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Designed around the look of how aluminum is extruded into shapes, the "Extrude" boxes represent the next step in mass furniture production. Just load up the light or dark material, push it though the die and out comes beautiful furniture. Sometimes I believe this is how the masses see the process. Blinded by cheap, easily made furniture from the big box stores. These boxes go out to all the craftsmen out there who know what it really takes to create beautiful woodwork. You have my respect and admiration.

The back of the dark boxes were carved from a large glue up of black walnut topped by a carved piece of curly maple. The die portion was created using black walnut, 0.187" thick aluminum plates and polished stainless steel screws. The grain is continuous around the die. The text was created using letter punches and black dyed epoxy as a filler. The box portion was created from Baltic birch veneered with black walnut burl. The veneer was cut so that it is continuous around the entire box. The edging is hard maple and uses a three way miter technique on the corners.. The drawer was created from black walnut with hard maple accent dowels. I routed grooves in the drawer sides to mimic striations that would occur during an extrusion process. The lid is a glue up of alternating layers of veneer with a black walnut burl last layer. Solid black walnut edging and black dyed maple and hard maple accents.

The back of the light boxes were carved from a large glue up of hard maple topped by a carved piece of flame black walnut. The die portion was created using hard maple, 0.187" thick aluminum plates and polished stainless steel screws. The grain is continuous around the die. The text was created using letter punches and black dyed epoxy as a filler. The box portion was created from Baltic birch veneered with Tamo ash. The veneer was cut so that it is continuous around the entire box. The edging is black walnut and uses a three way miter technique on the corners. The drawer was created from curly maple with black walnut accent dowels. I routed grooves in the drawer sides to mimic striations that would occur during an extrusion process. The lid is a glue up of alternating layers of veneer with a hand cut quilted maple veneer last layer. Solid curly maple edging and black dyed maple and hard maple accents.

Each box is approximately 18" x 11" x 9". The Die sections have approximately 12.5 pounds of ballast in them to prevent tipping. I was inspired by Terry Evans for the carving of the rear sections. They were finished with three coats of Danish oil with 0000 steel wool sanding in between each coat. This was topped with two buffings of BriWax.

Gallery

Comments

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I saw these at The Woodworking Show! Really well done.
 

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Very very nice Jeff.
Excellent design and finish. What a cool mind you have.

Can you extrude power tools too? That would be cool.

Steve
 

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Brilliant Jeff!
Reminds me of a 3D printer (21st century extruder) but with more precision.
Can you drive the material through with a big mallet or do you have to press it evenly with a screw press?
It sure looks like it makes beautiful boxes however you are forcing it through.

Thanks for the smile.
 

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Very cool. i love watching those pieces extrude.
 

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Thanks guys! Steve..sorry man, no power tools. Maybe Extrude 2.0 can do it! Paul…I picture a large eastern European woman wearing a hairnet and pushing with a large stick…kind of like making sausage (and before I get hate mail I am joking).
 

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Jeff,

Thought you never made two of the same thing? LOL! now I have to choose? Went over the 45 projects. You are always on the edge.

By the way you don't work at the Johnson's Wax Building? :<)

It will be another Top3
 

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Too funny. Very creative. Love it.

Thanks for sharing.
 

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Great design. It took me some time to figure what is where.
 

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WOW this has got to be my favorite piece in a very long time

The story, the end result, wood choice, design it is all so amazing I love it
 

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Jeff…now you are going to have many woodworkers trying to build a hydraulic woodworking wood-squeezer for their shop. Very nice creation….
 

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When I first looked at them I thought they were a take on a bellows camera. But after reading your essay, I get it.

Very Cool work.
 

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These are amazing and I think they tell a neat story!
 

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well you out did yourself jeff, i love the carving and then the box side, so detailed with it all, its beautiful.
 

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Jeff, your imagination and design genius never fails to amaze me. You are certainly one of the most creative woodworkers I have ever seen, with craftsmanship to match.
 

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Beautiful workmanship that makes a great statement with humor.
 

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Wow. I too had first impressions of a bellows camera. I like the play on humor. These just have a "Triumph1" about them. Very nice.

I'm assuming the Natural color BriWax.
 

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Thanks again everyone! I am happy my fellow woodworkers are getting the message behind it. Thank you for the very encouraging comments…makes me want to head right back in the shop and make more.

Thomas…No, i don't work in the Johnson Wax Building…but I would love to tour it. Big fan of Wright's work. I actually work down in Buffalo Grove, IL.

Rance…yes, natural color BriWax. I also use natural color Danish Oil. For the most part I let the wood speak for itself.
 

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At first I thought it was an artistic form of an old bellows type camera and then I looked closer at the photos and read the description.

The project idea is very original, and the idea behind the design is thought provoking.
 
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