1st Anniversary Present

[Dodgy Loner]

A few months ago my dear wife complained that all of the projects I make are for someone else. That's not far from the truth - I had just recently completed a walnut cabinet for my dad and a cherry box for my sister, and the two rockers for my parents and my in-laws were already in the plans. So I promised her that the next project I made would be for her. And that it would be done in time for our first anniversary (coming up on May 22).

I told her I could make anything she wanted, and she requested a small keepsake box. True to my word, the box is complete with 3 weeks to spare

The sides are Japanese cherry from a small tree that I took down at my house in Clayton, GA. The top is quilted bigleaf maple from a spur-of-the-moment eBay purchase, and the banding around the top is walnut


The top is a bent-lamination of four 1/8"-thick pieces. Quilted maple on top, two pieces of pine in the middle, and hard maple on the bottom. I made it in several steps. First, I steamed the tops of a piece of pine and a piece of maple to get them to bend. Since I only steamed one side, they naturally curled up. I then quickly spread glue between the layers and duct-taped them to a form to dry. I repeated this step for the second layer. After a day or two, I removed them from the form, trimmed them to size, and then glued them together, again wrapped around the form, but this time they needed no steaming. It is an intensive, but effective and rewarding process.


You can see the hard maple underside here (and some sanding dust that I need to clean up!)


The Japanese cherry was a bit difficult to work as it was very prone to tearout, but it was worth the effort. It is of similar color to black cherry, but with color variations occurring in a striped pattern on the surface. Very unique!


What appears to be walnut inlay on the top is actually bands of walnut tacked to the sides to form the groove in which the top floats. This is easier and stronger than routing a curved groove into the cherry, plus it adds a decorative element. The walnut strips were steam-bent to conform to the side of the ends.


I continued the decorative tacks on the outside of the box to stengthen the top, since there was no mechanical interlock there after sawing off the top. Not sure how I feel about the look, but what's done is done :-\

The hinges are Brusso box hinges that have a built-in stop at 95^o


And finally, flip the box over and you'll see two odd little pieces of wood on the bottom...


Pull them down and the board flips down to reveal a secret compartment. Ssshhh...Don't tell anyone ;)


Oh, and I was looking through some old photos a few days ago and found out that I actually took a few pictures of the Japanese cherry log that I got the wood from!

[SPIKER]

Nice work:  how about some measurements for size?

mark

[northwoods1]

That is a wonderful piece of work if I ever saw one you have a very good eye for detail. Something made of wood is not traditionally done until the 5th anniversary so you are way ahead of the game. Congratulations!

[tyb525]

That looks awesome!

[Warbird]

Nice work!

[fishpharmer]

Dodgy, she will love it.  Looks great.

[Magicman]

Wow Dodgy that is awesome.  What do you do in your spare time?   

[WDH]

As usual, very well done!  The different woods marry together harmoniously, appropriate for an anniversary  :D.

[thecfarm]

That is some nice. good job on the pictures too.

[pasbuild]

Sweet 8)

[Paul_H]

Impressive.

[SwampDonkey]

That's awesome. I knew an old timer that made a lot of boxes from figured woods and mixed species, gave them all away. He made one with some carvings of grouse and salmon on it. Gave it to my grandparents as they used to hunt and fish together.

Way nice Dodgy. Our wild cherry up here is striped to, you'll get an almost white ring, a pink one and a brownish one.

[Dodgy Loner]

Thank you for all the kind words. This one was a labor of love, and I spent as much or more time on it as I do on most of my full-size furniture project. I hope that my wife is just as approving as you folks are .

Nice work:  how about some measurements for size?

I had to pull out the measuring tape for that one, and I discovered that the box is within 1/8" of 7.5" x 7.5" x 15"

Something made of wood is not traditionally done until the 5th anniversary so you are way ahead of the game. Congratulations!

I see that paper is the traditional gift for the first anniversary. Drat, does this mean I have to send my box to the pulp mill? >:(

[dovetails]

Very nice work!  
I notice you used brads on it,myself, I like to use bamboo skewers
to lock things together.Drill a hole just a tad smaller than the skewer size, put a little glue on,and drive it in flush, then cut off and sand it smooth.look like little pegs,and very strong,no metal to hit when sanding either.
On dovetail joints, I drill down thru,with a long bit,and drive skewer in to lock the joint tight.Even if the glue gives up over the years,the joint can not move.
 Nice contrasts of wood also!
I love the look of red cedar,with walnut trim,and maybe some pine or poplar thrown in,just for the looks of it.

[Magicman]

I see that paper is the traditional gift for the first anniversary.

Just put some paper in it.  The "traditional" kind.....$$$   ;)

[ely]

heres a little something that not one of you guys noticed about the gift, or maybe you did but were afraid to say anything to the maker....

you as a gift giver have totally messed up, with the the building and giving of something like that you have nowhere to go but down, the remaining years you two have together will be lacking when it comes to gifts. thats the whole problem with the younger generation, you need to learn to go slow and take it easy. you should have bought her something from walmart (hack, cough, spit.) for the first anniversary. now she will expect nothing but the finest. :D

very nice project,btw.

[Jeff]

Dodgy, I'd marry ya for a gift like that.  ;)

[Don K]

That is a awesome box Dodgy. You are a talented man. I hope one day to be able to turn out gifts like that. You have a good eye for wood from unusual sources.

Don

[fishpharmer]

I see that paper is the traditional gift for the first anniversary.

Just put some paper in it.  The "traditional" kind.....$$$   ;)

Naw, write her a love letter (like the ones you wrote before marriage ;))  and put it in the secret compartment.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

I see that paper is the traditional gift for the first anniversary.

Just put some paper in it.  The "traditional" kind.....$$$   ;)

Naw, write her a love letter (like the ones you wrote before marriage ;))  and put it in the secret compartment.

Dodgy (no longer a Loner)...

FishPharmer has the right idea. +1 on the hidden love letter...

Happy Anniversary. Keep this up and you'll make to Gold...

Herb

[Dodgy Loner]

I notice you used brads on it, myself, I like to use bamboo skewers to lock things together. Drill a hole just a tad smaller than the skewer size, put a little glue on, and drive it in flush, then cut off and sand it smooth. Look like little pegs, and very strong, no metal to hit when sanding either.

I think the finish nails were appropriate for tacking on the walnut strips, but I think I may have preferred the look of the bamboo skewers for the joints on the outside. Too late now! But the nails did not pose a problem during sanding. I drove then in as far as I wanted them to go, then snipped off the tops and filed them flush to the wood for a uniform appearance. The sanding just shined them up and made them prettier.

Naw, write her a love letter (like the ones you wrote before marriage ;))  and put it in the secret compartment.

Fishpharmer nailed it. We wrote letters to each other that we will store in the secret compartment until our 25th anniversary, when we finally get to read them . I'm sure right now my wife would appreciate traditional $paper$ to which Magicman refers, but the letters will have more significance in 24 years ;)

Dodgy, I'd marry ya for a gift like that.  ;)

I appreciate the sentiment, but yer too late :D