# Birdseye Maple & Jatoba Dovetailed box WIP



## cabomhn (Sep 29, 2012)

Hey guys. Well, as far as I can remember this is my first serious flat work project (other than a couple rinky dink bird houses and little boxes). I purchased the wood yesterday morning and got the wood sized and the first set of tails cut out. This is my first time cutting dovetails, so it was by FAR a learning experience for me. I was just kind of free balling it a little bit after watching a youtube video yesterday without a ton of guided instruction. Today I got to go back and do a little more practice and then cut the rest of the tails and pins. This is just the main frame for now, but I will be updating this as there is some more progress. The dado cuts along the longer board will serve as inserts for dividers to be added in later. 

Criticism always welcome! 

[attachment=11350]

[attachment=11351]


Oh yeah the dimensions are 12" x 6 3/4" x 3 3/4" without the base and lid in case anybody is interested.


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 30, 2012)

Uhm....ok I'll bite.....what are the dividers for? Nice contrasting wood choice.


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## Kevin (Sep 30, 2012)

Greg, DVD's I'm guessing.

Matt, great job. But please sand those lines off. I never understood why some craftsman leave them. Oh well you didn't make it for me. It's still very nice and well executed (except for those tacky lines  ). Nice job.


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## Mike1950 (Sep 30, 2012)

Kevin said:


> Greg, DVD's I'm guessing.
> 
> Matt, great job. But please sand those lines off. I never understood why some craftsman leave them. Oh well you didn't make it for me. It's still very nice and well executed (except for those tacky lines  ). Nice job.



I agree-but I think it might be tradition- WE were looking at some Polish furniture from 1800's Lines were left on drawers and also I do not see why they bothered with lines- almost all saw cuts went past lines. :dash2::dash2::dash2:


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## Mike1950 (Sep 30, 2012)

Matt, looks nice-even more so since it was first try. Key to good dovetails- Practice-practice and then a little more -you guessed it practice. I am always amazed when I do a dresser how much quicker the last drawer is then the first one. I guess after a bit I get in a dovetail zone...........


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## Kevin (Sep 30, 2012)

Mike it's def tradition IMO. Tradition is nice but there can also be dumb traditions. Take cannibalism as an extreme example . . . .


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## Mike1950 (Sep 30, 2012)

Kevin said:


> Mike it's def tradition IMO. Tradition is nice but there can also be dumb traditions. Take cannibalism as an extreme example . . . .



Hey I agree.. Inside drawers is one thing-me I get lazy at drawer backs but fronts-the lines are usually gone. Just me but I do not make dovetail boxes.


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## cabomhn (Sep 30, 2012)

woodtickgreg said:


> Uhm....ok I'll bite.....what are the dividers for? Nice contrasting wood choice.



Well to be honest I just wanted to make a box, so I found something that I have a lot of, in this case small notebooks that I do a lot of writing in and just modeled the box around the storage of them so that each one fits just between the spaces of the dividers. Nothing too crazy, it's just easier for me to design something with an end goal in mind! If I decide to use it for something else, it will be just as easy to move them around and repurpose it.


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## cabomhn (Sep 30, 2012)

Kevin said:


> Greg, DVD's I'm guessing.
> 
> Matt, great job. But please sand those lines off. I never understood why some craftsman leave them. Oh well you didn't make it for me. It's still very nice and well executed (except for those tacky lines  ). Nice job.



Hey Kevin which lines do you mean? If you mean the ones used to lay out where the dovetails would be have no worries! This is just after it was glued, I haven't done any sanding an this at all! Definitely still in the early stages.

Now, for a stylistic type question, After I attach the base do you guys think it would look alright to do a full roundover on the corners? I was considering it but I wasn't sure what it would look like since the corners are dovetailed. Thanks for the comments!


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## cabomhn (Sep 30, 2012)

Kevin said:


> Mike it's def tradition IMO. Tradition is nice but there can also be dumb traditions. Take cannibalism as an extreme example . . . .



 :rofl2: :rofl2:


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 30, 2012)

cabomhn said:


> Kevin said:
> 
> 
> > Greg, DVD's I'm guessing.
> ...


It could be interesting, but it will change the whole look of the dove tails. I would dove tail a couple of pieces of scrap and run over it with the round over bit to see if you like it first.


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## cabomhn (Sep 30, 2012)

woodtickgreg said:


> cabomhn said:
> 
> 
> > Kevin said:
> ...



That's a great idea, I think I will give that a try. This is why I love this site, something so obvious never even came to mind. Thanks!


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## GROOVY (Oct 1, 2012)

I would leave it square, thats a nice almost a box. look forward to seeing it finished


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## cabomhn (Oct 5, 2012)

Alright guys so here's a little update. I went to the shop the other day and ended up just getting a base cut out for this box so there really wasn't a ton of progress. However, today I figured it might be cool to make a veneered inlay for the top. I thought of a couple ideas and this is what I came up with. This piece outlined will be encased in a border similiar to a picture frame and will come together to form the lid for my box. So, here a couple shots of my progress, it's going to take a good bit more time to get this done.

