my good friends todd and robin
have a daughter kina nickole
that had kidney failure at 16

she recently got a kidney from her uncle after 8 years
and is a riding teacher and horse trainer

thank you nicki
for choosing life

i don’t know much horsey stuff
except how to ride them
and when mom and pop asked about making a tack box for nicki
i didn’t even know what one was
todd wanted to make it himself so i told him to come to the shop and make it here
well they live 4 1/2 hours away from here up in colorado
well work and things kept that from happening
so they asked me to build one and todd sent me a drawing he designed
all solid panels with box joint corners
standing them up on end thru the table saw would have been to scary
and when i got the maple and could just carry one board at a time (10 – 4/4×7 x 10’ )
i knew it would have to be pared back or need two big cowboys to move it empty

the box is 40’ long x 24” wide x 28” high made with rock maple and black walnut
to save weight (the maple is very heavy and very hard)
i made a mortice and tenon framework with a dado for insert panels (like cab doors)
and cross pinned and glued the tenons the wavy overlay is about 3 /16 thick
glued to 1/2 maple ply floating panels and held in place with the walnut trim
that all has rabbets to hold the overlay in place should the glue ever give out over time
the handles are training mouth bits for the halter and are u-bolted thru the ends
and give a nice look
the horses were cut on the scroll saw and interchanged parts to give them color and style
her initials are inlaid into the top

todd and robin just came by and picked it up to drive to atlanta to visit family
and deliver their thanks to their daughter for her determination to make a good life for herself

all our friends and family here have prayed for years for her recovery
and have been fortunate to know her when she could come for a visit
and i am grateful to be part of such courageous and caring people

thank you for letting me be part of that prayer
this is my vision for you nicky

our prayers have been answered

enjoy girl
you earned it

thank you

well i finally got those arched louvered doors installed

(pic 1 shows the original bathroom door
and the new bedroom doors to each side
they are yet to be finished with some special stuff)
the arches are plastered adobe
all ruddy and coarse
which is part of the charm of southwestern homes

as my friends Al said (he has been adding to his adobe for years now)

‘oh …. adobe …a carpenters nightmare’

when i got the four part casing into the openings and found they were not plumb
and would swing open on their own plan ‘B’ was called for
the casings had their own scribe edge but as the openings were tilted and tapered front to back
i had to grind them new to get the doors as plumb as possible
and still have some casing left to carry the look needed
and found a need to make a separate scribe trim with reveal to seal of all the dips and hollows
(pics 4 &5 show the wonky scribe)
around the casings which were secured with deck screws and spray in foam sealant
which made them solid finally

as i have been having teeth problems for the last 3 months
and have had maybe 7 removed in that time once a month
with no pain pill prescriptions
i have been toughing it out on aspirin and aleve and ibuprophine
to overdose levels 24/7 and could not get to the job site to install
till recently

fortunately my good friend Alok that ordered them
(and built the house himself and the bathroom door)
knowing of my teeth problems
gave me leave to work on them when i could

still have 12 or so teeth to go before choppers
but the doors are done

thank you so much Alok !

i couldn’t have done this without your kind and encouraging help !

thanks for looking
be safe and enjoy !

louvered doors
sugar pine
to go into two arches pictured
for radiant heat transfer to bedrooms

client will finish

the install of the doors

well another ongoing box for friends

as i have been working on them all
some parts don’t pan to well
so go onto the back burner
to be rekindled
when i am not mad at them

the ideas change then
following the new ideas
make for some interesting builds

of course now
i will have third generation flops
to work with too

but they all come out pretty good
in the end

and all have a good lesson to learn

thanks again for looking

here is the tutorial for this build

have a safe and rewarding thanksgiving
and holidays

in one of my previous posts
dennis (grosen) commented about square boxes
so this is in answer to that
and from the response to the small wavy lines box i made

in picture 6 you will notice some round plugs the hinges are mounted to
they are to keep the hinge pins in line
against the curved surface there

all the comments i have received from these gift boxes
make me want to keep exploring different and new things

although some of the bodies of the boxes might be the same
i like to see what i can come up with to make them all unique

i have two works about to begin
and need to be ready for that soon
i was going to wait till i had more boxes ready
but not sure when that might be
so decided to post this now

dennis i hope this is ‘unsquare ’ enough for you LOL

thanks for looking once again
and have a good veterans day
and happy holidays

here is a box i started a couple of years ago
and while working it
split one of the boards
i have worked on it some since then
and decided to finish it
with new additions
like some feet
and a ‘wing’ top

and some inner liner

it was originally meant to show a friend
how to do the ‘cut and switch’ technique
in a simpler way
they figured their way to do it
and this got put on the shelf

it is also the first time for the ribbon
i do and was how i learned it

the ‘mexican tile’ reminds me of those tiles
you find in the world discount craft places
somewhat irregular and yet striking none the less

the liner is some plastic sponge stuff
i found at wal-mart
after looking in craft shops and art stores
all i found there was fabric
and from past experience
know it can be a mess to get right
unless it is mounted on some thin ply
which i didn’t have

the box measures 13” x 13” x 4 1/2”
and is made from my usual mix of woods
the body being curly maple
and the accents mahogany

the tutorial blog
for the 'tiles'

thanks for looking
have a great veterans day weekend

THANK YOU VET’S !

supposed to snow here for the next two days
so please all stay warm
and safe

once again MORE BOXES

the first was made for an anniversary present

who can guess what year ?

these are 5 1/2” W x 8” L x 4 3/4” T
they are all a bit larger that the first recent two post

#1 here

and #2 here

i would like to thank you all
for your kind comments to these builds
and due to the responses to them
am working in newer venues now

as usual my work takes me to unknown places
with different and challenging teachings

if i followed the same known ways
i might as well have them made for me in china
and just lay on the couch
and wait for wal-mart to carry the line

hope you enjoy these
and hopefully get some help
in your own work thru them

as always
be safe
and take care

thank you for looking

well as i had started posting some new box projects
these are more in that line
(seems like a production factory here)

these again are for some friends
that have given me help
and kindness along my life’s journey

the small ones are just that small
and are stretching my ability to work
in this scale (kudos to martyn who does this all the time)

in an attempt to learn new things and different processes
i have used each one as an opportunity to expand
my design and build abilities basically
‘to go where i have never been before’

while trying to spray a finish on the small ones
they almost blew of their stands
and gave me even more work to fix that
so i am using BLO and wax
not my preferred finish
but with many more in the works
i had to draw the line somewhere

my goal is to have all these gifts
out before the end of the world day

at which time i plan to read a good book
under my bed

the two small ones have a birdeye maple top
a gift from my bud jeff (jl7)
using it very sparingly to make it strech
as much as possible and small inlays
to enhance the wood
and not abuse it thank you jeff

well for today that’s about it
thank you all for your great comments to my first “gift post”: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/73330

prayers for all in sandy storm path

be safe and enjoy !

this is my first posted project in some time
i’m still working on more yet
but thought i’d start showing some of the most recent work
(in picture #2 that is a quarter to show relative size)

these are very small boxes
3” w x 4 1/2”l x 2 3/4”t
a size i have never worked in before
and have been teaching me all kinds of new skills
and frustrations lol

i have some new friends i wanted to thank
for their help thru out our friendship

but need to keep the small reserve of ‘real’ boards i have been collecting
for hopeful spare income
so these are all from drops and leftover scraps
and some of the ‘tutorials’ i have done
to show a process or design build

as usual i am having trouble with finishes
and after using different ones
(ever try and spray into a tight corner
without drips rampant inside the box ?)
sanded them all off and went with BLO and wax
as it does bring out the woods
and is something i can count on

all the mistakes are known to me here
and i will just do the best i can with them
they do teach so much

one thing in my near future
i need to get one of those BIG magnifying glass things
with the light on it as i am seeing double
in this small scale even with my reading glasses on

with so many new members on LJ
i have been remiss to comment on many posts
my apology’s for that

hope you are all having a good day

thank you for looking

be safe !

my good friend kelly and LJ buddy – http://lumberjocks.com/rivergirl

asked me to make a box for some friends of her’s
that are getting married

kelly gave me carte blanche on the design and size
(smart lady)

this is the result of that request

i have some really dense black walnut and used it with rock maple
and padouk and yellowheart accents
11 3/4” l x 7 1/4” w x 5 1/4” h

well things were moving along pretty well
until my 13” machine sander quit
(my main tool for these random works)
so it took longer than expected
(and allot of old style sanding)

Kelly
thank you very much for thinking of me in this
i hope i have done what you wanted

and your friends have a great wedding
and will always remember you
thru your kind heart
and this work

i need to get to the PO and mail it now

enjoy
and thanks for looking

edit : here is the build tutorial blog

http://lumberjocks.com/patron/blog/30469

my good friend daniel
ordered a door for his soon to be sauna room

as i do as much as i can to make his job easier
(he will install it)
i made a complete unit just like the ones from the store

except it needed to be insulated (according to me)
and with only 2×6 redwood to work with
i thought about this for a bit
and came up with a way to use some 1/4’ T&G western red cedar
i had from another job as cedar is the wood of choice for saunas

as the cedar was so thin it would not be able to span the door as paneling
without some internal help
so i made the door regular with mortice and tenons
and rabbeted a ledge around the inner frame to except the paneling on both sides
and put two 1”x 2” stiffeners top and bottom in the remaining 1” of space
and then re-sawed some 2” pink foundation foam to 1”
and inserted it into and between them

i put a lever handle on it
as i feel that opening it with sweaty hands
may be to much trouble for some people

the casing is also 2×6 redwood
(straightened and ripped to 5”)
with vinyl and foam door seals
and a threshold with a rubber seal also

my goal was to make the door as light as possible
and insulated and water repellent
so why the T&G paneling with the tongue up
it will be finished with BLO as that is the age old finish for this
(i don’t have any here so the pictures are a little bland yet
but i still have a week before he comes for it
by then it will be done

hope you enjoy
thank you for stopping in

i will now do a complete build tutorial of this build

edit: http://lumberjocks.com/patron/blog/30291

have a good weekend

made a box for my friends granddaughter

wood is aromatic cedar
spray can satin minwax poly

everything was great till i did the rabbets
for the joinery
then three knots fell out
i couldn’t just replace the board
or i would lose the grain continuity
so i rummaged around in my head
and came to this idea

rabbet the whole thing there
and add an ‘accent’ to it

here is the problem

solution make the starbusts from scraps
just cut quick on the bandsaw
and clean up on the disk sander
so all edges are straight
glue together as two half circles
(slightly over half)
then straighten on disk sander again
and get a full circle
cut to rectangular just slightly over
(with a scrap cardboard sizing template)
and set aside

now to do something i don’t do yet
cut the box open before finish
(as the saw kerf and sanding take some dimension)
and would make the ‘rays’ not align later
at the cut line

clamping the two parts back together
then glue on the starburst
(my ‘crescent moon’ signature goes good here)
and with my small trim saw (no set to the teeth)
cut it open there after the glue is good and dry
(the box cut is easier to follow as a guide for the saw)
clean up and finish then

i have made this as a project/build blog
so as to help anyone that runs into these problems

as i design and build my own work
i am not stuck to any particular idea
but just go where the work takes me

and often to much more pleasing effect than forcing
the work to do what i want

thanks for looking
have a good day

small end table for a friends wife
for here reading chair

black walnut
lacquer finnish

the table is
12” wide x 26” long x 24” tall

i was concerned about it being ‘top heavy’
so came up with this offset leg
as i didn’t want it to look straight and boxy

i had the lower shelf
the same size as the top
but cut it back
as it looked like big ears sticking out
all around

i like it this way better
as the top and shelf
taper down
and the legs taper up

nice change

as i don’t get notices with my new satellite server address yet
i won’t answers but occasionally when i can log on

and also wish to pardon myself
for not commenting on all your posts either
as i don’t get notifications from my buddies either

the ones i have commented on
have been found just stumbling around here

thank you for looking

this is a 2×4x8’ ripped at 30 deg. to make 3 rails
for holding work to be finished (spray or brush)
off of the underlying surface
being either saw horses or work table
and extend the work area
they don’t roll around

the advantage is these triangle sticks
have crisp clean corners
so little to touch the drying surface
and leave marks or imprints

as they warp and twist
they can be rotated till a ‘straight’ edge is found

and many cab doors or parts can be done at once

i got 3 out of a 2×4
and cut one to 4’ for smaller work
tape can be put on the corners if desired
to keep them from sticking to the work
and changed as needed”

all together this took less time than loading one picture here

this is a box for my longest and best friend thru life
my older and only sister judy
who passed away 30 days ago

here she is in her prime

she is survived by her three children
and two brothers

i wanted to make something for her daughter marcia
to hold the ashes in till we can get together this next may
and say goodby in a proper way together

judy always excelled at everything we did growing up
always smarter
always faster
she got the ribbons

so i made this ‘ribbon box’ for marcia
to remember her mother by
something to keep all those things she cherishes
with her mom

the box itself is made from
bocote
lacewood
bubinga
maple

the top is all maple and is ‘ribbon-ed’ too
i wanted it to reflect the infinite ways judy thought and lived
and the way she felt about things
kind of all interwoven together
yet distinct and separate and different

