Damn. Nice work orienting that grain to sweep right through the lid cut. Sepele is a fantastic wood to work with and you did a bad ass job showcasing its beauty
That trick with the wipe-on poly is amazing. I have used it a few times this week to fix some gaps in dovetails that I cut. It is not as messy as the saw dust and glue method and works well with contrasting colored woods. Thanks for the tip!!!
Thanks! I like that method of filling gaps. Sometimes I apply some poly or boiled linseed oil and sand the surface on small boxes just to fill the pores and get a smoother finish.
Beautiful work man. That tip is very clever and have honestly never heard it before. I’m so glad I can be a part of a community with so many skilled people like yourself. Great project Dave.
Thanks! I love being part of this community also. I learn something new all the time. You guys are inspiring me to do some metal work and I'm even making a leather wallet that I learned about from watching TH-cam tutorials.
@@jmherbst87 . No issues with wood movement. This would rarely be a problem with good kiln dried hardwood on a piece only a few inches wide. I would use a different method of attaching woods in different grain directions on large panels and table tops though
I know others have commented on the poly trick, but I have to say that it's the first time I have ever seen this as well, and it's definitely how I intend to fill gaps in the future for projects I intend to poly like this. Beautiful keepsake box too btw.
I agree with Sammy. The slurry you make with the wipe on poly filled in the gaps perfectly. I’ve always tried to use the sawdust/glue trick, but was never fully satisfied with the end result. Thanks for the info. First time viewer... really enjoyed your presentation and comments throughout your video.
Dude, thank you for making this out of a chunk of 2×4. I've been stressing over making a finger joint jig for a while, and all these videos all over the place have these supposedly simple jigs that require either hardware I don't have or skill I don't have. I appreciate this video more than you know.
I like the design and execution. Clean, simple and perfect proportion. I especially like your choice of timber and the way you grain matched. Really nice. I am going to make this box but I think I'll put a lip inside the top edge of the bottom, flock the inside and put a mirror inside the lid. I need a special gift for one of my sisters. You box joint box is it. The slurry technique you used was called filled grain. In my first career I was a gunsmith. I don't how it is now but when I was smithing most gunsmiths were generalists, you worked on what was in front of you, metal or wood. I liked stock making but stock making was then at least, the least financially rewarding for the time you put in to it. (The most financialy rewarding was changing lower barrel hammer springs in superposed shotguns). Back then poly finish wasn't widely used, it was fairly new. The times I used what was available it often fell out over time. I would think that would still be a problem with gun stocks, I don't know about pieces that aren't subject to shock. I got the best result when I sanded to 320, de-whiskerd with alcohol and 400, wet sanded with tung oil then let it dry, dry, dry. Then wet sanded with the grain with 600. By that time the stock would be dead smooth. Then bowling alley wax to buff and polish. That's the finish I'll use when I build the box. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks for the feedback! The additions you plan to make sound great! It's funny you mentioned the slurry trick as a grain filler for rifle stocks. It must be a common method for smiths. A friend of mine uses true oil or linseed oil and sand paper to fill the grain on the stocks he restores
@@TwistedWorkshop77 I don't know how I dropped it out but what we're talking about is a "gun stock" finish. Grain filled and dead smooth. You can get a faux gun stock finish with modern plastic finish, sand it, paint or spray the finish on, most of them are self leveling, at the most a light sanding with some fine paper, make sure you don't sand all the way back down to the timber and apply another coat. It looks nice, smooth, shiney and fairly fast. But that finish has depth to it and it's hard to do a nice job of repairing dings and hand worn spots. You can look at it and SEE the finish is laying "on" the timber. A gun stock finish, smooth, shiney and all looks like it IS the wood.
I just came across your video. I've made the same box only a bit larger and just made from a quality 1x12 pine board from HD. Actually I've made 3 of them for my grandkids 2nd Xmas's. Main difference is that I used a piano hinge for the lid and installed a spring-loaded hinge on the inside so the lid would stay open and the kids wouldn't smash their fingers closing the box.
Thanks for that poly tip, and now I'll share one with you. When you go to separate the lid, don't cut all the way through. Cut almost all the way, but leave just a thin, thin, see-through layer of material. This will hold the lid in place without fooling with all those spacers. Finish up separating the lid with a coping saw or any kind of trimming saw.
Been woodworking for a while now and that's the first time I've seen the poly/slurry trick. Thanks for the tip! Amazing what this community can accomplish! Well done, sir!
To speed up your gap filling, a tip I've used is to just go to dust collection on your sander and use that to instantly fill the gaps with your slurry. Lol, I missed the part where you said you don't like this method.
Great video and absolutely priceless tip. I’ve never heard of that technique which sounds so much better than using the glue and saw dust. Thanks again m
Love the wipe on poly tip. I've tried using CA glue and wood glue with sawdust and have never gotten a good color match. Thanks for sharing! I'm using this tip in one of my videos. I'll be sure to link to your video when I do.
I agree with your liking for Gen Finishes Satin. They have changed the formula in recent years. The older stuff was thicker with an additive that would yellow faster and leave a more velvet finish. Making some finger box joint boxes now and will post my steps with 1/4" joints and knife kerf hinges. You can water down some filler and do a single swipe for the loose fit fingers and then sand and you may have to tint the filler stuff to match the wood color. You can buy the colorant from food processing companies. You have the MO accent or maybe TN?
I have really good luck with GF products. I have been their milk paints with good results too. It's not real milk paint but it has that flat smooth look to it. Good to know about the coloring. I will have to try it. And check out you video.
Nice project, I made boxes for my boys when they were young. They still have them at ages 30 and 28. And that’s a great tip with the alternative to glue and sawdust, especially with end grains that would soak up glue like a sponge.
Looks great. I really liked the idea of taping on the spacers to keep the kerf from closing up when you cut off the top. That hardware looks like it was easy to install and looks good on the box.
Thanks! I took a chance ordering the hardware online but its growing on me. It's hard for me to pick something out when I cant hold it. For under 10 bucks, it was worth the risk
Twisted Boards I agree. Unfortunately in today’s world sometimes buying things like hardware online is our only option. Fortunately I have an outstanding hardware store near by that has an outstanding selection but most people no longer have something like it close enough to them. Most of the brick and mortar stores have disappeared.
You can stack all of the sides up together and cut them pretty much all at once. Just need to do the first cuts individually. But once you have a cut on each side you can stack all 4 sides up and cut them all ganged up. I clamp the stack together with swivel pad face clamps to make it easier to handle as one piece. Cutting them all at once seems to make them come out to fit together better too. I think because they get registered and cut together? Give it a shot.
@@TwistedWorkshop77 try it, you'll like it. The one thing I remember that was an issue was blade deflection cutting the whole stack. Going through that much wood just makes a blade bend more than going through a single board does. So you might have to feed slower or something. It isn't quite the same rip. But you don't have to make nearly as many passes. If you go too fast you get too tight joints. You'll figure it out.
Great looking box👍👏 I think this is twice now that you have shared a tip I have not seen before. I'm close to starting a box joint project so will probably try out the poly/sanding trick. Thanks for sharing again 👍
@@TwistedWorkshop77 well, long day. My gaps are way bigger than yours so I'm going to have to do a sawdust and glue filler tomorrow. Trying to making it in time for Xmas for my gf but man, that was my first time doing finger joints and it took me all day. Ruined a good piece of Walnut but that's part of the fun
@@TwistedWorkshop77 thanks to you, my gf cried when I gave her the keepsake box I made. Your wipe on poly and sanding technique is amazing. Box came out great. Thanks!
i love that poly sanding trick to hide the gaps !!!
Thanks!
Yeah! Sweet! Good trick
Going to try that one today!
Its better than glue cuz glue won't take stains well!!
Yes, I do too; and I’m a long term glue and sawdust guy.
From a 68 year-old woodworker, Thanks for sharing! I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks! Loved your video!
Thank you!
Yay! Someone else that uses the fist mallet
Beats sawdust and glue ANY DAY- thank you for sharing.
the poly / sanding hack alone was worth watching this video. I've struggled with this for so many years but missed such an obvious fix.
Thanks! It sure has helped me a few times with box joints and dovetails
Damn. Nice work orienting that grain to sweep right through the lid cut. Sepele is a fantastic wood to work with and you did a bad ass job showcasing its beauty
Thank you! Sapele may be my favorite. Its affordable around me, easy to work and looks great
easily the simplest jig ive seen that make the most amount of sense with the least amount of time. worth a sub.
Thanks so much for the great tip on the box joints. Tried it today. Bingo.
That trick with the wipe-on poly is amazing. I have used it a few times this week to fix some gaps in dovetails that I cut. It is not as messy as the saw dust and glue method and works well with contrasting colored woods. Thanks for the tip!!!
That's great. I'm glad it worked for you!
is the poly water or oil base?
I use water-based poly.
Your work is second to none may God continue to bless you
It's a beautiful box with phillips screws.
It would have looked good with slotted screws all clocked the same way for sure!
thanks for the gap hack. Much easier than sawdust and glue.
