started new oak box

[devonwoody]

A tiddler this time 8x4x3&5/8ths in some oak that was laying around and could only use some small pieces owing to many shakes and knots but at 25p a lump cannot complain.

Will most probably combine that 6 sided box on this thread as well because I have an idea that might rescue the project.

Oak box 4 pieces prepared and handmade dovetails started.

.

 

[devonwoody]

Finished up yesterday evening with one end of box dovetail joints completed. Having to use a 3mm mortice chisel to chop out joints though, I put too many on the corners.

This morning I got those pieces out from the 6 sided box that ended in disaster last week and cut mitres off one end of each piece and will have the other end off later today when my SCMS saw table is set up.

The oak box has now had all joints completed and ready for gluing up.

My gluing tree

 

[devonwoody]

The oak box has been glued up and will wait for next operation tomorrow, the base and lid to be fitted.

In the meantime I have returned to that mahogany box that went wrong last week.
Cut off all the mitres and now have 90% ends.

Put the two front pieces to the router and made finger joints so that the lengths can be lengthened.

Cut square at the shoulders using a jig posted by an Australian (David Cohen) a couple of years ago. I continually use this jig when ever straight shoulder lines on many different joints are needed.

Cutting some fingers and hope to glue up later this evening.

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[devonwoody]

Did some more work on the mahogany box today, put the fingers in and when glue has set will do a clean up.

I intend to cover up the fingerwork at a later date with some inlays.

I've got one of these sanders and they are useful but with my one I have to watch the table does not slip and lose the 90% to revolving disk, so I have packed up the table when in use as per this picture.

Back now to the oak box and I think the oak looks rather bland so I am tarting it up a bit, rebated the corners as per photo below.

To fill in the rebate above I got out some old sapele window framing and made the following beading from a 15mmx15mm machined up batten.
Pleasantly surprised that I was able to machine the beading 12 1/2mm deep using a perform rebate cutter on the router table. Did hold my breath at each pass!

I will hope to get the beading attached later this evening.

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[Philly]

Looks like you've been busy, John!
Cheers
Philly

 

[devonwoody]

staying with the oak box for this thread.

The corner bracket/feet have now been fitted on and brackets extend above box level to accommodate the lid which I think will be another drop on.

Looking around for timber to use for the lid, unfortunately this nice piece of oak offcut has split along the check flaw after being in storage over the past two years.

So after tidying up the edges on the bandsaw and then the P/T and gluing up it now looks like this.

The lady wants to go shopping later today so my workshop activities are being curtailed also awaiting delivery of summer sales items from Axminster!

 

[devonwoody]

I've had a good day, The sun is shinning first time for 21 days, and Axminster made a delivery this morning.

A set of Japanese saws (plus some other nick knacks)

Then started work first the mahogany box has been prepared for veneers across the joins on the longer pieces.

Then some oak slices which came off the bandsaw when doing a review on bandsaw blades 18 months ago.

Then returned to the oak box and prepared the drop on lid, but unfortunately its got a soft spot and when sanding it is creating an indent. Anyone know what to do?

Final picture today shows the underside of lid, but leaves the base of box to still be done.

 

[OPJ]

I think a common practice for 'raising a dent' is to add a drop of two of water to the dent and then to carefully heat it gently with an iron. But you want to cover the oak with a cloth of something to prevent burning.

But because it's oak, I'm not entirely certain how successful this would be as oak has a tendency to stain very easily.

 

[woodbloke]

DW - to get that dent out you will need a highly specialize bit of kit called a 'cabinet maker's iron' and it's only available direct from the New World from Veritas tho' I do believe that LN will shortly be introducing a more up market version:

To use, simply wet a piece of old cotton sheet, place over the dent and steam out the dent for about 10 secs or so. These special irons are also useful for rapidly setting small glued sections that might split off somewhere.....that type of thing never happens to me :wink: :^o - Rob

 

[devonwoody]

Rob,go on tell me what the difference is from the thing the wife uses?

 

[woodbloke]

DW - not a lot, tho' you'll have to cunningly get it away from her first :wink: :lol: - Rob

 

[MooreToolsPlease]

I would have thought the wife would be only too happy to let you use the iron!! until she sees you walk into the workshop with it :lol:

 

[devonwoody]

I will have to sow some seed, something like "how long have you had that old iron now, I'm surprized it hasn't let you down by now"

Did some voluntary work with the neighbours yesterday assisting with their driveways so no progress was possible on my present projects.

 

[devonwoody]

OK, got the electric steam iron into the workshop, whilst the tennis match was on yesterday afternoon. Pleased to say the soft/sunken spot has been cured but there is a stain area at the flaw.

Put the base into oak box using small strips of oak cut off with the band saw (around 3mm)

glued in place with the base hanging around inside.

Pleased to say the oak box is a success and joins the other boxes constructed over the past few weeks.(back centre)

Back to the mahogany box recovery program. I have glued up the project as a normal rectangular shape as per pic below.

 

[devonwoody]

The mahogany box has glued up square but decided to decorate the ends with some veneer.
The two outside ends have I assume some purple heart veneer and internally some odd scraps of black walnut.

Will give it some thought overnight but will most probably make a decorative lid using any random strips from the scrap box.

 

[devonwoody]

I was rather keen and went back out the workshop and started selecting scraps from all around for the lid and came up with this.
Oak, Mahogany, Sycamore, Teak, Walnut & Sapele.

Selected sufficient of the following pieces.

Tidied them up using the bandsaw and the P/T

And later that evening after gluing up using Titebond for the first time took this snapshot before placing back under a kitchen cooking pan full of water to hold it down over night.

Will have the pleasure of cleaning up the faces later today.

 

[Anonymous]

Lovely collection of boxes you've made lately DW. I like 'em all quite a lot

 

[devonwoody]

The mahogany box has been completed (the one on the left hand side of photo). Pleased with the result because you may remember it started life has a six sided box that fell apart when attempting to put in stringers. The lid to me appears a complete success and I now know to not throw any timber away that is over 9" in length.

The picture below shows all boxes now finished with shellac and wax polished. These boxes have all been constructed since our return from that holiday of 6 months in Oz. and the wife wants to know when I am returning to household duties.

 

[Benchwayze]

You could always face a piece of suitable oak, then resaw on the bandsaw. Glue the trued face to the stained lid and once dry, clean up with a lie nielsen or something similar.

John

 

[devonwoody]

You could always face a piece of suitable oak, then resaw on the bandsaw. Glue the trued face to the stained lid and once dry, clean up with a lie nielsen or something similar.

John

Sound if it would cure one problem but then I would have a lid which could be described as 2 plys and I suppose another ply would be needed below to balance.