marcia : i hope you like this
and fill it with the things you love with your mother
that that joy you have in your heart blossoms
and your memories carry you to a better place

we were not raised religious
but each in our own path found purpose and meaning in life
whether love
creation
eternity
or God
we all care
and conduct ourselves with dignity and truth

my last words to judy

‘I LOVE YOU , JUDY’
and her last to me
‘I LOVE YOU , DAVID’

this is a deck i built 10 years ago
at my brother star’s home
he and his family have get togethere’s
with all their friends and work/church people

they have theme parties
and do dances for some of these get together events

i built this in the backyard and used the re-cycled plastic decking
so the dancers wouldn’t get splinters in their bare feet
the framing is all pressure treated
and the flower boxes have plastic inserts
for the flowers

it is weathered after all this time
but is just as strong as it was when built

the deck behind it was torn down and rebuilt at a later date
by a single local guy

it is nice to see things still holding here
after all that time

here is a door that i made 20 years ago
it has been battered and abused
it is inlay-ed on both sides the same
with 3/4” ply as a core
i was going to fix it up
and then make a base for it
but decided i like the ‘patina’
that the years gave it
so i cleaned it up
and sprayed spar varnish (good for UV)
it can be flipped over from time to time
to keep it honest throughout the years

as it is 42” wide i can’t use it here on the house
as all my doors are 36”
so a table for the deck seemed like a good way to enjoy it
now for some chairs or benches
and maybe a cover for it while i’m not using it
to keep the finish good as long as possible

here is a built tutorial about the legs and frame for it

http://lumberjocks.com/patron/blog/19787

thanks for looking
have a good one !

this is my new years first project after getting over the ‘holidays’
i finally got off my personal petuty and started working in the shop again

this is end grain rosewood and rock maple
finished with mineral oil
7 1/2” x 12 1/2” x 1 1/4”
(not to big , but that’s how much wood i milled to try the idea)

some years ago i was asked to replicate a french style door up in Los Alamos
for a ‘theoretical physicist’
the double doors had a bullnose and cove edge where they came together and a applique door handle
that had rods to the top and bottom that closed and secured the two doors
in order to open one door both had to be opened
as the one had a bullnose inset into the edge of the other door with a cove edge
so i got the biggest router bit that would do this (1 1/4”)
and did that they worked just fine
after i figured out seals and thresholds for it

this board is a design i had seen in brick on the beach walk in Putarenas Costa Rica
years before
and i have always wanted to do it in wood
as the bits nestled perfectly together
i ripped three each 1 1/2”x1” strips of rosewood and maple
and ran the two opposite edges thru the shaper with the bull nose bit
and the other two edges over the coveing bit in a router table
and then cut them to 1 1/4” blocks and glued and sanded to 150 grit
the mineral oil is still fresh in these pictures
but the grain is starting to come thru

thank you for looking
hope you enjoy
have a great year!

the ‘tutorial for this build is here

http://lumberjocks.com/patron/blog/20399

well after 11 years working on the house
i finally got the bathroom done
it started here

that didn’t last to long once i got the roof on
i cut myself a living quarters 11×19 in the house (20×40)
and made a bathroom 5’x7’ and a kitchen 6’x7’
with the rest for a bed and some cabinets for clothes and the TV

that got all torn out and became the kitchen
and this new bathroom
7’x11’ was moved to the new addition (20’x40’)
the cabinet have been here for a couple of years
but just now i got the doors and drawer faces on
baseboard heater and trimmed out floor and shower/tub italian tile
(the cheapest i could find) lol
and some throw rugs

i’m pretty happy to have something done here finally
an inspiration to keep going and finish the rest of the house
and build my shop it has been in the house all along
taking all the space and making dust everywhere
the kitchen is almost done too
and the living room just needs some more strip flooring
and trim and new paint overall coming along good

after a life of working on everyone else’s projects
it’s nice to have something comfortable
of my own

thanks for looking
have a great holidays !

well it’s that time of the month again folks .

i am cleaning up the house .
so far i have gotten maybe 100 sq ft of 1,600 somewhat presentable !

these old box pictures surfaced , so i thought i’d show them .
(before they disappear into the new organized pile , lol) .

all are aromatic cedar lined , for the native american church people .

boxes seem to have a life of their own ,
they may be intended for one person ,
but over time may find new homes ,
and other lives to touch .

i do my best to go along with this ,
and build them with that in mind now .

may they enrich the lives of those they find .

that’s about it for now ,

have a great day !