Box

Very nice box; you really did a nice job on it.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com

-- If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. Henry David Thoreau

I like the “insert in the top”. I read the reason for it, good save, however IMHO,(forgive the Monday morning quarterback-ing)the hinge should mirror the insert

-- "ButI'mMuchBetterNow"

The simplicity of the joinery on the top nicely compliments the carving on the sides.

-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging. http://www.theartofboxes.com

Very nice box, I like it.

Like the box and especially the carved detail .

-- Kiefer 松

Josh, I like what you have done here and I looked back at several of your other projects. You do nice work. As to a critique of this particular box, I liked the over-all proportions. The texturing of the sides gives the plain grain needed interest and works very nicely. I too like butternut; it has a beautiful color and is pleasant to work with.

Here are some things you might consider for next build. The full width hinge looks great when closed, but does seem in the way if the box doesn’t open any further than I see it here. Glued end grain joints are not too strong…a spline across the joint or the length of the corner joint would add great strength there. Ditto on the top. The “wings” on the ends of the top are interesting, but seem out of character with the general simplicity of the rest of the box. I would round the upper edges of the dividers to make them more finger friendly. If they are for jewelry, consider making them more shallow and varying the size of the compartments. An internal tray adds to the storage capacity of a box and makes it possible to store smaller items that you can get at easily.

I don’t mean to knock what you are doing. What you are doing is fine. I especially liked your cedar and walnut box. Since you asked for comments I thought I’d offer more than just “nice job” so you could have some possibilities to think about. Keep boxing and keep posting.

-- Big Al in IN

A one of a kind design ,great job.

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

white wulf – yes it was a nice save. and i think made it a bit more interesting.. carvings change so much with light and shadow. the top pieces do the save. casting shadows with a neat ‘arch’ like the carving. ahh yes -a hinge of sapele would have added more to the symmetry.

boxguy – yeah i certainly cheaped out for time on the top. yr not knockin at all. the box actually holds cards for a game a small circle of friends recently got into. it’s a card game called Magic. the dividers are for those cards. but can come out if it becomes a box for something else. short and sweet- it’s like a less involved D and D with dragons and wizards etcetc.. the top ‘inserts’ were a save because the poplar board was too short. BUT my thought was the curves and pointyness were sort of a take of this game. the hinge even creaks a bit when you open it.. pretty creeepy. might even fill it with candy for Halloween. ha

makes sense on the hinge getting in way. luckily it’s like you grab your cards and go. not a lot of thumbing through things.. i did think of that. especially when i realized i put the pins a bit far from the edge and had to plane off a good deal of box to make it open even this far. first wood hinge blues!

thanks for feedback on the walnut and cedar box too!

-- Josh - Jacksonville, FL, http://jubinsky.wordpress.com