Thanks!
Duuude. That wipe-on-poly hack is gold! Also, the spacers when cutting the lid is something that I fell is very important. Thanks!
Thanks!
Nice job! Great suggestion with filling the gaps. 👍
Thanks!
Good job
The wipe on poly slurry trick was enough to make me a new subscriber! Awesome idea for those "well CRAP!" moments on a build like this.
Thanks! I tend to have a few of those "well crap" moments!
Same here! It just never occurred to me.
Nice Job , you kept the FJ's equal spaced ! Love the tip on the sanding to fill in the small gaps in the FJ's Thanks Again
Thanks! I like that method of filling gaps. Sometimes I apply some poly or boiled linseed oil and sand the surface on small boxes just to fill the pores and get a smoother finish.
Twisted Woodshop mmmmmmmm
nice hack on filling the box joint gaps.
Thanks!
You can also make a sawdust slurry with Elmer's clear glue. Just add some to the gaps and sand the same way.
I've never used clear glue before. I will give it a shot. Thanks
@@TwistedWorkshop77 Np
Tried the finger joint hack with water based poly. Worked amazing
Awesome! Glad it worked
Beautiful work man. That tip is very clever and have honestly never heard it before. I’m so glad I can be a part of a community with so many skilled people like yourself. Great project Dave.
Thanks! I love being part of this community also. I learn something new all the time. You guys are inspiring me to do some metal work and I'm even making a leather wallet that I learned about from watching TH-cam tutorials.
Your gap filling method is amazing. That's the first time I've seen that. Thank you. I'll be using this on my next box joints
Awesome! It's a good trick
I was looking for a way to do the box lid and you showed exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.
That’s great! Thanks for watching and good luck with your buid
Any issues with wood movement for the lid built like this?
@@jmherbst87 . No issues with wood movement. This would rarely be a problem with good kiln dried hardwood on a piece only a few inches wide. I would use a different method of attaching woods in different grain directions on large panels and table tops though
Ok good to know, thanks!
I know others have commented on the poly trick, but I have to say that it's the first time I have ever seen this as well, and it's definitely how I intend to fill gaps in the future for projects I intend to poly like this. Beautiful keepsake box too btw.
Thanks
Outstanding work. I particularly like the gap hack with the poly and sanding dust. I'll use it today on another project. Thank you again. Great video.
Thank you!
Nice job and really enjoyed the joint filling hack! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks!
Great poly sanding trick! thanks for sharing and helping me up my woodworking quality.
Yeah, the poly sanding trick was great. Definitely going to start using that.
nice box.
I agree with Sammy. The slurry you make with the wipe on poly filled in the gaps perfectly. I’ve always tried to use the sawdust/glue trick, but was never fully satisfied with the end result. Thanks for the info. First time viewer... really enjoyed your presentation and comments throughout your video.
Thanks for the feedback! If the gaps are relatively small, the slurry works well. It's a good grain filler on woods like mahogany
Dude, thank you for making this out of a chunk of 2×4. I've been stressing over making a finger joint jig for a while, and all these videos all over the place have these supposedly simple jigs that require either hardware I don't have or skill I don't have. I appreciate this video more than you know.
Awesome! I dont want to spend the little bit of time I have making jigs. The simpler, the better!
just what I was looking for in a box tutorial
@@xisotopex awesome! Thanks!!
I like the design and execution. Clean, simple and perfect proportion. I especially like your choice of timber and the way you grain matched. Really nice. I am going to make this box but I think I'll put a lip inside the top edge of the bottom, flock the inside and put a mirror inside the lid. I need a special gift for one of my sisters. You box joint box is it. The slurry technique you used was called filled grain. In my first career I was a gunsmith. I don't how it is now but when I was smithing most gunsmiths were generalists, you worked on what was in front of you, metal or wood. I liked stock making but stock making was then at least, the least financially rewarding for the time you put in to it. (The most financialy rewarding was changing lower barrel hammer springs in superposed shotguns). Back then poly finish wasn't widely used, it was fairly new. The times I used what was available it often fell out over time. I would think that would still be a problem with gun stocks, I don't know about pieces that aren't subject to shock. I got the best result when I sanded to 320, de-whiskerd with alcohol and 400, wet sanded with tung oil then let it dry, dry, dry. Then wet sanded with the grain with 600. By that time the stock would be dead smooth. Then bowling alley wax to buff and polish. That's the finish I'll use when I build the box. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks for the feedback! The additions you plan to make sound great! It's funny you mentioned the slurry trick as a grain filler for rifle stocks. It must be a common method for smiths. A friend of mine uses true oil or linseed oil and sand paper to fill the grain on the stocks he restores
@@TwistedWorkshop77 I don't know how I dropped it out but what we're talking about is a "gun stock" finish. Grain filled and dead smooth. You can get a faux gun stock finish with modern plastic finish, sand it, paint or spray the finish on, most of them are self leveling, at the most a light sanding with some fine paper, make sure you don't sand all the way back down to the timber and apply another coat. It looks nice, smooth, shiney and fairly fast. But that finish has depth to it and it's hard to do a nice job of repairing dings and hand worn spots. You can look at it and SEE the finish is laying "on" the timber. A gun stock finish, smooth, shiney and all looks like it IS the wood.
