Playing with Boxes
Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2018 11:36 am
Finally decided to start on a box or two, and after getting started, discovered it would be two.
I started out using the finger jointed sides I rejected for the daughter's Christmas present to start the first box. I glued them up and set them aside. The blue tape keeps the glue squeeze out from the inside corners, minimizing interior cleanup. Next morning, I played with ideas for the top, including mahogany with Curly Cherry Inserts, and various other cool inlays, and stumbled across a scrap of spaulted maple that I liked. Wasn't wide enough and it's odd shape interested me... so I thought it needed a filler. I cut off a piece of the thick walnut I had on the side work table and figured it would work. To make the top square, I could cut it at angles and still use the live edges on the maple. I had cut the maple down the middle to split it, and run it across the jointer, after running the walnut down the jointer, I cut the angles, and jointed both edges. To make sure the joints would be strong and tight.... I pulled out the biscuit jointer I last used making a bench top for the new bench in the brand spanking new shop...last May. Since the walnut was much thicker than the maple, I marked the difference and before glue up, blended the edge to that point. More blending after glue up.
The plane worked very well for this task. Glue up was smooth, just take your time and align it all. Biscuits make it easy. Glue up done, clamped and weighted should make it stay flat... will let it sit overnight and then start shaping.
One decision is already made.
I won't use this top on the mahogany box. That will get another top. I'll make a Walnut box for this top. I don't want too many contrasting woods to detract from the accent of the spaulted maple. So... there will be two boxes in progress.
Watch this space for developments.
I started out using the finger jointed sides I rejected for the daughter's Christmas present to start the first box. I glued them up and set them aside. The blue tape keeps the glue squeeze out from the inside corners, minimizing interior cleanup. Next morning, I played with ideas for the top, including mahogany with Curly Cherry Inserts, and various other cool inlays, and stumbled across a scrap of spaulted maple that I liked. Wasn't wide enough and it's odd shape interested me... so I thought it needed a filler. I cut off a piece of the thick walnut I had on the side work table and figured it would work. To make the top square, I could cut it at angles and still use the live edges on the maple. I had cut the maple down the middle to split it, and run it across the jointer, after running the walnut down the jointer, I cut the angles, and jointed both edges. To make sure the joints would be strong and tight.... I pulled out the biscuit jointer I last used making a bench top for the new bench in the brand spanking new shop...last May. Since the walnut was much thicker than the maple, I marked the difference and before glue up, blended the edge to that point. More blending after glue up.
The plane worked very well for this task. Glue up was smooth, just take your time and align it all. Biscuits make it easy. Glue up done, clamped and weighted should make it stay flat... will let it sit overnight and then start shaping.
One decision is already made.
I won't use this top on the mahogany box. That will get another top. I'll make a Walnut box for this top. I don't want too many contrasting woods to detract from the accent of the spaulted maple. So... there will be two boxes in progress.
Watch this space for developments.