| Project by Jim Crockett | posted 493 days ago | 485 views | 2 times favorited | 11 comments |  |
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As I had mentioned here previously, our Black Lab died last March. I have been working since then to create a box for her cremains – a box that was a tribute to her memory.
The box is made of 1/2” maple with a 5/16” figured walnut top and walnut miter keys. I spent forever trying to get a “perfect” finish on the maple top – I think I took it back down to bare wood at least four or five times and started anew. I’m still not entirely satisfied with the finish on the walnut but SWMBO told me to not be such a perfectionist or we would never have a box for our loved one. The box itself has a coat of natural Watco Danish Oil, three coats of wipe-on gloss poly, a coat of satin wipe-on poly, and a coat of wax after all had dried.
I routed a groove on the inside of the sides/ends 1/4” wide and deep, 1/4” up from the bottom, glued a 1/2” strip of maple into the groove, and screwed the bottom plate to the strip with #4 brass screws.
I’m quite pleased with the overall effort especially since it is only the third box I have built, all of which have been different!
JimC
11 comments so far
lew
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4508 posts in 654 days
posted 493 days ago
What a fitting tribute to a loving family member. She will be with you always.
Our hearts go out to you and your family.
Lew and Mimi
rikkor
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11335 posts in 773 days
posted 493 days ago
Very nice tribute. I am currently making one for a departed feline friend.
Tom Adamski
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309 posts in 670 days
posted 493 days ago
Jim, What a loving memorial to a faithful friend. I’m sorry for your loss.
Tom
-- Anybody can become a woodworker, but only a Craftsman can hide his mistakes.
Bigbuck
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1366 posts in 562 days
posted 493 days ago
Really nice box, sorry about your loss.
-- Glenn, New Mexico
CharlieM1958
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7675 posts in 1117 days
posted 493 days ago
Beautiful job, Jim. A great resting place for your friend.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
SPHinTampa
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155 posts in 584 days
posted 493 days ago
Beautiful box. I like the crotch pattern in top and the contrasting splines. Sorry for the loss of your pet, wish you were making it for a happier reason.
-- Shawn, I ask in order to learn
trifern
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7897 posts in 666 days
posted 493 days ago
Nice tribute for your special friend. I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing.
-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.
Scott Bryan
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20780 posts in 721 days
posted 492 days ago
Jim,
This is a wonderful box. To tell you the truth the finish looks fine to me so I will have to agree with your wife. This box gives me both inspiration and design ideas. I have one of these on my to do list for our lab that passed last summer that I have simply not had the time to get started on.
Well done. And thanks for the post.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
ShannonRogers
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370 posts in 687 days
posted 489 days ago
Jim,
Beautiful tribute. I just recently lost my black lab and we just got the ashes back from the vet. I’ll be embarking on a project like this soon myself. I hope mine comes out as beautiful as yours.
-- Check out my blog and podcast "The Renaissance Woodworker" at www.rogersfinewoodworking.com/blog
jeanmarc
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1751 posts in 615 days
posted 483 days ago
Really nice box
-- jeanmarc manosque france
TajBuilder
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6 posts in 479 days
posted 479 days ago
Jim
I’m sorry for your loss. My wife and I lost our black lab a year ago and we still cry when we think about him. “Jack” was the model for the Budweiser beer stein featuring labs and we had hoped to put his ashes in one of the steins. So instead of ordering a custom urn we opted for the standard decorative tin can. When his ashes were returned from the vet my wife didn’t think they would all fit but I insisted that we try. She was right. They didn’t all fit and my wife was – and still is – quite upset that some of his ashes escaped and started to fly around the kitchen. Jack is back in the can that I’m forbidden to touch and I’ll be in the doghouse until I build as fitting a tribute as yours. Thanks for the inspiration.