| Project by Charles Maxwell | posted 683 days ago | 4612 views | 15 times favorited | 28 comments | ![]() |
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I started this project months before I retired. It was supposed to be a retirement gift to another retiring naval officer. Let’s just say he didn’t earn my respect so, I kept the box and made it my own! It’s Walnut and has Maple trim that I salvaged from Ike’s HQ in London (I was stationed at NAVEUR in London for three years). The flag was flown over the new U.S. Embassy in Kabal after the Taliban went away! The eagle carving on the case lid is a design taken from a John Bellamy eagle. The eagle is carved from Holly.
-- Max the "night janitor" at www.hardwoodclocks.com































28 comments so far
cajunpen
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5970 posts in 944 days
posted 683 days ago
Well Cmdr. Max (at least it looks like the 3 bars) your box is 4.0 I really appreciate the detail and craftsmanship. I would like to see a little bigger picture though. Congratulations on retiring from the USN. I was a HM2 from 1964-1970. I would have stayed in and made it a career – but they would not agree to making me an Admiral.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
rpmurphy509
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290 posts in 733 days
posted 683 days ago
Congratulations on your retirement, and thank you for your service!
Great looking box.
-- Still learning everything
mrtrim
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1700 posts in 759 days
posted 683 days ago
great work max i like the story as well !
rikkor
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11338 posts in 753 days
posted 683 days ago
Congrats on your retirement, Sir. (ADJ2 65 – 69) Beautiful box!
TomFran
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2501 posts in 873 days
posted 683 days ago
Nice work! Glad you got to keep it.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
TreeBones
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1558 posts in 902 days
posted 683 days ago
Wow, very special and beautiful too. Nice work. Thanks.
-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3
FlWoodRat
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575 posts in 787 days
posted 683 days ago
Beautiful work and THANK YOU for your years of decated service to our nation. God Bless and enjoy your reitrement.
-- I love the smell of sawdust in the morning....
Betsy
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2381 posts in 774 days
posted 683 days ago
Congratulations on your retirement!
The box looks great. Glad you kept it for yourself.
-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.
mot
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4901 posts in 915 days
posted 683 days ago
It’s quite nice. I like the contrast in the joinery.
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
Grumpy
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14852 posts in 729 days
posted 683 days ago
Congratulations Charles. Beautiful job on the box. A great momento with a few nostalgic pieces as well.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python
SWODADDY
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31 posts in 720 days
posted 673 days ago
Very nice job sir. I am also getting ready to “think” about retirement from the Navy. I have 20 years in now and hopefully picking up LCDR soon. I was 14 years (seniorchief) enlisted. If the SWO community keeps me then I will just have to stay in for a bit longer. I love this job!! This is my new hobby now and I will put this in my favorites for future retirement gifts. Very nice job. I see the finger joints, but do you have any info on the demensions and anything on the inside as well? Again a nice piece and congrats on your retirement!!
-- The tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goals, the tragedy of life lies in not having goals to reach for.
Charles Maxwell
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155 posts in 686 days
posted 673 days ago
SWODADDY:
First, congrats on your very successful Navy career and thanks for your service to country. I’ve been retired one year now and I’m taking two years to find a way to build a small business doing what I love – woodwork. I’ve built a few wooden clocks that seem to be a big hit and have potential for demand in the timber frame homes market. We’ll see how that goes! I’d be happy to share the details of my retirement box with you – always ready to help out a fellow SWO Dog. I’ll snap a few more pics and draw up the design. I’ll post the pics on my Google Picasa site and send you the link. My email is cmaxnavy@yahoo.com (also my picasa user name). Let’s stay in touch. Max
-- Max the "night janitor" at www.hardwoodclocks.com
Blake
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2715 posts in 753 days
posted 672 days ago
Beautiful work. That will be in the family for generations.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
GaryK
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9497 posts in 867 days
posted 672 days ago
Very nice looking box. Thank you for your service to our country!
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
Napaman
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3416 posts in 955 days
posted 671 days ago
great box…great reason to keep it…may your retirement bring you happiness…
-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...
Karson
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25274 posts in 1279 days
posted 671 days ago
Congratulations on your retirement.
Payback is hell isn’t it. Does the navel officer know what he missed.
A great job. Hope the pictures were bigger.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
SteveV
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77 posts in 977 days
posted 662 days ago
Very nice!! Not bad for a Navy guy! ;-) I would love to see more detailed pics and design sketches. I would love to make something like this for my dad. He is former Army as I am and worked as a civilian for the Army for the rest of his career making it to SES. Actually did a lot of medical research for the Navy too. So a case like this would be great!
I have seen a lot of these display cases and this really caught my eye. You seem to have a good eye for design. Hope the business works out too.
shaun
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361 posts in 784 days
posted 658 days ago
Holy smokes. The detail here is fantastic, and maple from Ike’s HQ! off the charts! Congrats on your retirement, thank you for your service and this is one killer box.
-- I've cut that board three times and it's still too short!
Don
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2590 posts in 1055 days
posted 653 days ago
Uniquely American! I don’t think I’ve seen this style of box other than made for the purpose of displaying US military regalia.
You may not know this, but I just love small wooden boxes, this is a beauty!
-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.hilsbiblechurch.org/
Dick, & Barb Cain
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6991 posts in 1178 days
posted 649 days ago
Beautiful craftsmanship!
I’m proud of your service to our country.
I think you deserved to keep this for yourself.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
Popintraining
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109 posts in 716 days
posted 645 days ago
Hey Max,
I missed this box when you first posted it. It’s beautiful! I love everything about it, good luck
-- Illegitimis nil carborundum - Don't let the bastards grind you down http://woodworkingtipsfrompop.com
Scott Bryan
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20070 posts in 700 days
posted 645 days ago
Hi Max,
I missed this box as well. It is stunning. I really like the contrast that maple and walnut have with each other. And your carving skills are wonderful as well.
Sorry about missing it when it was first posted. But better late than never.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
Andy
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562 posts in 787 days
posted 645 days ago
This shows some real skill,very nicely done Max!
-- " If I can make it,so can you" Andy in Oregon
Brad_Nailor
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1192 posts in 836 days
posted 626 days ago
Wow just caught this one on the rotation. Stunning piece. I really like your design and choice of material’s. Great workmanship too. I love the whole shirt presentation in the lid…that is really well done. The Maple corner details are great. Gives the piece a box joint look. I think I will use that idea on the memorial case I am building. Congratulations on a great project and thanks for your service.
-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"
kevinw
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63 posts in 618 days
posted 531 days ago
Very nice. Beautiful in fact. My son is in the Navy as a Nuke. If he makes it as a career and I live long enough maybe I will make him one like this when he retires! Thanks for serving our country.
-- Kevin, Blue Springs, MO
SteveKorz
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2030 posts in 592 days
posted 422 days ago
WOW! Fantastic work!
-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †
John M
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41 posts in 78 days
posted 48 days ago
WOW. This is amazing….
-- John, Ontario, Canada
Pdub
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118 posts in 58 days
posted 34 days ago
Congrats on your retirement. Sounds like you retired a few monthe before me. The shadow box looks fantastic. Whoever missed out on it should be kickin’ themselves in the, well you know where. LOL ;)
-- Paul, North Dakota, USAF Ret.