[attachment=11637]

[attachment=11638]


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## NYWoodturner (Oct 5, 2012)

That level of patience and attention to detail always pays huge dividends in woodworking. Nothing short of impressive !
Scott


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## cabomhn (Oct 5, 2012)

One more update for the night. I was able to get a good bit more done today, about 95% of it, just need to do a little more for the small triangles on the long edge and it will be ready for glueing. I have no idea how I'm going to do it but hopefully I will have some inspiration and will be able to figure it out. Well here it is

[attachment=11710]

Hope you guys like it! I think it'll look pretty good once I get it inlaid into the top. Thanks for looking


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## cabomhn (Oct 6, 2012)

Hey guys, so I was able to go and remove this from the working back I had it on so it is freestanding held by tape where the side exposed in the last picture is now covered in tape and the side not seen in the picture is now exposed for glueing.

Now, my question is without a vacuum press, what would you guys think would be the best method of clamping? The veneer glue I have calls for a pretty large amount of pressure, and I've been tinkering with some ideas but I was wondering if any of you had any before I mess something up. 

Oh, the shop has most types of clamps, bar clamps, squeeze clamps, the wooden ones with two handles (don't know the correct name). Thanks for any help guys!


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## Kenbo (Oct 7, 2012)

Okay, now you've got my attention. I'm really digging this thread. Keep up the great work. It's looking fantastic.


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## Kevin (Oct 7, 2012)

cabomhn said:


> Hey guys, so I was able to go and remove this from the working back I had it on so it is freestanding held by tape where the side exposed in the last picture is now covered in tape and the side not seen in the picture is now exposed for glueing.
> 
> Now, my question is without a vacuum press, what would you guys think would be the best method of clamping? The veneer glue I have calls for a pretty large amount of pressure, and I've been tinkering with some ideas but I was wondering if any of you had any before I mess something up.
> 
> Oh, the shop has most types of clamps, bar clamps, squeeze clamps, the wooden ones with two handles (don't know the correct name). Thanks for any help guys!



I would use a thick piece of UHMW or HDPE on the glue side, and sandwich the piece and the HDPE/UHMW between two flat, 8/4 boards wide and long enough to cover both, then clamp the hiss out of it. You might even cut a pair of slight cauls for the topside (glue side) but probably not necessary.


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## woodtickgreg (Oct 7, 2012)

If you don't have the hdpe/uhmw plastic you could use a double layer of mdf covered with packing tape so the glue doesn't stick. mdf is cheap and dead flat. Then clamp as Kevin suggested.


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## cabomhn (Oct 8, 2012)

Alright guys so I got it glued today, I know it's been laminated to a piece of walnut, but I have a cool idea for the top that I have been thinking about where I need to be able to warp it into a curve, I think that makes sense. I chose the zebrawood in hopes that the grain would give it as much of a woven appearance as possible, which I think it served its purpose. There was one technique I saw online using sand to burn the edges to create shadows but I think I'll wait one more project to get to that level. But here it is, I sanded it smooth and finished with a wet sand with 600 grit and walnut oil. 

[attachment=11844]

I'm pretty happy with it right now, there were a few small defects that I was worried might show really easily but I think for the most part they were masked sufficiently well. Next thing I'll be working on is making the lid, however it might not be until next weekend though. 

Oh yeah, I'm sorry if I'm boring you with all the intermediate step pictures, just putting them up in case anybody is interested!


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## woodtickgreg (Oct 8, 2012)

cabomhn said:


> Alright guys so I got it glued today, I know it's been laminated to a piece of walnut, but I have a cool idea for the top that I have been thinking about where I need to be able to warp it into a curve, I think that makes sense. But here it is, I sanded it smooth and finished with a wet sand with 600 grit and walnut oil.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh we're interested, keep posting pics, it's fun to watch peoples projects come together!


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## cabomhn (Oct 10, 2012)

I got a lot of work done in the shop, well a lot for me because I had to learn a couple new table saw techniques. This project has been a lot of "firsts" for me so it's been great to learn new things along the way.

I'll post up a few more pics tomorrow night once I get everything sanded down and ready to be assembled.


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## Mike1950 (Oct 10, 2012)

Nice work!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## cabomhn (Oct 11, 2012)

Alright so I made some progress. Squared up and cut out my inlay and then made it's border, routed the edges and glued everything up. I took my box frame with bottom attached and then I got everything sand down. What remains is basically hand sanding the outside with a fine grit and then finish sanding the inside of the box. I haven't figured out what type of hinges I am going to use but if anybody on here has some experience with jewelry box hinges and wouldn't mind pointing me in the right direction for some good ones that would be great. Here's a few pics.

[attachment=11954]

[attachment=11955]

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Thanks for looking!


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## Kevin (Oct 11, 2012)

Matt that's extremely unique and creative. I'm loving it - can't wait to see it finished!


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## NYWoodturner (Oct 11, 2012)

I like that you have WB up on the screen while your taking pictures of it... Your hooked - nuthin you can do about it !
Great work !
Scott


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## Kevin (Oct 11, 2012)

NYWoodturner said:


> I like that you have WB up on the screen while your taking pictures of it...



I didn't even notice that!


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## woodtickgreg (Oct 11, 2012)

NYWoodturner said:


> I like that you have WB up on the screen while your taking pictures of it... Your hooked - nuthin you can do about it !
> Great work !
> Scott


Yup, he's one of ours!  Great work! It's gonna look great with a finish on it, take your time sanding and finishing, the finish is everything.


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## cabomhn (Oct 11, 2012)

Thanks guys. I'm not going to lie, this site is turning into an addiction 

What type of finish do you guys normally use on boxes/flat stuff? I've never done anything not round, well nothing with much effort like this so I would love some advice before I mess anything up!


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