Here is another of my almost completed boxes , it just needs a liner. Spalted Maple ,bog oak from West Virginia,and Turquoise.
This bog oak is really special. A farmer in W.V. was digging a pond on his property deeper. He dug up four logs 3 oak and 1 hickory. He had an geologist come out and take a look at the site. He determined that these were buried during the last ice age, by the Blue Clay Layer they were found in ,making them between 8,000and 12,000 years old. This oak looks great Quarter sawn I don’t have a lot left. I don’t know if I can get any more.There is only two places in the U.S. That I have found Bog Oak so far.
The handles were a salute to James Krenov who passed while I was making it .Definately the smallest mortise and tenons I have made. I use spalted maple wormholes and all sometimes
The top is really two pieces of oak, with natural edges , that I splined together for strength, leaving a void at the surface.
The turquoise in the checks is something I do now and again. With tweezers, I jamb each piece in one at a time. When I get a few in place I drop medium thickness superglue on it let it dry , repeat till the crack is filled Then I grind it flush.If it needs more stones i repeat . Then I sand and polish the wood and stones together
The box is 6”x 9” x 3” with out the legs The finish is Dannish oil and wax
29 comments so far
CharlieM1958
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14933 posts in 2415 days
#1 posted 996 days ago
Excellent box, Patrick. I really like the legs, handles, and turquoise inlay.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
dustyal
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1128 posts in 1672 days
#2 posted 996 days ago
Beautiful work… and an amazing story about the wood. Come to think of it, I would have thought the wood would have petrified being that old.
I really like the legs and just a touch of turquoise… well executed.
-- Al H. - small shop, small projects...
PurpLev
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7814 posts in 1845 days
#3 posted 996 days ago
real cool. everything seems to balance very well together.
-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
dub560
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603 posts in 1110 days
#4 posted 996 days ago
Handsome..it looks as though the legs want to runaway with your box since it’s so nice
-- Life is enjoyable especially when you borrow from people
Chip
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1904 posts in 2289 days
#5 posted 996 days ago
Elegant box Patrick. I admire the fact that you treated the wood with the respect it deserved. Everything is tastefully done and as PurpLev says, very well balanced. Love it and the interesting story that went with it. Thanks for letting us see this beautiful creation.
-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt!
sras
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3259 posts in 1326 days
#6 posted 996 days ago
So many interesting features on this piece. The materials and the story make this special.
-- Steve - Impatience is Expensive
majeagle1
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1384 posts in 1693 days
#7 posted 996 days ago
Beautiful job Patrick….. I have never seen Bog Oak myself, but you sure do it justice…...
This is a really nice box and all the elements work very well together.
-- Gene, Majestic Eagle Woodworks, http://majesticeagleww.etsy.com/, http://www.flickr.com/photos/majesticeagle/
lanwater
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2438 posts in 1131 days
#8 posted 996 days ago
The piece is as interesting as the story.
I did no know there was such wood as bog oak.
Geat work.
Jordan
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1336 posts in 1321 days
#9 posted 996 days ago
Love the box, love the story – this is a fossil!!! Very nice work.
-- http://www.jordanstraker.com
Julio Alonso Diaz
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168 posts in 1077 days
#10 posted 995 days ago
you dont know how much I love spalted wood ! this is a piece of jewelry Great design
and thanks for sharing
-- El hombre que amo la madera. http://aulaflamingo.wordpress.com/
Jim Crockett (USN Retired)
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852 posts in 1930 days
#11 posted 995 days ago
Great box, Patrick. Like Gene, I have also never seen bog oak but it surely looks nice in your box. To me, the turquoise is what makes your box special and unique. It immediately draws my eye and is set off very nicely by the bog oak top.
Very nice job!
Jim
-- A veteran is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America," for an amount of "up to and including his/her life".
rance
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3865 posts in 1357 days
#12 posted 995 days ago
Not finished huh? Yeah, once you dig that green stuff out of the lid, then it will be finished. LOL!
Seriously, very elegent design, and nicely executed. I like the thinner splines, and the turquoise too.
-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--
Triumph1
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810 posts in 1276 days
#13 posted 995 days ago
That is a great box design and the craftsmanship is top notch. I am a little jealous on the bog oak find! I would love to work with some of that. The inlay looks great…that was a beautiful touch. Also really like the graceful leg design. Thanks for sharing!
-- Jeff , Illinois Please...can I stay in the basement a little longer, please!
blackcherry
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2949 posts in 2020 days
#14 posted 995 days ago
A well done box for sure, the wood choices and design are just beautiful. A fitting piece for some 3 to 4 thousand year old wood. Thanks for sharing your story…BC
Maveric777
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2592 posts in 1273 days
#15 posted 995 days ago
Beautiful work Patrick. I am quite fond of the legs on this little jewel.
Well done!
-- Dan ~ Texarkana, Tx.
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