Yesterday while making a little project in the shop, I thought it would be cool to show the main steps in making it. I am in no way an expert or even good at this type or project, especially the one made yesterday. But you could learn from my mistakes. So here it goes........The Birth of a Bandsaw Box.
Of course, I started out with fairly rough stock, cherry in this case. I jointed and plane it to size, and then cross cut the board into it's final dimensions 6"x6". The pieces were laminated to form the block using this orientation ww, like an accordion. That gives a cool book match look to the side and end grain.
While that was drying I started to set up my POS router table to cut the grooves for the curly maple inlay I had planned. Here is why you practice cuts first on scrap, before your project wood. I thought I had the angle correct, but I had it's opposite. 60 vs. 30 deg.
So after that screw up (number 3 or 4 for the day so far) I sliced the miscut part off and decided that I was going to go the handheld router route. But I needed a guide jig to I could cut a straight line, and line up my cut. This is the only thing that I did well this day.
With grooves successfully cut I lnlayed some strips of curly maple. I used side grain up, because I thought that would show the figure best in such a thin piece. Blue tape was all that was need to hold them while drying, they fit very well.
While the inlays were drying I started shaping a hunk of zebrawood into a pull.I made some cheek cuts with my pull saw and shaped the rest with a chisel.
I trimmed the ends off the inlay strip and then to the bandsaw. First I cut off the piece that will be the back of the box. I like to use my 3/4" re-saw blade for that. It leaves a good flat surface, which is important for the rest of the steps.
Then I change over to a 3/16" blade and cut out what will become the drawer.
Then the front and back of the drawer are cut off, making sure to lable which is which on the bottom with a chalk mark. I use David Marks "cabinet makers triangle".
Next the section that will become the inside of the drawer, has it's insides removed. I know ya'll are thinking that an awful lot of wood is removed to make one of these. But rest assured all the little off cuts will become something someday, pulls, knob, glue blocks etc.
Now the drawer is glued back together.
Then the back is glued, back on.
Then the outside shape is cut out, resulting in a rough sawn box ready for sanding. One of my major disappointments with this and other boxes I've made is that sometimes I can't follow my layout lines. My bandsaw likes to cut at different rates of speed without warning me. I am sure it has to do with if it's going with the grain or against it. But a little burst of speed coming out of one of the turns while cutting out the drawer, caused me to go wide of my line and forever altered the shape of the box. It was supposed to be a perfect equilateral triangle. Inspiration from the layout of member Doug Joyce's house.
Now comes the least fun part of all this, shaping and sanding. I use a 3/8" roundover bit on all the visible edges, and then sand 80, 120, 150, 220, 400, & 800 grit papers. Here we are all shaped and smoothed.
Another with the drawer open.
Once all the sanding is done. It's time to finish. This piece got a liberal dose of Watco Natural Danish Oil. I will probably top coat it with several layers of 2# blonde shellac, with a good rubbing between coats. I have also used wipe on poly (homebrewed), tung oil blend, and paste wax topcoats. Just about anything will work because they shouldn't see much abuse, just heavy petting.
The shape you make them is up to you imagination. Lois Ventura had a great book on the subject, with much better instructions, and many patterns. If anyone would like to borrow it, I can figure out a way so you could. Thanks, for looking, quiz in the morning:lol: :lol: . Dave
Of course, I started out with fairly rough stock, cherry in this case. I jointed and plane it to size, and then cross cut the board into it's final dimensions 6"x6". The pieces were laminated to form the block using this orientation ww, like an accordion. That gives a cool book match look to the side and end grain.
While that was drying I started to set up my POS router table to cut the grooves for the curly maple inlay I had planned. Here is why you practice cuts first on scrap, before your project wood. I thought I had the angle correct, but I had it's opposite. 60 vs. 30 deg.
So after that screw up (number 3 or 4 for the day so far) I sliced the miscut part off and decided that I was going to go the handheld router route. But I needed a guide jig to I could cut a straight line, and line up my cut. This is the only thing that I did well this day.
With grooves successfully cut I lnlayed some strips of curly maple. I used side grain up, because I thought that would show the figure best in such a thin piece. Blue tape was all that was need to hold them while drying, they fit very well.
While the inlays were drying I started shaping a hunk of zebrawood into a pull.I made some cheek cuts with my pull saw and shaped the rest with a chisel.
I trimmed the ends off the inlay strip and then to the bandsaw. First I cut off the piece that will be the back of the box. I like to use my 3/4" re-saw blade for that. It leaves a good flat surface, which is important for the rest of the steps.
Then I change over to a 3/16" blade and cut out what will become the drawer.
Then the front and back of the drawer are cut off, making sure to lable which is which on the bottom with a chalk mark. I use David Marks "cabinet makers triangle".
Next the section that will become the inside of the drawer, has it's insides removed. I know ya'll are thinking that an awful lot of wood is removed to make one of these. But rest assured all the little off cuts will become something someday, pulls, knob, glue blocks etc.
Now the drawer is glued back together.
Then the back is glued, back on.
Then the outside shape is cut out, resulting in a rough sawn box ready for sanding. One of my major disappointments with this and other boxes I've made is that sometimes I can't follow my layout lines. My bandsaw likes to cut at different rates of speed without warning me. I am sure it has to do with if it's going with the grain or against it. But a little burst of speed coming out of one of the turns while cutting out the drawer, caused me to go wide of my line and forever altered the shape of the box. It was supposed to be a perfect equilateral triangle. Inspiration from the layout of member Doug Joyce's house.
Now comes the least fun part of all this, shaping and sanding. I use a 3/8" roundover bit on all the visible edges, and then sand 80, 120, 150, 220, 400, & 800 grit papers. Here we are all shaped and smoothed.
Another with the drawer open.
Once all the sanding is done. It's time to finish. This piece got a liberal dose of Watco Natural Danish Oil. I will probably top coat it with several layers of 2# blonde shellac, with a good rubbing between coats. I have also used wipe on poly (homebrewed), tung oil blend, and paste wax topcoats. Just about anything will work because they shouldn't see much abuse, just heavy petting.
The shape you make them is up to you imagination. Lois Ventura had a great book on the subject, with much better instructions, and many patterns. If anyone would like to borrow it, I can figure out a way so you could. Thanks, for looking, quiz in the morning:lol: :lol: . Dave
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