First Attempt at Anything in Hardwood

[Jhalfa]

This is my first post to the forum although I have been reading and browsing for a numbers of weeks. I am sure a lot of people say it, but this forum is really helpful to those of us just starting out "playing" with wood.

Anyway, here is my first attempt to make anything with hardwood. My wife asked for a box to keep needlework stuff in, and as I had a bif plank of inch and a half mahogony that was originally screwed under a window in the house, I made it out of that. The size of the box was dictated by the largest pieces of clean wood I could extract

I resawed the plank on my bandsaw then surface planed it to about 13mm before making a simple box with dovetails (using my Leigh jig). To finish, I applied some stain to bring the colours of the various pieces to be more consistent, then sanding sealer, and then brushed on multiple coats of button polish, rubbing down with 600 grit before waxing.

I haven't finished the inside yet so have no photo of that!

I learned a lot during making it, and would do some things differently, but it does look shiny!

I work in Finance for a large company pushing paper and spreadsheets around all day so it was good to take some time to use my hands for something slightly more creative

Let me know what you think

Jonathan

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Jonathan

Welcome to the forum.

Your box looks really good.

Cheers
Neil

 

[nickson71]

good looking box .......... it'd be nice to see inside once you've completed the box

 

[George_N]

Hi Jonathan, and welcome to the forum. That's a very nice box. It may be your first attempt at anything in hardwood but I'm guessing you're not a complete novice from the standard of your workmanship.

 

[Alf]

Welcome to the forum, Jonathan. What an entrance! =D>

Cheers, Alf

 

[Mcluma]

beautifull piece,

and yes, i would also like to see the inside

 

[Philly]

That is lovely, J!
Welcome to the forum,
Philly

 

[dedee]

Jonathan

Nice box and welcome.

Project images are not restricted to those made from hardwood you know. How about showing us the stuff you must have made in softwood?

Andy

 

[mailee]

Beautiful piece Jonathan. As ALF says what an entrance. It is so satisfying to turn something out like this. One of my favourite woods too. Well done.

 

[Paul Chapman]

That looks lovely, Jonathan =D> Welcome.

Paul

 

[superunknown]

What a lovely box, it really looks smart.

Can you post a picture of it opened?

 

[PowerTool]

Welcome

And - lovely piece of work =D>

So now you've started - keep the posts (and pictures) coming.

Andrew

 

[Losos]

Welcome Jonathon - Nice box, like you say there's something really relaxing about working with your hands when most days your just bashing a keyboard

If you scan Good Woodworking magazine you should find an article on lining boxes if you need any inspiration.

 

[Jhalfa]

Thanks very much for all your kind words, and I will post a picture of the inside once I have decided what to put in it! It will probably be cloth lined and padded rather than having an elaborate set of dividers, but who knows.

One thing I did learn whilst making it was that one of the most useful tools I own is my grandfather's Stanley no.7 jointing plane. The lid of the box is made of two pieces of wood joined along the edge and it was really easy with the no.7 to get the edges straight and square.

Regards

Jonathan

 

[devonwoody]

Lovely box and from reclaimed timber.

Reminds me that those old finance companies used to have a lot of mahogany counters around, you ought to take your handsaw into work with you and cut a length.

 

[woodbloke]

Jhalfa - a very pleasant and useful box, nicely finished. Did you make any allowances for shrinkage in the top? - I assume that you didn't as the photos seem to show a solid top fixed to the box, but maybe the wood was very well conditioned and you didn't expect any shrinkage - Rob

 

[Jhalfa]

Thanks!

To answer your question, no I didn't allow for shrinkage as the wood had been attached to the house for a good 30 years, and then had stood in my garage for a year. It began life about 35mm thick and I resawed and thicknessed it to 2x 14mm. It showed no signs of any movement except to curl slightly (annoyingly!). I cut a rebate around the edge and glued it solidly to the sides of the box.

It will be kept in the same conditions in the house as it was originally so I am assuming that it won't move. If it does I will have learned a lesson not to trust even very old wood!!

Regards

Jonathan