Oklahoma Projects in Progress!

[BrokenolMarine]

The Daughter in Oklahoma and her family all wanted Grumpy projects for Christmas, and knew in advance it would be a time crunch, but didn't care. The "boxes" will arrive late, but they knew I'd make them something cool. The toy box for Izzy is done, and delivered, and they three boxes have begun.
The Son in Law is in line for a Masculine Jewelry Box....
The Granddaughter wants a Jewelry Box as well, but a Bandsaw Jewelry box... she has seen pics of my bandsaw boxes... she has to have one.
The daughter doesn't care which style or what kind, she just wants a box. (I think hers will have a carved leather inlay on the top.) We'll see if I have progressed that far.

First step was to pull some wood from the Boathouse storage.

I thought I would make them each a custom box, but tie the three together a bit by using a base wood in each. Mahogany. Dad gave me that Mahogany from the Golf Course tables, and I have used it here and there as trim and accents.. this time... it will get the lead role. I pulled all the Mahogany from the Golf Course out of the boat house and brought it to the shop. (Hmmm. How did that slab of walnut fall into the back of that UTV?)

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From the back of the Ranger to the shop cart it went, so I could move it around the shop .

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When I first got the wood, it was in the form of three table tops. I disassembled the table tops, and then ran them thru the bandsaw to reduce the thickness, and stacked them in the boathouse until needed. You can see the angles where they were used as the edges of the tables, which had cheap pressed centers covered with fake wood. The centers went to the dump.

Step one today was to cut off the angled ends. This meant a visit to the chop saw.

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A lot of wood in that cart, but I made progress.

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Wasn't too long and I was thru the stack.
Then it was on to step two. We needed the table saw for this.
When I ran the boards thru the bandsaw several years ago, I had cut each into three pieces, two outside pieces with a rolled edge and a straight edged center, slightly thicker piece. I set up the table saw first to cut the rolled edge off the two outside pieces.

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After all the outside pieces were cut, I re-adjusted the fence and ran those center pieces thru the saw and trimmed off that thin edge with the varnish on it. Now the stock was all ready for the planer. I kept the rolled edges I had trimmed as well. I can use those down the line as corner or toe molding.

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Miss T helped me with the planing, catching ... the catcher is on the back side of the planer, catching and stacking the wood as it leaves the planer. The person on the feed side runs the planer, setting the depth of cut and feeding the boards smoothly and assuring they enter the planer level and straight. Miss T has done her job on many occasions and knows that the catcher can't LIFT the end of the board, pull on the board or press down on the exiting board. To do any of those things will ruin the board, or at minimum, cause a lot of extra work.

We had to run two sets, there were two thicknesses and they had to be run separately.
They were finally done and I think the boxes will turn out beautifully. I just need the wood to tell me how the boxes will be shaped and what design they will take.

The planed thick stock...

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and the thin stock after the planing....

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Now the fun begins....

[CT_Shooter]

Thanks again for sharing your woodworking projects with us, Marine. As you said, "Now the fun begins..."

[BrokenolMarine]

Worked yesterday on the first part of the Oklahoma project after getting the wood prepared. The bandsaw box for the Granddaughter. The first step is to laminate the box itself. Cutting the two Mahogany boards into four equal segments, I then need to laminate them. It's not complicated, but it's the most critical step in the process. Failure here may cause the box to separate later after the project is complete and in use.

As you gather your materials, decide which of the boards has the nicest grain and make that your "face" or front board. The rest are of no matter, although you may want the second best to face out at the rear. You'll also need glue, and something to spread it evenly with. I use the fake credit cards we are always getting in the mail, then throw them away. Easy clean up.

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Put the "Face Board" face down and cover the back with glue and spread it out evenly. Place your next board on top, and repeat the process.

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As you apply the glue, it will make spreading easier if you run a line down both sides and then a waving line in the middle. Snowplow the card down both sides and flat down the middle then make a couple passes to smooth and even out the glue. You need to work quickly, but don't rush. Again, this is a critical stage in your process, and you need to get it right.

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If you are doing a very THICK box, break it up and do it in stages. Glue the cured blocks together once they have set. Better to add time to the project than to apply clamps and pressure after the glue has begun to cure because you tried to sandwich a dozen boards at once.

Once you have buttered all your boards, apply your clamps. I find that the Cabinet makers clamps work best. However you can use 2x4s across the boards with clamps spaced along the 2x4s to provide the even pressure. Whatever you have that works.

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I leave the project sit for twenty four hours at this point. It may be overkill, but better too long, than not long enough.
As you will see as we go, there is a lot of downtime in bandsaw box making, waiting for glue to cure.

It's one of the reasons I'll be working on all three projects at the same time here.
stay tuned.

[BrokenolMarine]

Got back out to the shop for another session and started on the box for my daughter while I let the BandSaw box sit.
I decided on the design when I saw the Dragon Scale Scrap on the bench. I trimmed and squared up the scrap, then used the leftover framing from the Granddaughter's toybox project to block it.

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Yes on the insert, no on the rounded scraps of framing.
Hmmm.... Oh yeah, I have a piece of Black Walnut that would really set it off.
I will, of course, fill the cracks, at least somewhat, with the CT crack treatment to stabilize them.

A bit of time spent as always, measure, cut, check the fit, trim, check, trim, check and ....
Then glue it up and I have this:

The underside of the framed top...

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And the TOP of the framed top.....

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I will of course... "Do some sanding, and some rolling on the edges."
The box to go with the top will be from Dark Mahogany ...

Miss Tina want's me to do a different style bandsaw box for Jo, so I may laminate some ash and walnut to do that one as the Mahogany already clamped and drying isn't wide enough. I'll probably go ahead and do that box too, and put it aside. You never know when another box will come in handy. Auction? raffle? Unexpected gift?

Watch this space....

[BrokenolMarine]

Had a late session, though fairly short, last night. Back at it after breakfast this morning. I can tell you that I am working hard, but in blocks of time as the doctor ordered. Sometimes I stretch it, but then I pay.

Last night, I took the Mahogany Block out of the clamps, it turned out great. Too bad Miss T was pushing me to make a different style box than I originally planned. Some of you may have noticed the printed dolphin shape on the bench. I was going to make a dolphin box similar, but not exactly like I had made for my youngest daughter. The middle daughter remembered it and thought that HER daughter would like it. I made the mistake of showing Miss T another design I thought was cool... halfway thru making the prep for the box I was already making. "That IS nice. Make that one."

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This blank will go on hold and perhaps I'll still make the dolphin box. It might sell pretty quick. LOL. I'll need the funds to restock consumables and perform a repair on a piece of equipment.

Anywho... where was I... oh yeah. Last night....

I cut that walnut board I brought in, into four twelve inch sections, then ripped it to width, added a piece of ash to the mix. Then I planed them all. (During this process, the 15 year old dust cover, which the dust collector attaches to, cracked where one side of it screws to the planer.) $75 with shipping for the new one. I'll see if I can re-engineer an adequate fix. It still works, sorta, but leaks both pressure, and dust/shavings.

Once all that was done, I glued them up to form the blank needed to make the walnut and ash bandsaw box in the style Miss T wanted me to make. Gotta keep mama happy. "If she ain't happy, ain't noone happy."

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02 Front view.jpg (278.47 KiB) Viewed 5490 times

I thought the contrasting strip would look good against the walnut.

It was getting late and this needed to cure. Lights out.

This morning, took off the clamps and put them away.
Then I jointed the edges. One for it to ride on, and one to mark so I could cut off the back.

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The bandsaw was set up and ready to run, and I cut the back off the block.

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Once this was done, I used the temp adhesive to attach my template.

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Now it was a matter of cutting it all out. This was easier said than done. When I started cutting, I didn't get far before I realized the blade was dull and this caused it to wander. You CAN'T have that on a bandsaw box. The cuts have to be clean and sharp. I changed blades. Back at it. I was using a 1/4" blade, and needed a 1/8" blade for the tight turns in the design Miss T had chosen. No matter, the guidelines are just that, guidelines. You go where you can and make it work. I think it will still turn out sweet. Or not. If not, it will be really NICE firewood, and I'll start over... with a more open design. I have several.

