Basswood Jewelry Box

[lowpolyjoe]

Spalted(?) basswood jewelry box from my back yard tree blown down a few years back. 

It was supposed to be a prototype before I build a similar style box from some Sapele I bought.  I don't really like the proportions very much, but it came out looking pretty good overall.  Better than I expected. 

The finish, I will admit, is terrible.  It's shellac plus a layer of furniture wax.   I got impatient during finishing and sanded through the shellac in a few places and didn't want to go back and reapply. 











This was my first effort at half blind dovetails.  And I had this brilliant idea for wooden drawer slides (inset maple).  After I glued the bottom onto the box I realized the slides were more trouble than they were worth in this case since the drawer could just rest on the bottom of the box.  If I build another box with the same style I will probably skip them.

[Magicman]

Actually the slide is a good thing because it prevents the drawer bottom from rubbing the finish off of the base. 

And your project is very nice.   

[Clark]

Those are some nice looking half-blind dovetails. Overall a very nice project.

I don't know if basswood ever spalts...or if it does, it might have already turned into mush but I could be wrong on that.

Clark

[lowpolyjoe]

Thanks guys.

Thanks for the tip about the finish rubbing off the bottom, MagicMan - I hadn't thought about it.

Clark, I wasn't sure if the these pieces would be considered spalted.  Any time I see basswood pics, it's always very plain and mine is quite colorful.  Not sure how common that is.

[LAZERDAN]

Funny we have made hundreds of jewelry boxes.  You did the slides right, I then I see you say it's not what your gonna do. Good slides and a nice fitting top are the deal maker or breaker.   When someone opens that drawer, and it slides perfect and you see the WOW ( or a least that's nice ) in thier expression, you know it was all worth while.  Wax ur your friend.  Good luck    Lazerdan

[lowpolyjoe]

Lazerdan - you and Magicman have convinced me to include the slides in my next build.

I will admit that my drawer does not slide perfectly.  It's somewhat tight when near the 'closed' position, which almost seems desirable to me.  I tried to use hand tools wherever i could with this build and the slots in the drawer slides were made with an antique plow plane.  I had a very hard time cutting straight and square with it.  Next time i will probably go another way - either use a backsaw and chisels or break down and use a table saw or router table

[Woodey]

Nice looking Jewelry Box

[21incher]

Nice jewlery box. I like the slides and all the dovetails. If you want them to slide without contact, I use self adhesive UHMW tape that my local Woodcraft  store on the rail surface. I made one for my sister like yours without a stop on the top cover and she managed to rip the hinges off so now I use a small chain to keep it from opening up past 100 degrees and applying extra load to the hinges.

[lowpolyjoe]

Thanks 21incher - I will look up that UHMW tape.   

I definitely plan to add a chain or rope or something, but I don't have anything on hand and I'm not sure what I want to use.  Maybe i'll take a trip to the craft store this weekend and look for something