Which Box?

This week’s box plan had changed several times over the course of the week.  I was originally going to try my first sliding lid box.  I spent an evening mulling over various wood species, contrasting colors and grains, as well as size and design.

Then it happened…it was just a short Twitter conversation with Chris Wong of Flair Woodworks that set me off on another path.  Chris asked, “What is the value of a box that doesn’t have a bottom?”  Well, that got me thinking!  For those of you who don’t know Chris…he asks a lot of those types of questions.  (His website is also definitely worth a look!)

With this interesting thought rattling around in my noggin, I set out to consider a box with no bottom and what purpose it might serve.  (Queue eerie foreshadowing music here…)  While my intent was to pursue this bottomless box, I had another project awaiting completion that I also put my mind and hands to.

I was making good progress on both projects, with the bottomless experiment being conducted with some left over sticks of Cherry from a previous endeavor.

I’m now about 70% where I want to be with this exploration and have a significant amount of the construction completed…not ready for prime time this week though.  I gave up some Sunday shop time to go help my brother-in-law with some really big boxes…kitchen cabinets!  I even got to build a jig and put the Lie Nielson No 4 ½ bench plane into action.  The Alder cabinets look great in their kitchen.

Undaunted though…I do present a completed box for this week’s challenge.  Here we have another offering from those old salvaged dressers.  The box is Oak with Cherry corner keys and a Karelian Birch veneered panel in the lid.  That Karelian Birch piece is from my first attempts at pressing veneers (Pressing Matters) and veneering onto a substrate (First Veneered Panels.)  Feel free to check out my previous links.   I’ve used those processes several times with great results.  Proof that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to start using veneers on a small scale.

I chose red felt to line the bottom, and the finish is hand rubbed Danish Oil.

This box is designed to hold a break-down candle holder, also constructed from the recycled Oak dressers.  (Break it Down)

There is room for the disassembled candle holder and half dozen tea-light candles.

Stay tuned to find out what happens when the bottom falls out.

Pete