While I work on a bunch of bigger projects, I started to get the “never finish any project” syndrome. My niece is having a birthday soon, so I decided to make her a piggybank. All this took was 6 cuts on 1” pine on the bandsaw – I freehanded the templates. Glued up, did a bunch of sanding. Cut a hole under the pig with my drill press and tested throwing toonies and $5 bill into the pig – making sure little hands can get it out with some effort. I will seal it up with 1/4” plywood and a couple of screws.

For the finish I thought of milk paint – but I happened upon a small tube of gouache at an art store and gave that a shot. A couple of coats of polyurethane and it’s ready for business.

I remember seeing this project in an issue of “Woodworking for Women” which was a short lived mag, unfortunately.

Ever since I saw these platter handles in the Lee Valley Tools catalog – I wanted to try them however I wanted to wait until I had a few cutting boards under my belt.

Recently when I was shopping the catalog, I noticed that the bull was going to be discontinued so I quickly ordered two of them (one for a gift, and one for me). Beware – they are prone to scratch as they are pewter but I find them very cool. While I was there, I picked up some painter’s pyramids. They are FANTASTIC. I can’t believe I did not spend the $10 sooner in my life.

Boards are all maple. The top a simple board, made longer and shaped to the handles. This one is a gift. I hand carved a groove in the back so that it can be hung up if wanted. The bottom board is butcher block, about 1.25 ” thick. I did not shape to the handles (did not want to risk blocks falling off). This one is for ME!!!! Both finished with a ton of mineral oil applied at least twice a day over a week and topped with a paraffin wax and mineral oil heated mixture that I applied several times over two days.

The first board – I decided to make it long because I could not get the Texan longhorns out of my head. Wouldn’t it be cool if someone produced platter handles with longhorn cattle? Maybe it exists already.

If anyone is thinking of doing this – suggestion it to make your board at least 1” thick to give yourself a lot of play for the holes/countersinking you need to do. The first board is not as thick so I barely made it, but I made it. Also, no matter what you do the platter does not lie completely flat against the board (ie. there are gaps). This is to let you know in case you expected this and are disappointed.

Two at a time now…. am I catching up to Larry? I am at risk of being productive!

I decided what the heck and I would try a bandsaw box, since SteveinMarin PROMISED that you can’t really screw them up.

If you have not seen his video - go there NOW... ;)

I started wtih a bargain piece of Cherry – just 3 bucks. At least I think it’s cherry. When I was working it there was a pinkish hue that came out that made me think it was poplar, but it was too hard for poplar. I still have more than half left, so this is a great bargain box.

I made a box for my sig. other to keep those plastic pieces that come with shirts, and sized the drawer accordingly. I left it square – so that he could stick it in a drawer if he didn’t like it. Turns out he likes it.

The stain is an antique cherry and then one coat of urethane (not the wipe on – I had some industrial strength lying around). Before the urethane, I popped on a small walnut button for the handle.

This box was inspirational. Why? I realized I need a new bandsaw blade. I had a hard time making the contour cuts even after adjusting it like mad. It was burning the wood. I was also inspired to clean the bandsaw and blade top to bottom after making this. But it’s a great project while you are awaiting glue-ups from other projects…

I recently watched the series of videos on FWW about box-making – the one where you cut the lid off with the tablesaw…. so I decided that’s what I would make my dad.

I have had a piece of lacewood hanging around, waiting for this. I made the accents in walnut (and made a throwaway jig to cut the miter key joints on the tablesaw). I am wishing I had ebony – it would have popped more. Lacewood – what an interesting wood. So splintery! But so beautiful. I made sure that the outside of the box had all similar patterns – you can see the inside of the lid where the pattern differs. The bottom is made of a piece of cherry that I pieced together after thinning it out on the bandsaw. I like the look of it.

I was going to make a little handle in walnut, but my sig. other who has much better taste than I do said it looked perfect the way it was. Comments/feedback on that? I still have time…

What is missing is some sort of chain inside to keep the box from falling over. After putting in the hinges, the need became apparent.

