| Project by MsDebbieP | posted 568 days ago | 536 views | 0 times favorited | 24 comments | ![]() |
With the new “Little Ripper” in our shop, we wanted to give it a try on some firewood that we had.
History
Before we get into the project itself I would like to give a little history on the wood. Probably 20 years ago (when we were still heating our house with wood) we got this wood, Joe (my first husband) chopped it all up and we stored it in the basement.
Last spring, when we were planning on fixing up the basement and pouring a cement floor, we lugged all of the wood back out of the basement and stored it outside for future bonfires.
Yesterday, a piece of it made it back into the basement – and it won’t be the last. No more bonfires for us! I have boxes to make.
The Box.
Since we had no clue what the Little Ripper would end up creating, as it was our first time trying it out, I had no idea what I was going to make with the pieces of wood other than it would, of couse, be a box.
It didn’t take long for Rick to get the hang of the Ripper and before long I had half a dozen pieces of wood (approximately 3/8” thick; 14” long and 5” wide). I laid the beautiful pieces of wood out on my workbench and we just admired it. What to make? I don’t know yet. It’s still talking to me.
This morning I decided to grab a piece and just start cutting. I knew that “it” would come to me as I started working on it. Sure enough, the Wood Spirit came through loud and clear after I cut off 3 sides of a board. The last to be cut was the bark edge and the Wood Spirit said “no way”. I knew then that the box would have the rough cut top edge and thus it would not have a lid.
As I looked at the beautiful lines and knots in the wood I knew where I couldn’t cut it and the box took form – it was going to be about a foot long and that sounds like it would be the perfect size to hold ordinary sheets of paper.
I then sided the boards down, loving every moment of the process. It was then time to decide how I was going to put the edges together, and yes, it can’t just be a plain joint.
I tried using my Dremel Router but it was going to just be too much work for it. I didn’t want to burn it out, so I had Rick run his old router along two of the boards. (No Triton set up yet and no router table.) I really didn’t want to mess this up, even though it was just scrap wood from the wood pile.
I then glued and clamped the edges and attached it to a base made from plywood. It is now officially our “Plans Box”.
Wood: 20 year old Willow
Joints: Rabbit joints (is that what you call the “L” shaped joint??)
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Your Online Shop - Your Support Is Greatly Appreciated - Your Woodworking Showcase - 3 Ways To Help, Financially - Your Woodworking Community
























24 comments so far
Karson
home | projects | blog
12887 posts in 882 days
posted 568 days ago
”She is a box maker”
Yah! Ra – Ra – Rah.
Karson
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
11909 posts in 642 days
posted 568 days ago
I’m going to have to change my name from Sculptured WoodArt to…. hmm BoxArt
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Karson
home | projects | blog
12887 posts in 882 days
posted 568 days ago
Debbie:
You know that if you make a bigger box and put drawer runners on the big box and the little box, you have made a chest with a drawer.
See how easy this is.
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
Roger Strautman
home | projects | blog
498 posts in 615 days
posted 568 days ago
Oh boy, I can see plenty of boxes coming from this house. Looks great!
-- " All Things At First Appear Difficult"
Todd A. Clippinger
home | projects | blog
2536 posts in 581 days
posted 568 days ago
I love the live edge. In reference to displaying the plans for the table – Cheese Eater.
-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com
scottb
home | projects | blog
2940 posts in 808 days
posted 568 days ago
nice box. nice wood. me likey. you’ll never look at firewood the same way again!
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
11909 posts in 642 days
posted 568 days ago
I’m pretty excited.
I didn’t know that willow was so beautiful. And I have a whole fencerow full of it !!! :D
Todd: what? you think I’m trying to get an edge on the big competition ? hahaha
I love my new box. It is so “me”.
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
dennis mitchell
home | projects | blog
2932 posts in 796 days
posted 568 days ago
That is a nice looking wood.
-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com
WayneC
home | projects | blog
5685 posts in 579 days
posted 568 days ago
Heh. Next it will be a table….. lol.
-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov
scottb
home | projects | blog
2940 posts in 808 days
posted 568 days ago
a willow table… that’ll look nice.
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
oscorner
home | projects | blog
4573 posts in 792 days
posted 568 days ago
YOU’RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER BOX IF YOU’RE GOING TO KEEP YOUR PLANS IN IT. At least, I know I have about 10 large binders full and that’s not counting all the woodworking magazines.
Nice and rustic!
-- Jesus is Lord!
David
home | projects | blog
1818 posts in 620 days
posted 568 days ago
Very nice! I like the live edge – suspect this will draw Frank’s attention soon! Looks like you will be entering the PW contest! By the way, I apologize for my ignorance, what is a Little Ripper?
-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com
jockmike2
home | projects | blog
4129 posts in 728 days
posted 568 days ago
Way to go Deb. Glad to see you grab the bull by the horns. You can do anything you want to do. If you need help just ask there’s 500+ Lumberjocks willing to give you a hand. your bud, mike
-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
11909 posts in 642 days
posted 568 days ago
The Little Ripper It holds a log so you can zip it through the bandsaw and make some boards.
Willow: my favourite wood now.. It looks so.. rustic, gentle, sweet!! :)
Table: .. now, what to do , what to do?? Barnboards, Willow, Cedar.. oh my decisions, decisions
Plans: ok, maybe it is our “top of the list to-do” plans box.
Frank: I thought of him already this morning as I looked at the box. I too think he’ll like it. :D
LJ Help: Thanks. It’s always good to know you guys are here if I need you.
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Obi
home | projects | blog
2152 posts in 718 days
posted 568 days ago
Now… time to learn to dovetail.
-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
11909 posts in 642 days
posted 568 days ago
oh you just had to mention it, didn’t you??
We bought a template set last SUMMER.. that would be months and months ago but with the router and router table dilemma that we have been having (for months and months and months) the template is still unused. Sigh.
I’ve been waiting patiently and working on other things instead of the box. But now we have the Triton router—and all we need is the table for it to fit into. Maybe next month we’ll get the table!!
And then.. oh yah.. dovetails.
(and don’t go telling me to make them by hand, either… Baby steps my friend.. baby steps.
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Dick, & Barb Cain
home | projects | blog
5043 posts in 781 days
posted 568 days ago
Nice little box Debbie, the Willow looks great.
Here’ a video that can help add to your bandsaw skills.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
11909 posts in 642 days
posted 568 days ago
Dick, thank you so much!!
He has given a lot of tips here that I’m sure will come in handy.
It’s also nice to compare the handmade jig to the purchased “Little Ripper”.
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Chip
home | projects | blog
1058 posts in 574 days
posted 568 days ago
Deb, you’re a woodworking maniac! I just love it. What a great first box with the bandsaw. Keep ‘em coming!
-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
11909 posts in 642 days
posted 568 days ago
I just finished putting some finishing oil on this one.
I could look at it all day—I really, really, love this wood.
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
frank
home | projects | blog
1384 posts in 687 days
posted 567 days ago
Hello Debbie;
—-now you’ve went and started becoming ‘rustic’!
I really like the ’live edge’ that you’ve went and kept on this box. Now that you’ve started thinking outside the box, seeing beyond woodpiles, your ‘wood art’ range of possibilities is un-limited. You now have no-scope to limit you, since by discarding that funnel that limits, you now have reached for un-limited hope in the all that can be!
Your work Debbie, is growing by leaps and bounds and I just loved what you said here; “This morning I decided to grab a piece and just start cutting. I knew that “it” would come to me as I started working on it. Sure enough, the Wood Spirit came through loud and clear after I cut off 3 sides of a board. The last to be cut was the bark edge and the Wood Spirit said “no way”. I knew then that the box would have the rough cut top edge and thus it would not have a lid.”
I remember telling you some time ago to be care-full, since what are folks going to say when you tell them, the wood actually talks to you and tells you what it should be. And what happens when the day comes, that as much as you thought you were sculpturing a box, you now understand that that box was in essence sculpturing you?
The use of willow is also a very nice touch here. Some will say that since willow is a soft wood and full of moisture it’s not good for furniture….never paid much attention to the ‘they have said’ crowd, and so I am planning also to use some willow from a tree I cut up last summer. Some good size slabs that will make some nice table tops.
This is ‘wood art’ at it’s best, a wonder-full box to hold all those dreams of what shall yet be!!!
GODSPEED,
Frank
-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
11909 posts in 642 days
posted 567 days ago
thank you Frank :)
I want to make more… give me more Willow.. I want it now.. I hear it calling :)
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Sawhorse
home | projects | blog
272 posts in 921 days
posted 567 days ago
Great looking box , MsDebbieP….I love the live edge too
-- Sawhorse - Sulphur Springs, TX - www.sawhorseworkshop.com
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
11909 posts in 642 days
posted 567 days ago
thanks :)
I really like it too…
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)