What I have for sure, is a box full of blanks for really sweet looking dowel pins once I get the a Dowel Forming Plate made... but that is a subject for another post if anyone would be interested in that... (BTW, it's too cool.)

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Next I glued up the slots I cut into the frame to cut out the drawers, (forgot to take that picture) and then glued the frame onto the back panel.

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Then I glued all the drawers back together after cutting out the cavities in the drawers. One drawer got a double cavity just to be different so he could feel special.

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All that gets to cure until tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I took the lid for my daughter's box out of the band clamp. IT looks pretty good, and is rock solid.

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* The bandsaw box has LOTS of sanding to do... LOTS.. boring donkey work.
* The box for my daughter has the box portion to build, in Mahogany, and the base and trim in Walnut. Interesting, and I'll be doing the beautification of the trim with the molding planes. I watched a video on that.. and learned some new techniques for using these classic tools... anxious to try them.
I'll also have to cut the slots for the bottom to ride in, and mortise for the hinges. Sweet.

[BrokenolMarine]

If you run into my Granddaughter in Oklahoma, don't show her these pics, it's supposed to be a surprise.
But, I trust you guys, so here is a first look. There is a LOT of sanding left to do, but I have cut out around the chest after gluing on the back, and the drawers needed a little tweeking to fit... but here she is...

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Want to peek in her drawers?

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I'll be sanding and smoothing and final shaping over the next day or three. Yeah, it may take that long. I may add the arms on the hips...
What? You ask... yeah, this design is similar to the one called sassy, and you can add a pair of arms to the side for little girls, hands on the hips.
It's actually funny, and I may add them... or not.

The roughness on the sides and the discoloration will (should) all disappear after sanding. It's either from the bandsaw blade in the curving cuts, or glue. Both can go away.

[BrokenolMarine]

I got out in the shop this morning and got busy sanding, the box and the drawers. I needed to get the drawer knobs done and checked my supply. No knobs. I could have sworn I had some nice maple knobs in the size I needed. I think I may have used them as feet on a small box I gave to a friend's daughter six months or so ago, because she wanted one.

Hmmm, what can I make that will look cool on this box. Ah... scrap bin from the cutout and make dowels to use as knobs. I set up the bandsaw to cut 3/8 x 3/8 square stock.

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Cut out 9 blanks and moved to the drill press. I used the drill press vise to hold the blanks and used the plug cutter to cut a rounded end, on both ends.

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Knocked out the blanks, two of the nine snapped from the torque.

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Sanded the best four, shaping the transitions, to 220 grit.

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Glued them up on the drawer fronts and left them to dry.

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Came back an hour or two later and tried it out for looks.

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I'm satisfied. They look good to me. Still a little final sanding to do, before I apply the finish. The aged walnut tends to chip, so I have a few minor repairs/fills to make. I think just before I apply the finish, I'll put a very small brad in each of the knobs, just to insure that they all stay put.

[BrokenolMarine]

I worked a little more in the shop, and I got to the point where I needed to apply the finish to the Granddaughter's Band Saw box. I will be using the CT glue to fill a couple cracks, but that is after the finish goes on. In this application, it has to be or the finish won't take.

I tested two stains, a Cherry and a Colonial Maple. The cherry looked good on the walnut, but turned the ash too dark resulting in the contrast blending. The colonial maple was just right. Darkening the walnut a bit, and then highlighting the ash grain but still letting it pop! I went with....

Colonial Maple.

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The stain was applied and that portion of the Oklahoma project set aside to dry.

The top for the daughter's box was moved to my workbench, and I used the Ultra Thick CT glue to fill in the cracks in the insert. This was the time to do this as I will end up with the clear fill reflecting the dark gaps below. This will be left to cure naturally overnight. If I was in a rush I might risk the accelerator, but if you get too close or use too much, it turns the CT to a white haze and you have to sand a LOT to get back to clear.

Tomorrow I will start on the BOX to go with the lid for the daughter's top. Mahogany... and I'll use the Ibox Jig to create finger joints. Love it.

[BrokenolMarine]

Yeah, yeah. Miss Tina won and I added the Sassy Arms.

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[GFK]

Nice work!