend, this is a piece of art.
cajunpen
home | projects | blog
5970 posts in 958 days
posted 91 days ago
It’s all been said – but I’ll add my two cents – OUTSTANDING craftsmanship. Thank you for all of the effort and time you put into sharing your knowledge.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
Andy
home | projects | blog
570 posts in 800 days
posted 90 days ago
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS.
THANK YOU!!
I am happy that all the work I put into this paid off.The real proof will be when we start seeing more of these boxes posted right here on LJ.
You can do it !!!
-- " If I can make it,so can you" Andy in Oregon
gbear
home | projects | blog
103 posts in 991 days
posted 89 days ago
Yeah…thanks Andy…Now I’ve used all the ink in my printer!!!
-- gbear, Carmichael, CA
Kent Shepherd
home | projects | blog
805 posts in 178 days
posted 88 days ago
Andy,
I got behind watching your blog while working on mine, but what I’ve seen is fantastic. Now I’ll go back and catch up.
Your boxes are an inspiration, and I’m anxious to try your techniques. Again awesome work
———Kent
-- Kent Shepherd * The goal is-----More Tools!
Andy
home | projects | blog
570 posts in 800 days
posted 88 days ago
@ gbear-thanks,I hope you didnt print all the pictures too.ha
@ Kent-Thanks also,I look forward to seeing what you craft from my blog.
-- " If I can make it,so can you" Andy in Oregon
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
14159 posts in 1052 days
posted 86 days ago
thank you for the wonderful tutorial.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Andy
home | projects | blog
570 posts in 800 days
posted 86 days ago
Your very welcome Debbie.I enjoyed it all.
Thanks for your help too.
-- " If I can make it,so can you" Andy in Oregon
mcoyfrog
home | projects | blog
809 posts in 486 days
posted 82 days ago
Great tutorial, now i hope to apply it to my tongue drums thanks for putting this all together.
-- Wood and Glass they kick (well you know) Have a great day - Dug
mmh
home | projects | blog
1377 posts in 614 days
posted 81 days ago
Beautifully done and documented! My mind’s gears are turning now on creating a unique box of my own!
-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe
daltxguy
home | projects | blog
558 posts in 806 days
posted 77 days ago
nice work and tutorial andy. I hope to try my own soon.
-- Steve, New Zealand, www.steveracz.com
dustyal
home | projects | blog
442 posts in 367 days
posted 62 days ago
uh, is that all? No more lessons? Like, why didn’t I find this BEFORE I made my three boxes? You’ve explained the errors of my ways. Nice going.
Seriously, I really appreciate the work and effort you put into this blog. I especially enjoyed the pictures of your “interruptions.” To be honest, I might not have started if I had read your blog first. You make it sound simple, but it takes practice. But now that I have practiced… I’ll be trying some of your techniques—something I would not normally have tried on my own. Thank you for that. I can see where the art and the function comes together. That, and when I free hand the design, I can call it “art” and not “mistake”?
Again, like all the other comments… very well put together and very much appreciated by me and a whole population of LJ’ers.
-- Al H. - small shop, small projects...