Tiny natural timber box.
I made this small box from an off-cut of a piece of rhododendron timber I collected a while ago in the local woods. I cut the ends and then the top off before hollowing out the center using my scroll and band saws. I had intended to make the lid pivot hinged using pins but the sides came in towards the top slightly stopping the lid lifting through the gap. So in this case I made the top a sliding one. I added to small sliders to prevent the lid dropping inside when moved across. I also added to inserts for the lid to rest on, so it was level at the top when closed. These inserts make up for the lost material due to the sawing kerf.
The box was finished with sanding sealer and a clear gloss polyurethane varnish.
The box is 3 1/4” long, 2 1/2” high and 3” wide.
Small box using 5 different timbers.
This my first attempt at a small square box. The box is 4 1/4 square and 2 1/4 high. The sides are probably sapele mahogany. They are made from some office skirting boards recovered from a skip (dumpster). The top has an oak top onto which I inset 2 pieces of very old teak rescued from an agricultural implement, a piece of maple rescued when a house floor was replaced and two small pieces of another hardwood that looks like a type of mahogany but is slightly pink in color. The box is lined with the same maple as I used on the top.
The maple lining was ripped with my band saw and then attached to my bench top with double sided tape so I could plane and sand it to thickness. I find this woks quite well when working small pieces.
I initially finished the box with Danish oil but I was disappointed with the dull color. So I sanded it off again and finished with a clear satin polyurethane water based varnish. This allowed the grain to show much more clearly. Sadly the Danish Oil did leave some staining on the dovetail endgrain and joints.
Robert Ingham Box.
This is a small precision box made by Robert Ingham. I met Robert and Andrea Ingham at a craft show at RHS Wisley. Robert was very generous with his advice and support. The box measures 4 3/4” square and 1 7/8” high. The sides are sapele mahogany and the lid is ripple Canadian maple with a vavona burr circle. the box is lined with Lebanon cedar.
I treated myself to this box as an inspirational piece possessing the qualities I would like to eventually achieve in my own boxes.