I am still not 100% happy with my miters, but they are re-enforced and I will keep my fingers crossed. Maybe in 100 years an ancestor will have to repair it. This was the first time I used my router to make the miter joints. I think it does a better job than the tablesaw and it was indeed less scary.

So far there are about 6 coats of wipe-on poly on this box. Lacewood just sucks it up. I will keep going until father’s day as much as the box wants….

I am continually enthralled at looking at Triumph1's Buddha Box – and had to branch out and try something on my own that was more than purely utilitarian.

Looking through the net – I found Wood Magazine’s Pagoda Box Plan (link below). I will admit – I did not buy it but I sort of based the box on it as much as possible.

http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-plans/gifts-accessories/boxes/pagoda-box/

This took me about 5 weekends of work (not including the hike to a wood store that carries cool wood). The last weekend was sanding. In leaving the lid raised it sort of also looks like an inukshuk….

I got too experimental and thought it was a great idea to make a thin stock maple and oak bottom. I should have made it in zebrawood. Lesson learned – keep it simple!

One of the sides cracked on the tablesaw when cutting the miter so I had to recreate but the rest of the cuts went OK. The box side cracked when I was over zealously clamping up the box but with filler and some right-colored paint it’s not glaringly visible. A few glue marks showing (I tried to tape down but the glue always seems to get you no matter what) that I only noticed after the finish but I am OK with it. It ain’t no Andy Art box… but give me 25 more years of practice….

Zebrawood, Walnut and Ebony for the rods… maple and oak as the box bottom. Finished with wipe-on poly. First time trying it. What a breeze.

Just in time for Mother’s Day!

Unfortunately, can’t enter it in the scrap content as I started it before the contest was announced so I have no proof of whence it came. Naturally, the pieces of wood were small. Keeping the knot in the walnut was a deliberate choice as well.

I decided I could no longer stand looking at the crappy plastic containers holding some random wrenches and sockets (second picture)... and decided to replace them with a crappy box. At least it’s made of wood (all pine scraps).

This project taught me to stick to the plan. The wood is assembled pieces from things disassembled. I planned to paint the box as I knew it would not look good any other way. There are nail holes all over the place and the wood used to have varnish and stain. I also did not want to spend much time sanding. So I spent little time sanding and decided to try out an antique cherry stain finish I had – just to see what it looks like. Blotches all over of course because I did not bother treating it and I did not sand off all the glue that oozed over the edges. I didn’t even try to make sure the wood grain is the same (see the fronts of the drawers!) After it was done I decided to keep it and shove it back in the closet. It does the job. The drawers slide in an out, which is what counts, and the random pieces of tools are organized.

I got to practice with my finger joint jig – which I had to remake because it was just under a millimeter off and my first few passes didn’t work well. Now it works great.

The most exciting thing was using the drill press to make the hole. Never did that before. Is it odd to get thrilled by that kind of activity?

Your typical end grain cutting board with maple and purpleheart. I made this as a very last minute gift for a relative for xmas… and did all the requisite things like dousing it in mineral oil over 3-4 days until it wanted no more and waxing it off like a surfboard.

I told him it was for garlic, ginger – small vegetable things as it’s really a small board.

He proceeded to use it for meat. He told me he soaked it for a full minute in hot water. Then it warped so he threw it on the fire.

Is the warping due to my construction not being solid enough (I used Titebond III) or was he just… for lack of a better word… an idiot for soaking a non-commercially made cutting board in hot water for minimally 60 seconds?

Oh gods of the cutting boards – your opinion on this is most wanted….

It’s about time I posted this. I finished it for an xmas present. My pregnant sis was craving sushi…. and this tray was to help solve the craving. It took me almost a month and a half because of the extra help I got from my dogs.

The middle insert and the legs are leftovers from another cutting board, and I fit maple pieces around it. This was the first project using my mortising machine. It could have been a tighter fit on the ends (you can see some gaps) but it’s stable. I don’t have a jig for small pieces – so I used the bandsaw to size the leg pieces and hand sanded.

I decided to experiment, and rubbed in many coats of medium walnut tinted “danish oil” which is really mostly tung oil. I really liked the effect / enhancement it has on the walnut. Effect on maple is ok.

