| Project by Lenny | posted 773 days ago | 1911 views | 9 times favorited | 34 comments |  |
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This is a build of an apparently popular jewelry box from the Dec. 2009/Jan. 2010 issue of Wood magazine. This is a gift for a person who makes my wife’s often stressful job considerably less so by taking actions on her behalf and also for demonstrating understanding and caring. My wife raves about her all the time and I thought I would show my appreciation by making this gift for her.
I have seen several of these posted on LJ. The plans call for bird’s eye maple and cherry as the wood species. I opted for tiger maple and cherry. I also modified the design a bit. The curves of the top and bottom and drawer fronts are what capture the eye in this piece. The curves on the original were asymmetrical and I didn’t care for that design. I designed the top and bottom with three symmetrical curves and repeated this on the draw fronts. When it came to the draw pulls, I wavered between following the profile of the draw front or using one of the patterns in the plans. I opted for the plan pattern since I found it to provide more visual interest. As recommended in the plans, I cut the three draw fronts from the same cherry board to get a continuous grain flow across the front of the unit.
The construction is pretty basic with dadoes and rabbets joining the top/bottom, sides and Baltic birch back. The top two drawers ride on tiger maple runners that sit in dadoes let into the sides. The bottom drawer rides on the bottom. I placed slick/slippery tape on the underside of the bottom draw and on the runners. A ¼” blade in my bandsaw handled the cutting of the curves and I used my bench oscillating spindle sander to clean up the cuts. Adhesive backed felt was used on the draw bottoms.
The finish is 3 coats of Minwax wipe-on satin polyurethane sanded with #0000 steel wool in between coats and one coat of Minwax paste wax.
To use today’s parlance, I’d like to give a shout out to Ellen35 (Ellen), moonls (Lorna) and HarlySoftailDeuce (Paul) for their help in completing this project. Besides allowing me to bounce questions off them and offering their opinion on design changes, we formed an assembly line one day at Ellen’s as we used her drum sander to bring the draw pulls down to the required 1/8”. I’d also like to acknowledge Gerry, another LJ who also built this jewelry box. I contacted Gerry with a few questions on his build and he was very responsive. Thanks for looking.
-- On the eighth day God was back in His woodworking shop! Lenny, East Providence, RI
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34 comments so far
ellen35
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2442 posts in 1605 days
#1 posted 773 days ago
Nice job, Lenny. It really turned out nicely. The combination of woods is perfect.
Your willingness to be a little more creative with the handles is a nice design change.
Ellen
-- Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
patron
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12078 posts in 1513 days
#2 posted 773 days ago
beautiful box
and
a wonderful gesture
i like the concept of the sweat shop too
traveling LJ’s
can find sanctuary
and get a quick fix
in a shop somewhere
-- david - only thru kindness can this world be whole . If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure. Dan Quayle
bvdon
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454 posts in 1187 days
#3 posted 773 days ago
It looks great, and I really like all the work on the drawer fronts.
-- http://woodwork.me
grizzman
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5397 posts in 1476 days
#4 posted 773 days ago
what a beautiful jewelry box lenny, as always with your first try at any project you have done a wonderful job, i love the wood you used and all of the design elements you used…its a home run for me and it scores an A+ great job…it really inspires me to change how ive been doing my jewelry boxes..i need to get back to multi levels..the thin wood in your handles really does a great job of balance…well done…grizz
-- GRIZZMAN ...[''''']
a1Jim
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87375 posts in 1750 days
#5 posted 773 days ago
I really like this very well done
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
blackcherry
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2906 posts in 1995 days
#6 posted 773 days ago
Very nice indeed Lenny and a even nicer gesture in giving as a gift. I really like the flowing form of the box and the finish came out first rate Lenny. I particular like the satin finish on the cherry wood so smooth looking and warming. Nice execution on all front for your first jewelery box , but be careful these box become habit forming. Thanks for posting Wilson
littlecope
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2338 posts in 1674 days
#7 posted 773 days ago
Beautiful Lenny, Super Job!!
-- Mike in Concord, NH---Unpleasant tasks are simply worthy challenges to improve skills.
moonls
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377 posts in 1159 days
#8 posted 773 days ago
Wow Lenny, your “first” jewelry box looks very well done! Your design change on the curve of the drawer fronts are more appealing to me also. Your wife’s co-worker is a very lucky lady!
-- Lorna, Cape Cod
Lenny
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1041 posts in 1700 days
#9 posted 773 days ago
Thanks Ellen. It took awhile but I am happy with the final decision on the draw fronts and pulls. Thanks David. Sweat shop indeed. I could try to tell you Ellen made me put in hard labor in return but we all know she’s too sweet for that. Thanks bvdon and 3fingerpat. Grizz, thanks so much for your kind comments and your generous grade. I wish I got some A+ grades in my college days. Thanks A1Jim. Wilson, thank you too. I have always been a fan of satin finish. It’s my favorite. I am hoping I do not yet have the box building bug.
-- On the eighth day God was back in His woodworking shop! Lenny, East Providence, RI
Lenny
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1041 posts in 1700 days
#10 posted 773 days ago
Hi Mike. Thank you. Thank you Lorna. As I said that day at Ellen’s: “It took a village to make this jewelry box.”
-- On the eighth day God was back in His woodworking shop! Lenny, East Providence, RI
CharlieM1958
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14866 posts in 2391 days
#11 posted 773 days ago
Outstanding job. I can’t believe it’s your first!
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Beginningwoodworker
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#12 posted 773 days ago
Nice looking jewelry box, Lenny.
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker
Napaman
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5019 posts in 2250 days
#13 posted 773 days ago
Ripples…that was my first thought—-with the drawer fronts…they really add movement to the piece like its alive…and the last picture—-with the drawers all open looks great…she will enjoy it!
-- Matt--Proud LJ since 2007
Rxmpo
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231 posts in 1918 days
#14 posted 773 days ago
WOW! Really no other way to describe this one Lenny! The new shop has taken you to a new level. The wood selection and craftsmanship are wonderful. Great work. Can’t wait to see the next project coming out from the Butler Woodworking Company!
brianl
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108 posts in 1254 days
#15 posted 773 days ago
Great job Lenny, I’m sure she’ll love it.
-- Brian - Belmont, Massachusetts
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