I just came across your video. I've made the same box only a bit larger and just made from a quality 1x12 pine board from HD. Actually I've made 3 of them for my grandkids 2nd Xmas's. Main difference is that I used a piano hinge for the lid and installed a spring-loaded hinge on the inside so the lid would stay open and the kids wouldn't smash their fingers closing the box.
Nice. I like the spring loaded hinge idea
Beautiful piece. I love working with sapele
Thanks! Yea it smells good and is easy to work!
Twisted Woodshop what are the dimensions/ cutting directions for the box
Beautiful box. I love the grain on the front.
Thanks!
Beautiful piece brother. Love working with sapele.
WONDERFUL! Thank you for sharing your skills and techniques with us!
Thank you
Thanks for that poly tip, and now I'll share one with you.
When you go to separate the lid, don't cut all the way through. Cut almost all the way, but leave just a thin, thin, see-through layer of material. This will hold the lid in place without fooling with all those spacers. Finish up separating the lid with a coping saw or any kind of trimming saw.
Thanks. I am going to make a humidor in the next couple months and will give this a try!
Been woodworking for a while now and that's the first time I've seen the poly/slurry trick. Thanks for the tip! Amazing what this community can accomplish! Well done, sir!
Thanks! Just finished watching your video on the gun rack you made. Good stuff
Gorgeous box. As a brand new woodworker, this project is inspiring and the techniques are very helpful!
Agreed. This might be next on my to do list
To speed up your gap filling, a tip I've used is to just go to dust collection on your sander and use that to instantly fill the gaps with your slurry.
Lol, I missed the part where you said you don't like this method.
Yea. Good idea. I will give it a try next time. Thanks!
Great job what you did in this astonishing box you’ve made. Really I loved it.. peace
Thank you!
@@TwistedWorkshop77 you are welcome brother
Great video and absolutely priceless tip. I’ve never heard of that technique which sounds so much better than using the glue and saw dust. Thanks again m
Thanks. That gap filling method works well!
Nice box. And good video too.
Great video, uncluttered and easy to follow.
Going to give this a try.
Fine craftmanship
Very nice! I'm about to start a very similar piece. Glad I saw this before I start on it!
Thanks! Good luck with your project
Good tip with the sanding and wipe-on poly... (I) enjoyed the video!
Thank you
Nicely done 👍 🇬🇧
Simply amazing. Any chance that there are plans for this box?
Really nice explanation and I love the trick with the sanding to fill the voids.....I gotta try that
Thanks!
Good stuff. Like that poly tip. I always use saw dust with glue but it messy
Thanks!
great project
Simply beautiful!
@@EricRedbear thank you!
excellent job
Awesome job and your box turned out fantastic.
Thanks!
That box came out fantastic, you couldn’t have picked better hardware to go with it. I’m gonna have to steal that poly trick, very clever
Thank you!
Love the wipe on poly tip. I've tried using CA glue and wood glue with sawdust and have never gotten a good color match. Thanks for sharing! I'm using this tip in one of my videos. I'll be sure to link to your video when I do.
Thanks! Good luck with your project
Nice job.
Oh man i love sepele wood. what a beautiful box. well done sir
Thanks!
I love sapele.
Nice work. Some great tips and easy to follow instructions.
Thank you
Hard to cut dovetail and finger joints perfect every time. The eye can see an imperfection of just a few thousandths of an inch.
Well done very good video
what a good Dad !!!!
Thanks!
10 points for the poly trick!!!
So I’m not the only one who cant make 100% perfect fitting finger joints?? Other guys on you tube make it look and sound so easy but it isn’t.
I agree with your liking for Gen Finishes Satin. They have changed the formula in recent years. The older stuff was thicker with an additive that
would yellow faster and leave a more velvet finish. Making some finger box joint boxes now and will post my steps with 1/4" joints and knife
kerf hinges. You can water down some filler and do a single swipe for the loose fit fingers and then sand and you may have to tint the filler stuff to match the wood color. You can buy the colorant from food processing companies. You have the MO accent or maybe TN?