I admit I had to do this twice. After 3 coats of the oil – I noticed dog hairs. ARGH!!! I had to scrape it all off, sand it down, and start again. This project was the straw that broke the camel’s back regarding rework due to dog hairs… and I have now made myself a good corner in the laundry room where there are no dogs allowed. I also change my shirt before finishing to be sure nothing is sticking and falls off.

After about 2 weeks (around 8 coats) I chose to stop. I wonder how many coats this maple would need to really darken…. It took 2 weeks so that I could let it fully dry between coats.

I finished it with 3 applications of full strength shellac.

The last two pictures are the unfinished product, which I took because I wanted to see before and after for the colored finish.

This box was made by my great uncle. It was among my grandfather’s things a few decades ago when he died, and the sentimental value is very great. I am guessing he made it during the 1950s.

I believe this is quartersawn oak – the grain on it is fantastic. The rabbited edges fell apart so I sanded everything down, glued it all back up and applied a nice walnut gel stain to the wood, and a couple of coats of varnish to protect it.

I am impressed, as my great uncle matched the wood. I am assuming this was a band saw box and then he added hinges. I am inspired every time I look at it. It’s such a simple thing, but knowing it came from the hands of an ancestor increases the value to me.

I did not touch underneath (not shown) as it has some of his original pencil markings for making the box… believe it or not! It also has his signature, in pencil.

What can I say… I have a hard time chucking any wood at all (how much wood would an mtkate chuck if an mtkate could chuck wood? None! She would be keeping it and trying to figure out how to glue it into something new!). Pieces of hardwood are precious to me, so I can’t throw them into the kindling pile unless they are completely and utterly unusable or dangerous to me to cut.

I took the end pieces left over from my second ever cutting board (maple and purpleheart bits), then sliced them up and assembled them (end grain up) for the middle checkerboard piece. I had a small piece of cherry that I have been wanting to test out, so I cut up some pieces as a surround (not end grain). The board is only 1.2 cm thick (about 1/2”) so it’s extremely light. It will be an xmas present.

Finished with a few soaks of mineral oil, then three layers of a parrafin wax / mineral oil mixture. I finally completed it today after two weeks of on and off finishing.

Cherry is so… cherry. I love it.

I have a little sushi board on the go right now… which is being made with the other scraps (walnut/maple) from that same original board.

I started this late in the summer season as a way to get rid of a bunch of larger pine scraps I have had for at least 12 years. You can’t burn them in the wood stove… so I held onto them (eg. an old futon base, 2X4 leftovers that were too long to just throw away, etc).

I saw this plan online and decided to copy it. It’s a link to a .pdf, btw.

I made it less wide, because my scraps were not as long. I first cut all the pieces and applied a coat of deck stain before doing any drilling, then assembled and put more stain and at least 4 coats of outdoor varnish. Instead of a 4X4 piece for each leg as in the plan, I used paired up 2X4 – which is one reason I stained before assembly (so I can get to all sides). We’ll see how this holds up.

Happy to say it’s quite sturdy, and is serving today as a place to park my butt in the shop (for sanding things…) until next spring when I put it out near an obelisk I made a few years ago that I am surprised is still standing.

Making this box was an interesting journey. I downloaded sketchup in order to mock up ideas for my new kitchen… but took a small sidestep to see if I could sketch a small teabox that Rah had posted. That ended up in having to create a box joint jig (posted here: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/22112 ).

I finally tested it out properly and am so pleased with that jig. This was just a test. I had planed down some poplar to 1 cm thick and the box joint jig was set up to make a 1 cm box joint. Thanks to the folks who posted responses to my blog. I would have never thought of poplar.

I decided since it was just a test box, I would experiment with finish. The first pic is with a flash, so the color I used to finish looks brighter than reality. The other four pics are closer to the truth.

For the finishing, I first made up my shellac (1/2 cup of super blonde shellac flakes with 500 ml of denatured alcohol). I think the mix is full strength – what you call 1 lb cut? That took about 24 hours to fully dissolve even though I shook and shook. Then I bought myself some pigment (it’s called “Mars Violet”) and mixed 1/2 cup of the shellac with 1 tbsp of the pigment. I just swooshed it around a bit and it looked ready. I used an artist’s paintbrush – ie. something you would use for watercolors – to brush it on. It goes on like a dream. There was a small patch that did not want to take at first but I waited a few minutes and touched it up. It worked like a charm. After 24 hours of drying I put on a few coats of exterior varnish. I am going to keep my glue brushes in it.

