Puzzling Hearts Various Woods

When I get into something I’m one of those people who likes to search all over for information. When I started to get into woodworking I picked up a ton of books for ideas and projects.

One of those books was Box by Box by the Editors of Wood Magazine. If anyone needs ideas, take a look at that great book.

I tried one of the designs and it turned out so well I made a bunch. The two boxes on the right side of the photo are made from Redwood Burl turning squares. The one on the left was made out of Bloodwood. I have also made some out of Zebrawood that turned out very nice.

As usual, the process is based on the band saw. To describe the whole thing would take up too much space and pobably bore you all to tears. But, what you end up with is a heart shaped box with a smaller heart “key.” You remove the key and then slide the lid to the top or bottom to reveal the interior.

I have made them from as small as 3” across to 5” across. It is hilarious to watch people try to figure out how to open them even though it is pretty simple. And, people LOVE to grab these pieces and really check them out. I pick a complimentary flocking color for the inside. Some are red, some are wine, and some are green or silver. It depends on the tone of the wood. The Bloodwood box was just oiled and not given a poly coat while the others were. Either way seems to work fine.

Thanks for taking a look!

-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO