| Project by GaryK | posted 270 days ago | 717 views | 4 times favorited | 39 comments | ![]() |
Here is a small box I just finished.
My wife asked me to make her a box to store all the keepsakes for our baby.
I did something new I have never tried before. Actually a lot things.
I started with 1 1/2” thick stock to allow machining of the sides. I then added another touch by inserting
dowels through a series of holes drilled from top to botom. They would later be exposed when I machined
the sides. I also added Maple slices in the corners.
You can see what I am talking about in this picture:
Here it is with all the dowels and slices in place.
I used Walnut for this box so that it would not require any stain, which would darken the dowels.
The inlay and banding on the top and the frame for the mirror is holly. The top is also a solid piece of wood.
I also used a new finish for me. It’s Arm-R-Seal wipe on finish, al la David Marks.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
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39 comments so far
mot
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4837 posts in 518 days
posted 270 days ago
Jeez, Gary, that’s a cool idea! Nice job!
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
Blake
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2000 posts in 356 days
posted 270 days ago
I’ve never seen that done before. That is sooooooooo cool! Did you come up with that design?
-- Check out my new website! http://www.theeasellife.com
Abe Low
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36 posts in 328 days
posted 270 days ago
A great project and example of thinking outside the box.
-- Abe Low, Fine furniture, Sacramento, CA
Copperjock
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88 posts in 280 days
posted 270 days ago
That is awesome. Great design, the dowels really make it stand apart.
Thanks for the mirror inside, reminds me of a music/jewelry box my mother
had when I was a kid.
-- It's not that a craftsman never makes mistakes, he just makes it look like it.
cajunpen
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5348 posts in 547 days
posted 270 days ago
Every time I think I see a winner in the box contest I see yet another possible winner. This is an outstanding box Gary and you can count on me trying to copy this one. This may be my newest favorite box. BTW, is that a drop of blood on your work bench? Glad you didn’t spill it on the box :-))
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
rikkor
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7604 posts in 356 days
posted 270 days ago
Man, that is a nice box. Thanks for posting the process, too.
-- Maplewood, MN
davidtheboxmaker
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323 posts in 287 days
posted 270 days ago
That’s a very fine box, and thanks for showing the dowelling and corner inserts.
Russel
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1229 posts in 421 days
posted 270 days ago
That’s one beautiful box. The shaping of the sides combined with the dowels are just striking. A very unique design.
-- When you give someone a chance it may well be their last.
mrtrim
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1545 posts in 362 days
posted 270 days ago
exellent box gary , well thought out design and execution . you are a real craftsman .
Andy
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297 posts in 390 days
posted 270 days ago
Very nice concept Gary! Your photo show just how much thought and workmanship went into this.I salute you.
-- " Stubborn tenacity substitutes for natural ability" ANDY
TomFran
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2360 posts in 476 days
posted 270 days ago
Very unique design and great craftsmanship. Super job Gary! Your wife has to be pleased with it.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
Karson
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12889 posts in 882 days
posted 270 days ago
Garu. A very nice design for you box. The inserted dowels are a great addition and well though out before hand. Thats one of those things that after cutting, you say, “I need something to decorate the sides!”
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
brunob
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1389 posts in 651 days
posted 270 days ago
Excellent. Gives me ideas.
-- Bruce from Central New York
CharlieM1958
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4170 posts in 700 days
posted 270 days ago
Another great idea from you, Gary. Thanks for coming clean on the construction, or I think most, like me, would have been wondering how the heck you did it. Wonderful!
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
MsDebbieP
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11909 posts in 642 days
posted 270 days ago
stunning… and personal challenges as well!! Well done.
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
molarman
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27 posts in 300 days
posted 270 days ago
That is waaaay cool. Those maple accents are a great idea. Why can’t I ever think of something like that? It kinda has a “flying-saucerish” look to it. :) Great job !!!
-- Woodworking is not a destination....it's a joinery !!! http://smilesrus.com/pages/woodgallery.html
Paul
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588 posts in 574 days
posted 270 days ago
I’m running out of adjectives for this box contest!
Great work!
-- Paul, Texas
Thos. Angle
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3236 posts in 444 days
posted 270 days ago
Excellent, Gary, very creative and innovative as well. Nice.
-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon
Mark
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307 posts in 615 days
posted 270 days ago
A wonderful box. I hope those were not blood drops on your bench.
Mark
-- Mark
jockmike2
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4129 posts in 728 days
posted 270 days ago
Great job Gary, beautiful new design, you have upped the ante, so to speak, for everyone. mike
-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com
Colin
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128 posts in 402 days
posted 270 days ago
Excellent Gary, very unusual and interesting construction, the standard gets higher by the day!
-- Colin, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. "Every craftsman was once an amateur"
GaryK
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8482 posts in 470 days
posted 270 days ago
Thanks everying for you comments. I really appreciate them.
Blake – Yes, that is my design. I have a few more rolling around in my head. I’m going for things that I have
never seen done before.
Everyone – That’s dye on the table not blood, thankfully!
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
GaryK
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8482 posts in 470 days
posted 270 days ago
I forget to mention, for a great deal on mirrors you can go to Wal-Mart and get 6 sq. feet of wall
mirrors for just $8, and another couple of dollars for a glass cutter and you have enough mirrors to
last quite a while.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
Grumpy
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5597 posts in 333 days
posted 270 days ago
Very well done Gary. I like the elongated effect of the dowels, very clever.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python
TreeBones
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1409 posts in 505 days
posted 270 days ago
Very beautiful Gary, first class.
-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3
miles125
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920 posts in 487 days
posted 269 days ago
Innovative and beautiful. Nice job Gary!
-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""
Jiri Parkman
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559 posts in 294 days
posted 269 days ago
Very nice. Thanks for sharing.
-- Jiri
GaryK
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8482 posts in 470 days
posted 269 days ago
Bill, if you are looking to make one for yourself, I’ll give you a hint on cutting the concave sides.
I used the tablesaw.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
JC
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86 posts in 280 days
posted 269 days ago
Great idea! Beautiful project!
-- JC - Central PA - www.affyx.com
Chris
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1221 posts in 473 days
posted 269 days ago
Very Innovative Gary! It gives me all sorts of ideas..
-- Chris
DAN
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3201 posts in 464 days
posted 269 days ago
nice work … interesting design
-- ..... art for lifes sake
Lee A. Jesberger
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2750 posts in 461 days
posted 268 days ago
Gary,
Fantastic idea. Fine execution of it as well.
Thanks for sharing it. (I guess I’ll go throw my box out now) lol
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
YorkshireStewart
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636 posts in 383 days
posted 268 days ago
That’s a great idea Gary. I particularly like the way the lid projects beyond the box, and the dowels are a terrific feature.
-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business.
GaryK
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8482 posts in 470 days
posted 268 days ago
Thanks again for all your comments.
Yorkie – The lid was sized to keep things in proportion.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
Don
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2586 posts in 658 days
posted 263 days ago
Nice work, Garry – you know how much I just love small wooden boxes.
-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.canterburybaptist.org/
Dick, & Barb Cain
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5047 posts in 781 days
posted 263 days ago
Very nice Gary,
I bet it was a surprise to see what shape the dowels would take after the machining.
-- -** 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
TomK
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380 posts in 356 days
posted 262 days ago
I love it Gary! Bring it to the LJ get together if you will. I’d like to take a closer look at it. That’s a great idea using the dowels.
-- North Texas
scottb
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2940 posts in 809 days
posted 262 days ago
I would have never thought of that design element with the dowels, but I figured it out (or at least hoped you did it that way) the moment I saw it. brilliant creative solution!
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
GaryK
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8482 posts in 470 days
posted 262 days ago
Tom – Yea I’ll bring it to the get together. I’ll also bring the “strange sided box”
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.