Puzzle Box

Ned Bulken

Member
Messages
5,529
Location
Lakeport NY and/or the nearest hotel
Here's a simple little bandsawn puzzle box. Cherry with just a couple of coats of Minwax for finish (hastily applied this morning)
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it is Adam's girlfriend's birthday today so that was the box he gave her. I made it awhile back, and he saw it today when we were stowing the boxes up in the attic.
The lid is held on by a heart shaped key...
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hopefully she likes it. It's been in storage for three years or so. I told him to have her put it in the sun to tan it and make it darker, but it was cut from firewood, and there's a fair amount of sapwood there, so it probably won't get too much darker on the top anyway.
 
Ned, Nice project! Did you cut the heart shaped key first and then the lid? Thats what it looks like any ways.
Sean,
yep, that's it exactly. It was about 4 years ago, but the sequence goes:
  1. general overall shaping
  2. then take off the bottom
  3. cut key
  4. cut top
  5. cut waste out of center
  6. glue main body closed(seal up the kerf from the cavity cut)
  7. glue bottom back on
  8. sand
  9. finish
These days I would seriously consider routing out the interior, but that's just so you don't have to glue up the kerf.
 
When I first saw this post I thought "Cool...Ned's already building stuff in his new shop." Alas and alack, I see my excitement was premature. He's just unpacking earlier projects. :D

Old or new, it's a cool box. I'll bet it was an appreciated gift. :thumb:
 
I need a couple of new blades for the bandsaw, but this type of project is on the list for christmas gifts. I've got a couple of projects in the wings, and after this weekend's reorganization. I can actually turn around in there, so there will be new projects on the very near horizon.

The kids did appreciate it though, Adam for having it, and Caitlyn for receiving it.
 
Hey Ned,

Real cute box you made. I gotta try one sometime.

But,,,I need to question one thing here. Are you sure you used a 3/8" blade for those radii? Looks awful tight for that wide of blade. I may be all wet here, but I know I couldn't get anything that nice, with that narrow of a kerf, with that wide of a blade.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but that is how I see it. Maybe a 1/8", or even a 3/16" blade?

I'm knocking your ability here Ned, ole' buddy. I'm just wondering how the heck you did it? Soon'z you get the chance, please show us?

Nice box. I like it.

Aloha, Tony
 
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