| Project by EGA | posted 701 days ago | 454 views | 1 time favorited | 11 comments |  |
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Made this chest out of two inch thick juniper wood. Down south here it can be found in and around fresh water creeks and streams. Looks like a cedar tree and is evergreen. Inside is the color of the chest and smells like the strong smell of cedar.
Good straight lumber is hard to find, even though a tree a couple feet in diameter the grain will be twisted like a barbers pole. The bark is the clue, if the bark is spirling around the tree the lumber is exactlly like the bark. About two percent will have straight grain. Thought someone would like the description of the tree.
I made the chest with dowel pins. Carved the rope looking like it is pulled tight, like as in a bundle or package.
I was kinda peptimistic about cutting the top, thinking it might spring into all different shapes, even thougt I hand picked the tree myself. Thank goodness it stayed straight. I lined the inside of the top and bottom, plus the bottom of the sliding drawer with red cedar; grown here locally.
Built this for my baby daughter over twenty years ago. Age marks with raising two kids by herself left it’s toll.
Thanks for the warm welcome from those on this site and I will keep saying it. Semper Fi !
-- www.flickr.com/photos/egamarine/
11 comments so far
MsDebbieP
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14171 posts in 1059 days
posted 701 days ago
1. I love the wood—gorgeous (and your info is fascinating)
2. the tight rope – very cool.. very precious cargo inside!
3. the wear and tear befits a parcel wrapped for traveling…. every nick tells a story and is filled with love, just as the woodworking itself.
So lovely.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
rpmurphy509
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290 posts in 752 days
posted 701 days ago
There is something unexplainable about the attraction of the natural, aged patina of wood.
Very unique design with the rope carving.
-- Still learning everything
rikkor
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11335 posts in 772 days
posted 701 days ago
Very nice hope chest. The wear only adds to its character, if you ask me.
TreeBones
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1557 posts in 921 days
posted 701 days ago
Real nice, great wood. After twenty years it only gets better. Well done.
-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3 http://www.portablesawmill.biz/concrete/
TomFran
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2515 posts in 892 days
posted 701 days ago
Now that is a piece with character! Nice work. This is a family heirloom.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
CharlieM1958
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7670 posts in 1116 days
posted 701 days ago
Wow! Impressive!
And I guess you call it a hope chest because you hope it never get set down on your toe. :-)
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
mot
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4903 posts in 934 days
posted 701 days ago
Yup, a real winner in the character category. Nice piece.
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
GaryK
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9537 posts in 886 days
posted 701 days ago
Looks great! The rope is a great touch.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
jpw1995
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348 posts in 1196 days
posted 701 days ago
Beautiful! How much time did you spend on carving that rope?
-- JP, Shelbyville, KY
EGA
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161 posts in 711 days
posted 701 days ago
As long as I’m enjoying a project, time dosen’t matter. I did it with my pocket knife, then chiesled and sanded the bevil. Speaking of time, there’s so much I want to get accomplished and running out of time in the age bracket. Semper Fi !
-- www.flickr.com/photos/egamarine/
ND2ELK
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6222 posts in 672 days
posted 598 days ago
Great old Chest. Love the rope carving. Thanks for posting.
God Bless
tom
-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa