| Project by MsDebbieP | posted 2260 days ago | 1634 views | 3 times favorited | 27 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??)
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
| Pin It |
27 comments so far
Karson
home | projects | blog
34371 posts in 2573 days
#1 posted 2260 days ago
”She is a box maker”
Yah! Ra – Ra – Rah.
Karson
-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
18320 posts in 2333 days
#2 posted 2260 days ago
I’m going to have to change my name from Sculptured WoodArt to…. hmm BoxArt
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Karson
home | projects | blog
34371 posts in 2573 days
#3 posted 2260 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.
-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Roger Strautman
home | projects | blog
626 posts in 2306 days
#4 posted 2260 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
8654 posts in 2272 days
#5 posted 2260 days ago
I love the live edge. In reference to displaying the plans for the table – Cheese Eater.
-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://americancraftsmanworkshop.com
scottb
home | projects | blog
3648 posts in 2500 days
#6 posted 2260 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. - Van Gogh -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
18320 posts in 2333 days
#7 posted 2260 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”.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
dennis mitchell
home | projects | blog
3994 posts in 2487 days
#8 posted 2260 days ago
That is a nice looking wood.
WayneC
home | projects | blog
9596 posts in 2270 days
#9 posted 2260 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
3648 posts in 2500 days
#10 posted 2260 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. - Van Gogh -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
oscorner
home | projects | blog
4565 posts in 2483 days
#11 posted 2260 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
1970 posts in 2311 days
#12 posted 2260 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
10636 posts in 2419 days
#13 posted 2260 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
-- (You just have to please the man in the Mirror) Mike from Michigan -
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
18320 posts in 2333 days
#14 posted 2259 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.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Obi
home | projects | blog
2202 posts in 2410 days
#15 posted 2259 days ago
Now… time to learn to dovetail.
-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/
View all comments »
showing 1 through 15 of 27 comments
Have your say...