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Playing with Boxes

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BrokenolMarine
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Re: Playing with Boxes

Post by BrokenolMarine » Sun Feb 18, 2018 10:05 am

Got out in the shop yesterday afternoon and was able to glue up the trays to let them dry overnight. I thought they looked pretty good. Once they dry overnight, I'll probably do some additional sanding on the outside of the rails to smooth them a bit more, tweek the curves, etc. Once that's all done I'll add the dowels to match the box. Finally, I'll re-stain the rails in preparation for adding a finish. It was important to stain the trays before assembly to insure the maple bottoms were crisply stained.
glue up.jpg
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I got the first coat of stain on the box, but haven't gotten the underside of the top done yet. I'll do that this morning.
box stained.jpg
box stained.jpg (266.4 KiB) Viewed 4630 times
It too will get a second coat, at least.
Back at it once I finish my coffee. Weather is nasty, but the shop is warm.
0 x
You can tell a lot about the character of a man...
by the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.

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BrokenolMarine
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more tray work

Post by BrokenolMarine » Sun Feb 18, 2018 12:10 pm

Back at it this morning after coffee. :roll: Hate to try it BEFORE coffee. :twisted:
First thing I did was stain the underside of the top. First I just did the entire underside with colonial maple. I will likely stain the walnut portions with special walnut, but may decide NOT to, to leave the interior a bit lighter with the rest of the box darker shades anyway. I'll decide before putting on the finish... there is still time.
01 inside the top.jpg
01 inside the top.jpg (307.02 KiB) Viewed 4627 times
Next I worked on shaping the sides of the rails, and touch ups to the fit of the corners.... then I needed 1/4" maple dowels. :roll: I had 5/16ths, but needed to step them down. I drilled an intermediate hole between the 5/16th and 1/4 inch hole and .... got to work.
02 quarter inch dowels.jpg
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Once they were done, I put them in place and used the flush flex cut saw and ... did my thing.
They add a look that will make them match the outside of the box, but also add strength to the trays as they extend into the side rails from the front rails.
;)

While I was at it, I repaired the crack in the one front rail, and the two worm holes, then sanded both trays until I was happy. Once I was happy, then I could re-stained the walnut portions.
03 doweled trays.jpg
03 doweled trays.jpg (274.38 KiB) Viewed 4627 times
Now it's time to make the rails they will rest on and get those stained and installed, then I can install the bottom for the box, the hinges, and think about finishing the project....
1 x
You can tell a lot about the character of a man...
by the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.

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BrokenolMarine
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Re: Playing with Boxes

Post by BrokenolMarine » Mon Feb 19, 2018 1:23 am

That little yellow squiggle in the upper right corner of the one tray, is glue squeeze out from driving in one of the supporting/decorative dowels. I have already removed it. 8-)
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You can tell a lot about the character of a man...
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BrokenolMarine
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rails for trays

Post by BrokenolMarine » Mon Feb 19, 2018 8:34 am

Worked after lunch on the rails, getting the four rails cuts out of a single spaulted slab of maple. I had originally planned to use black walnut and cut the same old rounded edged straight rails, but when I saw this naturally shaped slab, I set the fence on the table saw and cut four slices. Then I sanded the faces of each smooth, and held them together and sanded the edges smooth. I had to cut the two for the narrower box short, but the ones for the wider box were perfect as is. I glued them in place, making sure the spacing was correct using the trays and a small square, and tacked them with a pinner for added security.
01 maple rails.jpg
01 maple rails.jpg (301.83 KiB) Viewed 4614 times
Then a little Colonial Maple stain, to pop the grain. :roll: Hmm... not sure I love it, but when the top is in place if you lift out a tray and see the rails... ;) It won't be boring anyway.
02 stained.jpg
02 stained.jpg (221.05 KiB) Viewed 4614 times
Here are the trays in their slots. I have described this a couple times, but now you can actually see what I was describing. Does it match what you pictured?
03 Trays in.jpg
03 Trays in.jpg (307.45 KiB) Viewed 4614 times
Next up? Get the bottom in and the top installed... then the finish. Last comes the piano hinge.
1 x
You can tell a lot about the character of a man...
by the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.

