Single 2x4 and Not Just Any Box Entry

Great design. Great work.

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

Wow! Amazing what you saw inside a humble 2×4. Great luck on both of the contests… because you are entering it in both, aren’t you?

-- Jojo, shopless in Kyoto · http://www.japanese-woodworking-tools.com/

Pretty cool! Nice design.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Amazing that this came from the 2×4 Rich. A marvellous achievement in what’s turning out to be a really great competition.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business.

Fantastic! When this is over I hope someone puts together a slide show of all the projects. I think it would be jaw-dropping.

-- Maplewood, MN

Not only was it construction grade 2×4 it was everyone else’s reject!

This comes close to making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

-- No piece is cut too short. It was meant for a smaller project.

A very impressive piece of work. It’s beautiful the size it is and I can imagine how impressive it would be at full scale. Very cool.

-- When you give someone a chance it may well be their last.

and the bar gets raised again. Nice work Rich!

-- I've cut that board three times and it's still too short!

Boy who needs exotic lumber anymore, lets all just use 2×4’S, Great work and design,,,,,EXCELLANT!!!

-- Les, Wichita, Ks. (I'd rather be covered in saw dust!)

unbelievable.

I’m picturing the misfit 2×4 waiting and waiting and waiting to be selected and taken home to be made into something. I see its sad reaction as it is tossed aside, over and over and over again.. And then the pride it felt when it was finally chosen and taken home. I can hear it saying “I am going to give 120% to this project. I’m going to be the best 2×4 there ever was.” You have done it proud!! Stunning.

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

The design of the box is just great and the staining/finishing work is stunning. As I have said with each of these projects- I will never look at a 2×4 in the same light again.

Kudos for the posting. This is really a beautiful project.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

You saved it! That little misfit 2X4 so sad in the pile of better lumber at the big box store. You brought it home and gave is a beautiful new life as a stunning new box that all the other 2X4’s envied. “Sniff” What a wonderful story. “LMAO” Seriously a fantastic design and you have great insight to see a use for an old bent 2X4 like that, not to mention the planning and great execution. Great entry.

-- Jim Hallada, Chesterfield, VA

Outstanding! Excellent design and resourcefulness. this should be a winner.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

WOW!
Truly a fantastic job.
I am humbled by your craftsmanship and the finish is extraordinaire.

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

Unbelievable, that’s just beautiful

-- Illegitimis nil carborundum - Don't let the bastards grind you down http://woodworkingtipsfrompop.com

this is about as nice as it gets

-- ..... art for lifes sake

This piece conveys a sense of movement…..of life.Very good use of contrasting colors and lines.This is the result of a lot of planning and a very creative mind.Well done Rich.

This shows what is hiding in our wall studs, begging to get out.

-- " Stubborn tenacity substitutes for natural ability" ANDY

I’ll be darned if I can figure out where some of you guys are finding so much wood in a 2×4!

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Gosh, that’s wonderful!

I thought it would be unlikely that one project could win both categories until now.

-- Paul, Texas

I was very surprised too in the end at how much wood can be in a 2×4! It gave me a whole new appreciation for how much wood I’ve probably wasted in all the other projects I’ve built. The whole key was thin kerfs. Lots of bandsaw work to resaw and rip pieces to width followed by extremely light passes on the jointer and planer (1mm or less) to joint and face pieces. Crosscutting and making the little tennons on the end of the door rails was done on my crosscut sled on the table saw. I got really lucky with this 2×4 in that 1) the store kept all their lumber inside a heated building so it was dry and didn’t move all over the place after I cut it and 2) a lot of its grain ran perpendicular to the faces. When I was staring at the pile of lumber at the store this piece was laying on the top front of the bunk with a bunch of other pieces that had pitch pockets, some wane and bark on the edges, etc. Initially I passed it up as I started to dig through the pile but came back to it because it looked pretty good despite the bow.

-- Rich, Madison WI

That’s awesome, Rich! Just awesome!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Wow…what a great piece. I love the top floating above the legs. Great design and execution. A definite top contender for both categories.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

You have made mother nature proud.

-- Dominic, Trinity, Florida

Rich,

I am incredibly impressed with your design and execution. That you made it with a 2X4 only speaks to your craftsmanship. I also appreciate you describing your process. Can’t wait to see what you make next!

-- www.responsetolight.com - A Woodworking & Renovation Blog

I can’t believe it was with a 2×4. Very nice!

-- Roger - Havertown, Pennsylvania

Wow! Very nice design and a great job with less than ideal wood!

-- "Give me your poor tools, your tired steel, your huddled masses of rust." Yep, I ripped off the Statue of Liberty. That's how I roll!

Great work and very artistic. Lookin’ good.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

Beautiful, unique, & superb craftsmanship!

Someone finally invented the ’‘Board Stretcher’’, you better get a patent. LOL

-- Dick Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

critterman: I think I see a movie in this!

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

That’s excellent! I really like the form of that piece. The fact that it’s a 2×4 is secondary to the great design.

Kerry

-- Alberta, Canada

Absolutely fantastic. Wow

-- Andy Stark

That is INCREDIBLE!!!

-- Dust collectors suck.

Excellent work, great design, outstanding finish.

-- Greg - Charles Town, WV

exellent design work ! awsome piece ! i hope all you guys in this 2×4 contest are pleased , now i dont even feel competant enuff to work with frameing lumber ! gee whizz

-- if you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes

Great lines!! This is a piece of art!

-- Woodworking is not a destination....it's a joinery !!! http://smilesrus.com/pages/woodgallery.html

And Art du jour. A fantastic inventive piece. Great job.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

Not only is that a beautiful new life you’ve given that 2×4, The box is a fairly impressive size to have come from one – a small, rejected one.

Great design, I can easily imagine it in a lirger scale in nicer wood – but I think we’ve been learning that we don’t need to hit the exotics anymore!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh

Oh no – how am I going to judge this comp?

This is just fantastic!

-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.canterburybaptist.org/

Beautiful and graceful design. Great box.

-- http://dustynewt.webs.com/

Fantastic execution with the humble, rejected 2X4! The ugly duckiling of woodorking!

This has my vote, fer sure!

God Bless,
Hawg

-- Saving barnwood from the scrapyards

I am humbled by you abilities to not only envisiion the end project, but to so expertly craft the item. Well done

-- Even the best of men relish a little spice every now and then... HG Somers, circa 1905

Hey Rich…..........pretty interesting design. Are you thinking to work the design further, larger scale???

Yes, I am pretty certain I’m going to do a larger scale of this project as a nightstand for a scholarship competition, but it will be much more dramatic in terms of the overall design of the legs and top for certain as well as the casework…..probably more toward the shapes of an Asian temple or something. This work was used as a test of some construction concepts for stability and strength of the space frame style legs and as a challenge to myself to see if I really could make this out of a 2×4. I like the work you did, furnitologist, on the Carlo Mollino style coffee table….very inspiring….I picked up a copy of the book you referenced after watching your videos on the construction of your version….great videos and keep up the work!

-- Rich, Madison WI

You have a an astounding mind for beauty, and art…....I could never see something this beautiful in a stud that I use everyday to build walls with.

Congrats on a great placement in both categories with this project! I really love the lines/curves and the stains really make it pop visually. The 2×4 factor really captures the imagination! Way to go! Michael

-- Michael, Fort Worth, TX. "I wood if I could!"

Wow – what creativeness – taking a new look at my “strange wood” stockpile in the barn …

-- Currently-from-Grand-Rapids-but-looking-to-move-to-beautiful-Traverse-City ... :)

I’m glad this came up again … VERY impressive work.

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)