The third and last pictures – I call them my money shots. I can’t believe that this box is square. And the joints are decent. I see some more projects with box joints in the future. Or more jigs.

After looking through all sorts of resources to find a box joint jig to build for my tablesaw (and finding so much for routers…. but I can’t build one yet as I hate my router and need to build a table…and get a new router) I had first built the jig from Taunton’s jigs and fixtures book. I hated it, and pitched it out. The problem is that it relied on my miter gauge and I found it too wobbly.

I found this plan in ShopNotes (#62, Vol. 11) which uses the miter slots in the tablesaw. It gave so much more stability. I saw a similar design for one posted by Scrappy – (http://lumberjocks.com/projects/15642) and the results he had looked great so I figured I had to try it.

It took me 5 hours to make – using 3/4 plywood, some old pieces of floating floor (they are perfect as 1/4” hardboard) and a small piece of maple. I probably measured 20 times before cutting once. First results were “ok” but the jig was a bit off. 1mm off in fact. It made quite a difference – the pegs were bigger than the holes so the joints did not fit right – they were way too tight.

I needed another 1/2 hour after a day of thinking to re-adjust the bottom piece.

This jig is great because the front fence piece is removable, and I can make pieces for any size box joint I want.

Great project, and making good box joints is not an easy thing!!! I appreciate the difficulty of something that looks so simple.

The third pic shows the result in some scrappy pine. The jig is created to make 1cm joints (that’s about 3/8” in the non-metric system). Admittedly, it would look better if the pine was planed to exactly 1cm thick but it was approximate – just for a test.

Fourth pic shows you the underside after some trials.

Fifth pic – you can see on the left side of the trial the first results before I adjusted the jig. As the pegs were larger than the holes and the pine just broke. The right hand side is after the adjustment.

The last picture is a shot of my favourite little pushstick. It’s my only other real “jig” I ever made that is worth keeping to me.

This new jig makes me feel like I am moving up in the world! I used so many different power tools to make it (tablesaw, miter saw, drill press, band saw) that I even impressed myself.

Another frame where the outside is red oak, and the inside is maple. I learned from previous experience, and managed to circumvent the glue problem that caused blotching when I stained my last frame.

I also learned from my last experience: I made the inner part (maple) first and then made the surround (oak) after. The miters fit better. Don’t ask me why I did it the other way the last time! I also did not bother to make fancy router edges as the print calls for something very simple (in my opinion, of course).

This time, I used the same formula for the staining – a red mahogany – but stopped after one rubbed in coat. The end color offset the print so well that I was satisfied and proceeded with a varnish.

Maple, Purpleheart and Black Walnut, just like the first. It’s 1 1/4 inch thick. I learned a lot with my first cutting board.

First, I took Larry’s advice from my first attempt and decided to try again, and vary the widths. I also went back and read every single post Larry ever did (degoose). I picked up the idea to get TiteBond III (went out and bought it ASAP). That stuff seems to be pretty good. Don’t drop it on your tablesaw….. or there is lots of scrubbing involved to get it off ;)

Second, with Larry’s suggestion in mind, I checked out the woodwhisperer video suggested by DustBunny. Amazing tutorial. I did not have 8/4 wood (only 4/4) but I followed the principles and got a nice flat board that feels sturdier than my first.

Wood Whisperer Video: http://thewoodwhisperer.com/episode-7-a-cut-above-part-1/

Larry was right. Varying the widths and making a checkerboard like pattern is far easier. Fewer gremlins break into the shop at night. This time it worked.

Third, I did not use a planer to flatten it off this time. The tip from the WoodWhisperer on how to clamp was great. I did not have packing tape so I used the universal solution to everything … duct tape. In addition, Bob #2 pointed me to one of Todd Clippinger’s great videos about how to use a scraper. I finally learned how to use one. I was so excited after I saw the video that I ran out (at first chance) to get myself a file so I can sharpen my scraper. WOW. Amazing. I was never productive because I was sharpening it all wrong.

Todd’s Video: http://lumberjocks.com/toddc/blog/6848

So far I put three good doses of mineral oil on it. I think I will also do the waxing thing. I want it to last. Mom will love it for xmas.

The last pic is a sneak peek from the next project I started. I usually have a couple going at the same time which is why it takes me so long… I am making a box to give to my upcoming niece. It will be cherry and basswood – the basswood part is being carved with celtic animals. It will have mortise and tenon legs. This will likely take me up to xmas…. but it’s a nice quiet afterwork nighttime activity since I can’t really rev up the tablesaw when I get home.

ps. I love advice. Keep it coming!

My first attempt – and definitely will not be my last.

After seeing so many fantabulous cutting boards on this site – I finally ventured farther than I have ever been before and bought wood that is NOT pine, oak or maple. In fact, maple is still a new venture for me.

This took me 3 weekends (unfortunately, I have a dayjob that is NOT woodworking… or is that fortunately so I can afford to make mistakes?). The first weekend was to joint, plane and cut the strips & glue them (last pic). The second week was to cut the cross strips and glue them up. The last weekend was finishing.

My planer took a bite off the edges, so I learned a lesson there that they need protection or I have to cut the pieces for the ends a bit wider… and it also bit into the board (you can see it in the 3rd pic) because I am still learning how to use a planer effectively. I decided not to fix the bite, since I will be keeping the board and chopping into it. Someday I will have to plane it down again. In any case, my boyfriend hardly noticed.

The shop gnomes also got in during the last glue up and played with my perfectly book-matched stripes (LOL). Now I understand the skill required and have learned that patience is indeed a virtue. The stripes are off by a small amount, but you can’t tell from afar.

I rounded the edges as much as possible for the day I drop this thing on my toes. It’s heavy!!! The board is almost 2 inches thick. I used waterproof glue and I think it will hold but I will take special care.

In any case, it’s sanded down to a glass smooth feel and is awaiting the first chop. I don’t think either of us has the heart but it’s gotta happen.

We are ripping apart our laundry room (as you can tell!!!) and I decided I would abscond with at least 1/2 of it and make it a finishing room. Before I do that, I needed some cupboards. I used plans from Danny Proulx’s Kitchen Cabinet book (3/4” plywood) and made my first corner cupboard and a side one.

I am very proud of my mortise and tenon door. Even with crappy hinges, it hangs straight and the door closes. I will make another door (half size, to conceal the jars) later on and also another side cupboard to house my growing collection of wood project books.

The last picture is just to illustrate what a b*!#$@ch this was to put up. There was a ton of swearing involved. The walls (not the cabinets – I swear!!!) are quite crooked. Tons of shims.

The faces are in pine, which I used because I needed to be economical. I need the practice. I got really peeved when a knot in the stile decided to split but I glued it back and carried on.

The side is not finished, because we have to move an electrical outlet first. Priorities…

Great learning experience. I will post phase II as soon as I am finished (I am starting to get distracted by a desire to make cutting boards!!!! I can’t wait until this weekend!).

I have been experimenting with finishing maple for at least 4 weekends or more. I am so happy with the current results that I consider this a finished project – a project in learning how to finish. I owe it all to lumberjocks. Because of this website, I have started to venture into hardwoods.

My first experiences with maple were frustrating and disappointing. Blotch, blotch, blotch. Glue stains, unevenness. I was convinced that I would never get this right without getting a spray booth and all sorts of apparatus. I wanted the maple to look natural – but with a slightly reddish tinge. Frustrating!

At the same time that I saw Teejay’s cry for help ( http://lumberjocks.com/topics/8721 ), I was having the same problem. I just could not figure out how to get maple to look as great (when stained) as pine or oak which I was familiar with. It was driving me crazy. I also posted a topic on staining to get some insight ( http://lumberjocks.com/topics/8919 ) because I figured out I must be doing something wrong. I was right. I was sanding too much and between layers of shellac. I was also saved by Beth Martin’s blog which is very informative about staining maple and her experiences ( http://lumberjocks.com/BethMartin/blog/8783 ).

