A Box for the LOML

[creasman]

After making several small boxes to store various tools my wife informed me she also likes boxes. With her birthday coming up tomorrow this is what she's getting (hope she's not watching the forum). It's a small box to hold note cards for various occasions, including a small side compartment for pens and anything else she wants to keep. I found a boxed set of note cards from Hallmark to include. The box is mostly cherry.

The marquetry is a pair of Eastern Carolina Towhees that I adapted from a photo I found online. She enjoys watching them at the feeder. For these I used a variety of woods. The background is spalted maple. Other woods are ebony, cherry, walnut, sweet gum, holly, purple heart and cedar.

 

[Mike Davis]

I'm sure she will cherish the box. I took a workshop on doing the type inlay but it was a while back and I forgot most of it.
Are the pieces hand cut, scroll sawed, or routed into a thicker piece?

 

[drw]

Jim, what a wonderful gift...beautifully designed and crafted! I am reluctant to show this to Adele, but I will, your skills are way beyond mine! I am sure your wife is going to the thrilled.

 

[PeteM]

Very nice!

 

[mdbuntyn]

Job's a good'n

 

[Trey1984]

Beautiful work! Very nice gift

 

[creasman]

Are the pieces hand cut, scroll sawed, or routed into a thicker piece?

They're all hand cut with a fret saw. I made a small donkey that clamps to my workbench. The top work surface is tilted at about a 15 degree angle. When you stack two pieces of veneer and remember to cut in a counterclockwise direction they will fit together almost perfect. The tilt compensates for the saw kerf. The point is to saw vertically while keeping the two pieces of wood flat on the tilted top, leaving the mating edges angled. You're joining two pieces at a time in this manner.

 

[creasman]

I am reluctant to show this to Adele, but I will

Just remember what happened when you showed her the dulcimer. I see making a box in your future.

 

[dancam]

Excellent

 

[Oka]

I see a happy wife in your future !

 

[Graywolf]

Jim, that is a beautiful piece, your wife will probably let you in the house.

 

[McRabbet]

Jim,

A beautiful design and superb execution. I love your subject for the marquetry and great selection of the veneer species you used. Are these stock veneers or some that you cut?

 

[creasman]

Are these stock veneers or some that you cut?

They are all ones that I cut from scraps I saved. I like to work with veneer that is a tad thicker than what is found commercially. These are about 3/64" thick. I sliced them with the bandsaw, then ran each through the spindle sander using a jig that controls the thickness. It works for pieces up to about 4" wide, plenty wide for this use.

 

[Berta]

That is beautiful!

 

[ssmith]

A lot of detailed craftmanship there. It looks awesome!

 

[Chris C]

That is nice work...

 

[Canuck]

Really perfect work and very unique!

 

[demondeacon]

absolutely stunning. If she does not like it, I will buy it! My wife loves our feathered friends.

 

[Charlie]

Very, very nice!

 

[ralitaco]

Beautiful