Love your work! Since you asked, I’m still fairly partial to spraying finishes. I was a professional painter/finisher for about 15 years and at least where I am, other painters would mostly laugh you out of the room for trying to get a perfect “factory” finish with anything BUT a properly configured spray rig and a nice clean spray booth. There is definitely a learning curve and it’s a lot easier to muck up a piece if you don’t know what you’re doing but we all learned how to spray mostly by making mistakes and trying not to make the same ones in the future. After a while, a spray practitioner will find themselves able to work some magic in the booth. In the end, the juice is worth the squeeze. Since starting my woodworking journey a couple of months ago, I have actually really learned to enjoy trying to get a nice finish from brushing and wet sanding with 0000 steel wool. It is different than what I am used to but very enlightening to learn that yes, you can get a REALLY NICE finish with just a good brush and some 0000 wool. Anyhow, thank you for the videos and keep up the good work!
I have long admired these style boxes for their hinge movement. Perhaps I prefer the style where the cut sides are shaped to reflect the curves of the front and back - but that adds a lot of time. My only reservation about this style of box is the amount of end grain on show at the front and back. I’m old fashioned and it was always taught that, rather like children, end grain should be there but not seen. You can certainly reduce the amount of end grain significantly with mitred ends on the lid piece and/or brass bands on the front face. It’s probably just me making this point and I’m quite happy that most users won’t make a judgement on the end grain. The strength of end grain to long grain is interesting. I’m not convinced that it is as weak as some might suggest but I don’t take the chance. Before the domino, I would use dowels. Then, along came a biscuit joiner and I used those cut down but it seems to me that the domino loose tenon is the best balance between time and efficiency once you’ve taken out that second mortgage to afford to buy the machine. I would suggest that finish is partly personal preference and partly the piece itself. Do you want Matt, satin or gloss? Will the piece get a lot of war? Even, does it need to be food safe. I think it’s hard to beat shellac is you want a fairly clear high gloss sheen on a piece that won’t get a lot of use (unlike, say, a table). If I had to state my favourite finish, I couldn’t give just one. I’ve recently completed a piece with red eucalyptus contrasted with ebonised oak (using wire wool and vinegar). It’s the contrast that I wanted to go for and, as it’s a piece that will get wear, I finished in hard wax oil. I Laos very much like using lye on timbers such quarter sawn oak as that method really makes the mediator rays pop. But, it’s all personal taste. Lots of right ways and a few wrong ways. I don’t know if you line your boxes. For most items like jewellery, dividers and lining are essential to stop knocking. Perhaps it would be interesting to show these techniques.
thanks for sharing you thoughts, suggestions and techniques. It’s very much appreciated. I’ve made dividers on previous boxes, I’ll have to make another with both dividers and lined 👍
That was brilliant, thank you. I love the advice too on each step, especially the finishing. Does shellac go off? I just tried to use some that was in the cabinet and found it strange and not at all like it was a few years ago (so I guess I answered my own question :) )
Excellent video, very enjoyable. Beautiful box. I don't know if that cross grain glue up will cause any issues, I hope not. I don't know how you could have got around it. Maybe a small sliding dovetail?
Love your work!
Since you asked, I’m still fairly partial to spraying finishes. I was a professional painter/finisher for about 15 years and at least where I am, other painters would mostly laugh you out of the room for trying to get a perfect “factory” finish with anything BUT a properly configured spray rig and a nice clean spray booth. There is definitely a learning curve and it’s a lot easier to muck up a piece if you don’t know what you’re doing but we all learned how to spray mostly by making mistakes and trying not to make the same ones in the future. After a while, a spray practitioner will find themselves able to work some magic in the booth. In the end, the juice is worth the squeeze.
Since starting my woodworking journey a couple of months ago, I have actually really learned to enjoy trying to get a nice finish from brushing and wet sanding with 0000 steel wool. It is different than what I am used to but very enlightening to learn that yes, you can get a REALLY NICE finish with just a good brush and some 0000 wool.