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BrokenolMarine
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Bottom Work

Post by BrokenolMarine » Mon Feb 19, 2018 7:04 pm

Back at it... working on the bottom.
First I cut out the bottom itself. Then after rounded the edges, I primed it with spray lacquer.
02 priming bottom.jpg
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While that dried, I cut out the rails from some walnut scrap. I used the small lee valley miter and saw. Then thinned it with my Step Father's block plane. Each rail was cut to fit a certain side, so they are marked.
01 cutting out bottom rails.jpg
01 cutting out bottom rails.jpg (322.02 KiB) Viewed 4604 times
Once the Bottom panel primer was dry, I painted it with the flocking base, in Wine color.
03 flock base.jpg
03 flock base.jpg (249.01 KiB) Viewed 4604 times
Having prepped the flocking tube, filling it with Suede Tech Wine colored shredded suede....
I flocked the bottom in the rubbermaid tub.
04 Suede coating.jpg
04 Suede coating.jpg (249.35 KiB) Viewed 4604 times
You ALWAYS overflock to insure a good coating. Using the tub means you can reuse the excess later.
I cover the tub so that the drying component is protected from dust and "pests" as it dries.
05 covered to dry.jpg
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Tomorrow I'll check the bottom and if it's good and dry, I'll recover the excess and then put the bottom BACK in the tub with the rails to await assembly in a day or so. Then I'll install the piano hinge, then remove it. Finish will be applied, then the hinge will be re-installed. Then the bottom and the retention rails will go in. Done.
1 x
You can tell a lot about the character of a man...
by the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.

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BrokenolMarine
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hinges and finish

Post by BrokenolMarine » Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:10 am

Out in the shop to work on the hinges and finish. First step in the hinges was to prep the box, lining up the top and bottom and getting it ready.
01 preparing to drill.jpg
01 preparing to drill.jpg (311.47 KiB) Viewed 4592 times
Next, I changed my mind about the piano hinges.. none of the ones I had looked decent. I did have a nice set of brass that did look good, and I spaced them out and gave them a look.
02 hinges spaced.jpg
02 hinges spaced.jpg (300.96 KiB) Viewed 4592 times
Then I marked the holes and drilled them, then lightly counter sunk them. Not for the screws to seat in, they seat in the hinges. BUT, sometimes when a screw enters the wood it will push up a bit of wood and cause the hinge NOT to seat flush. That light countersink under the hinge gives the little bit of wood a place to go. ;)
03 holes drilled and lightly countersunk.jpg
03 holes drilled and lightly countersunk.jpg (300.39 KiB) Viewed 4592 times
Before the hinges are applied, I'll put on a coat or three of polyurethane. buffing with OOOO Steel Wool between coats. Then wax the box with beeswax on top of that. THEN the hinges go on. ;) Here's the first coat, and set out to dry.
04 poly.jpg
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The poly flows as it dries... the buffing removes any runs or evidence of bubbles and brush strokes.
05 flows.jpg
05 flows.jpg (281.95 KiB) Viewed 4592 times
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You can tell a lot about the character of a man...
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BrokenolMarine
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It's Done! Almost... LOL

Post by BrokenolMarine » Wed Feb 21, 2018 12:00 pm

I went out this morning and finished the Son in Law's Box... mostly. I rubbed the Poly finish with OOOO Steel Wool and then waxed and buffed it with the beeswax. It looked pretty darn good. I installed the bottom and the rails, then planed the bottom edges smooth ... and carefully installed the hinges after cutting off about three threads from each to insure they didn't come thru. She is done.... almost.

I had to order a brass chain and mount for the inside of the top from Rockler to the top doesn't flop past 90 degrees or so... but that's a quick install once it arrives. $20, but worth it.
http://www.rockler.com/decorative-chain-support
Okay, you got me... ;) ... it'll take me forty five minutes to an hour to get the layout done, set up to drill and vacuum at the same time, then carefully install this thing... so I don't ruin something. But again, it's worth it. Quality begets quality.

Here are a couple pics of the finished (sorta) project.
01 finished outside.jpg
01 finished outside.jpg (211.25 KiB) Viewed 4579 times
02 and a peek inside.jpg
02 and a peek inside.jpg (236.24 KiB) Viewed 4579 times
I'll start the next project this afternoon. A display box for a funeral flag for a friend of the wife. I have done some of the preliminary design work and she has been gathering the things she needed... Challenge coins for the front as well as ordering the engraved plate. It will be Mahogany. :) It will get my best work, he was a Navy man... like my dad, and MOM... 8-) Also the wife's dad and brother. I worked with Renee to design something that worked for HER.
It's always a pleasure for me to honor those that came before us, those that served with us, and those that have followed after us.
(OK... those that Serve...)
Semper Fi
2 x
You can tell a lot about the character of a man...
by the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.

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dave77
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Re: Playing with Boxes

Post by dave77 » Wed Feb 21, 2018 12:42 pm

That turned out really nice.
1 x

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