Cross Box

Very nice, Joey.

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

Love that grain and the finish looks nice as well.

I like….simple, elegant… well constructed.. great use of grain…

-- Drink twice... and don't bother to cut... @ lazylarrywoodworks.com.au For lovers of all things timber...

Really like your box. it inspires me to try some inlay. Any advice or reference direction? I know nothing about inlay.

Well Dusty, lets see if I can give the quick once through. Keep in mind I am still teaching myself and there are much better teachers and people who know a lot more about it than me, but here is how I do it.

1) I start with a picture of what I want. Keep it simple to start. I cover a paper copy with box tape and cut out the drawing making a stencil. Some people use carbon paper, but I keep forgetting to pick some up so I use what I have.
2) Next I transfer my stencil to my piece of wood.
3)Then I use a chip carving knife(because that is what I have) and carefully cut the outline.
4) I then use a 1/8 inch dogleg chisel to flatten out the bottom.
5) I cut down the inlay material until it is about 1/8 in think (what ever it takes as long as it is thinker than your carving is deep.
5) Next I rough cut my inlay to fit and then use micro files and sanding blocks to carefully fit it in place.
6) Once all the pieces fit properly I put glue in the carving, fit the inlay into place, cover with wax paper-flat 3/4 in board and then clamp. Trying to keep the pressure even over the entire inlay.
7) Let it sit in clamps over night
8) after I have removed the clamps i use a card scraper to bring it down flush.

After that I just sand and finish

This is how I do it. I have only been doing inlay for a short while and learn new tricks with each try. I have a few new techniques I am trying that I will post once they are done. I hope this helps and you can always message me if you need more details. The mail thing is to stay simple to start and to just do it.

If anyone has any suggestions on how I can make my process better I would love to hear them.

As always thanks,

-- JoeyG ~~~ http://www.facebook.com/JHGWoodWorks

Very nice box and inlay – I gotta try that

-- Just learning the craft my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ practiced.

Very attractive box and inlay. I like doing inlays but don’t have the off set chisels so I like to make a template of my inlay and use a 1/8” straight bit in a laminate trimmer and then square any corners that are round from the router bit with a short handled hand chisel. I do the same of having my inlay slightly thicker than the recess it fits into as it is difficult to get it perfect and too great a chance of being too shallow so to me it works better to be 1/32 to 1/16 thicker and then scape it down and sand it flush.

-- Michael Mills, North Carolina, http://www.scicaskets.com

Nice Job on this Box, It’s good that this is a popular style, I like it, thanks for sharing

-- It's Mic Keep working and sharing

Great Looking Box! The cross blends in very nice with the design.

-- Dennis Zongker