Anyhow, thank you for the videos and keep up the good work!
thanks for sharing & so pleased you like my work 😀
The minute it was done I could see it on a man’s dresser with his watch & wallet going in. Very elegant!
thanks, glad you liked it 😀
nice work
Thanks 😀
Super enjoyed this build and love the box design. May take a stab at it myself!
thanks, so pleased you enjoyed it, give it a go 👍
Beautiful box and gorgeous wood. Nicely done.
Thank you very much! 😀
Another brilliant outcome. Gotta love zebrano. Well done.
thanks 👍
Nice work. Regarding the cross-grain gluing on the lid, perhaps you could use breadboard or a floating panel.
thanks 😀 and good suggestions they could definitely work 👍
Sliding dovetail.
Beautiful work as always! I appreciate that you only use power tools when needed.
Thank you very much! 👍
Seu trabalho é maravilhoso. Não só o resultado mas a forma como foi realizado.
Sou seu fã.
Parabéns ❤
obrigado 😀
Love the choice of wood. It looks very elegant. Stella work as always.
Thank you so much 😀
Lovely wood, beautiful box. Thank you'
you’re very welcome, glad you enjoyed it 👍
Absolutely brilliant mate. You are a very talented man.
Thank you so much 😀
Beautiful!
Thank you!
Looks good, thanks
thanks, glad you enjoyed it 👍
You do nice work 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
I have long admired these style boxes for their hinge movement. Perhaps I prefer the style where the cut sides are shaped to reflect the curves of the front and back - but that adds a lot of time. My only reservation about this style of box is the amount of end grain on show at the front and back. I’m old fashioned and it was always taught that, rather like children, end grain should be there but not seen. You can certainly reduce the amount of end grain significantly with mitred ends on the lid piece and/or brass bands on the front face. It’s probably just me making this point and I’m quite happy that most users won’t make a judgement on the end grain.
The strength of end grain to long grain is interesting. I’m not convinced that it is as weak as some might suggest but I don’t take the chance. Before the domino, I would use dowels. Then, along came a biscuit joiner and I used those cut down but it seems to me that the domino loose tenon is the best balance between time and efficiency once you’ve taken out that second mortgage to afford to buy the machine.
I would suggest that finish is partly personal preference and partly the piece itself. Do you want Matt, satin or gloss? Will the piece get a lot of war? Even, does it need to be food safe. I think it’s hard to beat shellac is you want a fairly clear high gloss sheen on a piece that won’t get a lot of use (unlike, say, a table). If I had to state my favourite finish, I couldn’t give just one. I’ve recently completed a piece with red eucalyptus contrasted with ebonised oak (using wire wool and vinegar). It’s the contrast that I wanted to go for and, as it’s a piece that will get wear, I finished in hard wax oil. I Laos very much like using lye on timbers such quarter sawn oak as that method really makes the mediator rays pop. But, it’s all personal taste. Lots of right ways and a few wrong ways.
I don’t know if you line your boxes. For most items like jewellery, dividers and lining are essential to stop knocking. Perhaps it would be interesting to show these techniques.
thanks for sharing you thoughts, suggestions and techniques. It’s very much appreciated. I’ve made dividers on previous boxes, I’ll have to make another with both dividers and lined 👍
That was brilliant, thank you. I love the advice too on each step, especially the finishing.
Does shellac go off? I just tried to use some that was in the cabinet and found it strange and not at all like it was a few years ago (so I guess I answered my own question :) )
thanks so pleased you enjoyed it and found it useful. Yes shellac can go off, it should last a few months, maybe a bit longer, once mixed up 👍
Excellent video, very enjoyable. Beautiful box. I don't know if that cross grain glue up will cause any issues, I hope not. I don't know how you could have got around it. Maybe a small sliding dovetail?
thanks so much 😀 I hope not too but might in time, a sliding dovetail could work 👍