After many retries (different layers of shellac, tinted oils, straight on stain), I have finally got the boards to look how I want. It’s due to the generous help of folks posting here that I persisted, experimented and finally found something that works for me.

What I did:

1) I sanded each board at 80 grit to get out the machine marks with my random orbital sander
2) Wiped off any dust (!) and then went to 120. I also found that I had Norton 3X flexible sanding “paper” and used that as a second run.
3) Wiped the dust again…. and down to 180 with the random orbital sander.
4) Wiped the dust again… and went to 220. Here I counted. I did 100 passed with the random orbital sander on each side.
5) I then wiped the boards with mineral spirits. When that dried I sanded by hand with 220. Maybe 5 minutes.
6) Wiped the boards with mineral spirits again, and hand sanded at 320 for about 5 mins. max
7) Wiped off any dust (!) – then applied 3 layers of dewaxed super blond shellac at 2lb cut waiting 30 mins. between each layer with a rag. I did not sand between layers. I let this cure overnight.
8) Sanded lightly by hand with 600 grit just to get the surface smooth
9) Wiped off any dust
10) Took a rag, and applied a rubbed on coat of varathane brand gel stain (yes, “gel stain” is an oxymoron according to Charles Neil) – red mahogany. I rubbed it in, and never let any of it sit.

In the pictures, I left one board natural so you can see the difference. I finally feel that I can conquer maple.

This is really my first foray into working with hardwood. I made a box using oak before, but the oak came to me fully planed and jointed so I don’t quite count it. I started these rough and wanted to try mixing woods (as inspired by this website). I had a hard time finding the right frame for this print at the right price so I made my own (no glass in it yet). The outside frame is red oak. The inside is maple. I still don’t have a router table so the edges are done with a jerryrigged setup and a roman ogee on the plunge router. They came out ok to me considering the tools I had available.

First pic is without flash, second is with. The following three pics illustrate what I mean by maple blotch.

I thought I read and followed all the right rules. I used a wood conditioner and let it sit for 24 hours on the maple. I had previously sanded it down to 320 grit. I used a gel stain that I carefully applied with a rag in very thin layers as I went along.

I will live with the blotch and call it “character”. The maple is hard maple, and select grade.

The responses on some recent posts are very helpful re: finishing maple and I will be following those suggestions much more closely for the next maple project:

Staining Maple is Crushing my Spirits
Downstairs Built-ins Extravaganza! #9: Figuring out staining

I also previewed some of Charles Neil’s videos on finishing. They look fantastic and I have it in my plan to get them. Having spent all those years finishing pine projects, this is the first time I encountered such an issue.

This is the bathroom vanity I made about 4 years ago. First real project after my beginner classes. I was very sick of looking at the one that came with the house. At the time, I had a table saw and a plunge router…. and hand tools. Quite a challenge. I had the lumber source joint and plane the wood for me, but I did a lot of block planing to try to get all the pieces to be the same width. There was also a lot of sanding involved but it’s pine so it went easily enough. I don’t think I could ever recreate the jig I made on the workbench to router the edges of the doors/drawers… it was quite “creative”. I tried dovetail joints for the drawers – hand done so let’s just say there is a bit of variability in the results. But everything holds. The top drawer sticks a bit and I could fix it but it does not bother me too much. I was also in a mahogany stain craze and I used it on this, the shelf I made in beginner classes (a previous post) and the built-in open shelving I posted here. All pine (it’s the most economical thing up here) and all varnished with several layers of boat varnish.

I had a beginner’s design problem to solve. I thought the sink I was going to get would be different – ie it would cover the whole top just like my previous one. I could not find anything like it anymore! So, we decided to buy a smaller sink, tile around it to match the shower tiles, and I had to build up another layer of wood to create a lip and a backboard. Glue really works wonders! There are no nails or staplers at all in the vanity. I was considering it to be practice.

Lessons learned: Get the key pieces of hardware first because by the time you finish your project… it could be out of stock!!!

It’s a small bathroom. Don’t pay attention to the unfinished floor edges on the side. I have a to-do after moving a door this year to give the bathroom a bit more space…