Not just any box.....(It's all about the inside)

Not just any box… “it’s all about the inside”

Here’s my submission for the 2008 challenge.

“It’s all about the inside”

To me, the inside of a box…especially a jewellery box, should be just as attractive as the outside (if not more so). I paid special attention to the inside details to try and achieve that. I carried the Birdseye and Cocobolo to the inside inlaying one with the other wherever possible. I lined the box, drawers, and compartments with burgundy suede. Although it is more work, I prefer natural materials and wood inside a fine box to flocking and ply. There was some inventing required, as the recipient wanted a place to hang her necklaces….but didn’t want a tall “cabinet style” box. What I came up with is the folding chain hanger in the top compartment. The “lid” and hinge are all one piece of birdseye to which I attached a strip of cocobolo at the top (with cocobolo dowels) equipped with hooks to hold the tops of the necklaces, the I sewed (gasp!) a small pouch out of the same suede to form a pouch to hold the bottoms of the chains. Now, when she wants to select a necklace, she swings up the holder and Voila! Hanging chains in a short box! The inside also features another swing-up compartment to hold stud earrings, a multiple slot ring holder in the same suede, and all kinds of nooks for the multitudes of “must haves” and “accessories” that women seem to accumulate.

The wood: This board was a TV star!

The body trim and legs are cocobolo, but it’s only there to frame the star of the show. Some of you may have seen a show on the Discovery Channel about old-growth lumber that has been recovered from the bottom of the deep water of Georgian Bay. In the episode they showed a board demonstrating the outstanding figure and grain tightness (45-60 rings per inch!) ….this is the board that was featured! I bought it two years ago, and have been waiting for that “perfect” project…this has to be it!
The tree that this came from was cut down 165 years ago, and while it was being floated to the mill it became waterlogged and slipped below the surface. It finally settled on the bottom, 130 feet below daylight. The 0 oxygen/ 0 light environment allowed this wood to remain perfectly preserved, waiting to be brought to the surface and given new life.
Great Birdseye figure is super tough to find (1/1000 trees)…now, try and find that one in a thousand in 130 feet of water.

The Finish:

This finish is my absolute favourite finish….but it is extremely time consuming. Every inch of this box (including the bottom) received French polish (padded-on shellac) over five coats of hand rubbed tung….my hands are still soft….yet sticky… at the same time :)

The Recipient:

(Hopefully this doesn’t sound too hokey)

This box is for my wife Chantelle. She is my biggest fan, strongest supporter, and truly my best friend. Chantelle will be giving me a special gift of my own in April….a brand new shiny baby girl! I’m actually giving her this box from the baby…kind of a “thank you for the last 9 months” gift. I’ll post her reaction when she recieves it.

Thanks for looking everybody, I appreciate it!

-- Want to see me completely transform a house? Look here: http://forum.canadianwoodworking.com/showthread.php?41055