State Fair Jewlery Box

Bill,

This is a very nice Jewelry Box, I can see why you took 1st place. What are the types of wood you used and finish? Looks like some tiger maple was used for the case itself….

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

Thanks.

I wanted to do something special, so I used Quartersawn Curly English Sycamore for the exterior and Purple Heart for the interior. The inlay banding is Purple Heart and Holly.

This was the second one I made. The 1st was a commission for my Best Friend in NC for his wife as a Christmas gift.

I’ve done boxes in Tiger Maple, if I can find my camera, I’ll post a pic of it. (Last years box, which also took 1st Place, but it’s more of an asian style)

-- ICN, Bill, (http://www.beavercreekfitness.com)

Congradulations on the first place and best of show! It’s beautiful. Can you post the more detailed tray?

-- Jesus is Lord!

The tray that belongs with this box…

-- ICN, Bill, (http://www.beavercreekfitness.com)

Beautiful! And this brings me to one of my current challenges:

On an edging miter like that, what do you do to get the match so perfect at the ends? The best I’m coming up with is to cut just a touch short, and then carefully sand down the inside of the frame piece ‘til the miter matches, which I’d think would be obvious given that you’re matching up those beautiful layers in that part.

Is this just that, indeed, you’re cutting those darned things as precise as they’re coming out? Do you have a way to sand the mitered edges without rounding them slightly?

Very inspirational.

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/User:DanLyke

Beautiful. The project and the wood. Prizeworthy for sure.

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

Bill, I wondered when you would show up.

LumberJocks, let me introduce you to the finest box making LumberJock I know! And he’s not from OZ.

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

That is some very nice work, but hang around long enough we’ll get you slappin together junk with the rest of us. Beautiful wood!

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

On an edging miter like that, what do you do to get the match so perfect at the ends? The best I’m coming up with is to cut just a touch short, and then carefully sand down the inside of the frame piece ‘til the miter matches, which I’d think would be obvious given that you’re matching up those beautiful layers in that part.

Is this just that, indeed, you’re cutting those darned things as precise as they’re coming out? Do you have a way to sand the mitered edges without rounding them slightly?

Hello Dan,

And thanks for the comments. About the miters, all I can say is, scary sharp blades, very square to the table in all directions and sneak up on the final cuts. Being finicky in these steps pays off in the long run with miters that look half way decent. The tricky part to this particular lid is knowing the exact dimensions of the box and the lid medallion. ( I measure to the thousandths with a caliper) I actually formed this banding around the medallion, cutting away the excess to get the right width with the final trimming of the purple heart which rested against the dadoed edge of the sides, front and back as it was prayerfully put together. Check out the Ubeaut site under boxmaking for the step by step battle against this box and you can see the mitering jig I used for the banding. As for the sides, those miters were cut on the TS.

Bill, I wondered when you would show up.

LumberJocks, let me introduce you to the finest box making LumberJock I know! And he’s not from OZ.

Don, I can’t tell you the joyful and plesant surprise to see you listed as a member here. Once I saw that,... I knew I was onto a good thing. Thank you for the kind welcome. It’s kinda funny, me on the Oz site, you on a Yank one :-)

Seeing that everyone has lost their disguise, I guess I’ll have to creep out from behind my metal mask. But I just love that guy so…

-- ICN, Bill, (http://www.beavercreekfitness.com)

And the world gets a little smaller…

you are right about this place being a good thing!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

Bill, well I guess I’m sort of a hybrid anyway. Not sure where I should be posting – until I came here that is. This place is absolutely terrific, with the nicest community of serious woodworkers I’ve met in one place. I feel like they are all my brothers, but some really are! You know what I mean, Bill.

I won’t give you a heads up on any in particular – you will figure it out and grow richer from the experience.

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

That is just beautiful… I need to do something like that…well…less elorabate…for my grand daughters…

-- "Have you hugged your pet today?" ---------- Larry

I can see why it won the award, beautiful work.

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

Beautiful work – If you don’t mind my asking, how long did it take you from start to finish?

-- The Gnarly Wood Shoppe

Oh, I forgot to comment on your project. I was gob-smacked to follow the construction during your WIP posting on the Aussies site. I recall asking you a few questions as you went and was impressed with the meticulous manner in which you approached this project.

I’m not at all surprised at the awards this piece garnered.

Bill, I’ve read a lot of books on box making and visited every web site I could find. This example is, without any doubt, the finest example of the craft I’ve seen. Congratulations, my friend!

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

Beautiful work – If you don’t mind my asking, how long did it take you from start to finish?

—The Gnarly Wood Shoppe

Thank you. In total I made three of these boxes. 2 with the English Sycamore, 1 of Birds Eye Maple. I estimated around 60 hours and 200 steps each. I’ll get that down a lot when I go into a 10-15 box production of this one.

Don, Thanks again, It’s really a simple design with a lot of head scrath’in on figuring out some areas like the few curves on the front and the purple heart interior with grain matching still being accomplished.

My current three box projects are a jewlery chest for my wife to inset in the armoire and jewlery box with marquetry inlays of a japanese theme wrapping around the box. This box will stay simple, with the inlay speaking for the impression. The last is a commision humidor in the style of Mr. Artdeko himself with his locking mechanism.

LOL…Now I know I’m picking up Aussie phrases and lov’in it. But what the heck is I was gob-smacked ?

-- ICN, Bill, (http://www.beavercreekfitness.com)

Wow… First of all beautiful piece. Second that’s quite a compliment from Don, but your work sure makes the grade. And third, I feel like I wasted that curly maple on the offering box. I mean it went for a great cause, but i wish I’d have done a better job on it.

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

Bill, this came up on the Shuffle. I aspire to make a box with this much craftsmanship some day. It has been favorited as a source of inspiration.

Can you comment on the finish?

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

Hello Jeff,

Thanks for the kind comment. This box got a coat of Boiled Linseed Oil then dried for 4-5 days. (Wiping every day and excess). Then I used a spray Lacquer sanding 320 between coats (4-6), Last sanding at 400. Then I used McQuires scratch remover polish that you can find at the auto store to do a final buffing.

I looked at you first box and it’s a GREAT start!

Take care.

-- ICN, Bill, (http://www.beavercreekfitness.com)

Wow Bill, you rock! I see you know about William McDowell (www.teknodeco.com) and that mechanism. I love boxes too, and I have to agree with Don’s assessment of your work. That has to be the nicest box I have ever seen.

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

Wow! I’m glad this one came back around! Just an awesome piece!

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

Exquisite.

-- John

Thanks for the scoop in the finish Bill. I’m going to build another box just so I can attempt this finish. Thanks also for taking the time to check out mine.

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

very nice work !! glad you won the blue ribbon

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

Your box really deserved the win. Very well put together, and I really like the colors.

-- A man who moves mountains starts one stone at a time.

Bill,

Beautiful, it deserved to win!

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

I think they should have given you two blue ribbons on this job Bill. Just fantastic work.

-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,

And another, oh, my word!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Sensuous!
Outstanding Bill,I see why you won.
The wood compliments this design perfectly.

-- " If I can make it,so can you" Andy in Oregon

Simply gorgeous. I love you selection of wood.

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

Great box

-- Wood and Glass they kick (well you know) Have a great day - Dug

See why you won, congrats