Ian's box

A friend and his wife helped us with our baby’s naming ceremony. I made them this box as a thank you. It was also a good try out for the then new Record 71 router plane that I’d bought from e-bay; this is now one of my favourite tools – really satisfying to use.

The sides are some rather nice red wood that I found in the local DIY place. Lid is ash recycled from some scrap furniture that I was given. Ends are some unidentified tropical hardwood from my Dad’s collection; I had a look at some wood types but none seemed to fit, so it remains unknown. Plywood base.

Construction is based on simple housing joints, adjusted so that the beading ends are covered. The extra hardwood trim is also there mainly to cover bead ends, but I think that it’s a nice touch that also covers the red wood end grain. Beading was cut with the Stanley 050 multi-plane. The 71 was just great to cut the housing joints to a dead even depth.

The angles cut into the rear of the lid leaves allow it to open to a 45deg angle, which hopefully means that the hinges will not be sprained and avoids fitting awkward stays.

The finish is my favourite Danish oil, rubbed down with 1200 wet and dry (dry) between three coats.

As it was a present I don’t have this job anymore, but it remains one of my favourites – very little went wrong, a change for me. Ian and Kath seemed to love it and have told me that their friends have commented on it. I didn’t make a plan, so this will remain unique.

-- Stanley generally struggling