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Retirement Shadow Box with case

Project by Charles Maxwell posted 683 days ago 4612 views 15 times favorited 28 comments Add to Favorites Watch

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

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

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/

View rpmurphy509's profile

rpmurphy509

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

View mrtrim's profile

mrtrim

1700 posts in 759 days


posted 683 days ago

great work max i like the story as well !

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

11338 posts in 753 days


posted 683 days ago

Congrats on your retirement, Sir. (ADJ2 65 – 69) Beautiful box!

View TomFran's profile

TomFran

2501 posts in 873 days


posted 683 days ago

Nice work! Glad you got to keep it.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View TreeBones's profile

TreeBones

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

View FlWoodRat's profile

FlWoodRat

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....

View Betsy's profile

Betsy

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.

View mot's profile

mot

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)

View Grumpy's profile

Grumpy

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

View SWODADDY's profile

SWODADDY

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.

View Charles Maxwell's profile

Charles Maxwell

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

View Blake's profile

Blake

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

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

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.

View Napaman's profile

Napaman

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...

View Karson's profile

Karson

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 †

View SteveV's profile

SteveV

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.

View shaun's profile

shaun

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!

View Don's profile

Don

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/

View Dick, & Barb Cain's profile

Dick, & Barb Cain

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

View Popintraining's profile

Popintraining

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

View Scott Bryan's profile (online now)

Scott Bryan

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.

View Andy's profile

Andy

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

View Brad_Nailor's profile

Brad_Nailor

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"

View kevinw's profile

kevinw

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

View SteveKorz's profile

SteveKorz

2030 posts in 592 days


posted 422 days ago

WOW! Fantastic work!

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †

View John M's profile

John M

41 posts in 78 days


posted 48 days ago

WOW. This is amazing….

-- John, Ontario, Canada

View Pdub's profile

Pdub

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.

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