Maple Recipe Box with Mixed Maple/Walnut Lid and Walnut "Keys"

[DavidCBaker]

Had a lot of fun making this recipe box over the weekend. As I get a little more confidence, I'll branch out into furniture next, probably. It's made from maple with a mixed wood lid and walnut inlay in the corners (those are called "keys" or "feathers," I learned, and are used for decoration and to strengthen the joint):

 

[nickao]

I thought you were going for the dovetail keys. Still nice.

 

[DavidCBaker]

I didn't want to wait for that little device to make it here. I'm impatient by nature.  [big grin]

 

[tbellemare]

Nice box, David. What sort of corner treatment did you employ other than the keys?

You've inspired me to come up with an easy way to make dovetail keys. If I can only get in the shop...

Tom

 

[tigger]

Nice box David. The feathers add a very simplistic elegant touch. What did you use to finish the box in. (coating)

Leon

 

[DavidCBaker]

Thanks! I put one coat of Polyacrylic Matte and then two coats of High Performance Satin, both water-based finishes from General Finishes. I was particularly impressed with the latter. Very easy to work with.

I used a sanding block (320) between each coat.

 

[tigger]

Thanks for the info. I must say I also prefer the water-based finishers. Much better for clean up and a little more environmentally friendy too.  [thumbs up]

So what's your next project? I must say, for someone thats starting this as a hobby, you really are showing "no fear" starting on the more difficult types of joinery. Most people I know that started this were happy just to make an aligned butt joint!
I've been doing this for ten years now and your workmanship is quite impressive.

I'm hoping to start a Kiaat Dining Table soon and it will the first one I document from start to finish. I think it will be a lot of fun. I LOVE working with natural woods. I will need to use water-based finishers too as the client wants to keep the woods natural colour.

Cheers

Leon

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Nice box!  I like the mixed woods on the lid, they add a lot of interest.  Especially nice is that you thought to sequence the sides so that the figure in the wood wraps around the corner.  Lots of folks don't think to do that!

A table is a good first furniture project.  You get to practice mortise and tenon joinery and the project comes together quickly - and everyone can always use another table, no?

 

[mouppe]

Thanks! I put one coat of Polyacrylic Matte and then two coats of High Performance Satin, both water-based finishes from General Finishes. I was particularly impressed with the latter. Very easy to work with.

I used a sanding block (320) between each coat.

You may want to exchange the sanding block for some steel wool 0000 or 000 once you start laying on the poly finish. It will keep it smooth without burning through it so easily. Nice job on the box by the way. The walnut looks great.

Richard.

 

[DavidCBaker]

So what's your next project? I must say, for someone thats starting this as a hobby, you really are showing "no fear" starting on the more difficult types of joinery. Most people I know that started this were happy just to make an aligned butt joint!
I've been doing this for ten years now and your workmanship is quite impressive.

Thank you for the kind remarks. Makes me feel good!

Next is an end table. I need to start making some furniture if I'm going to be serious about this, and so it's a small end table. I'm working on some design ideas now, and will make it primarily from Wenge (she wanted something dark chocolate brown, so that should be perfect). Now if I can do it carefully enough to not poison myself.... I got a splinter while carrying the wood from the pickup truck to the shop and it swelled my finger up.  [big grin]

 

[DavidCBaker]

Nice box!  I like the mixed woods on the lid, they add a lot of interest.   Especially nice is that you thought to sequence the sides so that the figure in the wood wraps around the corner.  Lots of folks don't think to do that!

A table is a good first furniture project.  You get to practice mortise and tenon joinery and the project comes together quickly - and everyone can always use another table, no?

Yes, indeed. A table is next. Can't wait, actually. I've been reading some Taunton's "Complete Illustrated Guides to [various things] and I've found them very helpful. There's only so much reading to do, though--eventually I just need to dive in and make my own mistakes in order to learn.

 

[DavidCBaker]

You may want to exchange the sanding block for some steel wool 0000 or 000 once you start laying on the poly finish. It will keep it smooth without burning through it so easily. Nice job on the box by the way. The walnut looks great.

Do they sell that stuff at Lowes? I didn't see it in the paint section. Maybe it'll have to be online or a Woodcraft nearby.

 

[Brice Burrell]

You may want to exchange the sanding block for some steel wool 0000 or 000 once you start laying on the poly finish. It will keep it smooth without burning through it so easily. Nice job on the box by the way. The walnut looks great.

Do they sell that stuff at Lowes? I didn't see it in the paint section. Maybe it'll have to be online or a Woodcraft nearby.

Yes, Lowe's or the Depot will have steel wool.  Try checking in the area where they have stain and poly if its not with the sandpaper.

 

[junk731]

Be careful using steel wool around water based finishes, little bits can become embedded and rust with subsequent coats. Festool or Mirka 1000, 2000, 4000 work quite well as an alternative.

John

 

[mhoy]

Looks very nice.  I'm guessing it's fairly small given the size of a recipe card. What are the aprox. dimensions? How was working with small pieces done?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[DavidCBaker]

Looks very nice.  I'm guessing it's fairly small given the size of a recipe card. What are the aprox. dimensions? How was working with small pieces done?

Mark, it actually holds three rows of 3x5 cards, so it's fairly large. I made the two dividers out of 2/4 maple, thickness planed down to 1/4. Then routed slots in the maple side pieces.

 

[zapdafish]

considering what a kick ass festool setup you have, I wonder what your kitchen looks like as thats a lotta recipes!  [big grin]

I really like the finish you chose, I'm not a big fan of high gloss stuff either. I'm going to have to check out General Finishes, I think I've seen some at Woodcraft.

 

[DavidCBaker]

I'm really happy with the finish, too. It shows off the wood without drawing attention to itself.

Here's two more pictures, showing the interior of the box:

Now that I see this, I wish I'd only partially routed the slot for the divider and inserted the divider from below before assembling the box. Of course that would have made the finishing a little more difficult.

 

[Rob-GB]

Nice job David. As usual you are seeing ways to improve for the next project, a sign of a thoughtful craftsman.
Re: Stopped Dado's:- Why would it make finishing difficult?

A technique I use on some jobs is to mask up any areas to be glued and pre-finish the parts, okay it can get fiddly but is often well worth doing. It can also make clean up of glue squeeze out easier. In the case of your recipe card box I would have pre-finished all internal surfaces prior to glue up. But that is a lesson I learnt long ago...by doing something rather similar to your box. ;D

Rob.

P.S. A stopped dado with a divider that is rounded/bullnosed and matched to the dado-ing router cutter would look real nice.

 

[Wonderwino]

If you had used a stopped dado from below to hold the dividers, I don't think I would use any glue to hold them.  They would be trapped by the stop and the bottom panel.  You could add a plug to the open end of the dados with a contrasting wood, like ebony or padauk.