I have really good luck with GF products. I have been their milk paints with good results too. It's not real milk paint but it has that flat smooth look to it.
Good to know about the coloring. I will have to try it. And check out you video.
Nice project, I made boxes for my boys when they were young. They still have them at ages 30 and 28. And that’s a great tip with the alternative to glue and sawdust, especially with end grains that would soak up glue like a sponge.
Looks great!!
Thanks for sharing
👍😉
Great job
Thank you
Thats a beautiful looking box
Beautiful finish. Great work on the jig to make the finger joints. Looks like some of us novices can even try it. Great Job! Thanks for sharing.
Looks great. I really liked the idea of taping on the spacers to keep the kerf from closing up when you cut off the top. That hardware looks like it was easy to install and looks good on the box.
Thanks! I took a chance ordering the hardware online but its growing on me. It's hard for me to pick something out when I cant hold it. For under 10 bucks, it was worth the risk
Twisted Boards I agree. Unfortunately in today’s world sometimes buying things like hardware online is our only option. Fortunately I have an outstanding hardware store near by that has an outstanding selection but most people no longer have something like it close enough to them. Most of the brick and mortar stores have disappeared.
You can stack all of the sides up together and cut them pretty much all at once. Just need to do the first cuts individually. But once you have a cut on each side you can stack all 4 sides up and cut them all ganged up. I clamp the stack together with swivel pad face clamps to make it easier to handle as one piece. Cutting them all at once seems to make them come out to fit together better too. I think because they get registered and cut together? Give it a shot.
I will give that a shot next time. I need to start making ganging up parts part of my process more often, with dovetails too
@@TwistedWorkshop77 try it, you'll like it. The one thing I remember that was an issue was blade deflection cutting the whole stack. Going through that much wood just makes a blade bend more than going through a single board does. So you might have to feed slower or something. It isn't quite the same rip. But you don't have to make nearly as many passes. If you go too fast you get too tight joints. You'll figure it out.
Dude, that box is perfect. It's not the most ornate, but the grain, finish and proportions are just right and I love the hardware. Subscribed.
Thanks! I'm saving ornate for a humidor I plan on making soon
Very nice job on the finish. It really brings out the grain. Nice job on all of it.
Thanks!
box looks awesome
That is awesome 😎I love Sapele, it’s always got amazing grain!
Thanks! It's easy to work with too
Twisted Woodshop I’m definitely going to pick some up on my next run to the lumberyard
looks lovely
Thank you
i enjoyed this far more than i thought i was. great job producing this video.
Thank you!
great job i could not do better my self
Great looking box👍👏 I think this is twice now that you have shared a tip I have not seen before. I'm close to starting a box joint project so will probably try out the poly/sanding trick. Thanks for sharing again 👍
Thanks for watching!
Simple, beautiful and elegant. Well done, and that poly trick is fantastic!! Definitely going to try that.
Thanks!
Truly beautiful work of art! Well done!
Thank you!
Very nice! Hand cut box joints was my very first joinery project years ago and I still enjoy the look it creates.👍
Thanks. It's a nice change from dovetails every once in a while
Handy tip: when you find a glue that works well for you, stick with it.
Holy crap! That's beautiful, okay, attempting this with Walnut or cherry tomorrow, wish me luck!
Thanks! Good luck!
@@TwistedWorkshop77 well, long day. My gaps are way bigger than yours so I'm going to have to do a sawdust and glue filler tomorrow. Trying to making it in time for Xmas for my gf but man, that was my first time doing finger joints and it took me all day. Ruined a good piece of Walnut but that's part of the fun
@@TwistedWorkshop77 thanks to you, my gf cried when I gave her the keepsake box I made. Your wipe on poly and sanding technique is amazing. Box came out great. Thanks!
@@twes619 this is awesome! I'm glad you got it worked out and that she liked it!
Beautiful work. Well done.
Great video! Thank you!
Great video. Thanks
Thanks!
Outstanding Video. I always learn something watching your videos!!
Thanks. I'm glad you liked it
Outstanding.
Thanks!
Beautiful box.
Very nice video - Thank you.
Thanks
Beautiful
Thank you
Good job man!
Bravo sir.
Thanks!
Thanks for the demo. Great job, beautiful box, and explained thoroughly. Loved it.Thanks for posting.
Thank you!
Awesome video!! Nice and clear. Great tips.
Thank you!