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Fundraiser Box

Project by Woodhacker posted 185 days ago 789 views 5 times favorited 23 comments Add to Favorites Watch

I’ve done a number of boxes over the past two years based on a Woodsmith Magazine plan, yet each are unique in their own way. I know there are other LJs who use this plan as well. This box was made specifically to be auctioned at a fundraiser for a local parochial grade school. The school’s mascot is the “wildcat” and the inlay is a reproduction of the school’s official mascot/logo. I’ve done a few other dovetail boxes using the KSU powercat logo as an inlay, one of which I posted here on LJ some time ago.

This one is made of Carribean rosewood, curly maple and birdseye maple, with purpleheart for the inlay. Unlike the original plan which calls for attaching the sides with dowels, in mine I use 2 inch by ¼ inch mortise/tenon joinery for the sides and front/back. The base is hickory which is tongue and grooved into all four sides.

The inlay pieces are approximately 1/8 inch deep. Some of the larger inlay pieces were “steam” bent over a hot pipe to match the curvature of the top. Actually, I soaked the pieces in water for a few minutes before bending. This worked out very well (except for a slightly burnt finger). This was done to reduce stress in the glue up and eliminate any chance of the wood memory springing back and affecting the integrity of the glue joints over time.

I didn’t have time to put the type of hand polished, multi-coat oil/poly finish that I put on most of my boxes, so this one has three coats of teak oil, followed by a couple coats of paste wax.

I was told later the box sold at the auction for $250.00. This is the closest I’ve come to ever selling a project. Until now they have always been gifts. So I’m glad it went for a good purpose.

-- Martin, Kansas


23 comments so far

View Joe Weaver's profile

Joe Weaver

107 posts in 578 days


posted 185 days ago

very nice

-- Joe, Ga

View mtnwild's profile

mtnwild

2013 posts in 419 days


posted 185 days ago

Beautiful! Wood, design, craftsmanship and story.

-- mtnwild (Jack), It's not what you see, it's how you see it.

View a1Jim's profile

a1Jim

16577 posts in 469 days


posted 185 days ago

hi Martin
This is one beautiful Box love the inlay

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

View Dusty56's profile

Dusty56

3456 posts in 580 days


posted 185 days ago

They “stole it” for $250.00 ! This is a remarkable box with all of your wood choices , design , and inlays : )

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

View majeagle1's profile

majeagle1

425 posts in 388 days


posted 185 days ago

Wow, another beautiful box Martin….......... I love the wood combination and the “perfection” in the inlay is awsome…......... One of these days I am going to get brave and try an inlay.

What books would you recommend to learn the details of how to inlay?

Thanks for posting

-- Gene, Majestic Eagle Woodworks, http://majesticeagleww.etsy.com/, http://www.flickr.com/photos/majesticeagle/

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

9521 posts in 880 days


posted 185 days ago

Great looking box. The inlay is really nice!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

View Jeff's profile

Jeff

65 posts in 190 days


posted 185 days ago

I’ve donated items to charitable auctions before and sold other items. I can tell you that donating gives you a totally different sense of accomplishment. Selling items is not bad either, but it does make you feel better when you see someone using something they bought from you.
I just started a subscription to Woodsmith, so I’m not familiar with this plan. Do you use sliding dovetails for the front and back to fit into the sides?

-- - In the end, everything will be okay. If it isn't okay, it isn't the end yet.

View Joe Lyddon's profile

Joe Lyddon

481 posts in 944 days


posted 185 days ago

A VERY NICE box!

I like the free form sides, at the top… really cool!

-- Have Fun! Joe Lyddon - Alta Loma, CA USA - Home: http://www.WoodworkStuff.net ... My Small Gallery: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?ppuser=1389&cat=500"

View ellen35's profile

ellen35

529 posts in 324 days


posted 185 days ago

That is one fine piece of work! I love the combination of the woods.
The grain shows so well in each type.
Ellen

-- Ellen on Cape Cod

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

7601 posts in 1110 days


posted 185 days ago

Really great box. Fantastic job on that logo inlay!

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

View DocK16's profile

DocK16

710 posts in 979 days


posted 185 days ago

Very nice inlay, care to share the issue of that Woodsmith Magazine. I’d like to make one of these

-- DocK, WV

View rwyoung's profile

rwyoung

164 posts in 364 days


posted 185 days ago

Very nice. I too would like to know which back issue.

-- Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

View Dennis Zongker's profile

Dennis Zongker

1014 posts in 484 days


posted 185 days ago

Great looking box!!! The logo looks perfect.

-- Dennis Zongker

View Jay Neale III's profile

Jay Neale III

113 posts in 226 days


posted 184 days ago

That’s beautiful work.

-- Read my amazingly insightful blog at http://jn3Woodworks.blogspot.com/

View Woodhacker's profile

Woodhacker

1145 posts in 615 days


posted 184 days ago

Thanks to you all for the comments and encouragement. It means a lot coming from such great talent here at LJ.

Jeff: I used tongue and groove joinery rather than sliding dovetails to fit the base into the sides, back and front.

DocK16 & rwyoung: The plan is found in Woodsmith Vol. 29, No. 174. Here are a couple other of my variations if you’re interested: #2, #3

-- Martin, Kansas

View trifern's profile

trifern

7894 posts in 659 days


posted 184 days ago

Gorgeous box Martin. It should be a real money maker. Please give us an update after the auction. Thanks for sharing.

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

View Joe Lyddon's profile

Joe Lyddon

481 posts in 944 days


posted 184 days ago

Martin,

I was wondering, how do you think it would be to have steel pins in back-corners of the top and going into the sides for the hinge instead of that fancy hinge of yours? (I’m kinda cheap, if you didn’t know :) )

That side pattern, with the handle-like curves… how did you do it? Cut the side out 8/4 on bandsaw?

Those boxes sure look BEAUTIFUL!

Thank you…

-- Have Fun! Joe Lyddon - Alta Loma, CA USA - Home: http://www.WoodworkStuff.net ... My Small Gallery: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?ppuser=1389&cat=500"

View Woodhacker's profile

Woodhacker

1145 posts in 615 days


posted 183 days ago

Joe & Joe: thanks for the comments.

Joe (Landon), someone that works in the same office building as I do happened to be at the auction and told me he’d noticed the box and saw it at $200 but didn’t see the end of the auction. Later I rec’d a thank you card in the mail from the organizers saying it sold for $250.

Joe (Lyddon), It seems that steel or brass pins would work fine. I’ve not tried it, but perhaps I will sometime. The hinges I use are not that expensive, this is the latest source I use for hinges. The sides were done using router table, table saw, and belt sander. I hope this makes sense, but here goes… The upper small radius curve was done with a series of varying angled cuts on the table saw which created several “facets” approximating the final curve, this followed by smoothing on a belt sander. The lower portion was done in two phases. First a 1 inch diameter core box bit was used on my router table to get the small radius in the upper part of the lower segment. The a very “tall” angled cut was done on table saw set to match the cove cut at the router table. This essentially removed the bottom half of the cove previously cut. This table saw cut (because of the heigtht of the cut) seemed dangerous so I double taped each side to a thicker board when making the cut in order to have something to hold on to. These two processes just left some final smoothing (sanding) to match together to create the continuous appearance of the lower portion of the sides.

-- Martin, Kansas

View Joe Lyddon's profile

Joe Lyddon

481 posts in 944 days


posted 183 days ago

Martin, Thank you very much… I was surprised to see the hinges to be so reasonable, have it bookmarked!

Again, very nice box… I think I’ll try it one day…

-- Have Fun! Joe Lyddon - Alta Loma, CA USA - Home: http://www.WoodworkStuff.net ... My Small Gallery: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?ppuser=1389&cat=500"

View mcoyfrog's profile

mcoyfrog

809 posts in 486 days


posted 183 days ago

Very nice, you do great inlay work.

-- Wood and Glass they kick (well you know) Have a great day - Dug

View Ihor's profile

Ihor

42 posts in 300 days


posted 182 days ago

Inlay is indeed great!!!

-- ^_^ Zero education... zero experience... - that's me...^_^

View blockhead's profile

blockhead

292 posts in 200 days


posted 173 days ago

Fabulous inlay! I love the contrast in the woods. Great craftsmanship and design. Beautiful!

-- Brad, Oregon- Wood, it's what's for dinner.

View ladiesman217's profile

ladiesman217

29 posts in 107 days


posted 84 days ago

Great box; would have been just a tad better with a Jayhawk ;)

-- Freedom is the right of all sentient beings

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