Unique Shadow Box

That’s reallly nice. (But I’m sure glad you provided an explanation or I’d have been scratching my head for sure.) :-)

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

and you have taken this from a “huh??” to a “oooooooh how special!” This is lovely. Your additions are beautiful accent pieces to her “memories”.

Very, very special

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Why do they call them Shadow boxes? Nice box by the way.

-- There are three types of people in the world, those who can count and those who can't!

Thank you for the kind remarks.

BassBully, the explanation I’ve heard for the term shadow box goes back to an old Navy tradition (I’m in the Air Force, by the way).

In the Navy, when you retire and leave your ship for the last time, it is considered bad luck for your shadow to make landfall before you touch the pier. It used to be that sailors would spend their entire careers on one ship, and naturally by the time they were ready to retire, they would have a collection of momentos from their travels. Their shipmates would fashion a treasure chest, of sorts, to hold that collection, which the retiree would carry off the ship when he departed for the final time. He would carry the box in such a way that the box’s shadow covered up his own so that he could step foot on the pier before his shadow touched it.

These “shadow boxes” evolved into what is traditionally given to military members today upon retirement. They usually contain a ceremonially-folded flag, rank insignia, medals and other memorabilia. But they look like any other display case these days, and I think the terms are now interchangeable.

That is so very special. What a wonderful and beautiful shadow box. I am sure it will be treasured for the memories that it brings of her father as well as the beauty of the woodwork.

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

re: shadow box – I didn’t know that!!! Fascinating (especially since Rick was in the Navy in his younger years) Very cool.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

That is nicely done. I like the small splined frame.

The box and frame are terrific and I especially like what you did with the state. Just beautiful work!

-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.

beautiful, interesting, and informative!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

This is great, I especially like the small framed photos and the state piece you made.

Diane

-- http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/DMarcella/

well being from Texas myself, I really like that you used stain instead of paint to show the flag. Just having the woodgrain show through like that adds a great flair to a very nice piece. I, too, like the splined frame and black-n-white photos, you gave this piece a very artistic feel. thanks for posting it!

-- "Who but a fool would discard seeminly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent engineering" -- Aldo Leopold

Actually, woodchips, it’s not stain either. The flag was done with black walnut, bloodwood (satine), curly maple and birdseye maple for the star. I had scraps of all those woods in the scrap bin and my wife had a new Hawk RBI scroll saw. That thing is awesome, by the way.
Thanks for posting!

That has got to be one of the most unique shadow boxes I have saw. I have a soft spot for the military ones but I like this one as well. Thank you for sharing!!!

Buckskin,

You might be interested in the one I made for my father. He was in the Air Force as well. Here’s a link:

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/447

Edit: Oh, it appears you have already seen it, Buck. I’m leaving the link in the thread in case anyone else is interested…