cigar box projects

[RobS.]

I have about 60 cigar boxes which, now that they are empty, are of no use to me. They are too nice to throw away. I think every one of them is spanish cedar, maybe 1 or 2 in mahogany.
I've seen (on the net) guitars, banjos and fiddles made from them. I imagine you could make a mandolin or any other stringed instrument too. I play fiddle and would love to have a cigar box fiddle. I only have 2 or 3 narrow enough to make a fiddle. Most of them would be a good size for a guitar and some look like they would make good banjos.
The guitars I saw started around $150, the fiddles started at $350. The boxes available to make your own were $4 & $5 each (with NO cigars!!) I believe they are interesting novelties but I can't see sinking $350 into one. Maybe one day I'll try making one.
Any one have any use for them? I thought about asking about $3 each, or less for quantities. I imagine I paid more than that even with the cigars. Or free to someone who can make me a fiddle. Actually, I might want 2 fiddles, one for me and one for a friend. But right now they are in boxes upstairs in my barn where they have been for years. Every year I add a few more.
I think I've finally reached the age at which you start letting go of all the junk you've spent a lifetime accumulating and hoarding.

 

[DaveO]

I can't say I've ever heard of a cigar box fiddle so I had to Google it -

That's really cool. Personally I think the boxes themselves are pretty cool and a great place to keep your [STRIKE]stash[/STRIKE] important stuff.

Dave

 

[Jim Murphy]

My grandaddy made a cigar box banjo for me when I was still in knickers. Don't know what happened to it, I think it was a King Edward box. The box was "cigar box cardboard", whatever that stuff was. He hand whittled the pegs. Brings back memories of knocking together some scrap boards with the old man to make stools and boxes. I've still got the stools.

Gramps smoked his cigars until they were too short to hold, then he crammed them down in his pipe and continued to enjoy until all the tobacco had turned to ash. And he died of good-old "old age" at the ripe age of 82. It's all about the genes, folks.

 

[RobS.]

If you could open that fiddle you'd find extra wood added to beef up the box so it could handle the tension of the strings. The strings can pull the box apart easily.
Here's a link : www.carolinafiddle.com/image/pdf%20files/CarFid%20Recent.pdf

Each time I see them I want one worse :eusa_booh

 

[McRabbet]

We've invited Steve Miller of Carolina Fiddles to come talk at one of our Western NC Woodworkers Association Meetings -- hopefully he will come to our next meeting to see another luthier that makes guitars and ukuleles, Jack Hastings of Hendersonville.

My 5,000th post!

 

[RobS.]

I just checked my own link and it says "page not found", which is odd since I just left that page. Try this www.carolinafiddle.com. That worked a minute ago too. I almost went to Ashville one day to see his, but talked myself out of it knowing I'd wind up buying one

Cigar box cardboard is pretty much the same as shoe box cardboard, but a little thicker and stiffer. Generally less expensive (cheapo ) cigars came in cardboard boxes and better grades or premium cigars came in spanish cedar which added to the ageing process.

My dad is about to turn 84 and has been puffing cigars for all my life and most of his. I have about 25 years of occassional puffing, hence all the boxes. I have about a dozen boxes in use now out in the barn/shop.

 

[Gofor]

...My 5,000th post!

And, as were the former 4,999, it was informative, knowledgeable and helpful. Thank you for every one:

:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap X 1000!!!

Go

PS: As I recall, you didn't get too caught up in the penguin thing a while back, but if you did, I think they still count. You didn't start them, did you? :rolf::rolf:

 

[dick541]

I could use a few of those cigar boxes say about 10 or so, can I pick them up at the get together on april 4th? dick

 

[JohnW]

I've got an "internet" friend Kathy who makes really high quality guitars. She made a cigar box ukulele a few years ago. She documents her builds on the net. It's a cool site for those interested in the process.

http://home.comcast.net/~kathymatsu****a/projects/index.html

There's a good chance our naughty word filter will kick her web site address out. If it does, just google Kathy Matsushi a. Fill in the blank space with a t.

Kathy's not naughty, but our filter doesn't like her last name.:gar-Bi

 

[RobS.]

I could use a few of those cigar boxes say about 10 or so, can I pick them up at the get together on april 4th? dick

What do you intend to do with them? I have some that are great for holding nits/bolts/ small parts, etc. and some that would make nice instruments.
Apex is only about an hour from here. You're welcome to come by and pick out what you want. They are all rectangular with a lot of variation in sizes. I have about 8 boxes of 2 different brands and 12 or so of another so the boxes are the same. I have several other brands with 4 or 5 matching boxes.