"Just a Box....Any Box"

Very cool box! Quite a treasure for your daughter.

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

thanks :) It wasn’t intended as a present but the timing was right – and she liked it :) So, a perfect little gft. She can keep paper clips in it on her desk at school or something :)

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

A nice box and a clever lid design. I guess we can say Debbie thinks outside of the box.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

oh is THAT an understatement!!! thanks for the compliment! :)

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

And your hearts in your work

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

Tip #1: Giving titles to your pieces

About a year ago at my local woodworking guild meeting, one of the members presented something at our “show and tell” session. He called them, “stupid little boxes” and said he made a dozen or two of them a year to give away to people. When he passed them around, I gave it a look-over with a critical eye and saw glue drips on the inside that he hadn’t cleared out and sanding marks on the outside where he didn’t remove all of the scratch marks properly. And then I counted and determined that he’d used seven different species of wood in his box that was less than 4” square and quietly passed it to the guy next to me, not that impressed.

Calling them “stupid little boxes” created a lasting first impression that he wasn’t really that happy with his work and he didn’t really put that much thought or effort into them, when, in fact, he might love making them and he might have tried very hard to get them just right! After I thought about it a while, I wondered… would I have looked at his box with a less critical eye if he’d presented it differently? What if he’d said it was a box he lovingly made for his granddaughter? My attitude when reviewing the box might have been different.

So how much work did you put into your box, Debbie? After you add up the amount of time you spent on it, is it still “just a box”? Or is it a gift you made for your daughter with your very own hands to congratulate her on her permanent contract at school?

Think about it…

Tip #2: Small rare earth magnets

On some of my smaller ring boxes, I use a pivot method similar to how yours turned out, but I use small rare earth magnets in the lid and the base to keep the lid in the closed position. Actually, on some of my boxes, I used rare earth magnets as the pivots, too (one magnet imbedded deeply into the base and one sticking out of the top that also lines up with the magnet/hole in the base).

Just make sure you set it up so you have reverse poles touching on the magnets; otherwise, you’ll never get it to close right! (Experience is sometimes a cruel teacher…)

If you want to play around with rare earth magnets, try to order a sample pack of about 10 of several different sizes and shapes and play around with them. There are a ton of ways you can work them into your projects.

-- Ethan, http://www.merganserwoodworks.com, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

Yes magnets can be cool… I tried making, sans prototype, a “seamless” box where the lid was held in place with magnets. THe box does close, but seamless (like one solid piece of wood) it was not. Shows the limitations of my cheap tablesaw, sans jigs…

so the project turned prototype, and taught me a lot. I agree with Ethans thoughts on naming as well…

so to quote from Dennis (which was pretty funny) if “your hearts in your work” then it’s not “just a box”

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

Well said, Scott.

As far as “seamless” lines go, I’ve done two things to resolve those issues. One is to clamp the lid and base together as tightly as I can, with the clamps going around on opposing sides (e.g. the front and the back) and then sanding the base and top of the other two side until they are perfect. Then I’ll clamp the two sides I smoothed and unclamp the other two sides and smooth them, as well.

Or… you hide the flaw by putting a champher along the edges where the base and the lid meet. That’s what I did on Dana’s Ring Box.

Oh, and I also used rare earth magnets as the closure method… you can see the small silver top of one of them in the base.

-- Ethan, http://www.merganserwoodworks.com, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

oh I really like the magnet idea!!! thank you :)

now… for the name, I totally agree. It is like Frank’s interpretation of the piece of wood I found with the “face” in it—for most of us it was scary but he approached it with a positive attitude and saw a smile.

Why did I name it “just a box”—because I wanted to “make a box… just a box… any box”.
So, I was trying to follow through my big woodworking wish! I had wanted to make “just a box” and now I had.

Is it a “justa”? No way – this is a BIG achievement for me (which I was trying to capture in the name by using the little saying that I have been posting since I joined.

In my notes, it is called “The Heart Box”.

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

NOW I find a plan!!
I just opened Woodworker’s Journal Free plans – and there was a heart box. Now wouldn’t THAT have been easier! Oh well… next time :)

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

It might have been easier, Debbie, but it would not have had your design signature written on it. I know the title, “Just a Box….Any Box”, is an echo back to your many posts where you uttered these words as a reflection of your desire to create a box. And now you’ve done it – started your journey to becoming the box make you want to be.

Of course no box is “just a box” as Frank has taught us. Each carries its own story as does yours. And each evokes memories of that journey we have undertaken. You are well on your way – and, Oh! – I like your Little Heart Box. It juxtaposes your big heart!

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

ah shucks :)

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

Hi Debbie;
—-well see, you are coming right along and all that ‘character’ that you are showing us as you now start filling this place up with your works of art.

I was just looking at the number of projects you have posted here Debbie, this one is #12 and I think that’s doing ’very good’!

To my way of thinking and seeing, I count ‘5’ boxes:
(1) http://lumberjocks.com/projects/518, a box for your daughter….
(2) http://lumberjocks.com/projects/511, a box for holding your words….
(3) http://lumberjocks.com/projects/398, a box for holding potatos….
(4) http://lumberjocks.com/projects/371, a box for holding napkins…
(5) http://lumberjocks.com/projects/357, a box to sit upon and let your imagination run free as you dream of your next project!!!

As you continue making and posting these projects I am watching your true character come forth with greater and greater ‘works of art’!

GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

12 !! I didn’t realize it was so many.
an interesting twist you put on my projects and now you make me think—isn’t it interesting that someone who thinks so “outside the box” and who is so misunderstood because of this “out of the box” thinking, so desperately wants to create – a box!
This might keep me awake tonight. Thank you for the opportunity to peel back another layer of self-awareness

And thank you for the support :)

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

I took a piece of dowelling and sanded it down to fit my box, glued it into the lid, added a light-pink bead to the lid, covering the top of the dowel, gave the whole thing a wipe down with a finishing wax and voila … the little box is now finished :)

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

Alright!! Debbie.
You should try that heart box in WWJ.

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

WWJ?

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

I guess, Dick meant Woodworker’s Journal ;)

-- Martin, http://lumberjocks.com | My Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Martin_Sojka/1357216976

ah.. cool

thank you for the compliment Dick :)

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

I agree with Ethan’s story and points. This is a wonderful box, and your story and personality make it incredible. It is fun “listening” to how you learn lessons and try new things in your work. As the years add up, a person learns a lot of little do’s and don’ts associated with woodworking. I enjoy hearing about your learning process and seeing the product of your creativity.

One tip:
When I am trying to glue boards up that tend to slide with a clamp applied, I use small brass nails. Between the mating surfaces, I tap a couple of little nails into one side of the mating joint, and snip off the head of the nail very close to the wood surface. This means that when the two boards are pressed together, the little “burrs” grab and the boards don’t slide. This is not my invention, I saw it on a David Marks’ video.

Great Work!

-- Mark DeCou - Kansas Flinthill's Artisan

Debbie: here’s the bottom line. My 6 year old daughter was looking over my shoulder while I was looking at the page of projects. She says, “ooohhh, look at that cute heart box, I want that!”

Even from only a photo, the message came through, good work.

-- Mark DeCou - Kansas Flinthill's Artisan

and my day gets better and better :)
Thank you Mark (for the support, the advice, and for the comment from your daughter).

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