My First Boxes

Great work, Blake. The spalted alder is really intriguing. Nice work on the splines. What are their final dimensions?

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

Yeah – I like how you placed the splines at angles. Similar to Jeff’s recent box post, where he used two splines of different lengths to add visual interest.

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Really pretty boxes. Love the spalted wood.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Nice boxes. I also like the splines.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

gorgeous pencil box. I wonder if we had one of these in the workshop if we’d always put our pencil away?

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Really nice work Blake!

-- Dekker - http://www.WoodworkDetails.com/Blog/MNagy/

Way to work up the scraps! Outstanding job. Nice craftsmanship shown, thanks for sharing with us.

-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,

I’m a big fan of both spalted woods and walnut, so these are right up my alley!

Possible use: Individual presentation cases for fine chisels?

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

Another great box!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Shear delight. That spalted alder is spectacular.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business.

Spalted wood is so cool!

-- Branden - Sacramento, California - www.ShopDogUSA.com

I LOVE spalted woods. I LOVE these boxes.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

Ok. I started back with your first box and they just keep getting better and better and I’m running out of superlatives. Great work Blake. Extraordinary woods seems to be a signiture of your work. Add the awesome craftsmanship and you get exceptional work like this. Thanks for sharing these with us.

-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.

These were the first boxes I made after I set up shop two years ago. I wasn’t sure I liked them that much but your responses have warmed me to them again. I have a ton more of that wood and apparently everyone really likes it. You will see more projects made from the spalted alder soon.

One of the frustrations I had, though, is that that alder has such a specific coloration to it. I am not sure that it would go well with any other wood besides walnut, which matches the brown in the wood perfectly. I can only make a walnut/alder box so many times before it bores me.

When I pair it with mahogany, for example, it doesn’t look right because the mahogany is too red and doesn’t match. Light-colored maple makes the alder look dirty.

What other woods do you think would work with the alder?

-- Check out my new website! http://www.theeasellife.com

Alder! Ha… but with some seriousness, what about Alder that hasn’t been spalted?

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Sure, that would work.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.theeasellife.com

I know – not as interesting as you may like but…you know – I tried. Finished, Alder may have to much red in it too…

I really think you hit it dead on with the use of the walnut.

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

No, the Alder/Alder is perfect. I am going to try it. Look for it.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.theeasellife.com

Alrighty then! I’ll be keeping my eyes out!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA