making wooden boxes

WoodenBoxes

Dennis Zongker

Carving ◆ Joinery ◆ Marquetry ◆ radius inlays ◆ segMented turningSkill-BuilDing TechniqueS for Seven unique ProjecTS

D e n n i s z o n g k e r

WoodenBoxes

t

Text © 2013 by Dennis Zongker

Photographs © 2013 by The Taunton Press, Inc.

Illustrations © 2013 by The Taunton Press, Inc.

All rights reserved.

The Taunton Press, Inc., 63 South Main Street, PO Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506

e-mail: [email protected]

Editor: Joseph Truini

Copy Editor: Candace B. Levy

Indexer: Barbara Mortenson

Jacket/Cover design: Rita Sowins

Interior design: Kimberly Adis

Layout: David Giammattei

Illustrator: Christopher Mills

Photographer: Dennis Zongker

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Zongker, Dennis Lee.

Wooden boxes : skill building techniques for seven unique projects / Dennis Lee Zongker.

pages cm

E-Book ISBN 978-1-62710-347-3

1. Wooden boxes. 2. Ornamental boxes. 3. Woodwork. 4. Box making. I. Title.

TT200.Z66 2013

745.51--dc23

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The following names/manufacturers appearing in Wooden Boxes are trademarks: Delta®, DeVilbiss®,

Forstner®, Gorilla Tape®, M.L. Campbell®, Magnalac®, Mohawk®, NOVA™, Olson®, Stanley Surform®,

Titebond®, Tormek®, Ultra®

Working with wood is inherently dangerous. Using hand or power tools improperly or ignoring safety practices can

lead to permanent injury or even death. Don’t try to perform operations you learn about here (or elsewhere) unless

you’re certain they are safe for you. If something about an operation doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Look for another

way. We want you to enjoy the craft, so please keep safety foremost in your mind whenever you’re in the shop.

Pp

mailto:[email protected]

A lot of pAssion, work, And devotion went into completing this book,

but every moment was well worth the journey to get here. This book would not have been possible without a great deal of help from many people. I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to those who have helped me along the way.

To my wife, Patti, I’d like to give a special thank you for all her many hours of helping design boxes, pushing the camera shutter, and editing the chapters, but mostly for always believing in me. And thanks to her daughter, Theresa, for drawing the beautiful roses that adorn the Traditional Jewelry Box.

A very special thank you to Peter Chapman, Executive Editor at The Taunton Press, for all the hard work that went into taking my ideas, putting them together, and making this book a reality. Thanks for giving me the chance to write this book.

Thank you to Ed Pirnik, of Fine Woodworking magazine, for introducing my book idea to the book department at The Taunton Press. And thanks, too, to the designer, copyeditor, illustrator, photo editor, and layout and marketing people at The Taunton Press, each of whom played a key role in bringing the book together.

Last, but not least, thanks to Joseph Truini, my editor, for making sense out of my complex explanations and for helping a woodworker become a writer. Thank you, Joe, for all that you have taught me along the way.

And a special mention to my son, Eric: May this book take your woodworking to a new level and give you the inspiration to always strive to be your best and to never stop wanting to improve.

acknowledgments

To the loving memory of my mother, Shirley, who never had a chance to see me complete this book. No matter what I made, whether it turned out good or not so good, she would always love it just the same. I will truly miss all her encouragement, love, and support.

And also in loving memory of my sister Debbie, whose life was cut short. Thank you for always being there with a smile on your face.

2 Introduction

4 SerpentineCoinBox 6 Cutthehardwoodparts 7 Cutandveneertheboxtopandbottom 9 Cutthemitersandrabbets 10 Cutthebottomgrooveandrabbet 11 Layouttheserpentinefront 12 Cuttheserpentinefront 14 Routthecornerdovetails 14 Makethedovetailsplines 15 Gluetheboxtogether 16 Veneertheboxtop 17 Makeaserpentinecaul 18 Cuttheboxveneer 20 Cuttheboxinhalf 21 Cutrabbetsfortheebonybanding 22 Cuttheebonybanding 26 Cutthebaseparts 27 Shapeandassemblethebase 28 Turnthebunfeet 30 Installafull-mortiselockset 33 Installthehinges 34 Makethecointrays 36 Applythefinish 37 Installthetrayliners

38 PlayingCardBox 40 Makethebanding 45 Windowmethodofmarquetry 50 Maketheboxbottom 51 Cutthebottomgroove 51 Routtheboxmiters 53 Cuttheboxinhalf 54 Veneertheedges 55 Routrabbetsforthebanding 57 Installthehinges 58 Maketheboxfeet 58 Turntheknob 60 Cuttheinteriordividers

62 ArtistSketchBox 64 Cutthehardwoodandplywoodboxparts 70 Cutthepencil-trayparts 72 Gluetheboxtogether 74 Makethedecorativebanding 75 Veneerthedecorativesidepanels 78 Glueontheveneeredendpanels 80 Cutthetopveneerpanel 81 MaketheGreekkeybanding 85 Cuttherabbetandthecornerbanding 87 Cuttheboxinhalf 89 Maketheinteriorpanels

Contents

168 Veneertheoutsidesurfaces 172 Gluetheboxtogether 174 Preparetheoutsidecorners 175 Veneerthetopedges 176 Maketheboxtop 177 Veneertheboxtop 179 Routthecameomarquetryrecess 180 Gluethecameomarquetrytotheboxtop 182 Maketheellipticalinlay 185 Veneertheboxtopedges 186 Createafingerpull 187 Maketheinsidedividers

188 TraditionalJewelryBox 191 Makethebottomplatform 194 Veneerthelowerboxparts 195 Fabricatethebackandbackbase 197 Cutthemiteredbasetrim 200 Makethetwoboxends 202 Makethedrawerslides 203 Makethefronts,corners,andreturncorners 207 Maketheuppertraysides 209 Veneertheedges 210 Makethetraybottoms 211 Turnthemaplecolumns 212 Startassemblingthebox 213 Millthemapleaccenttrim 214 Maketheradiusdoors 215 Selectandcutveneers 218 Nailandrivettheveneerpackets 219 Cuttheveneerpacket 223 Gluethemarquetrytothedoor 224 Makeandattachthedoorpulls 226 Buildthedrawers 229 Maketheboxtop 231 Installthedoorhinges 231 Installthedoorcatches 232 Installtheboxtophinges 232 Finishingandflocking 233 Mountthechaincarousels

235 MetricEquivalents

92 Maketheinsidecleatandsupportblocks 94 Installthehinges 94 Attachthecatchesandhandle 95 Finishthebox

96 MusicBox 98 Veneerthehardwoodparts 100 Layoutandcuttheboxparts 106 Gluetheboxtogether 107 Veneerthetopedges 108 Constructtheinnerbox 110 Installtheradiustrimblock 111 Fabricatethedecorativetrimwithinlay 117 Installthetrim 118 Makethesegmentedfeetblank 123 Veneertheboxtop 125 Attachtrimtotheboxtop 126 Routtheboxtop 126 Makethelyreharp 129 Installthehinges 129 Finishthemusicbox

130 RoseBox 132 Prepthepartsforglue-up 134 Cutandgluetheebonyaccentpieces 135 Cutthemiterjoints 137 Shapethefront,back,andends 139 Cuttheboxtopandbottom 140 Assemblethebox 142 Preparethecentermedallion 145 Shapethetop 147 Stab-cuttherosesontothetopandfront 152 Routthetopforebonytrim 156 Installthehinges 157 Finishingtouches

158 CameoJewelryBox 160 Cutthehardwoodboxparts 164 Routforthesplinesandbottom 165 Cutthebottomprofiles 167 Veneertheinsidesurfaces

introduction

3

box mAking hAs been Around since the time of the ancient Egyptians, and it’s still one of the most popular pastimes for modern-day wood-workers. Boxes can be made for all kinds of reasons: keeping playing cards, coins, and art supplies in order; protecting jewelry; storing wine; and playing music, to name but a few. They can also be made just for decoration.

Today, boxes are handcrafted by professional woodworkers and hobbyists alike. They range from simple unadorned boxes to the most elaborate designs imaginable by any craftsman. Each custom-built wooden box is unique and slightly different from any other. Box making has grown in popularity due to creativity and the joy of producing some-thing that has never been done before.

Over the past few years I have developed a strong passion for box making, and seeing all the ways a box can be designed has opened my mind to being more creative. When designing boxes I want them to be a pleasure to look at, with carvings and color-ful marquetry, but also to be pleasurable to listen to with music. My boxes often have unique features, such as segmented turnings, decorative trim, and even serpentine radius fronts that make them stand out from basic boxes.

When designing each one of the seven boxes shown in this book, I did a lot of research and used plenty of trial and error to ensure the best outcome for each one. I wanted to be able to add as many dif-ferent techniques to build the reader’s skill from the beginning techniques to the more difficult levels of

box making. Taking a mixture of the different styles can help in the design and building of a box of your own design.

This book is for all woodworkers who are look-ing for a new challenge. It’s about teaching different woodworking techniques in joinery, different styles of cutting marquetry, perfecting radius inlays, and making your own diamond-pattern banding, to name just a few skills. It’s also filled with informa-tion that will surely come in handy when working on your next box.

I’ll walk you through from the simplest box to some more-complex designs. Working on each one of these boxes and coming up with new designs has been a rewarding challenge for me. Being innova-tive can change the basic square box into a creative design. As when learning anything new, you start simple and once you have mastered that you move on to more complex boxes with more detailed designs. That’s what I show throughout this book with each box, starting easy and working to the more difficult. The techniques you’ll learn can be applied to many types of projects, not just for mak-ing these unique boxes. Use them for almost any type of woodworking project.

I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing my woodworking style and techniques with others, and I hope I can help you explore new and many more possibilities. We all have to start somewhere, and with a little determination and enthusiasm, these newfound skills can open the world to creating any-thing your mind can imagine.

4 S er p ent ine Coin B ox

wanted this box to be

as beautiful on the inside as it

is on the outside, so I combined

quilted bubinga hardwood with chest-

nut burl veneer for a strikingly elegant

look. As a complementary touch, and

also to provide protection, I added

solid ebony to all outside edges. The

serpentine front has a convex curve

in the center flanked by slightly con-

cave ends. The box interior has three

removable coin trays made from

quilted bubinga, a hardwood with rich,

reddish tones that will highlight your

prized coin collection.

In this chapter, you’ll learn how to

make the three-radius serpentine box

front using a bandsaw. There are also

techniques on making dovetail splines

that join the mitered corners on both

the box and the coin trays. Splined-

dovetail joints are highly decorative

but are also very strong and durable.

I show how to install small brass

knobs for lifting and stacking the

coin trays, which fit snugly within

the box. And there are also detailed

instructions for installing a full-mortise

lock for keeping your coin collection

secure.

Serpentine Coin Box

I

Finished size of box: 61⁄8 in. tall 93⁄4 in. deep 14 in. wide

S er p ent ine Coin B ox 5

materialsQuantity Part size ConstruCtion

notes

1 Front 17⁄8 in. 51⁄8 in. 14 in. quilted bubinga

1 Back 5⁄8 in. 51⁄8 in. 14 in. quilted bubinga

2 Ends 5⁄8 in. 51⁄8 in. 81⁄2 in. quilted bubinga

1 Top 1⁄2 in. 81⁄2 in. 14 in. maple plywood

1 Bottom 1⁄2 in. 73⁄4 in. 131⁄4 in. maple plywood

1 Inside top veneer 1⁄42 in. 83⁄4 in. 141⁄4 in. bubinga burl veneer

2 Bottom veneer 1⁄42 in. 8 in. 131⁄2 in. bubinga burl veneer

1 Dovetail spline material 5⁄16 in. 3⁄8 in. 36 in. black ebony

1 Top veneer 1⁄42 in. 11 in. 141⁄2 in. maple veneer

1 Top veneer (exterior) 1⁄42 in. 10 in. 141⁄4 in. chestnut burl veneer

1 Back veneer (exterior) 1⁄42 in. 53⁄8 in. 141⁄4 in. chestnut burl veneer

1 Front veneer (exterior) 1⁄42 in. 53⁄8 in. 143⁄4 in. chestnut burl veneer

2 End veneer (exterior) 1⁄42 in. 53⁄8 in. 83⁄4 in. chestnut burl veneer

22 Banding 3⁄16 in. 3⁄16 in. 18 in. black ebony

1 Bottom base front 1⁄2 in. 31⁄2 in. 17 in. quilted bubinga

1 Bottom base back 1⁄2 in. 11⁄4 in. 15 in. quilted bubinga

2 Bottom base ends 1⁄2 in. 15⁄8 in. 10 in. quilted bubinga

4 Splines 1⁄4 in. 3⁄4 in. 11⁄8 in. any hardwood

4 Bun feet 17⁄16 in. 17⁄16 in. 1 in. black ebony

1 Full-mortise box lock brass

1 Escutcheon 1⁄8 in. 1 in. 3 in. quilted bubinga

1 pair 95º stop hinges 11⁄16 in. 11⁄4 in. brass-plated

6 Small knobs 1⁄4 in. tall 5⁄16 in. dia. brass

▲▲


4. Useathicknessplanertomillthetworesawnpartsdownto5⁄8in.thickandthencutthebackto16in.longandbothendsto101⁄2in.

1. Startbyusingatablesawtoripa17⁄8-in.-thickblankofquiltedbubingato51⁄8in.wideby38in.long.Fromthatpiece,you’llbeabletocutbothendsandthefrontandbackofthebox.

2. Switchtoapowermitersawtocuttheboxfrontfromtheblankat16in.long,whichis2in.longerthanitsfinishedsize.Theextralengthallowsyoutoaccuratelycutthedadoesandmiteredrabbetsonthetablesawbeforetrimmingthepartstotheirfin-ishedlengths.

3. Tocreatetheboxbackandends,resawtheremainderoftheblankonthetablesaw.Adjusttheripfencetoalignthebladecenterwiththecenterofthe17⁄8-in.-thickblank.Also,raisethebladeto25⁄8in.soit’llcutslightlymorethanhalfwaythroughthe51⁄8-in.-wideblank.Settheblankonedgeandmakethefirstpassovertheblade.Thenfliptheblankendforend,keepingthesamefaceagainstthefence,andmakeanotherpassoverthebladetocompletethecut(photo A ).

Cut the hardwood parts

Quantity Part sizeConstruCtion notes

2 Tray ends (3 from each; 6 total)

5⁄8 in. 35⁄8 in. (1 in.) 71⁄8 in. quilted bubinga

2 Tray fronts and backs (3 from each; 6 total)

5⁄8 in. 35⁄8 in. (1 in.) 125⁄8 in. quilted bubinga

3 Tray bottoms 1⁄4 in. 65⁄16 in. 1113⁄16 in. maple plywood

6 Horizontal tray dividers 3⁄16 in. 3⁄8 in. 113⁄8 in. bubinga

15 Vertical tray dividers 3⁄16 in. 3⁄8 in. 57⁄8 in. bubinga

3 Self-adhesive black velvet 57⁄8 in. 113⁄8 in.

materials (continued)

ResAw the bubingA blAnk to cut the parts for the box back and ends. Make the first pass with the blade raised to 25⁄8 in. and then flip the blank end for end to make the second pass.

A


3. Usingacuttingmatandscalpel,placethebot-tomandtopclampingcaulsontopoftheveneer.Pressdownfirmlyonthecaulwithonehand,andthencuttheveneerusingtheedgesofthecaulasaguide(photo b , p. 8).

4. Applyyellowgluetotheveneerandplywoodsubstrateandspreaditevenlywitha3-in.-wideroller(photo C , p. 8).

before Cutting the dadoes and rabbetsintothehardwoodboxparts,cuttheplywoodboxtopandbottomandthenveneerthem.TheveneerIchosefortheinsideoftheboxisbubingaburl,whichissimilartothehardwoodbutaddstherichnessofburl.You’llneedonepieceofveneerfortheinsideoftheboxtopandtwopiecesfortheboxbottom.

1. Usethetablesawtocuttheboxtopandbottomfrom1⁄2-in.-thickmapleplywood(photo A ).

2. Youalsoneedtomakethreeclampingcaulsoutof1⁄4-in.-thickmapleorbirchplywood.Cutonecaulfortheboxtopat83⁄4in.wideby141⁄4in.longandtwofortheboxbottomat8in.wideby131⁄2in.long.Youneedtwocaulsforthebottomsoyoucanveneerbothfacesforbalanceandappearance.Atthispoint,youneedtoveneeronlytheinsidefaceoftheboxtop;theoutsidesurfacewillbeveneeredlaterwithchestnutburl.

Cut and veneer the box top and bottom

When pressing down burl veneer to a glued substrate, glue will sometimes seep through voids in the surface of the veneer. To pre-vent the veneer from sticking to the clamp-ing caul, wipe off the excess glue, and then place blue painter’s tape over the voids.

work smart

A

Cut the box top and bottom from 1⁄2-in.-thick maple plywood.


5. SetthecaulontopoftheveneeredsubstrateandsecurewithstripsofGorillaTape®.Placetheassemblyintoavacuum-pressbagandletdryforonehourtotwohours.

6. Oncetheglueisdry,settheboxtopandbottomontoaself-healingmatanduseascalpeltotrimtheveneerflushwiththeplywoodsubstrates.Sandthetrimmededgessmoothwithasandingblockwith150-gritsandpaper.

It’s important to trim the veneer flush two hours to three hours after placing the assemblies into the vacuum press bag. If you wait any longer, the excess yellow glue will be too hard to cut through.

work smart

Use a sanding block and 150-grit sandpaper to round over the sharp edges of the clamping caul that sits on top of the veneered assembly. This will protect the vacuum press bag from punctures.

work smart

Cut the veneeR with a scalpel using the edges of the caul as a guide. Make two or three passes to avoid chip-ping the veneer.

b

C

glue the veneeR to the plywood substrate.


for the toP of this box, i Chose to

miterandrabbetthetopedgesofthefront,back,andendsalongwiththeplywoodtop.Thebottomsurfaceofthetopfitsdownintotherabbet,andtheuppersurfaceofthetopismitered,leavingaflatcleansurfaceforveneeringtheboxtop.

1. Tiltthetablesawbladeto45°and raisethebladeto3⁄8in.Settheripfenceto51⁄8in.Nowcutintothetopedgeoftheboxendsandback(photo A ).

2. Cutamiterintotheboxtopbyplacingthemapleplywoodfacedownonthesawtable.Settheripfenceto14in.Pushtheboxtoppastthebladetocutthemiter.Adjusttheripfenceto81⁄2in.andrepeattocutmitersintotheboxfrontandback.

Tocutthemiterintotheboxfront,Ihadtosetthetablesawfencetotheoppositesideofthebladebecausemysawbladetiltsinonedirectiononly.Keepingthebladeheightthesame,setthefence11⁄4in.fromtheblade.

3. Cutamiterontheinsideedgeoftheboxfrontwithaslowandsteadypushpasttheblade.

4. Cutrabbetsintothefront,back,andends.Setthetablesawbladeheightto5⁄16in.tosplitthe5⁄8-in.thicknessinhalf.Thenadjustthefenceto45⁄8in.tocreatea3⁄16-in.-deepby5⁄16-in.-widerab-bet.Runallfourpieces—front,back,andbothends—throughtheblade.Thenreadjustthefenceto43⁄4in.tocutthelastpass(photo b ).

5. Placetheboxtoponthetablesawwithitsinsideburl-veneeredsurfacefacingdownonthesawtable.Runallfouredgesthroughtheblade,thenadjustthefencetoremovetheremainingwastewoodfromtherabbet.

Cut the miters and rabbets

The rabbet height depends on the thickness of the plywood, which may vary slightly. To cut the opposing rab-bet into the box top, set the fence so that the outside edge of the blade cuts at 5⁄16 in., which is the width of the opposing miter on the box front, back, and ends.

work smart

Cut A miteR 3⁄8 in. deep into the top edge of the box ends and back.

A

Cut 3⁄16-in.-deep by 5⁄16-in.-wide rabbets into the front, back, and ends.

b


i made the box bottom from 1⁄2-in.-

thiCk plywoodfortheextrastrengthneededtosupportthebasetrimandtheweightofthecointrays.A1⁄4-in.-widegrooveiscutintotheinsidesur-facesoftheboxfront,back,andendstoreceivetheboxbottom,whichhasa1⁄4-in.-thickrabbetcutintoitsfouredges.

1. Startbycuttinga1⁄4-in.by1⁄4-in.grooveintothefourhardwoodboxparts.Setthetablesawbladeto1⁄4in.highandthefenceto3⁄8in.Makethefirstpassintoallfourinsidefacesofthefront,back,andends.Thenresetthefenceto1⁄4in.andrepeattocreate1⁄4-in.by1⁄4-in.grooves(photo A ). Ifyourtablesawbladeisnarrowerthan1⁄8in.,you’llneedtomakethreepassestoformthe1⁄4-in.-widegrooves.ThemapleplywoodIusedwasslightlylessthan1⁄2in.thick,soafterveneeringbothsurfacesitmea-sured1⁄2in.thick.

2. Settheripfenceto1⁄8in.(toequal1⁄4in.totheoutsideoftheblade)andcutallfouredgesofthebottom.Thenpositionthefenceflushagainstthebladeandcutthelastpass.Dry-fitthebox-bottomrabbetintothegrooves,makingsureitfitssnugly,butnottootight.

Cut the box to sizeMeasureandmarkthetopedgeofeachhardwoodboxparttoitsfinishedlength(see“Materials”onp.5).Useamitersawtocut45°anglesineachendofthefront,back,andends.Toensureaccuratemiters,holdeachparttightagainstthesaw’stableandfence.

Cut the bottom groove and rabbet

Cut A 1⁄4-in. by 1⁄4-in. groove for the plywood bottom into the four hardwood box parts.

A


dry-fit the box Parts and taPe thecorners.Next,cuttwoscrap-woodblocksforuseascenterpointsforyourtrammelorlargecompass.Cuttheoutsideblock51⁄8in.tallby91⁄4in.longorlonger;maketheinsideblock3in.longby45⁄8in.tall.Thesetemporaryblocksareneededonlytostrikethecurvedserpentinearcs.

1. Settheblocksinplace,asshowninphoto A ,andthenmeasureandmarkthecenterpointontheboxfront.Usingacombinationsquare,drawastraightlineacrosstheboxfrontandinsideblock.Thenadjustthetrammelorcompasstoa9-in.radiusandstrikethecenter,convexarc.

2. Tostrikethetwoconcavearcsontotheboxfront,startbydrawingacenterlinealongtheedgeoftheoutsidewoodblock.Then,fromthecenteroftheboxfront,measureover611⁄16in.totheleftandrightandmakeamarkontothetopedgeoftheboxfront.Nowalignthecenterlineontheoutsidewoodblockwithoneofthe611⁄16-in.marksontheboxfront.

3. Useaframingsquareortrysquaretomakesurethewoodblockandboxfrontaresquaretoeachother.Setthetrammelorcompassto9in.,locatethecenterpoint,andthenstrikeanarcalongthetopedgeoftheboxfront(photo b ). Repeattostrikeamatchingarcontotheoppositeendoftheboxfront.

Lay out the serpentine front

use A tempoRARy bloCk and a trammel to strike the curved serpentine arc on the box front.

to mARk the outside concave arcs on the box front, draw a 9-in. radius from a temporary block lined up with each end.

A

b


1. Installa3⁄8-in.-wide6-tpi(teethperinch)bladeontoyourbandsaw.Useatrysquaretosquarethebandsawtabletothebladeandsetthecut-tingheightbyadjustingthebladeguidestoslightlyabovetheserpentinefront.

2. Cutintothebubingaboxfront,followingthecenterofthepencilline(photo A ).

3. Clamptheserpentinefrontintoabenchviseandsandandfilesmooththebandsawblademarks.Tohelpspeeduptheprocess,usearandom-orbitsanderfittedwith150-gritsandpaper.

Cut the serpentine front

To rout the corner dovetail joints (see p. 14), I made

a router-table sled, which provides an easy, accu-

rate way to rout into the 45° ends of the box parts.

1. To make the dovetail sled, start by cutting a

piece of 1⁄2-in. plywood for the sled bottom to

10 in. wide by 16 in. long.

2. Use 3⁄4-in.-thick plywood for the sled top, back,

and two sides. Cut the top to 121⁄8 in. wide by

16 in. long; make the back 8 in. wide by 16 in. long.

Cut each side of the sled to 71⁄4 in. square. Now cut

a 3⁄4-in.-thick by 11⁄4-in.-wide by 16-in.-long hard-

wood cleat to support the front edge of the sled.

3. Angle the tablesaw blade to 45° and cut miters

into one long edge of both the sled top and back.

Then glue and clamp the support cleat to the front

edge of the sled bottom.

4. Set up the router table with a 3⁄8-in.-dia. straight-

cutting bit. Adjust the fence to cut a through slot

11⁄8 in. from the edge of the front support cleat.

Lower the sled bottom down onto the spinning bit

and cut an 8-in.-long through slot (photo A ).

5. Draw a pencil line from one corner to the other

on both sled side pieces. On the bandsaw, cut

along the lines to create the two angled sides.

Assemble the sled as shown in the drawing on the

facing page, using yellow glue and a pneumatic

nailer with 11⁄4-in.-long nails.

6. To hold the box parts securely during routing,

mount two quick-action toggle clamps to the sled.

Place one clamp on each side of the box part, at

approximately 61⁄2 in. on-center. For extra clamping

strength, screw each toggle clamp to a 1⁄2-in.-thick

by 11⁄2-in.-wide by 21⁄4-in.-long mounting block

(photo b ).

7. To prevent the router bit from blowing out and

splintering the box parts as it exits the cut, install

a 3⁄4-in.-thick by 3⁄4-in.-wide by 6-in.-long hardwood

cleat to the sled. Cut a 45° angle onto one end of the

cleat and put the angled end down on the sled bot-

tom. Screw the vertical cleat to the left side of the

sled, tight against the toggle-clamp mounting block.

Making a Dovetail SleD

push the box fRont through the blade at a steady pace with even pressure to avoid an uneven sawkerf.

A


Making a Dovetail SleD

Dovetail Sled (Vertical Section)

mount two quiCk-ACtion toggle clamps to the sled, and attach a 6-in.-long hardwood cleat to prevent the router bit from blowing out and splintering the box parts as it exits the cut.

b

Cut An 8-in.-long through slot in the sled bottom.

A

10 in.

Sled back

Sled bottom Cleat3⁄8-in.-dia. bit

Sled top

Workpiece

81⁄2 in.

71⁄4 in.

3⁄4 in.

1⁄2 in.

12 1⁄8 in.10 1⁄4 in.

71⁄4 in.

Fence3⁄4 in.

11⁄4 in.


2. Usingthesame5⁄16-in.-wideby8°dovetailrouterbit,adjustthecuttingheightto3⁄16in.,whichishalfofthe3⁄8-in.-widespline.Settherouter-tablefencesothebitcutsjust1⁄64in.intothesplinetocreatethe8°angle.Slowlypushallfouredgesoftheebonypiecepasttherouterbittomillthedovetailsplines(photo A , facing page).

i used blaCk ebony hardwoodfor thedovetailsplinesbecauseofitsdramaticcolorcon-trasttothequiltedbubingaandalsoforitsstrengthanddurability.

1. Onthetablesaw,cutonepieceof5⁄16-in.-thickebonyto3⁄8in.wideby36in.long.Thisonepiecewillyieldfour41⁄2-in.-longsplinesfortheboxcorners,andtwelve11⁄16-in.-longsplinesforthetraycorners.

Make the dovetail splines

1. Leavetherouter-tablefenceatthesame11⁄8-in.settingusedtocutthethroughslotinthedovetailsled(see“MakingaDovetailSled”onp.12).Installa5⁄16-in.-widedovetailbitwithan8°angleand13⁄8-in.cuttinglength.Adjusttheheightofthebitto3⁄16in.abovetheplywoodsledbottom.

2. Placetheboxfrontontothesled,makingsureits45°corneristighttothebottomplatformandverticalcleat.Lockdownbothtoggleclampstosecuretheboxfronttothesled.

3. Positionthesledsothattherouterbitisclearlyshowingthroughtheslot.Turnontherouterand,whenitreachesfullspeed,slowlypushthesledacrossthedovetailbit(photo A ).

4. Oncethebitexitstheverticalcleat,stopthesledwhenyoucanseetherouterbitinthethroughslot.Thenturnofftherouter.Usethesesamestepstoroutdovetailsintobothendsofallfourhard-woodboxparts.

Rout the corner dovetails

with the sled tight against the router-table fence, push the sled across the dovetail bit to rout the corner dovetails.

To save an extra step when making the coin trays for this box, rout the corner dovetails into the trays at the same time as the main box parts (see “Materials” on p. 6 for the dimensions). Cut a 45° angle on both ends of each board, and then rout the dovetails. Note that these tray parts are cut wider than needed to make it easier to rout the dove-tails. You’ll be trimming them down to their finished sizes later on.

work smart

A


1. Startbyplacingbluepainter’stapealongtheinsidecornersoftheboxsidestopreventanygluefromdryingontothehardwood.Thenbrushyellowglueintothedovetailslotsandsplines,beingcarefulnottogetanyglueinthebottomgroove.

2. Useshortbarclampstoholdtheboxtogether.Checkallfourcornerswithatrysquaretoensuretheboxissquare.Makeanynecessaryadjustmentsbeforethegluesetsup.

3. Letthegluedryabouttwohoursbeforeremov-ingtheclamps.Thenscrapeoffanyexcessglueandremovethetape.

4. Brushyellowglueontotheupperedgesoftheboxandonthebox-topmiteredrabbet.Toavoidexcessivegluesqueeze-out,applygluesparinglyalongtheinsideedgeofthebox(photo A ).

Glue the box together

AfteR gluing up the sides, brush glue onto the upper edges and onto the box-top mitered rabbet. Set the box onto a temporary block to raise the box up enough to create space for the bar clamps.

5. Useseveralshortbarclampstoholdtheboxtoptothebox.Lightlyclampthefourcornersfirst,thenclampallaroundtheboxevery2in.to4in.Evenlytightentheclampswithmediumpressure.Letthegluedryforthreehoursbeforeremovingtheclamps.

3. Beforedry-fittingtheboxtogether,cut1⁄8in.offthefourcornersoftheboxbottom,soitwon’thitthedovetailsplines.

4. Usethemitersawtocutfour41⁄2-in.-longsplinesfortheboxcorners.Slidethesplinesintothecornerjoints(photo b ).

mill the dovetAil splines using a 5⁄16-in.-wide by 8º dovetail router bit.

fit the splines into the corner joints, locking the box parts together. Note that the splines must sit below the top, which fits into the mitered rabbet.

b

A

A


to dRAw the pRofile on the MDF clamping caul, place the box on top of the caul and use a pencil and steel washer to draw a line 1⁄8 in. from the front edge of the box front.

before Covering the outside of theboxwithchestnutburlveneer,veneertheboxtopwithmapleveneer.Mapleveneerisagoodchoicebecauseithasatightgrainpatternwithfinetexture,whichwillpreventtheseambetweentheplywoodandbubingafromtelegraphingthroughthefinishedchestnutburltop.

1. Startbymakingtwoclampingcaulsoutof3⁄4-in.-thickmedium-densityfiberboard(MDF),eachone11in.wideby141⁄4in.long.Placetheboxontopofonecaul,leavinga1⁄8-in.spaceatthebackandeachend.Useapencilandsteelwashertodrawapencilline1⁄8in.fromthefrontedgeoftheser-pentineboxfront(photo A ).

Veneer the box top

A

2. Then,onthebandsaw,followthepencillinetocutouttheserpentinefront.Usethiscaulasatem-platetotracetheserpentineshapeontothesecondcaul,thencutitoutonthebandsaw.

3. Placeoneoftheclampingcaulsontopofan11-in.-wideby141⁄2-in.-longpieceofmapleveneer.Useacuttingmatandscalpeltocutaroundtheperimeterofthecaulandthroughtheveneer.Forbestresults,usemediumpressureandcutthroughtheveneerintwoorthreepasses.

4. Usearandom-orbitsanderwith150-gritsand-papertosmoothandflattentheboxtop.Blowoffthesandingdustwithcompressedair,thenwipethetopcleanwithadryrag.

5. Applyyellowgluetotheboxtopandmapleveneer,thenspreadtheglueevenlywitha3-in.-widepaintroller.

6. Placeoneclampingcaulundertheboxandoneontopofthemapleveneer.Clampthebox,applyingmediumtoheavypressure.Letthegluedryfortwohoursbeforeremovingtheclamps(photo b ).

7. Trimtheveneerflushtotheboxbyplacingtheboxupsidedownontothecuttingmat.Usethescalpeltocuttheveneerflushwiththebox.Thensmooththeedgewithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper.


2. Removetheserpentine-shapedclampingcaulandsprayadhesiveontotheinsidefaceofthecaul.Thenpressapieceof1⁄8-in.-thickfoamontotheadhesive.Thisthin,cushionylayerwilleliminateanyvoidswhenusingthecaultogluetheveneertotheboxfront.

1. Toveneertheserpentineshapeoftheboxfront,you’llneedtomakeamatchingserpentine-shapedclampingcaul.Onatablesaw,cuttwopiecesof3⁄8-in.-thickbendingplywoodto51⁄2in.wideby16in.long.Applyyellowgluetoonefaceofeachpieceofbendingplywood.Clampbothpiecestotheboxfrontusingspring(pinch)clampsontheendsandbarclampsacrossthemiddle.Letthegluedryovernight.

Make a serpentine caul

AdheRe the veneeR to the top with one clamping caul under the box and one on top of the veneer. Start clamping in the center of the box to push the glue outward and then clamp the outer edges approximately 11⁄2 in. from the perim-eter edges of the cauls.

b


Apply A beAd of yellow glue onto both surfaces; spread evenly with a small paint roller.

Cut the veneeR by pressing down firmly with one hand and using a scalpel to cut along the caul.

1. Beginbyveneeringtheserpentinesurfaceoftheboxfront.Wipeoffanydust,thenrollalight,evencoatingofyellowglueontobothsurfaces(photo b ).

2. Presstheveneertotheserpentinefrontandthencoveritwiththefoam-linedserpentineclampingcaul.Clampthecaulandveneertotheboxfront,startinginthemiddleandworkingouttowardtheends(photo C ). Letthegluedryfortwohoursbeforeremovingtheclampsandcaul.

3. Trimtheveneerflushtotheboxusingascalpel(photo d ). Sandoffexcessglueorveneerwithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper.Followthesamestepstoveneertheboxbackandtwoends.Whenclampingthebackveneer,besuretocovertheboxfrontwiththefoam-linedcaultoprotectitfrom

Veneer the outside surfaces

thenusethescalpeltocutalongtheperimeteredgesofthecaul(photo A ).

the following stePs desCribe how to

applychestnutburlveneertothesurfacesoftheboxparts.

1. Cutthetop,back,andendclampingcaulsfrom3⁄4-in.-thickMDForplywood.Cutthebackcaulto53⁄8in.wideby141⁄4in.long.Cuteachendclampingcaulto53⁄8in.wideby83⁄4in.long.

2. Usethetop,back,andendclampingcaulsascuttingtemplatestocutthechestnutburlveneer(see“Materials”onp.5fortheveneersizesneeded).

3. Seteachpieceofveneerfacedownonaself-healingmatandcoveritwiththeappropriateclampingcaul.Pressdownfirmlywithonehand,

Cut the box veneer

A

b


tRim the veneeR flush to the box using a scalpel. Keep the blade flat to the box and cut slightly inward toward the box to avoid any chipping.

d

ClAmp the veneeR to the serpentine front with the foam-lined serpentine clamping caul, starting in the middle and working out toward the ends. I suggest using 10 small bar clamps, 5 along each of the lower and upper edges of the box front.

C

theclamppads.Whenveneeringtheboxends,glueandclampbothendstotheboxatthesametime.

4. Toveneerthechestnutburlveneertotheboxtop,applyyellowgluetotheboxtopandchestnutburlveneer,thenspreadtheglueevenlywithapaintroller.Presstheveneertotheboxtop.Placeoneclampingcaulundertheboxandanotherontop.Usinglargebarclamps,startclampingnearthecenteroftheboxtoptopushglueouttotheedges.Thentightenmoreclampsaroundtheperimeter,positioningthemabout11⁄2in.fromtheouteredges.Letthegluedryfortwohours.

5. Afterremovingtheclamps,trimtheveneerflushtotheboxusingascalpel.Smoothanyexcessglueandveneerwithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper.


3. Next,installa3⁄8-in.-wide6-tpibladeintothebandsawandcheckthebladeforsquarenesswiththetableusingatrysquare.Adjustthecuttingheightapproximately1⁄2in.abovethetopedgeofthe51⁄8-in.-widesledbottom.

4. Cutawaythewastematerialfromthesledbot-tombysawingdownthecenterofthepencilline.Useslow,steadypressuretoensureaccuracyandsmoothnessofcut.

5. Nowplacetheserpentineboxfacefrontdownintothesled.Setoneholdingblockontothesled,buttedupagainstthefrontandrearofthebox.Markthepositionofeachblock.Thesetwoblockswillholdthesledtogetheraftercuttingthroughthebox.Removetheboxandsetitaside.

the next steP is to Cut the box into

twopieces, effectivelyseparatingtheboxtopfromtheboxitself.Thisstepisdoneonthetablesawwiththehelpofashopmadebox-cuttingsled.Thesledprovidesastablesurfaceonwhichtoresttheserpen-tineboxfrontasyoupushitthroughthesawblade.

1. Makethesledbottomfrom2-in.-thickscraphardwood.Cutitto51⁄8in.wideby18in.long.Thencuttwoholdingblocks,eachmeasuring11⁄2in.thickby11⁄2in.wideby51⁄8in.long.

2. Drawtheserpentineradiusontotheedgeofthesledbottom.Tobringtheboxleveltothesledbot-tom,settheboxonfour51⁄8-in.-longscrap-woodblocks.Tracetheserpentineboxfrontontothesledbottom.

Cut the box in half

A

to Cut the seRpentine box front in half, use a shopmade cutting sled. A block at each end of the sled holds the box securely in place.


on the outside edges and Corners of

thebox,Iinstalledblack-ebonybanding,whichservesasadecorativedesignelementbutalsoasadurablestripthatprotectstheveneer.

1. Setupthetablerouterwithaball-bearingpilotedrabbetingbit.Adjustthebittocuta1⁄8-in.-deepby1⁄8-in.-highrabbet.Routrabbetsintothetopedgesoftheboxtop,thebottomedgesoftheboxbottom,andallfourcornersofboththeboxtopandboxitself(photo A ).

2. Nowreadjusttherabbetingbitforroutingtheinsideedgesoftheboxtopandbox.Setthebittocut1⁄8in.deepby1⁄16in.highandrouttherabbets.

Cut rabbets for the ebony banding

Rout the RAbbets for the ebony banding on the outside edges and corners of the box

use A sAnding bloCk with 150-grit sandpaper to sand the cut edges of the box flat and smooth.

b

6. Fasteneachholdingblocktothesledwithfour3-in.-longscrews.Notethatforeachblockit’simportanttodrivetwoscrewstoeachsideofthesawbladepath.Sawingintoamisplacedscrewwillruintheblade.

7. Tocuttheboxintwo,startbysettingthetable-sawfence11⁄2in.fromtheblade,andadjustthe

bladeheightto25⁄8in.Settheboxfacedownontothesled.Placethesledtighttothefence,turnonthesaw,andpushthesledthroughthesawbladetocutthroughtheserpentinefront(photo A ). Removetheboxfromthesledandsetthesledaside.Youwillnotneedthesledtocutthroughthebackandendsofthebox.

8. Tocutthroughtheboxbackandends,beginbysettingthesawbladeheightto19⁄32in.That’llleaveapproximately1⁄32in.ofhardwooduncut,sothetwoboxpartswillremaintogetherduringthenextthreecuts.Cutallthreesides,startingwithoneend,andpushtheboxthroughthesawblade,keepingitasstraightaspossiblethroughouttheprocess.Thenrepeatwiththebacksurfaceandfinishupwiththeremainingboxend.

9. Toseparatetheboxtopfromthebox,useascalpeltoslicethroughtheremaininghardwood.Sandthecutedgesflatandsmooth(photo b ).

A


4. Screwtwofeatherboardstothepanel.Positiononeinfrontoftheblade,3⁄16in.fromthefence.Screwthesecondfeatherboardontheoutfeedsideofthesawblade,9⁄64in.fromthefence.Pushall22piecesofebonyacrosstheblade.

5. Tomakethebandingfortheradiusedser-pentinefront,you’llneedtotrimdowneightofthe9⁄64-in.-thickebonypiecesto5⁄64in.by9⁄64in.Readjustthefeatherboards,settingone9⁄64in.fromtheripfenceinfrontofthesawbladeandtheother5⁄64in.fromthefencebehindtheblade.Pusheightebonypiecesthroughthebladeusingapushstick(photo A ).

1. Usethetablesawtocut22piecesofebonyband-ing.Makeeachpiece3⁄16in.thickby3⁄16in.wideby18in.long,whichisslightlythickerandwiderthannecessary.Thiswillbeenoughebonytogetallthebanding,plustwoextrapiecesincaseofanymishaps.

2. Trimall22ebonypiecesto9⁄64in.square.Setthetablesawfence9⁄64in.fromthesawblade,thenlowerthebladebeneaththesawtable.

3. Clampa3⁄4-in.-thickparticleboardorMDFpaneltothesawtable.Turnonthetablesawandraisethebladetocut1⁄2in.throughthepanel.Turnoffthesaw.

Cut the ebony banding

Cut the ebony bAnding on the tablesaw, using two featherboards screwed to an MDF panel to guide the narrow stock.

A


1. Startbyfittingtheserpentinebandingintotherabbetonthebottomedgeofthebox.Holditinplacewithbluepainter’stape.

2. Useasmallruletodrawa45°lineontobothcornersoftheserpentinebanding(photo C ).

3. Placethebandingintoamiterboxandlineupthe45°markonthebandingwiththe45°settingonthemiterbox.Holdthebandinginplaceandcutthemiterwithasmallbacksaw.Flipthebandingoverandrepeatthesamestepsforcuttingtheoppo-sitemiter.

4. Cuta45° angleontoastraightpieceofbandingforliningupthetwomitersontheserpentinebanding.

Cut and fit the banding

1. Toformtheserpentine-shapeebonybanding,taketwopiecesof5⁄64-in.-thickby9⁄64-in.-wideby18-in.-longebonybandingandbrushyellowglueontothe9⁄64-in.-widematingsurfaces.Don’tgluethebandingtotheboxatthistime;thisstepisonlytogettheshapeofthebanding.

2. Useseveralsmallbarclampstoclampthetwoebonystripstotherabbetonboxtop.Letthegluedryforfourhoursbeforeremovingtheclamps(photo b ). Repeatthissamesteptoformthenextthreepiecesofserpentinebanding.Theradiusbandingwillbeformedtotheshapeoftheserpen-tine;therewillbealittlespringtoit,butitwillgluetighttotherabbetafteryoumiterthecornersandglueandclampitintoplace.

Bend the ebony banding

mARk the miteR Cuts onto both corners of theserpentine banding.

to foRm the seRpentine ebony banding, clamp two pieces of banding to the rabbet on the box top. Apply glue to the 9⁄64-in.-wide mating surfaces, but not to the box at this point.

b

C


5. Brushyellowglueontoboththerabbetandtheserpentinebanding.Thenusesmallbarclampstoclampthebandinginplace.Startinthemiddleandworkyourwayoutwardoneachend.Letthegluedryforthreehourstofourhours.

6. Removetheclamps.Placethebandingintotherabbetoftheboxanduseasmallruletohelpdrawapencillineontothebandingtorepresentwheretocutthe45°anglesonthesideandbackpiecesoftheebony.

7. Onceallthreepieceshavebeencutandfitted,applyyellowgluetothebackrabbetandbanding.Holdthebandinginplacewithbluepainter’stape.Clampittightwithlighttomediumpressure.Letthegluedryforonehour.Repeatforbothends(photo d ).

Afterthegluehasdried,removethebarclampsandtape.Usethesamestepstoglueandclamptheremainingbanding,exceptfortheboxcorners.

8. Placethecornerbandingintotherabbetontheboxcorner.Useasmallruleandpenciltodrawacutlineontothebanding.Trimthepiecestolengthusingthemiterboxandhandsaw;cutthemto90°. Applyyellowgluetotherabbetandbandingandthenspreaditevenlywithabrush.

9. Pressthebandingtightintotherabbetandwipeoffanyexcessgluewithacleanrag.Securethebandingwithstripsofbluepainter’stape.Letthegluedryforonehourbeforeremovingthetape.Repeatforalleightcorners.

The rabbets on the inside edges of the box are smaller, but you still use the same size banding. That’s because cutting the band-ing any smaller on the tablesaw would be extremely difficult, if not impossible.

work smart

glue And ClAmp the banding into the rabbets, holding it in place with blue painter’s tape.

d


1. Clamptheboxtotheworkbench.Usealow-angleblockplanetoremovetheexcessebonyband-ingontheinsideedgesoftheboxtopandbottom.Planeitflushwiththebubingahardwood.

2. Totrimtheebonybandingalongtheoutsideofthebox,useacabinetscraper,asshowninphoto e .Repeatthesesamestepstoscrapeflushthefrontserpentineandallcornersandedgesoftheebony.

3. Afterscraping,sandtheveneerandebonysmoothwithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper.

Plane and scrape the banding flush

Stay Sharp

A properly sharpened scraper should produce

paper-thin wood shavings, not sawdust. If

your scraper is not working properly, square

up both long edges first with a mill file, then

with a fine sharpening stone. Once the edge

is flat and smooth, use a burnisher to press in

a slight angle into the edge. This will leave a

small hook for scraping thin wood shavings.

to tRim the ebony banding along the outside of the box, start by clamping the box secure to your workbench. Then use both hands to slightly bend the scraper as you push it across the banding. Shave the banding flush and flat to the veneer.

e


to Cut the bAse fRont, follow the outside edge of the curved pencil line using a slow and steady push through the blade.

b

the bottom of the box is aCCentuatedwithabasemadeof1⁄2-in.-thickquiltedbubingahardwood.Thebasecomplementstheboxinteriorwhileaddingastrikingcontrasttothejet-blackebonybanding.

1. Usethetablesawtocutfourpiecesof1⁄2-in.-thickquiltedbubingahardwood,dimensionedslightlyoversize,asnotedin“Materials”onp.5.

2. Tolayoutthefrontserpentine,placethebasefrontandsidesdownontheworkbenchandsettheboxontop.Useapenciltomarkwheretheboxcor-nersintersectthebasefront.Removethefrontbase.

3. Useacombinationsquaretodraw45°linesateachboxcornermarkedonthebasefront.Placethebasefrontbackunderneaththeboxandlineupthecorners.

4. Useasteelwasherwitha3⁄8-in.spaceandapen-ciltotracetheserpentineshapeoftheboxontothebasefront(photo A ).

5. Cuta45°angleintobothendsofallfourbasepieces.Trimthebasefrontto143⁄4in.long;cutthebasebackto14in.long.

6. Forthesides,theedgeofthebaseatthebackoftheboxwillbeflushtothebox.Thesidesandfrontwillhavea3⁄8-in.overhangfromtheboxsidesandfront.Tomiterthesebackcornersstartthemiteronbothendpiecesat3⁄8in.inward,leaving3⁄8in.by3⁄8in.ofendgrainshowingalongthebackside.Startthemitercutoffsetat3⁄8in.inwardonbothsidestomatchthe45°mitersattheback,whichwillbeflushtothebackofthebox.Cutthesidepiecesto87⁄8in.long.

7. Dry-fitthefourbasepiecestogethertobesuretheyfittheboxproperly.Checktoseethatthebaseisflushtothebackandextendsout3⁄8in.alongboththefrontandbothends.

8. Cuttheserpentinefrontbaseonthebandsaw,followingtheoutsideedgeofthepencilline(photo b ).

9. Clampthebasefrontintoabenchviseandsandtheserpentineedgewitha11⁄2-in.-dia.woodendowelwrappedin150-gritsandpaper.Besuretosmoothawayallsawblademarks.

Cut the base parts

to lAy out the bAse fRont, use a pencil and a washer with a 3⁄8-in. space to trace the serpentine shape of the box onto the base front. At each corner, hold a small scrap-wood block in place so you can advance the washer up to the mitered line.

A


1. Installa3⁄8-in.-radiusroundoverbitintheroutertableandthenrouta3⁄8-in.radiusalongthetopedgeofthebasefrontandeachbaseend.Donotroutthebasebackpiece,whichisinstalledflushandsquaretothebox.

2. Thefourcornersofthebasearejoinedtogetherwithwoodsplinesgluedintoslotscutintoeachendofallfourparts.Cuttheslotsontheroutertablewithaball-bearing-pilotedrabbetingbitthatcuts1⁄4in.wideby3⁄8in.deep.Settheheightofthebittocutexactlyinthecenterofthe1⁄2-in.-thickbubingaparts.

3. Topreventkickback,feedthemiteredcornersintotherouterbitfromlefttoright.Usethebearingguideatthetopoftherouterbittocontroltheslotlength.Becarefulnottocutthroughtheoutsideedges.Also,usingastarterpinwillhelppreventtherouterbitfromcuttingtoofast(photo A ).

4. Makethesplinesthatgointheslotsbyfirstmillingapieceofhardwoodto1⁄4in.thickby3⁄4in.wideby12in.long.Thencutthepieceintofour11⁄8-in.-longsplines.Useasandingblockwith80-gritsandpapertoroundoffallfourcornersofeachsplinesotheyfitintotheslots.

Shape and assemble the base

AfteR Rounding oveR a 3⁄8-in. radius along the top edge of the base front and each base end, rout the slots into each end of all four parts.

A

ClAmp the bAse pARts togetheR, lightly tightening the clamps until each mitered corner is drawn tightly closed.

b

Push wood parts into the router bit at a slow and steady pace, holding the pieces firmly with your fingers at a safe distance from the spinning router bit. Remember that when using a router table, the router bit spins counterclockwise.

work smart

5. Brushyellowglueontothemiteredendsofthebaseparts,andontothesplines.Pressthesplinesintotheslotsandjointogetherthefourbaseparts.

6. Clampthebasetogetherwithfoursmallbarclamps(photo b ). Wipeoffanyexcessgluewithaclean,dryragandletthegluedrytwohoursbeforeremovingtheclamps.Hand-sandthebasesmoothwith150-gritsandpaper.


3. Turnoffthelatheandmarktwolinesontothecylinderusingawhitepencil.Theselinesshowwheretocutwiththepartingchisel.Markoneline1⁄2in.fromtherightendoftheblank;markthesecondline1⁄4in.totheleftofthefirstmark.Holdthepencilpointagainsteachmarkandrotatetheblankbyhandtodrawcutlinesaroundtheblank(photo A ).

4. Startturningtheblankbyusingthe1⁄8-in.part-ingtooltocutintotheoutsideedgeofthesecondline.Thisinitialcutwillformthetopendofthetenon.Cutintotheebonyuntilyou’vereducedthediametertoapproximately3⁄8in.

adding blaCk ebony bun feet to thebaseoftheboxaddsalittlestyleandcomplementstheebonyinlaidbandings.Toturnthebunfeetonthelathe,you’llneedanoutsidecaliperandthreeturningtools:aroughinggouge,1⁄8-in.partingtool,andskewchisel.

1. Startbycuttingone17⁄16-in.by17⁄16-in.by6-in.-longebonyblankonthetablesaw.Thencuttheblankintofour1-in.-longpieces,usingthemitersaw.

2. Mountoneoftheblanksinthelatheandsetthespeedto300rpm.Usetheroughinggougetoturntheblankintoa13⁄8-in.-dia.cylinder.Stopoccasion-allyandcheckthediameterwiththecalipers.

Turn the bun feet

mARk the Cut lines on the bun foot using a white pencil.

Ause A pARting tool to define the tenon on the bottom of the foot.

b

When turning the bun feet, position the tool rest no more than 1⁄4 in. from the blank. Make sure the turn-ing tools are always in contact with the tool rest.

work smart


switCh to the skew Chisel to round over both edges of the bun section.

Cuse the pARting tool to turn the tenon to its fin-ished diameter of 3⁄8 in.

d

5. Next,usethepartingtooltocutintotheoutsideedgeofthefirstline,makingsureyouleave1⁄2in.atthebottomofthefootforshapingthebun.Usethepartingtooltocutthetenon,leavingitoversizefornowat1⁄2in.dia(photo b ).

6. Usetheskewchiseltoroundoverbothedgesofthebunsection.Shapetheellipticalradiusuntilitlooksbalancedonbothsides.Whenblendingthetworadiuses,trytomaintaintheoriginal13⁄8in.dia.(photo C )

7. Usethe1⁄8-in.partingtooltotrimthetenonto1⁄4in.longby3⁄8in.dia.Checkitsdiameterwiththecalipers.

8. Onceyou’veshapedthebunfootandtenon,reversethedirectionofthelatheandsetthespeedto900rpm.Grabahandfulofebonywoodshavings

When cutting the final details into the bun feet, turn the lathe up to 500 rpm. This slightly higher speed helps produce a nice clean cut.

work smart

andholdthemagainstthespinningfoot.Theshav-ingswillactasultrafinesandpapertosmooththeturnedsurface.

9. Switchthelathetoforwarddirectionandlowerthespeedto500rpm.Usethepartingtooltocutintotheendofthetenon,leavingjust1⁄8in.ofwood.Removethefootfromthelatheanduseafine-toothhandsawtocuttheexcesswoodfromtheendofthetenon.Repeatthepreviousstepstoturntheremain-ingthreebunfeet(photo d ).


3. Installa3⁄8-in.-dia.straightbitintheroutertable.Positionthefence91⁄16in.fromthecenterofthebitandclamptwowoodstopblockstotherouterfence.Positiononestopblockontheinfeedsideofthebit,theotherontheoutfeedside.Secureeachblock81⁄8in.fromthecenteroftherouterbit.

4. Lowertherouterbitflushwiththetable.Settheboxupsidedownwithitsbacktighttothefenceanditsendupagainsttheinfeedstopblock.Turnontherouter,holdtheboxwithonehand,andraisethebit3⁄64in.Slowlypushtheboxacrossthebituntilitbuttsagainsttheoutfeedstopblock.Lowerthebitandturnofftherouter.Repeatthesestepstoroutanidenticalmortiseintotheinsidefrontedgeoftheboxtop.

to loCk the Coin box, i installed a full-

mortisebrasslockset,whichisstrong,discreet,andeasytoinstall.Theescutcheonsurroundingthelockismadefromsolidquiltedbubinga.Begintheinstal-lationbyroutingashallow3⁄64-in.-deepby3⁄8-in.-wideby21⁄4-in.-longmortiseintotheundersideoftheboxfront.Thismortisewillreceivetheselvedge(outerflange)ofthelockset.

1. Measure91⁄16in.fromthebackedgeoftheboxand7in.fromoneendoftheboxtofindthecenterpointforthemortise.Useatrysquaretodrawthecenterline.

2. Then,fromthecenterline,measureouttotheleftandright11⁄8in.Drawsquarelinesateachmarktorepresentthe21⁄4-in.-longmortise.

Install a full-mortise lockset

inback,andoneinthecenterofeachend.Positionthescrews3⁄4in.fromtheouteredges.Drilla7⁄64-in.-dia.pilotholeforeachscrewandthencoun-tersinktheholes.Driveinthescrewsandremovetheclamps(photo e ).

1. Usea3⁄8-in.-dia.Forstner®bittobore1⁄4-in.-deepholes(mortises)intothebottomofthebase.Positionthemortises3⁄4in.infromallfourcorners.Brushyellowglueintothemortisesandontothetenonsofeachbunfoot.Pressthefeetintothemortisesandclamptheminplacewithsmallbarclamps.Letthegluedryfortwohoursbeforeremovingtheclamps.

2. Settheboxupsidedownontheworkbench.Placethebaseontop,makingsureitsbackedgeisflushwiththerearofthebox.Securethebaseinplacewithsmallbarclamps.

3. Attachthebasetothebottomoftheboxwithseven1-in.-longflat-headscrews:threeinfront,two

Attach the bun feet and base

AfteR AttAChing the bun feet, screw the base to the bottom of the box with 1-in.-long flat-head screws.

e


Before routing the mortise for the lockset, make a test cut into a 93⁄4-in.-wide by 14-in.-long piece of scrap plywood or MDF. Rout the mortise, then check to make sure it’s properly placed and is the correct length and depth.

work smart

5. Drillashorter,butdeepermortiseintothefirstmortiseyouroutedintothetopfrontedgeofthebox.Thissecondmortisewillreceivethebrasslockmechanism,whichmeasures7⁄32in.thickby11⁄16in.deepby13⁄8in.wide.Startbydrawingacenterlineacrossthelengthofthemortise,thenmeasureoutfromthecenter11⁄16in.towardeachendtoequalthe13⁄8-in.widthofthelockmechanism.

6. Usea7⁄32-in.-dia.drillbittodrillaseriesofcloselyspaced11⁄8-in.-deepholeswithinthe13⁄8-in.-wideoutline.Continuedrillinguntiltheentiremor-tiseisdrilledout(photo A ).

7. Chiselthewallsofthemortiseflatandsmooth.Youcanleavetheroundedendsofthemortise;don’tbothersquaringthemup(photo b ).Temporarilyinstallthelockandchecktobesureitandtheselvedgefitsnuglyintothemortises.

8. Drillakeyholeintothefrontofthebox.Measuredown7⁄8in.fromthefrontcenteroftheserpentineboxfrontandusea5⁄16-in.-dia.bitsetto3⁄4in.deeptodrillthekeyhole(photo C ).Placethefull-mortiselockintothemortise,predrillthescrewholes,andattachthelocktothebox.Atthistime,fastenthelatchplatetotheboxtop,too.

dRill Closely spACed 11⁄8-in.-deep holes for the mortise for the brass lock mechanism. Then chisel the mortise walls flat and smooth.

A

Chisel the wAlls of the mortise flat and smooth.

b

dRill A 5⁄16-in.-diA. keyhole into the front of the box.

C


use A penCil to trace around the outside edge and keyhole of the escutcheon.

Mostfull-mortiselockscomewithamatchingkeyholecover,whichisknownasanescutcheon.However,ratherthanusethelock’sbrassescutch-eon,Idecidedtocustom-cutoneoutofthequiltedbubingahardwood.

1. Setthebrassescutcheonontopofapieceof1⁄8-in.-thickbubingaandtracearoundit(photo d ).

2. Drilla3⁄16-in.-dia.holethroughthemiddleoftheescutcheonoutline.Thenusethescrollsawanda#5reverseskip-toothbladetocutouttheinte-riorkeyslot.Repositionthebladeandcarefullycutalongtheoutsidepencilline(photo e ).

3. Toshapetheescutcheontomatchthe9-in.radiusoftheserpentineboxfront,youneedtomakearoundedsandingtemplate.Cutapieceofhardwoodto11⁄2in.thickby3in.wideby9in.long.Thenuseabandsawtocuta9-in.radiusintothehardwood.Clamptheradiusedtemplateintoabenchviseandsticka150-gritsandpaperdiskontoitscenter.Holdtheescutcheonagainstthesand-

Make the escutcheon

Cut the bubinga for the escutcheon 3 in. long. This is longer than needed, but it provides extra wood to hold down while cutting out the escutcheon.

work smart

d

use A sCRollsAw to cut out the interior key slot in the escutcheon and then cut along the outside pencil line.

e


ClAmp the esCutCheon to the box centered tothe keyhole. Let the glue dry overnight before removing the clamp.

the toP is attaChed to the boxwithtwo11⁄16-in.by11⁄4-in.brass-plated95°stophinges,whichholdthetopopenwithouttheaidofachain.

1. Propthetoplevelwiththebox,thenmeasure11⁄4in.infromeachend.Setthehingesflatacrosstheseambetweenthetopandtheboxandpositioneachhingesothatitsknuckle—thecylindricalpartthathousesthepin—extendspastthebackedgeby3⁄16in.Tracearoundthehingeswithasharppencil,markingtheiroutlinesontotheback,topedgeoftheboxandtheboxtop.

2. Usea3⁄4-in.-widewoodchiselandmallettocutjustinsidethepencillines.Holdthechiselverticallyatprecisely90°.Cuttoadepthof3⁄32in.Removethewastewoodfromwithineachhingemortiseusinga#2/8carvinggouge(photo A ).

Install the hinges

paperandslideitbackandforthacrossthetemplateuntilyouforma9-in.radiusintothebackoftheescutcheon.Periodicallycheckitagainsttheser-pentinefrontoftheboxuntilitfitsperfectlyaroundthekeyhole.Sandsmoothandroundovertheouteredgesoftheescutcheonusingthesame150-gritsandingtemplate.

4. Holdtheescutcheonagainsttheboxfrontandalignthetwokeyholes.Drawlightpencillinesaroundtheouteredgeoftheescutcheon.Brushalightcoatofyellowglueinsidethepencillineontheboxandontothebackoftheescutcheon.Avoidapplyingtoomuchglue.Clamptheescutcheontothebox,thenwipeawayanyexcessglue.Leavetheclampinplaceovernight(photo f ).

use A #2/8 CARving gouge to remove the waste wood from within each hinge mortise to a depth of 3⁄32 in.

A

f

3. Drillscrewpilotholesandfastenthehingeswiththescrewsprovided.


set the tAblesAw fenCe 1 in. from the blade and rip six tray ends. Then cut the three fronts and three backs. Use a push stick to push the narrow parts past the sawblade.

3. Brushyellowglueontoalleightcornersandthefourebonydovetails.Thenassemblethetraybyslidingthedovetailsintothecornersjoints. Clampeachtraytogetherwithfourshortbarclamps(photo b ).Useaclean,dryragtowipeoffanyexcessglue.Letthegluedryfortwohoursbeforeremovingtheclamps.Repeatthestepsfortheremainingtwotrays.

4. Afterthegluehascompletelydried,useawoodfiletosmoothandflattentheebonydovetailsflushwiththebubingahardwood.Useasandingblockwith150-gritsandpapertosandallthebubingasur-facessmoothandflush.Thenlightlyroundoverallthecornersandedgeswiththesandpaper.

the three Coin trays are designed to

fitintotheboxsittingoneontopoftheother.Smallbrassknobsareusedtoliftthetraysoutofthebox.Holesdrilledintothebottomofthetraysfitoverthebrassknobsandallowthetraystolieflat.

1. Earlieryoucuttosizeandroutedthedovetailsforthebubingatrays(seep.14).Nowripthemtotheir1-in.finishedwidthonthetablesaw(photo A ).

2. Cutthethreetraybottomsfrom1⁄4-in.-thickmapleplywood(see“Materials”onp.6).Checkthatthetraypartsfittogetherbydry-fittingeachtrayusingthe11⁄16-in.-longebonydovetailsthatyoucutearlier.

Make the coin trays

ClAmp eACh tRAy togetheR, checking to be sure the mitered-corner joints fit tightly together. Set a try square into the inside corners to ensure the trays are square.

bA


3. Onceallthedividersarecut,assemblethemandsetthemintothetraystoensuretheyfitsnugly.Use150-gritsandpapertosmoothalledgesandsurfacesofthedividers.

Forthiscoinbox,Ibuiltallthreetraystoholdsilverdollars;eachtrayholds18ofthe11⁄2-in.-dia.coins.Youcaneasilyalterthedividersinthetraystoholdcoinsoflargerorsmallersizes.

1. Startbycuttingthedividersfrom3⁄16-in.-thickby3⁄8-in.-widebubingahardwood.Foreachtray,youneedtwo113⁄8-in.-longhorizontalpieces,andfive57⁄8-in.-longverticalones.Setthetablesawbladeto3⁄16in.high,whichwillsplitthewidthofthedividerinhalfforcuttingthelapjoint.

2. Usethemitergaugewithanattachedwoodsupportblocktocuthalf-lapjointsintothehori-zontaldividerpieces.Holdallsix113⁄8-in.-longdividersagainstthesupportblockandcutthemallatthesametime.Thenadjustthedividersover1⁄16in.toproduce3⁄16-in.-widejoints(photo d ).Repeatthesesamestepsforthe57⁄8-in.-longverticaldividers.

Make the tray dividers

Cut the hAlf-lAps into the tray dividers, usinga wood block attached to the miter gauge to support the pieces.

dRill two CounteRsunk holes into the bottom edge of each tray, positioned to align with the brass knobs in the tray below.

C

5. Installtwosmallbrassknobs,eachmeasuringapproximately1⁄4in.tallby5⁄16in.dia.,toeachtray.Positiontheknobsatoppositecornersand11⁄4in.fromthetrayedges(seethebottomphotoonp.37).Thisbalancedpositioningmakesiteasytoliftthetraysfromthebox.

6. Drilltwo3⁄8-in.-dia.by3⁄8-in.-deepholesintothebottomedgeofthreetrays.Positiontheholestoalignwiththebrassknobsinthetraybelow.Usea3⁄4-in.-dia.countersinkbittocreatea1⁄2-in.-widecountersinkchamferaroundeachhole(photo C ).Thisslightchamferwillprotectthewoodfromchip-pingandhelpguidetheknobsintotheholes.

d


as the final steP, i aPPlied a Clear,precatalyzedlacquerfinishtotheboxwithapneu-maticsprayer.

1. Startbylightlyhand-sandingallsurfaceswith150-gritsandpaper.Blowoffthesandingdustandwipeeverythingdownwithaclean,dryrag.

2. Sprayallsurfaceswithaverylightcoatoflac-quer,whichactsasasealer.Allowthelacquertodryonehourlongerthanisrecommendedbythemanu-facturer(photo A ).

3. Lightlysandallsurfaceswithultra-fine320-gritsandpaper.Wipeoffthesandingdust,thensprayonanotherlightcoatoflacquer.Becarefulnottoapply

Apply the finish

Before applying a finish to the coin trays, use painter’s tape to mask off the top, interior surface of the ply-wood bottoms. Once the finish has dried, remove the tape. The unfin-ished surface gives the adhesive a stronger bond to hold down the velvet lining.

work smart

Apply thRee CoAts of precatalyzed lacquer finish to the box with a pneumatic sprayer.

A

thelacquertoothickly;otherwise,itcouldcrackovertime.Repeatthepreviousstepbysandingwith320-gritsandpaperandthenapplyingonefinalcoatoflacquer.Letthefinishdryovernight.


the bottom of eaCh Coin tray is linedwithself-adhesiveblackvelvet,whichissoft,dura-ble,andtheperfectcomplementtothejet-blackebonyhardwood.

1. Toaccuratelycutthevelvettosize,makeatem-platefrom1⁄4-in.-thickplywood.Cutthetemplateto57⁄8in.wideby113⁄8in.long,thesamesizeastheinteriorofthetrays.

2. Laythevelvetfaceupontoacuttingmatandsettheplywoodtemplateontop.Pressdownonthetemplateandcutarounditwithascalpel.Checkthefitinthetray.Repeattocutthefinaltwovelvetpieces.

3. Peelofftheprotectivepaperfromthebackofonevelvetpieceandgentlysetitintothetray.Checktobesureit’sintheproperposition,thenslowlypressdownthevelvet.Repeattolinetheremainingtwotrays(photo A ).

Install the tray liners

the finished tRAys nest inside the box.

line the bottom of each coin tray with self-adhesive black velvet, cut to fit.

A

38 P lay ing C ard B ox

Playing Card Box

his beautiful

camphor burl card box

provides a neat, stylish

way to store all your playing cards.

Centered on the box top is an

attractive marquetry design that

represents the four suits of cards.

To enhance the edges of the box,

I added diamond-pattern banding

to further illustrate the playing-

card theme.

In this chapter, you’ll learn tech-

niques for cutting the playing card

marquetry using just a scalpel, a

technique known as the window

method. The playing cards are cut

from holly veneer and the card

symbols—heart, club, spade, and

diamond—are cut from bloodwood

and Macassar ebony veneers. And

there are step-by-step instructions

for fabricating the diamond-pattern

banding from Macassar ebony,

bloodwood, and holly hardwoods.

Other advanced box-making

techniques used in this project are

cutting miters with a 90° V-groove

router bit and turning a knob out of

Macassar ebony. To complement

the ebony used throughout the box,

T

you’ll learn how to make the box

feet from pieces of Macassar ebony.

The playing card box measures

33⁄8 in. tall by 8 in. deep by 145⁄8 in.

long, plenty large enough to store

four decks of playing cards, poker

chips, and even some dice.

Play ing C ard B ox 39

Quantity Part size ConstruCtion notes

2 Banding borders 1⁄16 in. 11⁄4 in. 191⁄8 in. Macassar ebony

2 Half-diamond bandings

3⁄16 in. 11⁄4 in. 24 in. holly

1 Diamond banding

9⁄32 in. 11⁄4 in. 24 in. bloodwood

1 Box panel 1⁄2 in. 141⁄4 in. 207⁄8 in. 1⁄2-in.-thick maple plywood (for box top and sides)

2 Box substrates 1⁄42 in. 211⁄8 in. 141⁄2 in. camphor burl veneer

4 Insert veneer 1⁄42 in. 31⁄2 in. 41⁄2 in. holly veneer

2 Heart, diamond 1⁄42 in. 2 in. 2 in. bloodwood veneer

2 Spade, club 1⁄42 in. 2 in. 2 in. Macassar ebony veneer

1 Box bottom 1⁄4 in. 71⁄2 in. 141⁄8 in. 1⁄4-in.-thick maple plywood

2 Box bottom veneer

1⁄42 in. 73⁄4 in. 143⁄8 in. camphor burl veneer

6 Edge veneers 1⁄42 in. 3⁄4 in. 8 in. camphor burl veneer

6 Edge veneers 1⁄42 in. 3⁄4 in. 145⁄8 in. camphor burl veneer

1 pair 95º stop hinges 11⁄16 in. 11⁄4 in. brass-plated

4 Top tenon feet 1⁄4 in. 7⁄16 in. 11⁄16 in. Macassar ebony

4 Middle feet 3⁄16 in. 1 in. 11⁄4 in. Macassar ebony

4 Bottom feet 3⁄16 in. 3⁄4 in. 7⁄8 in. Macassar ebony

1 Knob 13⁄4 in. 13⁄4 in. Macassar ebony

3 Poker-chip dividers

7⁄8 in. 11⁄8 in. 47⁄8 in. Macassar ebony

2 Card dividers 7⁄8 in. 5⁄16 in. 7 in. Macassar ebony

2 Dice trays 7⁄8 in. 13⁄8 in. 41⁄16 in. Macassar ebony

materials


Resaw the haRdwood pieces for the banding to their finished thickness, using a featherboard and a push stick for safety.

topsurfaceofeachsled.Positionthefences67⁄8in.fromthefrontedgeoftheplywoodsled.Besurethefencesaresquarebeforefastening.Setthecrosscutsledontothebandsawtablewithitsrunnerinthemiter-gaugegroove.Turnonthesawandpushthesledforward,cuttingthroughtheplywoodsledandapproximately1⁄2in.deepintothehardwoodfence.

5. Makeahardwoodstopblockthat’sabout1in.thickby2in.wideby5in.long.Thestopblockisclampedtothefenceformakingrepetitivecutsofthesameexactsize.

the first steP to building this box istomaketheeye-catchingdiamond-patternbandingthatrunsaroundtheboxandtheboxtop.Topro-duceacomplementarycoloranddesigncombina-tion,ImadethebandingfromthesamethreewoodspeciesasIusedtomakethemarquetryveneer:Macassarebony,holly,andbloodwood.

You’llneedfivepiecesofhardwoodtomakethebanding:twopiecesofMacassarebonytoformtheoutsidebordersofthebanding,twopiecesofhollyformakingthehalf-diamondpieces,andonepieceofbloodwoodforthefull-shapediamonds.

1. CuttheMacassarebony,holly,andbloodwoodtolengthusingthemitersaw(see“Materials”onp.39).Switchtothetablesaw,setthefence11⁄4in.fromtheblade,andcutthepiecestowidth.

2. Resawthehardwoodpiecestotheirfinishedthickness.Makeatest-cutinscrapwoodfirsttoconfirmtheaccuracyofeachsetup.Cuttwoebonypiecesto1⁄16in.thick,twohollypiecesto3⁄16in.thick,andonebloodwoodpieceto9⁄32in.thick(photo a ).

3. Maketwocrosscutsledsforyourbandsawtable:oneforcuttingthefull-shapeddiamondsandtheotherforcuttingthe45°anglesforthehalf-diamondpieces(seethephotosonthefacingpage).Everybandsawisdifferent,soadjustthedimensionstofityoursaw.Formy14-in.Delta®bandsaw,Icuttwo133⁄4-in.-sq.piecesof3⁄4-in.plywood,andtwohard-woodrunners,eachmeasuring3⁄8in.thickby3⁄4in.wideby14in.long.Therunnersarescrewedtotheundersideofeachplywoodsledandslideinthemiter-gaugegrooveinthebandsawtable.

4. Cuttwohardwoodfences,each1in.thickby2in.wideby133⁄4in.long,andscrewonetothe

Make the banding

a


fence,andthenslidethesledforwardtocuta45°angleintotheendofthestopblock.Flipthestopblockoverandtrimoffabout1⁄8in.ofitspointedtiptocreateasmall,flatsurfacetowhichthehollystripcanbebutted.

4. Measure3⁄8in.fromthebandsaw-bladekerfcutintothesledandclampthestopblocktothefence.

5. Oncethestopblockisclampedinposition,cutoneendofthehollystripto45°,thenflipitover,buttittothestopblock,andcuttheopposing45°angle.Thatwillproduceonetriangular-shapedpieceofhalf-diamondholly.Flipthestripover,buttittothestop,andrepeatuntilyou’vecut100half-diamondpiecesofholly(photo c ).

6. Useasandingblockand150-gritsandpapertoverylightlysandoffburrsandroughspotsfromeachpieceofhollyandbloodwoodbanding.

1. Thefirsthardwoodpartstocutwiththecrosscutsledarethe9⁄32-in.-thickbloodwoodpieces,whichwillformthefulldiamondsinthecenteroftheband-ing.Startbyclampingthestopblocktothefenceatexactly9⁄32in.fromthesawbladekerf.Thisstop-blockpositionwillproduceaperfectsquarepart,whichwhenrotated45°willlooklikeadiamond.

Holdthebloodwoodstripinplaceagainstthefenceandtighttothestopblock.Slidethesledintotheblade,cuttingthroughthebloodwoodstripandinto—butnotthrough—thefence.Removethecutpieceofbloodwoodandpullthesledbackawayfromtheblade.Pushthebloodwoodtighttothestopblockandrepeatuntilyou’vecut50pieces(photo B ).

2. Topreparetocutthehollystrips,whichformthehalf-diamondsinthedecorativebanding,adjustthebandsawtableto45°,turnonthesaw,andslidethesecondcrosscutsledintothebladecuttingapproximately1⁄2in.intothefence.

3. Makeahardwoodstopblockfortheangle-cuttingsledthat’sabout1⁄4in.thickby11⁄4in.wideby4in.long.Holdthestopblockflatagainstthe

Cut full- and half-diamonds

While cutting the pieces of banding, check often to make sure there’s no sawdust building up against the stop block. Even a little bit of sawdust will affect the uniformity of the pieces.

work smart

Using a shopmade cRosscUt sled on the bandsaw, cut the bloodwood pieces that form the full diamonds in the center of the banding. To produce clean, straight cuts with these small pieces, use a 1⁄4-in.-wide by 6-tpi blade.

B

switch to the angle-cUtting sled to cut the half-diamond holly pieces, butting the end of the holly against the stop block clamped to the fence.

c


afteR applying glUe to the surfaces of the holly triangles, fill in with the bloodwood pieces.

Glue together the diamonds

4. Setabloodwoodpieceintothecenterofthefirsttwohollytriangles.Pressdownandslidethebloodwoodpiecebackandforthslightlytoensureastronggluebond.Checktobesuretheendsofthepiecesareflush.Continueinstallingbloodwoodpiecesinthismanneruntilall50areglueddown(photo e ).

5. Squeezetwobeadsofglueacrosstheblood-woodpieces.Brushtheglueoutevenlyandthenpresstheremaininghollytrianglesdownontothebloodwoodpieces.Remembertoslideeachtrianglebackandforthslightlytocreateagoodgluebond.

1. Maketwohardwoodclampingcauls,eachmea-suring3⁄4in.thickby11⁄4in.wideby191⁄8in.long.Thecaulswillbeusedtoassemblethepiecesintothediamond-patternbanding.Cuta11⁄4-in.-wideby191⁄8-in.-longpieceofdouble-stickmountingfilm.Peelofftheprotectivebackingandstickthefilmtooneoftheclampingcauls.Peelofftheupperlayerofprotectivebackingtoexposetheadhesive.Usethisstickysurfacetoassemblethebandingpieces.

2. Startbyplacingoneofthehollytrianglesflushwiththeendoftheclampingcaul.Firmlypressitdownontothestickyfilm.Setanotherhollytri-angletightagainstthefirstone,andpressitdown.Continueinthismannerwiththeremaininghollypieces,coveringtheentireclampingcaul(photo d ).

3. Squeezetwothinbeadsofyellowglueacrossthehollytrianglesfromoneendofthecaultotheother.Thenuseasmallartist’sbrushtospreadtheglueevenlyontoeachtriangle.

eUse one of the clamping caUls with double-stick mounting film to assemble the pieces into the dia-mond banding. Working from the end of the caul, firmly press all the holly triangles down onto the sticky film.

d

When gluing down the bloodwood pieces, align the end grain of all the pieces in the same direction: all facing to the left or all to the right. This parallel alignment will give the banding a cleaner, more uniform appearance.

work smart


6. Onceallthehollytrianglesaregluedinplace,brushanevenlayerofglueacrossthetopofthetrianglesandalsoontoonesurfaceofoneoftheMacassarebonyborders(photo f ).

BRUsh yellow glUe onto the top of the hollytriangles and onto one surface of one of the Macassar ebony borders.

fadd the otheR clamping caUl and sandwich everything together. Space the clamps about 2 in. apart and tighten them with a fair amount of pressure.

g

1. Removetheclampsanduseaslottedscrew-drivertocarefullypryofftheclampingcaulthat’sstuckonwithdouble-stickfilm.Useasandingblockand80-gritsandpapertosandawayanydriedgluethatmayhaveseepedthroughtheholly.

2. BrushglueontothesecondMacassarebonyborderandacrossthehollytrianglesontheoppo-sitesideofthebanding.

Apply the second ebony border

3. PresstheMacassarebonyborderdownontothehollytriangles,thenusebothcaulsandbarclampsspacedabout2in.aparttofirmlyclampthebordertothebanding.Letthegluedryovernight.Removetheclampsandcaulsandsandthe11⁄4-in.-widesur-facesoftheebonyflatandsmoothwithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper.

7. Usetheotherclampingcaultosandwichthebandingwithseveralshortbarclamps(photo g ).Cleanoffanyexcessgluewithacleanragandscraper.Letthegluedryovernight.


1. Beforeslicingthebandingintothinstrips,flat-tenoneedgewithalow-angleblockplane.Settheplaneironforaveryshallowcutandmakelong,continuousstrokesacrossthebanding(photo h ).

2. Setthetablesawfence1⁄16in.fromthebladeandcutthebandingintothinstrips,usingapushstickforsafety.Byusinganultra-thin-kerfblade,youshouldbeabletogetnineslicesoutofthe11⁄4-in.-wideglued-uppieceofbanding.Thatmeansyou’llhavethreeextrapieces,incaseofanymishaps.

3. Thelaststepbeforestartingtobuildtheboxistousethebandsawtoripthreepiecesofband-inglengthwisedownthemiddle.Thesehalf-widthbandingstripswillbeinstalledalongtheseambetweentheboxandboxtop.Makeaplywoodplatformwithanattachedfencetofitthebandsawtable.Clamptheplatforminplaceandchecktobesurethebladewillripthebandingpreciselydownthemiddle.Withthebladealignedexactlywiththecenterofthebloodwooddiamonds,slowlypushthebandingstrips,oneatatime,pasttheblade(photo i ).

Slice the banding into thin strips

Use the Bandsaw to rip three pieces of banding lengthwise down the middle.

i

To produce extremely thin cuts,

as is necessary when making the 1⁄16-in.-thick diamond-pattern

banding, I recommend using an

ultrathin-kerf rip blade in the table-

saw. This blade has teeth that are

only 5⁄64 in. wide. The results are

cleaner thinner cuts with much

less waste.

Making Micro-Thin cuTs

Use a Bench vise to hold the banding while planing the edges flat and even.

h


tape the template to the center top surface of one of the camphor burl veneer pieces.

Sprayalightcoatofadhesivetothebacksideofthefour-cardtemplate,whichyoucutfromthepapertemplate.Setthefour-cardtemplateintothecutoutopeninginthepapertemplateandpressitdownontotheveneer.Peeloffthetaped-downpapertemplate.

5. Holdingthescalpelatapproximately45°,cutaroundtheoutsideedgesofthefour-cardtemplate(photo B , p. 46).Don’ttrytocutallthewaythroughtheveneer;instead,makerelativelyshort,lightscoringcutsaroundthetemplate.Whenyougettothetight-radiuscorners,makeveryshortscoringcuts.Afterscoringtheveneerallthewayaroundthefour-carddesign,placethescalpelbladeinthescoringcutsandcutthroughtheveneer.

the window method of marQuetry is atechniquethatusesonlyascalpeltocuttheveneers.First,atemplateisusedtodrawadesignontothebackgroundveneer.Thenthetemplatedesigniscutoutfrombackgroundveneer,creatingawindow.Thewindowinthebackgroundveneeristhenfilledwithanotherveneer,calledtheinsert.

Usingthewindowmethodtocutmarquetrytakesabitlongerthanothermarquetrytechniques,butthere’salotlesspreparationtimeinvolved.It’salsoagoodmarquetrymethodforcuttingstraightlineswithahighdegreeofaccuracy.

1. Startbymakingaphotocopyoftheplayingcardtemplateshownonp.47.Thenuseacuttingmat,scalpel,andstraightedgetocutaroundtheoutsidelinesofthetemplate,leavingthefourcardsattachedasonedesign.

2. Beforestartingthemarquetry,cuta141⁄4-in.-wideby207⁄8-in.-longboxpanelfrom1⁄2-in.mapleplywood(thisonepanelwillbeusedtoformtheboxsidesandtop).Next,cuttwoclampingcaulsfrom1⁄2-in.plywoodormedium-densityfiberboard(MDF).Makethemapproximately1⁄4in.widerandlongerthantheplywoodpanel.

3. Cuttwopiecesofcamphorburlveneertothesamesizeastheclampingcauls:141⁄2in.wideby211⁄8in.long.Savetimebyusingoneofthecaulsasacuttingtemplate:Setthecaulontopoftheveneerandcutarounditwithascalpel.

4. Takethepapertemplatefromwhichyouearliercutoutthefour-carddesign.Tapethetemplatetothecentertopsurfaceofoneofthecamphorburlveneerpieces;thisveneerpiecewilleventuallycoverthetopandallfoursidesofthebox(photo a ).

Window method of marquetry

a


hold the scalpel at approximately 45º and cut around the outside edges of the four-card template, mak-ing relatively short, light scoring cuts.

BcUt aRoUnd each of the foUR caRds, sepa-rating them from each other, and then cut out the center designs.

6. Setthefour-cardtemplatewithattachedveneerontothecuttingmat.Nowcutouteachofthefourcards,separatingthemfromeachother(photo c ).Cutoutthecenterdesigns—heart,club,diamond,andspade—fromthecards.Usethesamecuttingstepsasthecardtemplate:scorealongthelinesfirstandthencutthroughtheveneer.Aftercuttingoutallfourshapes,peelthepapertemplatefromthecamphorburlcardtemplate.

7. Cutfour31⁄2-in.-wideby41⁄2-in.-longpiecesofhollyveneer;thesepieceswillyieldtheinsertveneer.Tapethecamphorburlcardtemplatestothehollypieces.Thenusethesamescore-and-cutmethodasemployedearliertocutaroundtheout-sideedgesofthecardtemplates.Usingtheedgeofthecamphorburlveneerasacuttingguideensuresthattheveneerpieceswillfittogetherperfectly(photo d ).

8. Repositionthetapetoholddowntheperim-eterofthetemplate.Thencutoutthecenterdesignfromeachcard.

9. Cuttwo2-in.by2-in.bloodwoodveneerpieces,andtwo2-in.by2-in.Macassarebonyveneerpieces.

c

Thesefourpieceswillbeusedtofillinthecutoutsinthecenterofthehollyveneercards:Thebloodwoodveneerisusedfortheheartanddiamondsuits,theMacassarebonyfortheclubandspade.

10. Tapethehollyveneerhearttothetopofabloodwoodveneersquare.Alignthepieceswiththegrainofthetwopiecesrunningverticallyandparal-lel.Scoreandcutthroughthebloodwood,usingtheheart-shapedhollyveneerasaguide.Repeattocutoutthethreeremainingcardsuits,usingtheappro-priatelycoloredveneer(photo e ).

11. Pressthebloodwoodveneerheartinsertintothecentercutoutinthehollyveneerheartcard.Thensettheheartcardontoasheetofcamphorburlveneer.Ifyou’vecutthepiecescorrectly,theblood-woodheartshouldfitintothehollycardwithaverysmall,nearlyundetectablekerfspace(photo f ).Iftheheartisslightlytoolargetofitintothecutoutinthehollyveneercard,use150-gritsandpapertolightlysandtheedgesofthebloodwoodheart.Repeattofittheremainingthreeinsertsintothecards.


inseRt the heaRt into the holly card, and then set the card into the camphor burl background veneer.

Playing Card Template

tape the camphoR BURl caRd templatesto the holly veneer pieces and cut around the outside edges of the templates. As you cut, be sure to keep two or three pieces of the tape holding the template to the holly veneer. When necessary, move the tape and install new tape as you cut around the template.

d

It’s important to use a sharp scal-pel when cutting veneer. However, rather than replacing a dull blade, place the blade upside down and use a sharpening stone to resharpen it. A few short strokes back and forth across the stone will maintain a sharp cutting edge.

work smart

tape the holly veneeR heaRt to the top of a bloodwood veneer square and score and cut through the bloodwood.

e

f

31 ⁄2

in.

21⁄2 in.

Enlarge by 200% for full-size template. When enlarged, grid is 1⁄2 in. 1⁄2 in.


Onceallfourcardmarquetrypieceshavebeenfit-tedtogether,preparetogluetheboxtopveneertotheplywoodsubstrate.

1. Usebluepainter’stapetosecurethefourcardstothecentercutoutofthecamphorburlveneerpiececutpreviously(photo g ).Flipovertheveneer,placingitfacedownonthecuttingmat.Thenuselongstripsoftapeacrosstheentirebacksurfaceofthecards.Besurethetapecoversthe

Glue the veneer to the substrate

secURe the foUR caRds to the center cutout of the camphor burl veneer piece.

g

The advantage of using a tape dispenser, as

opposed to a wet sponge, is that the gluing pro-

cess goes much neater and faster. Water-gum tape

is coated with a special water-activated hide glue.

As you pull the tape from its roll, a water reser-

voir at the front of the dispenser dampens the

underside of the tape, activating the adhesive. The

dispenser also has a row of sharpened teeth that

cleanly cuts the tape to length.

WaTer-guM Tape Dispenser

wholemarquetrypattern.Nowflipthemarquetryveneerfaceupandcarefullypeelofftheshortpiecesoftapefromthefrontsurface.

2. Apply2-in.-widestripsofwater-gumtapetothefrontsurfaceofthemarquetrydesign.Besurethetapeextendsaninchorsoontothecamphorburlbackgroundveneer.Rubdownthetapewithafine-bristlebrassbrush(photo h ).Ifyoudon’townawater-gumtapedispenser,simplycutthetapeto


apply wateR-gUm tape to the front surface of the marquetry design and rub down the tape with a fine-bristle brass brush.

h

glUe the veneeR pieces to the plywood substrate and sandwich the substrate between two clamping cauls.

i

length,dampenitwithawetsponge,andpressitdownontotheveneer.

3. Oncethewater-gumtapehasdried,settheveneerfacedownandpeeloffthebluepainter’stapecoveringthebacksurface.Theboxtop’smarquetryveneerisnowreadytobeglueddowntotheply-woodsubstrate.

4. Preparetoglueveneertothetopandbottomoftheplywoodsubstrate.Startbyapplyingyellowgluetoeachsheetofveneerandtobothsurfacesofthesubstrate.Spreadtheglueevenlywithasmallroller.

5. Sticktheveneerpiecestotheplywoodsub-strate.Sandwichthesubstratebetweentwoclamp-ingcaulsandsecuretheassemblywithfourpiecesofGorillaTape(photo i ).Placetheveneeredassemblyintoavacuumpressandletthegluedryforthreehours.


2. Rollyellowglueontobothfacesofthemapleplywoodboxbottom,andontoonesurfaceofeachcamphorburlveneerpiece.Presstheveneerpiecestotheplywood,coverthetopandbottomwithaclampingcaul,andsecurewithGorillaTape.Sliptheboxbottomintothevacuumpressbagandletthegluedryforthreehours.Thentrimtheveneeredgesthesameasthetop.

1. Startbycuttinga1⁄4-in.-thickby71⁄2-in.-wideby141⁄8-in.-longpieceofmapleplywoodfortheboxbottom.Thencuttwo1⁄4-in.by73⁄4-in.by143⁄8-in.MDFpiecesforuseasclampingcauls.UseoneoftheMDFcaulsasatemplatetocuttwopiecesofcamphorburlveneer.Setthecaulontopoftheveneerandcutarounditsperimeter.Repeattopro-duceasecond73⁄4-in.by143⁄8-in.veneerpiece.

Make the box bottom

J

wet the gUm tape with a rag and gently scrape the gum tape from the four-card marquetry design.

It’s best to trim the veneer flush to the plywood substrate when the glue has dried for only three hours. If you wait overnight, the glue will be too hard to slice through.

work smart

6. Trimtheveneeredgesflushtothemapleply-woodsubstratebyplacingtheboxtopontothecuttingmatandusingthescalpeltocutawaytheexcessveneer.Guidethescalpel’sbladealongtheedgeoftheplywoodtoensureastraightcut.Useasandingblockwith150-gritsandpapertosmoothawayanyroughspots.

7. Wipethewater-gumtapewithawetrag.Thenuseacabinetscrapertogentlyscrapethegumtapefromthefour-cardmarquetrydesign(photo J ).

Ifthetapeistoohardtoeasilyscrapeoff,simplyrewetitandtryagain.Waitfortheveneertodrycompletelybeforeproceeding.


1. Useatablesawtocut1⁄4-in.-deepgroovesintotheboxtoreceivetheboxbottom.Setthetablesawfence1⁄4in.fromthebladeandadjustthebladeheightto1⁄4in.Placetheboxtightupagainstthesawfencewithitsfour-cardmarquetrydesignfac-ingup.Turnonthesawandpushtheboxtopacrosstheblade.Repeattocutagroovealongtheremain-ingthreeedges.

2. Readjustthetablesawfence,settingit3⁄8in.fromtheblade.Nowmakefourmorepassesoverthebladetowidenthegroovesto1⁄4in.However,becausetheboxbottomisveneeredonbothsur-faces,it’sslightlythickerthan1⁄4in.Movethefenceawayfromthebladeanamountequaltotwothicknessesofveneer,slightlylessthan1⁄16in.,andmakefourfinalpassesovertheblade.Settheboxbottomintothegroovestocheckthatitfitssnugly(photo a ).

Cut the bottom groove

cUt the gRooves for the box bottom and check the fit.

a

Rout the box mitersCut mitered joints into the box toP,ends,andcornerswitharoutertableand90°V-groovebit.Thebitshouldhavea11⁄2-in.cuttingwidth,13⁄16-in.cuttingdepth,andoveralllengthof2in.Thisroutingmethodprovidesafast,effectivewaytoproduceseamlessjointswhileallowingthewood-grainpatternoftheveneertoperfectlymatchuparoundthebox.

1. Withtheboxtopfaceup,measure31⁄8in.fromallfouredgesandputdown2-in.-widestripsofbluepainter’stape.Besuretoalignthecenterofthetapestripswiththe31⁄8-in.measurement.

Coverthefirsttapestripswithtwomorelayersoftape.Threetapelayerswillprovideplentyofstrengthtoholdtheboxpartstogetherduringtheroutingprocess.Afterfirmlypressingdownallthreetapelayers,trimofftheexcesstapewithascalpel.

2. Settheroutertablefence31⁄8in.fromthepointedtipoftheV-groovebit.Raisethebitabout1⁄4in.high;it’sbesttomillthemiteredjointsintwoorthreeprogressivelydeeperpasses.Turnontherouterandpushtheboxtopoverthebit.Repeat


to foRm the Box miteRs, make three passes over the V-groove bit, raising the bit a little on each pass. On the last pass, raise the bit to within 1⁄64 in. of the masking tape.

cUt away the foUR outside corners so that the miters can be folded together to form the box.

c

B

toroutashallowgrooveintotheotherthreeedgesofthetop.Raisethebitalittlemoreandrepeat.Onthelastpass,raisethebittowithin1⁄64in.ofthemaskingtape.Theideaistocutthroughtheplywoodandjustbarelyscoretheundersideoftheveneer.Whenproperlycut,theV-groovesallowyoutoclosethemiterjointswhilethetapeholdstheplywoodpiecestogether(photo B ).

3. Turnoverthesubstrateanduseascalpeltocutawaythefouroutsidecorners(photo c ).Nowthemiterscanbefoldedtogethertoformthebox.

3⁄4in.thickby3in.wideby71⁄2in.long.Thesewillbeusedtoapplyequalclampingpressuretoallfoursidesofthebox.

2. Brushyellowglueontobothfacesofeachmiter;trytokeepglue1⁄16in.awayfromtheinsideface

Dry-fittheboxtogetherwiththebottomplacedintoitsgrooves.Checktoconfirmthatallthemiteredjointsfittightlytogether.

1. Makefourplywoodclampingcauls:twoat3⁄4in.thickby3in.wideby14in.long,andtwoat



with the Box Bottom set into the grooves and a plywood clamping caul against each side of the box, use four bar clamps to clamp the box.

d

veneer.Toomuchgluewillsqueezeoutallovertheinsideofthebox.Don’tapplyanygluetothebox-bottomgrooves.

3. Settheboxbottomintothegroovesandthenfoldthemiteredjointsclosed,formingthebox.Tapestripsateachcornertoholdtheboxtogether.Placeaplywoodclampingcaulagainsteachsideofthebox,thenapplymediumpressurewithfourbarclamps.Letthegluedryovernightbeforeremovingtheclamps(photo d ).

you need to Cut the box in two to

separatethetopfromtheboxitself;thebesttoolforthisjobisthetablesaw.

1. Adjusttheheightofthesawbladeto15⁄32in.,whichisabout1⁄32in.shyofcuttingcompletelythroughthebox.Cutalongallfoursidesofthebox,keepingitasstraightaspossiblewhilepushingitpasttheblade(photo a ).Separatetheboxtopfromitsbottombyusingascalpeltoslicethroughtheremainingplywoodandveneer.

2. Nowusethetablesawtoremovetheremaininglipfromthejust-cutedgeoftheboxtopandbox.Raisethesawbladeapproximately1⁄16in.andpassallfouredgesofboththetopandboxpasttheblade.Thisfinaltrimmingcutwillleaveaflat,cleanedgeforveneering.

Cut the box in half

sepaRate the Box top from the box itself bycutting along all four sides on the tablesaw, leaving 1⁄32 in. shy of cutting all the way through the box.

a


145⁄8in.long.That’senoughveneertocoverthefouredgesattheverybottomofthebox,fouredgesaroundthetopofthebox,andfouredgesontheundersideoftheboxtop.

3. Placetheveneeronthecuttingmatandsetaclampingcaulontop.Firmlypressdownonthecaul,thencutaroundallfouredgeswithascalpel.Repeattocutatotalofsix8-in.-longveneerstrips,andsix145⁄8-in.-longstrips.

4. Brushyellowglueontoboththeveneerandboxedge.Lightlypresstheveneertotheedge,thenchecktoconfirmthatitsmiteredendslineupwiththeboxcorners.

here’s a QuiCk, easy way to Cut veneer

stripsfortheboxedges:First,makeclampingcaulsthatareabout1⁄4in.widerthantheedgebutexactlythesamelength.Thenusethecaulsastemplatestocuttheveneerstripstosize.Thismethodeliminateshavingtomeasureeachveneerstrip,and,becausethestripswillbe1⁄4in.widerthannecessary,youcanadjustthemtofitperfectlyatthemiteredcorners.

1. Cuttwoclampingcaulsoutofhardwood:oneat3⁄4in.by3⁄4in.by8in.long,andanotherat3⁄4in.by3⁄4in.by145⁄8in.long.Miter-cutbothendsofeachcaulto45°.

2. Cut12stripsofcamphorburlveneer:sixat3⁄4in.wideby8in.longandsixat3⁄4in.wideby

Veneer the edges

place the caUl on top of the veneer strip and clamp down the veneer with four bar clamps.

atRim the excess veneeR flush to the box with a scalpel.

B


4. Torabbetinthehalfbanding,setthefencetorouta7⁄32-in.-widerabbet.Thecutdepthshouldstaythesameasthetop,1⁄16in.orslightlyunder.Thenroutthesideedgesofthetopandbottominsideedgesofthebox(photo a ).

the next stePis to rout shallow rab-

betsintotheboxtopandaroundthemiddleoftheboxtoreceivethediamond-patternbanding.Thebandingmeasures1⁄16in.thickby1⁄2in.wide.

1. Toimprovecuttingaccuracy,cutapieceof3⁄4-in.-thickplywoodandclampittotheroutertablewithhalfofthe3⁄4-in.-dia.circledrilledoutofitscenteredge.Thishalf-roundcutoutwillfitaroundtherouterbit.

2. Installa5⁄8-in.-dia.straight-cuttingbitandadjustthefencesothebitcutsslightlylessthan1⁄2in.wide.Thiswillallowthebandingtooverhangtheboxveneerslightly.Adjusttheheightoftherouterbittocutslightlylessthan1⁄16in.,whichwillensurethatthebandingdoesn’tsitlowerthanthecamphorburlveneer.

3. Toroutthetoprabbetonthetopsurface,placetheboxtopfacedownandtighttothefence,turnontherouter,andpushallfoursidesthroughthebit.

Rout rabbets for the banding

RoUt the RaBBet for the banding, keeping a slow and steady speed to prevent any chipping. a

5. Placethecaulontopoftheveneerstripandclampdowntheveneerwithfourbarclamps(photo a , facing page).Immediatelywipeawayanyexcessgluewitharag.Then,useasteelrule,orsimilartoolwithsquarecorners,toscrapeawayanyremainingglue.Allowthegluetodryforthreehoursandthenrepeattoveneertheremainingedges.

6. Trimtheouteredgesoftheveneerflushtotheboxwithascalpel.Holdtheboxdownonthecut-tingmatandguidethescalpel’sbladealongtheperimeterofthebox(photo B ).

7. Trimtheinnerveneeredgesbysettingtheboxonitsside,withtheveneerededgefacingup.Holdthescalpelonitssideandguideitsbladealongtheflatsurfaceofthebox.

8. Smooththetrimmedveneeredgesinsideandoutsidetheboxwithasmall,flatneedlefile.Smoothawayallroughspotsandburrsleftbehindbythescalpel.


1. Placealengthofbandingintherabbetalongthetop,frontedgeoftheboxtop.Useapencilandpro-tractorcombinationsquaretodrawlinesontothebandingtorepresentwheretocuttheendmiters.

2. Cutthemiteredendsofthebandingto45°withamiterboxandsmall,fine-toothhandsaw.Ifneces-sary,placeapieceofhardwoodintothebottomofthemiterboxtoprotectthesawteeth(photo B ).

3. Pressthefrontbandingintoitsrabbetandholditinplacewithastripoftape.Settheadjacentlengthofbandingintotherabbetalongtheendoftheboxtop,runningitunderthemiteredendofthefrontbanding.Lineupthediamondpattern,thenusethemiteredendofthefrontbandingtodrawthe45°cutlineontothebandingbelow(photo c ).Hand-cutthebandingonthemiterbox.Repeatthesestepstocompletethetopbanding.

4. Tolineupthediamondpatternalongthesidesofthebox,placethebandingstripsintotherabbetsandmarkthecutlineswithapencil.Remembertheendsofthesebandingstripsaremiteredwheretheywraparoundthecornersofthebox.Tocuttheseendmitersinthemiterbox,youmustholdthebandingsonedge.

Cut and fit the banding

You can make your own miter box by simply gluing and screwing together three pieces of hardwood to form a square-bottomed trough. Then use any small Japanese-style handsaw that has 20 tpi (teeth per inch) to 26 tpi to cut the desired angles into the miter box.

work smart

cUt the miteRed ends of the banding with a miter box and small fine-tooth handsaw.

B

Use the miteRed end of the front banding to draw the 45º cut line onto the banding below.

c


3. Toglueonthesidebanding,usethesamemethoddescribedintheprevioussteps.Thenclamponalleightbandingsintothetopandbottomofthebox.Aftertheglueisdry,useablockplanetoverylightlyplanethebandingflushtothesurfaceoftheveneer.

1. Toholdthemiterstighttoeachotherwhileglu-ingandclampingthebandingtothebox,cutbluepainter’stapewithamiteroneachendabout1⁄4in.shorterthantheactualbandingtothetop.

2. Togluethebandinginplace,liftuptheout-sideedgeofonebandingpiecewiththetapestillattachedtoboththetopandbanding.Brushyellowglueontobothsurfaces,andthensetthebandingbackinplace(photo d ).Clampdownonepieceofbandingatatime,usingthesameclampingcaulsyouusedtocuttheveneeredges.Afterthebandinghasbeenglueddown,wipeoffanyexcessgluewithacleancloth.Repeatthisstepfortheremainingtopbandingpieces.

Glue and clamp the banding

hold the Banding in place with blue painter’s tape while you glue down each piece. Clamp down the banding using the same clamping cauls you used to cut the veneer edges.

d

3. Removethewastewoodfromwithineachhingemortisewitha#2/8carvinggouge.Again,removejust3⁄32in.ofwoodfromeachmortise.Setthetwohingesintothemortisesandattachwiththebrassscrewsprovided.

the box toP is attaChed with two

11⁄16-in.by11⁄4-in.brass-plated95°stophinges,whichholdtheboxtopopenwithouttheaidofachain.Tomountthehinges,you’llneedtocutfourmortisesthroughboththebandingandplywood.Thebandingisrelativelyhardandchipseasily,sobesureyourchiselisextrasharp.

1. Measurein11⁄4in.fromeachendoftheboxandboxtopandmarksquarecutlines.Setahingeonthelineandtracearounditshingeleafwithasharppencil.Repeattotracetheremainingthreehingepositionsontheboxandboxtop.

2. Clampa1-in.-sq.by8-in.-longwoodblocktotherearinsidesurfaceofthebox;theblockwillpre-venttheplywoodfromsplittingwhileyouchiseloutthehingemortise(photo a ).

Install the hinges

cUt JUst inside the pencil lines for the hinge mortise using a 3⁄4-in.-wide wood chisel and mallet. Hold the chisel at precisely 90° and cut to a depth of 3⁄32 in.

a


3. Turntheboxupsidedownandgluethe7⁄16-in.by11⁄16-in.tenonpiecestothefourcornersofthebox.Secureeachtenonwithasmallbarclamp.Allowthegluetodryforthreehours.Thenglueandclampthefeettothetenons.Lineupthebackedgesofthepieces,whichallowsthefeettoextendout1⁄16in.(photo a ).

the small feet attaChed to the bottomofthisboxaremadefromMacassarebony,whichaccentuatestheebonyinlayinthebanding.Eachfootisgluedtogetherfromthreepiecesofebony:twopiecesformthefoot’smiddleandbottomsec-tions,andonepieceservesasthetenonatthetopofthefoot.Sotomakethefourfeet,you’llneed12piecesofebony:4forthetoptenon,4forthemiddlesection,and4forthebottomsection(see“Materials”onp.39).

1. Startbycuttingall12ebonypiecestosizeusingthetablesawandmitersaw.Tomakerepetitive,accuratecrosscuts,employastopblock.Useasand-ingblockand150-gritsandpapertolightlysandalltheedgesandsurfaces.

2. Glueandclampthe3⁄4-in.by7⁄8-in.bottompiecestothe1-in.by11⁄4-in.middlepieces.Besuretoposi-tionthesmallerbottompieceswitha1⁄8-in.offsetalongthreesides.Theremaining1⁄4-in.offsetrepre-sentstheinsideedgeofthefoot.Useasmallspringclamptoholdthetwopiecestogetheruntilthegluedries.Repeatfortheotherthreefeet.

Make the box feet

glUe the thRee-piece feet to the bottom of the box.

a

toitsfinishedsizeof3⁄4in.dia.by3⁄4in.longwitha1⁄4-in.-longby3⁄8-in.-dia.tenon.

1. Startbyusingtheroughinggougetocutthesquareblankintoa13⁄16-in.-dia.by11⁄4-in.-longcylinder,whichisslightlylargerthantheknob’sfinisheddimension.Thenturnoffthelatheandreadjustthetoolrest,lockingit1⁄8in.awayfromtheblank.

to turn the small rounded knob used

tolifttheboxtop,you’llneedapairofoutsidecalipersandfourturningtools:aroughinggouge,1⁄8-in.partingtool,skewchisel,and3⁄8-in.round-edgeskew.IusedaNOVA™midichucktoholdthestockinthelathe.

Theknobismadefroma13⁄4-in.by13⁄4-in.blockofMacassarebony,thesamehardwoodasthefeet.Setthelathe’sspeedto500rpmandturntheknob

Turn the knob


Use the skew chisel to form the elliptical shape of the knob.

2. Makeaphotocopyofthetemplateshownabove.Usethetemplateandwhitepenciltomarkcutlinesontotheebonycylinder.Holdthepencilpointagainsteachmarkandrotatethecylinderbyhandtodrawlinesallthewayaround.

3. Usethe1⁄8-in.partingtooltomakeaninitialdepthcutintotheknob.Fornow,makeonlyonecut;thiswillkeepthecylindermorestablewhenroundingtheknob.

4. Usetheskewchiseltoroundboththeoutsideandinsideedgesofthecylinder,forminganellipti-calshape.Asyouroundtheedges,you’llalsobereducingthediameterofthecylinder.Becarefulnottocuttoodeeply.Theknob’sfinisheddiameteris3⁄4in.(photo a ).

5. Switchtothe3⁄8-in.round-edgeskewtocutintotheebony,formingacovethatextendsfromthesec-ondpencillinetothebackedgeoftheknob.

6. Usethe1⁄8-in.partingtooltocutintotheout-sideedgeofthesecondpencilline.Cutstraightintotheebony,leavinga5⁄8-in.-dia.flatringatthebaseofthecove(photo B ).Turnthetenonwiththepartingtoolbycuttingtwokerfstoestablishthe1⁄4-in.-longby3⁄8-in.-dia.tenon.

7. Runthelatheinreverseat900rpmandsandtheknobsmoothwithahandfulofwoodshavings.Holdtheshavingsagainstthespinningknobandthey’llactasultrafinesandpaper.Thenusethe1⁄8-in.partingtooltocutthroughtheendofthetenon,severingtheknobfromtheblank.

a

tURn the tenon with the parting tool.

B

Knob Template

Reduce by 50% for full-size template. When reduced, grid is 1⁄8 in. 1⁄8 in.

1 in.3⁄4 in.

3⁄8 in. 3⁄8 in.

3⁄8 in. 3⁄4 in.

1⁄4 in.

1⁄4 in.


2. Brushyellowglueintothemortiseandontotheknob’stenon.Presstheknobintothemortiseandsecureitwithabarclampandpadprotectors.Letthegluedryfortwohourstothreehours.

1. Setupthedrillpresswitha3⁄8-in.-dia.Forstnerbitandthendrilla1⁄4-in.-deephole(mortise)intothecenteroftheboxlid,slightlyabovethebanding.Dry-fittheknobtomakesureitfits.

Attach the knob

1. Tocuttheedge-lapjoints,startbyraisingthetablesawbladeto7⁄16in.,whichishalfthe7⁄8-in.thicknessoftheebonypieces.Thenusethemitergaugetosawa7⁄16-in.-highby13⁄8-in.-widecutoutintothecenterofeachcarddivider.Thesecutoutswillstraddletheendsofthedicetrays(photo a ).

2. Usethemitergaugetocutashallow5⁄16-in.-wideby7⁄16-in.-highrabbetintobothendsofeachdicetray.

the interior of the box isdividedintosectionsbystripsofMacassarebony.Thedividerscreatecompartmentsforstoringfourdecksofcardsandfourrowsofpokerchips.Therearealsotwonarrowtrays,whicheachholdfivedice.

Forthepoker-chipdividers,you’llneedthreeebonypieceseach7⁄8in.thickby11⁄8in.wideby47⁄8in.long.Tomakethecarddividers,cuttwopieceseach7⁄8in.thickby5⁄16in.wideby7in.long.Forthedicetrays,you’llneedtwoebonypieceseach7⁄8in.thickby13⁄8in.wideby41⁄16in.long.

Cut the interior dividers

Interior Layout

Poker-chip divider

Card divider

Dice tray

145⁄8 in.

135⁄8 in.

8 in.

213⁄16 in.

41⁄16 in.

13⁄8 in.

47⁄8 in.

7 in.

7⁄8 in.

1⁄2 in.1⁄2 in.

1⁄4 in.

1⁄4 in.

1⁄2 in.

1⁄2 in.


3. Raisethetablesawbladeto3⁄16in.andsetthefence1⁄4in.fromtheblade.Thissetupwillproducea1⁄4-in.-wideraisedlipalongbothedgesofthedicetrays.Useapushsticktopushthedicetraypasttheblade.Thenrotatethetray,placingtheoppo-siteedgeagainstthefence,andmakeanotherpassovertheblade.Resetthefenceto3⁄8in.andmaketwomorecuts,rotatingthetrayinbetween.Repeatmovingthefenceandmakingcutsuntilagrooveisformedalongthelengthofthetray.Repeatthepre-viousstepstocutthegrooveintotheseconddicetray(photo B ).

4. Sandalltheedgesandsurfacesofthetraysanddividerswithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper.

5. Brushglueontotheedge-lapjointscutinthecarddividersandontotherabbetedendsofthedicetrays.Slidethepartstogetherandclamp.Letthegluedryfortwohoursbeforeremovingtheclamps.

6. Tomakethethreepoker-chipdividers,installa3⁄4-in.-radiuscovebitintheroutertabletoroutaradiusintobothsidesofeachdivider.Cuttheprofilesinthreeorfourprogressivelydeepercuts(photo c ).Tryingtocutthe3⁄4-in.-radiuscoveinasinglepasscancausechipping.Sandthepoker-chipdividerssmoothwith150-gritsandpaper.Thenusethemitersawtotrimthethreedividerstotheirfinishedlengthof43⁄4in.

7. Installallthedividersandtrays,andfilltheboxwiththepokerchips,cards,anddice.Checktobesureallcomponentsfit.Thenemptytheboxandremovehingesbeforeapplyingthefinish.

8. Lightlysandtheentireboxwith150-gritsand-paper.Blowoffthesandingdustwithcompressedairandwipedownallsurfaceswithaclean,dryrag.Then,followingtheinstructionsonp.36,applyacleartopcoatfinishtothebox.

cUt a 7⁄ 8-in.-wide gRoove along the length of each dice tray.

B

RoUt a RadiUs into both sides of each of the three poker-chip dividers. (It’s safer to rout one piece 16 in. long and then cut to the finished size.)

c

make the 13⁄ 8-in.-wide cUtoUts into the center of each card divider. These cutouts will straddle the ends of the dice trays.

a

62 Ar t i s t Sketch B ox

eauty and func-

tion come together per-

fectly in this artist sketch

box, which features an intricate

banding composed of solid walnut

and curly maple hardwood. The box

top is cut at an angle, so when it’s

opened, there’s a sloped surface

for placing a sketchpad. A remov-

able interior panel provides space

for storing pads and paper, and the

upper tray holds pencils, erasers,

and other supplies. A handle and

two latches make it easy to lock the

box and carry it from place to place.

B

Artist Sketch Box

Accented with two contrasting

woods—curly maple and walnut—

the center panels of the box are

made of richly figured Karelian burl

veneer. The burl panels are bordered

by quartered cherry and solid walnut

trim on all corners. The walnut trim

adds style and visual interest, but

it also protects the cherry veneer

from any bumps and knocks.

Finished size of box: 5 in. tall 11 in. deep 14 in. long

Ar t i s t Sketch B ox 63

materialsQuantity Part Size conStruction

noteS

2 Box parts 3⁄4 in. 51⁄2 in. 32 in. curly maple

1 Top 5⁄8 in. 11 in. 14 in. maple plywood

1 Bottom 1⁄2 in. 101⁄4 in. 131⁄4 in. maple plywood

1 Splines 5⁄16 in. 1⁄2 in. 24 in. walnut

1 Pencil-tray front 3⁄4 in. 19⁄16 in. 123⁄4 in. curly maple

1 Pencil-tray bottom 5⁄16 in. 23⁄8 in. 131⁄4 in. curly maple

1 Decorative banding 1⁄4 in. 2 in. 30 in. curly maple

2 Decorative banding 1⁄16 in. 2 in. 30 in. walnut

1 Flitch 1⁄42 in. 14 in. 84 in. Karelian burl veneer (for decorative panels)

1 Flitch 1⁄42 in. 6 in. 84 in. quartered cherry veneer (for decorative borders)

7 Corner banding (pieces) 5⁄32 in. 5⁄32 in. 30 in. walnut

1 Fixed interior panel 1⁄2 in. 101⁄8 in. 121⁄2 in. maple plywood

1 Removable interior panel 1⁄2 in. 75⁄8 in. 121⁄2 in. maple plywood

4 Panel edge trim 1⁄8 in. 5⁄8 in. 30 in. walnut

1 Cleat 3⁄8 in. 19⁄16 in. 123⁄4 in. curly maple

1 Support block 3⁄4 in. 11⁄4 in. 123⁄4 in. any hardwood

1 Support block 3⁄4 in. 1⁄4 in. 123⁄4 in. any hardwood

1 pair Hinges 3⁄4 in. 1 in. nickel finish

1 pair Swing catches 11⁄8 in. 11⁄4 in. nickel finish

1 Handle 41⁄4 in. nickel finish


3. Cuttheboxtopfrom5⁄8-in.-thickmapleply-wood,makingit11in.wideby14in.long.Thetopmustbe5⁄8in.thicktoequalthethicknessofthecurlymapleboxparts.Nowcuttheboxbottomfrom1⁄2-in.-thickmapleplywood;makeit101⁄4in.wideby131⁄4in.long.

1. Startbycuttingtwopiecesofcurlymaplehard-woodto3⁄4in.thickby51⁄2in.wideby32in.long.Planebothpiecesto5⁄8in.thick,andthenripthemonthetablesawto51⁄8in.wide(photo A ).

2. Crosscuteachboardtoproduceone13-in.-longpieceandone16-in.-longpiece.Thesefourpiecesareslightlylongerthanneededbutwilleventuallyformthefront,back,andendsofthebox.Makingtheseboxpartslongeratthisstagemakesiteasiertomillthemtotheirfinisheddimensionslater.

Cut the hardwood and plywood box parts

Rip the 5⁄ 8-in.-thick cuRly mAple to 51⁄8 in. wide for the box sides.

A

To confirm that your tablesaw is cutting precisely at 45°, cut a scrap piece first and then check the angle of the cut with a combination square.

work smart


Forthisbox,Ichosetojointhetoptotheboxwithmiteredrabbetjoints.Thejointsarecutintothetopedgesoftheboxfront,back,andendsandintotheplywoodboxtop.Whenattached,thebottomsur-faceoftheboxtopfitsdownintotherabbetanditstopsurfaceismitered,leavingaflat,cleansurfaceforveneering.

1. Tiltthetablesawbladeto45°andraiseittocut3⁄8in.deep.Setthesawfence51⁄8in.fromtheblade.Passeachofthefourhardwoodboxparts—front,back,andends—overtheblade,cuttingashallowmiteredkerf(photo B ).

2. Movethesawfenceto14in.fromthebladeandcuta45°miterintoeachendoftheplywoodboxtop.Readjustthefenceto11in.andcutamiterintothefrontandbackedgeoftheboxtop.

3. Preparetocutrabbetsintotheboxfront,back,andendsbytiltingthetablesawbladeto90°andthenloweringthebladeto5⁄16in.;thisheightrepresentshalfthethicknessofthe5⁄8-in.-thickboxparts.Movethesawfenceto45⁄8in.fromtheblade.Thissetupwillproducea3⁄16-in.-deepby5⁄16-in.-widerabbet.Runallfourmaple-hardwoodboxpartsthroughtheblade.Thenmovethefence1⁄8in.fartherfromthebladeto43⁄4in.andpusheachpartpasstheblade,effectivelywideningtherabbets(photo c ).

4. Withthesawbladeheightalreadyat5⁄16in.,pre-paretocuttherabbetintotheboxtop.Movethesawfence5⁄16in.fromtheoutsideedgeoftheblade,whichisthewidthoftheopposingmiterscutintotheboxfront,back,andends.Placetheboxtopfaceuponthetablesawandrunallfouredgesthroughtheblade,creatingthemiteredrabbetjoints.

Cut miters and rabbets

cut A shAllow miteRed keRf into the top edge of the front, back, and ends.

B

cut 3⁄16-in.-deep by 5⁄16-in.-wide rabbets on the top edge of the four maple box parts.

c


3. Next,markthefinishedlengthof14in.ontotheboxfrontandback,and11in.ontoeachofthetwoboxends.Miter-cuteachparttolength(photo e ).

Tocutthefourhardwoodboxpartstotheirfinishedlength,firstfabricateanL-shapedauxiliaryfencetoensuresmooth,accuratecuts.

1. Cuttwopiecesof1-in.-thickMDFto4in.wideby36in.long.Screwthetwopiecestogether,mak-ingsurethatnoscrewisinthecuttingpathofthesawblade.ClamptheL-shapedfencetothemiter-sawfence.

2. Rotatethemiter-sawbladeto45°andcutoneendofeachhardwoodboxpart.BesuretoholdthepartstightagainsttheMDFfence.

Miter-cut the hardwood box parts to size

downandmakefourpassesovertheblade,onealongeachedgeoftheplywoodbottom.Resetthefenceflushwiththebladeandmakefourmorepassestocompletethe1⁄4-in.by1⁄4-in.rabbets.Confirmthatthebox-bottomrabbetsfitintothegroovescutintheboxparts.Ifnecessary,fine-tunethecutstoachieveasnug,butnottootightjoint.

miteR-cut the fouR hardwood box parts to their finished length on the miter saw.

e

Cut the bottom groove and rabbet

Thenextstepistocutgroovesintotheinsidesur-facesofthefourboxpartstoreceivethe1⁄2-in.-thickplywoodboxbottom.Thencutrabbetsintoallfouredgesoftheboxbottomtofitintothe1⁄4-in.by1⁄4-in.grooves.

1. Adjustthetablesawbladeto1⁄4in.highandposi-tionthefence3⁄8in.fromtheblade.Passeachofthefourboxpartsovertheblade,makingsureeachoneisfacedownwithitsbottomedgeagainstthefence.Resetthefenceto1⁄4in.andmakeasecondpassoverthebladetocreatethe1⁄4-in.by1⁄4-in.grooves(photo d ).

2. Setthetablesawfence1⁄4in.fromtheoutsideedgeofthesawblade.Placetheboxbottomface

cut the 1⁄4-in. gRooves for the box bottom in each of the four box parts, making sure each one is face down with its bottom edge against the fence. If the teeth on your tablesaw blade are less than 1⁄8 in. thick, you’ll need to make three passes to cut 1⁄4-in.-wide grooves.

d


TheshopmadedovetailsledthatwasusedtobuildtheSerpentineCoinBoxisalsousedheretocutnarrowgroovesforsplinesthatreinforcethecornersofthisbox(seep.12).

1. Routthegroovesintothemiteredcornersusingaroutertableand5⁄16-in.-dia.straight-cuttingbit.Positiontherouter-tablefencesothatthebitiscen-teredwithinthe3⁄8-in.-wideslotcutinthebottomofthesled.

2. Adjusttherouterbitsothatit’s1⁄4in.abovetheplywoodsledbottom.Placetheboxfrontfacedownontothesled.Holdittightagainstthebottomplat-formandtightagainsttheverticalcleat.Thenlockdownbothtoggleclampstosecuretheboxfronttothesled.

3. Positionthesledsothattherouterbitisclearlyvisiblethroughtheslotcutinthesledbottom.Holdthesledtightagainsttherouter-tablefence,andthenturnontherouter.Whentherouterreachesfullspeed,slowlypushthesledpasttherouterbit,cuttinga1⁄4-in.-deepby5⁄16-in.-widegrooveinthemiteredendoftheboxfront(photo f ).Repeatthesestepstoroutgroovesinbothendsofallfourboxparts(photo g ).

4. Cutsixsolid-walnutsplinestofitintothegroovesyoujustrouted.(Walnutisagoodchoicebecauseitisrelativelyhardandisanicecontrasttothelight-coloredcurlymapleboxparts.)Startbyusingthetablesawtocutapieceofwalnutto5⁄16in.thickby1⁄2in.wideby24in.long.Thenmovetothemitersawandcrosscutthe24-in.-longwalnutpieceintosixsplines:fourat41⁄2in.longforreinforcingthecornersofthebox,andtwoat11⁄4in.longforassemblingtheinsidepenciltray.

Rout the corner splines

f

use A dovetAil sled to rout grooves for the corner splines in both ends of all four box parts (top, and detail above).

g


sentthebottomedgeofthepenciltray.Thendrawstraightlinesacrossthelengthofthefrontandbothendsthatmeasure21⁄8in.infromtheinsideedgeofthemiters.Measureup5⁄16in.fromthepencillinesanddrawparallellines,indicatingwheretoroutthe5⁄16-in.-widegrooves.

2. Measure21⁄8in.fromtheinsideedgeofthemiteroneachboxendanddrawthegroovelinestoshowthepositionofthepenciltray’sfrontedge.Measure21⁄16in.upfromthebottomedgeoftheboxendsanddrawtwo11⁄4-in.-longparallellines,spaced5⁄16in.apart.Nowdrawfour5⁄32-in.radiuses

Insidetheboxthere’sapenciltraythat’sheldinplacewithsplinesthatfitintogrooves(see“VerticalSectionthroughSideofBox”below).Routthesegrooveswiththesame5⁄16-in.-dia.straight-cuttingbitusedtocutthesplinegroovesearlier.Notethatyoumustroutgroovesintothefrontandbottomedgesofthepenciltrayandintotheinteriorsur-facesoftheboxfrontandends.

1. Startbyusingasteelruleandpenciltodrawthegroovepositionsontotheinsidesurfaceoftheboxparts.Measure23⁄16in.upfromthebottomedgeoftheboxfrontandendsanddrawlinestorepre-

Rout the inside tray grooves

Vertical Section through Side of Box

Box closed

Box open

Cleat

Plywood bottom

Pencil-tray bottom 23⁄16 in.

5⁄16 in.

2 in.

Pencil-tray front

Support block

Spline

11⁄4 in.

3⁄4 in.

1⁄2 in. 1⁄4 in.

19⁄16 in.6º Removable panel

Support block


dRAw the outline of the grooves for the pencil tray on the box ends and front.

huse A steel Rule to check the depth of all the grooves for the pencil tray; they should each be 1⁄4 in. deep.

i

When routing grooves, always make a test-cut in scrap before routing the box parts. This will help ensure that each groove is correctly positioned and routed to the correct length. And always keep your hands well away from the path of the router bit.

work smart

toconnectthelinesandrepresenttheradiusoftherouterbit.Drawingtheoutlineofallthegrooveshelpsyouaccuratelypositionthestopsontheroutertable(photo h ).

3. Settherouterbittocut1⁄8in.abovetheroutertable.Thenadjustthefence23⁄16in.fromthefrontedgeoftherouterbittothefence.Thiswillalignthebitwiththepencillines.

4. Measure3in.fromthecenterofthebittotheleftandright,andmarklinesontotherouter-tablefence.Thesemarkswillbeusedtoroutthecorrectlengthstoppedgroovesintheboxends.

5. Placetheboxfrontfacedownontheroutertable,withitsbottomedgeagainstthefence.Turnontherouterandslowlypushtheboxfrontintoandpasttherouterbit,cuttingagroovealongitsentirelength.Fortherightendofthebox,pushitintotherouterbitanduptothestoplineonthefence.Fortheleftendofthebox,you’llhavetofeeditintotherouterbitfromtheoppositedirection.Pushthepieceuptothestopline.Aftermakingthefirstpasses,raisethebitto1⁄4in.andrepeatthesamesteps.

6. Nowpreparetoroutgroovesintotheboxendstoreceivethefrontofthepenciltray.Setthefence3in.fromthecenteroftherouterbit,thenmeasure21⁄16in.fromtheleftandrightofthebit’scenterand

markthefenceforthisstoppedgroove.Then,fromboththe21⁄16-in.lines,drawaline11⁄4in.outfromtherouterbit.Thesefourlinesrepresentthe11⁄4-in.-longstoppedgroovesforboththeleft-andright-handendsofthebox.

7. Lowertherouterbitflushtothetableandplacetherightendoftheboxtighttothefence.Alignitsbottomedgewiththe11⁄4-in.line.Turnontherouterandraisethebit1⁄8in.andpushthepartuptothe21⁄16-in.line.Raisethebit1⁄8in.more,toequalthe1⁄4-in.-deepgroove.Pushthepartintothebitfromtheoppositedirectionuptothe11⁄4-in.line.Lowerthebitbeforeturningofftherouter.

8. Repeatthesestepsfortheoppositeboxend.Oncedone,useasteelruletocheckthedepthofallthegrooves,confirmingthateachoneis1⁄4in.deep.(photo i )


cut the front and bottom of thepenciltrayfromcurlymaplehardwoodtomatchtherestoftheboxinterior.

1. Cutthetrayfrontto3⁄4in.thickby19⁄16in.wideby123⁄4in.long.Tiltthetablesawbladeto6°,butleavetheripfence19⁄16in.fromtheblade.Pushthetrayfrontthroughthebladetobevel-cuta6°anglealongitstopedge.

2. Nowcutarabbetintothepencil-trayfront,whichwillreceivetheremovablesketchpadpanel.Adjustthetablesawbladeto1⁄4in.andsetthefence9⁄16in.fromtheblade.Makethefirstpassoverthebladeandthenreadjustthefencethreemoretimesat1⁄8-in.intervalstoremoveenoughwoodtoformthe1⁄4-in.-deepby1⁄2-in.-widerabbet.

3. Makethebottomofthepenciltraybyfirsttilt-ingthetablesawbladebackto90°.Thencutapieceofcurlymapleto3⁄4in.thickby23⁄8in.wideby131⁄4in.long.Millthetraybottomto5⁄16in.thickbyeitherresawingitonthetablesaworfeedingitthroughathicknessplaner.Also,cutasmallcham-ferintobothoutsidecornersofthetraybottomtoavoidthewalnutcorner-boxsplines.

4. Routagroovealongtheinsidesurfaceofthetrayfrontusingthesame5⁄16-in.-dia.straight-cuttingrouterbityouusedearlier.Settherouter-tablefence5⁄16in.awayfromthebitandadjustthebitto1⁄8in.high.Turnontherouterandslowlypushthepartpastthespinningbit.Raisethebitanother1⁄8in.andrepeattocutthe1⁄4-in.-deepby5⁄16-in.-widegroove.(photo A )

Cut the pencil-tray parts

Rout A gRoove along the inside surface of the pencil-tray front to receive the tray bottom.

A


Making a RouteR-table Jig

The safest, most accurate

way to rout the short, shal-

low grooves into the ends

of the pencil-tray front is

to use a shopmade router-

table jig.

1. Cut two pieces of 3⁄4-in.-

thick plywood to 4 in. by

9 in. for the rear and bot-

tom of the jig. Then cut one

piece of 3⁄4-in.-thick hard-

wood to 2 in. by 9 in., which

will serve as the jig’s clamp-

ing block.

2. Using a 7⁄8-in.-dia.

Forstner bit, bore two 5⁄16-in.-deep counterbore

holes into one of the ply-

wood pieces. Position the

holes 11⁄2 in. down from

the long edge and 2 in.

from each end. Switch to a 3⁄8-in.-dia. bit and drill into

the center of both counter-

bores. This piece will be the

rear of the jig.

3. Drill two 3⁄8-in.-dia. holes into the hardwood

clamping block. Position the holes 2 in. from each

end and 1 in. from the edge.

4. Draw a pair of parallel lines onto the inside

surface of both plywood pieces. Position the lines

323⁄32 in. from each end of the plywood pieces; the

lines should be 19⁄16 in. apart, which equals the

width of the front tray.

5. Fasten together the two plywood pieces with 2-in.

screws to create the L-shaped jig, using the plywood

piece with the counterbored holes as the rear, verti-

cal part of the jig. Make sure the screw heads are set

below the surface.

6. Prepare to rout a 5⁄16-in.-wide by 3-in.-long slot

through the bottom of the jig. Set the router-table

fence 7⁄8 in. away from the 5⁄16-in.-dia. straight-cutting

bit. Lower the bit flush with the router table. Set the

jig down on the router table and mark onto the fence

where to start and stop the jig in order to cut the

through slot.

7. Set the jig on the starting mark, turn on the router,

and slowly raise the bit approximately 1⁄8 in. Push the

jig 3 in. up to the stopping mark on the fence. Repeat,

raising the bit 1⁄8 in. until you’ve cut all the way

through the bottom of the jig.

8. Complete the jig by using two 3⁄8-in.-dia. by 21⁄2-in.-

long hex-head machine bolts and two wing nuts to

secure the hardwood clamping block to the jig.


3. Onceyou’resatisfiedwiththewaythepartsfittogether,disassemblethebox.Brushyellowglueontothemiteredboxcorners.Applygluetotheendsofthepencil-trayfrontandontoitssplinesandgroovestoo.Don’tbrushglueontothepencil-traybottomorboxbottom.Thesepartsmustbeallowedtoexpandandcontractfreelyintheirgrooves.

4. Assemblethebox,makingsureyougluethepenciltraytotheboxinteriorusingwalnutsplines.Temporarilyholdthepartstogetherwithstripsoftapeateachcorner.Thenapplygluetothe41⁄2-in.-longsplinesandslideoneintoeachboxcornerjoint.Makesureeachsplinesitsflushwith,or

it’S imPortant to dry-fit the box PartStogetherusingsplinesbeforeapplyinganyglue.Makesureeachsplinefitssnuglyintoitsgrooveandthattheboxitselfissquare.

1. Useasandingblockand80-gritsandpapertoroundoverbothendsofeach11⁄4-in.-longwalnutspline.Pressthesplinesintothegroovesroutedintotheboxend(photo A ).

2. Usethebandsawtocut1⁄8in.offeachcorneroftheboxbottom.Trimmingthecornersallowsthebottomtofitintoplacewithouthittingthebox-cornersplines.Dry-assemblethebox,usingsplinestoholdthepartstogether.


tothepencilmark.Pullthejigbacktoitsstartingpositionandraisethebit1⁄8in.more.Pushthejiguptothelineonceagaintocompletethe1⁄4-in.-deepby5⁄16-in.-dia.stoppedgroove(photo B ).

4. Toroutastoppedgrooveintotheleft-handendofthepencil-trayfront,rotatethepieceendforendandrepeatthesteps(onlythistime,pushthejigintotherouterbitfromtheoppositedirection).

1. Toroutstoppedgroovesintotheendsofthepencil-trayfront,startbystandingthetrayfrontintherouter-tablejigwithitsright-handenddownagainstthejigbottom.Placethetrayfront’sinsidesurfaceagainsttherearofthejig.Tightenthewingnutstolockthetrayfrontinplace.

2. Holdthejigtightagainsttherouter-tablefenceandslideitforwarduntilthebitisvisibleattheleftendofthethroughslotcutinthejigbottom.Takeapencilandmarktherouter-tablefence11⁄4in.fromtheleadingedgeofthejig.Thismarkrepresentsthedistanceyoumustpushthejigtocutthestoppedgroove.

3. Raisethebit1⁄8in.abovethebottomofthejig.Turnontherouterandthenslowlypushthejigup

Rout end grooves in the tray front

suppoRt the pencil-tRAy front in a shopmade router-table jig to cut the shallow stopped grooves in the end of the workpiece.

B


BefoRe Applying Any glue, dry-fit the radiused walnut splines into the grooves routed into the box ends.

A

Apply glue spARingly to the mitered rabbets along the inside edge of the box and top to prevent glue seepage.

c

glue up the Box sides, bottom, and pencil tray.

B

It’s very important to strike a small chisel mark—or other indelible mark—into the under-side of the box bottom to indicate on which side the pencil tray is located. Once the box is assembled, there’s no way of knowing which side is the front. The chisel mark will prevent you from cutting into the tray when you slice the box top from the box.

work smart

Even though you won’t be veneering the bot-tom of the box, be sure to sand it smooth to remove any dried glue or rough spots.

work smart

slightlybelow,thebottomoftherabbetcutintothetopedgeofthebox.

5. Holdtheboxtogetherwithseveralshortbarclamps(photo B ).Useatrysquaretoconfirmthatallfourcornersoftheboxaresquare,andmakeanynecessaryadjustmentstosquareupthebox.Letthegluedryfortwohours,andthenremovetheclamps.Peelawaythetapeanduseacabinetscrapertoscrapeoffanydriedglue.

6. Applyyellowgluesparinglytothemiteredrab-betscutintothetopedgesoftheboxandintotheundersideoftheboxtop(photo c ). Settheboxtopdownontotheboxandsecureitwithonebarclampateachcorner.Thenaddmoreclampsalongeachside,spacingthem3in.to4in.apart.Evenlytightentheclampswithmediumpressure.Allowthegluetodryforthreehoursandthenremovetheclamps.

7. Sandallsixsurfacesoftheboxwitharandom-orbitsanderfittedwitha150-gritdisk.Whenyou’redone,usecompressedairtoblowoffthesandingdust,thenwipedowntheboxwithaclean,drycloth.Theboxisnowreadyforveneering.


4. Maketwo2-in.-wideby30-in.-longclampingcaulsoutof1-in.-thickMDF.You’renowreadytolaminatetogetherthemapleandwalnutpiecestoformthebandingblank.

5. Wipealldustfromthethreebandingpiecesandfromthetwoclampingcauls.Usea3-in.-widerollertospreadanevencoatofyellowglueontobothsurfacesofthecurlymapleandonesurfaceofeachwalnutpiece(photo B ).

6. Assemblethebandingblankbygluingonewalnutpiecetoeachsideofthecurlymaplepiece.ThensandwichtheblankbetweenthetwoMDFclampingcauls.WrapGorillaTapearoundeachendoftheassemblytopreventthepartsfromshiftingoutofpositionduringclamping.

7. Tightenoneshortbarclampovereachpieceoftape,thenstartinthecenteroftheassemblyandaddmoreclamps,spacingthemabout3in.apart.

the decorative banding that runSaroundthetopandsidesoftheboxfeaturesa1⁄4-in.-widestripofcurlymaplethat’sborderedalongbothedgesbynarrowpinstripesofwalnut.Makethebandingbyfirstlaminatingtogethercurlymapleandwalnuthardwoodandthenrippingtheblankintothinstripstoformthebanding.

1. Startbycrosscuttingonamitersawtwopiecesof3⁄4-in.-thickwalnutandonepieceof3⁄4-in.-thickcurlymapleto30in.long.Thenusethetablesawtoripbothpiecesto2in.wide.

2. Raisethetablesawbladeto21⁄4in.highandlocktheripfence1⁄4in.fromtheblade.Resawthecurlymaplepiece,usingapushstickforsafety,topro-ducea1⁄4-in.-thickby2-in.-wideby30-in.-longstrip.(photo A )

3. Setthefence1⁄16in.fromthebladeandresaweachwalnutpiecetocreatetwo1⁄16-in.-thickby2-in.-wideby30-in.-longstrips.

Make the decorative banding

ResAw the cuRly mAple for the decorative banding to 1⁄4 in. thick, using a push stick for safety.

AlAminAte togetheR the maple and walnut pieces to form the banding blank. Sandwich the blank between two MDF clamping cauls.

B


projects,becausesolidwoodandveneerexpandandcontractatdifferentrates.However,forsmallerprojects,suchaswoodenboxes,expansionisn’taconcernbecausetheamountofwoodmovementisinsignificant.

1. Cuttwoclampingcaulsoutof3⁄4-in.or1-in.-thickMDForplywood.ThesecaulswillbeusedtoclamptheKarelianburlveneertothefoursidesofthebox.Cutonecaul25⁄8in.wideby81⁄2in.longfortheboxendsandasecondcaul25⁄8in.wideby111⁄2in.longfortheboxfrontandback.

2. Placetheveneeronacuttingmat,setaclamp-ingcaulontop,anduseitasatemplatetocutthe

the box toP and all four SideS featureacenterpanelofKarelianburlveneer,whichisout-linedbythedecorativemaple-and-walnutbandingmadeinthepreviousstep.ThebandingisusedasadecorativeelementbutalsotoseparatetheKarelianburlveneercenterpanelfromthequarteredcherryveneerthatborderstheboxtopandsides.

Toveneerthisbox,Ipurchasedone14-in.-wideby84-in.-longpieceofKarelianburlveneer.That’smoreveneerthanneeded,butitallowsyoutoselectthebestgrainpattern,avoidusinganyveneersectionthat’schippedorcracked,andrecutapieceshouldyoumakeamistake.

It’sworthmentioningthatveneeringoverhardwoodcanbeproblematic,especiallyonlarge

Rip the lAminAted BlAnk into narrow 1⁄32-in.-thick strips of banding.

c

Veneer the decorative side panels

Tighteneachclampwithheavypressuretosqueezeoutallairandexcessglue.

8. Immediatelywipeawayanyexcessgluewithacleanragandthenletthegluedryovernight.Afterremovingtheclampsandcauls,sandthebroad2-in.-widesurfacesofthewalnutsmoothandflatwithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper.

9. Clamptheblankintoabenchviseandsmoothandflattenonelongedgewithablockplane.

10. Setthetablesawfence1⁄32in.fromthebladeanduseapushsticktocutthelaminatedblankintothin,narrowstripsofbanding.Notethatbyusinganultra-thin-kerfripblade,Iwasabletoget20piecesofbandingfromthe2-in.-wideblank,whichismorethanyou’llneedtocompletethebox(photo c ).


5. Cuta45°miterintothenextpieceofbanding.Holditagainsttheedgeofthecenterpanelandslideitsmiteredendtightagainstthemitercutinthefirstbandingpiece.Checktomakesurethemiteredendsofthebandingfittighttogether.Thenmarkwheretomiter-cuttheoppositeendofthebanding.Cutthebandingandtapeittothecenterpanel.Repeatthesestepstomiter-cutbandingtofitaroundtheremainingthreeKarelianburlveneercenterpanels.

6. ThedecorativebandingseparatestheKarelianburlveneercenterpanelsfromthequarteredcherrybordersthatframetheboxtopandfoursides.Forthisbox,Iboughtone6-in.-wideby84-in.-longflitchofquarteredcherryveneer,whichwasmorethanenough.Tocutthecherryveneerpiecestosize,usethesametechniqueemployedtocuttheKarelianburlveneer,startingwithmakingclampingcauls.

Tomakethreeclampingcauls,startbycuttinga3⁄4-in.-thickby15⁄16-in.-wideby36-in.-longpieceofMDForplywood.Now,fromthis36-in.-longpiece,cutthreecaulsat141⁄8in.,111⁄8in.,and51⁄4in.Besuretomiter-cuteachendofallthreepieces.

7. Placethequarteredcherryveneeronthecut-tingmatandsetthe51⁄8-in.-longcaulontop.Pressdownfirmlyandcutaroundthecaulwiththescalpel.Again,cutthroughtheveneerintwoorthreepasses.Cutatotalofeight51⁄8-in.-longcherryveneerpieces.(Notethatthecaulswillproduce

veneer.Pressdownonthecaul,andthenusethescalpeltocutaroundtheperimeterofthecaul.Maketwoorthreepassestocutthroughtheveneer(photo A ). Repeatthisstepuntilyou’vecutfourpiecesofKarelianburlveneer;that’soneeachfortheboxfront,boxback,andboxends.

3. Miter-cutthedecorativebandingtolengthusingamiterboxandfine-toothhandsaw.Placeonepieceofbandingintothemiterboxandcutitsendto45°.ThenholdthebandingtightagainsttheKarelianburlveneercenterpanel,withitsmiteredendalignedwiththeedgeofthecenterpanel.Markthemiterontheoppositeendofthebandingandmiter-cutittolength(photo B ).

4. SetthemiteredlengthofbandingtighttotheedgeoftheKarelianburlveneercenterpanel.Alignthemiteredendsofthebandingwiththecornersonthecenterpanel.Tapethetwopiecestogetherwithbluepainter’stape.

use A clAmping cAul as a template to cut the Karelian burl veneer for the decorative side panels, making two or three passes to cut through the veneer.

AmiteR-cut the decoRAtive BAnding to length using a miter box and fine-tooth handsaw.

B

When cutting veneer with a scalpel, let the razor-sharp blade do most of the work by applying light pressure, which will produce nice, clean, crisp cuts.

work smart


9. Usethe141⁄8-in.-and111⁄8-in.-longcaulsastemplatestocutthelonger(horizontal)cherryveneerborders.Pressdownfirmlyonthecaulandcutarounditsperimeter,makingtwoorthreepassestocutthroughtheveneer.Cutatotaloffour141⁄8-in.-andfour111⁄8-in.-longcherryveneerpieces.

Alternatively,toensureaperfectfit,cutamiterononeendofthehorizontalborder,butleavetheotherendsquare.Placethestraightendunderneaththeopposingmiterandlightlycutthemiterbyfollowingtheedgeoftheendmiter,takingtwoorthreepasses(photo c ).

Onceallthecherrybordersarecutandfittedtotheveneerpanel,securetheborderswithbluepainter’stape.Repeatthesestepstoassembletheremainingthreeveneerpanels.

cherryveneerbordersthatare1⁄8in.widerthannec-essary;thelittlebitofextrawidthmakesiteasiertogluetheveneeredpaneltothebox.)

8. Setthecherrybordertightagainstthebanding.Lineupthemitersatthecornersandsecurewithbluepainter’stape.Repeattoattachthecherrybor-dertotheoppositeend.

foR A peRfect fit, run the horizontal border long and use the adjoining border as a template to cut the miter.

c

a Sanding Jig foR PeRfect-fit MiteRS

Installing the decorative banding on this box

requires cutting lots of 45° miters. But precise cut-

ting alone doesn’t always produce perfect, tight-

fitting miter joints. When necessary, I touch up the

mitered ends of banding using a simple, but highly

effective, sanding jig.

The jig consists of a 3⁄4-in.-thick by 5-in.-wide by

12-in.-long MDF bottom platform, and a 3⁄4-in.-thick

by 11⁄2-in.-wide by 10-in.-long hardwood fence,

which is miter-cut to 45° on one end. The fence is

screwed to the bottom platform at a 45° angle with

its mitered end flush to the end of the platform.

To use the jig, simply clamp it to the workbench

and hold a piece of banding against the fence with

its mitered end overhanging slightly. Then use a

sanding block with 150-grit sandpaper to sand the

end of the banding to length.


4. Beforegluingtheveneerpanelstothebox,cutfourclampingcaulsoutof1-in.-thickMDF.Fortheboxfrontandback,cuttwocauls,each51⁄4in.wideby141⁄8in.long.Fortheboxends,maketwocauls,each51⁄4in.wideby111⁄8in.long.Thenusesprayadhesivetoaffixtwolayersof1⁄8-in.-thickpolyfoamtoonesurfaceofeachclampingcaul.Thecushiony-foamsurfaceswilleliminateanyvoidswhengluingandclampingtheveneerpanelstothebox.

5. Witha3-in.paintroller,applyalight,evencoat-ingofyellowgluetotheveneerpanelandtooneendofthebox(photo B ).

6. Placetheclampingcaulontopoftworunnersontheworkbenchwiththefoam-coveredsurfacefacingup.Laytheveneerpanelontopofthefoamwiththegum-tapesurfacefacingdown.Placetheboxontop.Toprotecttheoppositeendofthebox,settheothercaulontop.Tightenonebarclampinthemiddleofthebox,andthenplaceoneateachend.Applyjustlightpressuretothethreeclampsatthistime(photo c ).

1. Placeoneoftheveneeredpanelsfortheendoftheboxontothecuttingmatwiththebluepainter’stapefacingdown.Applywater-gumtapetothebaresurfaceoftheveneerpanel,effectivelygluingtogetheralltheveneerpiecesintoasinglesheet.Ifyoudon’thaveawater-gumtapedispenser(seep.48),simplycutthetapetolengthandwetitwithasponge.Applythewettapetotheveneerandpressitdownwithafine-bristlebrassbrush(photo A ).Useascalpeltotrimthegumtapeflushwiththefouredgesoftheveneerpanel.

2. Thedecorativebandingisslightlythickerthanthesurroundingburlandcherryveneers,soit’snecessarytocuta3⁄4-in.-thickby1-in.-wideby3-in.-longpieceofMDForplywoodforuseasapressingblock.

3. Removethebluetapeontheback,andthenflipovertheveneerpanelwiththegumtapefacingup.Usethepressingblocktorubdownthegumtapeandveneeredgesnexttothebanding.Thiswillensurethatallveneersurfaceswillbondtightlytothebox.

Glue on the veneered end panels

Apply A light, even coAting of yellow glue to the veneer panel and to one end of the box.

B

Apply wAteR-gum tApe to the veneered panel and press it down with a fine-bristle brass brush.

A


1. Placetheboxonendontopofthecuttingmatanduseascalpeltocutaroundtheperimeterofthebox,trimmingawaytheexcessveneer.Removeanydryglueorexcessveneerwithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper.

2. Toremovethewater-gumtape,takeawetragandwipedownthetape.Allowthewettapetosetforacoupleofminutesandthenpeeloffthetape(photo d ).Ifthetapedoesn’tcomeoff,simplywetitagain.Ifitstilldoesn’tcomeoff,useacabinetscrapertolightlyscrapethegumtapefromthesur-face.Afterthetapeisgone,lettheveneerdrycom-pletelybeforeproceeding.

Remove the excess veneer and gum tape

wipe down the wAteR-gum tApe with a wetrag, allow to set for a couple of minutes, and then peel off the tape.

d

glue the veneeR pAnel (at bottom) to the box with the clamping caul underneath; set the other caul on top to protect the opposite end of the box. Tighten the clamps a little at a time, checking occasionally to make sure the veneer is still in position.

cBefore clamping the veneer panels to the box, make two 3⁄4-in.-thick by 2-in.-wide by 10-in.-long hardwood runners. These narrow runners will create space beneath the box for positioning the bar clamps.

work smart

7. Asyoutightentheclamps,theveneermayslideoutofposition.Checktomakesureitstaysalignedwiththecornersofthebox.Oncetheveneerisclampedinthecorrectposition,addthreemoreclampstotheoppositeside.Tightenalltheclampsalittleatatime,checkingoccasionallytomakesuretheveneerisstillinposition.Letthegluedryfortwohours,thenremovetheclamps.Repeatthesestepstoveneertheoppositeboxend,andthentheboxfrontandback.


the toP of the box iS veneered Simi-

larlytotheboxsides:AcenterpanelofKarelianburlveneerisoutlinedwithdecorativebanding,whichinturn,isborderedbyquarteredcherryveneer.Thetwomaindifferencesarethattheboxtopismuchlargerandthedecorativebandingformsaneye-catchinggeometricinlayateachcorner,somethingthatIcallamodifiedGreekkeypattern.Beforedealingwiththedecorativebanding,youmustcuttheKarelianburlveneercenterpanel.

1. Startbycuttingan81⁄2-in.-wideby111⁄2-in.-longclampingcaulfrom1⁄4-in.-thickMDForplywood.PlaceasheetofKarelianburlveneerontopofthecuttingmat,andthensettheclampingcaulontop.Pressdownonthecaulandcutarounditsperim-eterwithascalpel.Maketwotothreepassestocutthroughtheveneer.

2. MarktheoutlineoftheGreekkeypatternontoonecornerofthecuttingcaul.Useatrysquareandsharppenciltodrawtwolinesfromeachedgeofthe

Cut the top veneer panel

use A smAll tRy squARe and a pencil to mark the outline of the Greek key pattern onto one corner of the cutting caul.

A

Asmentionedearlier,thedecorativebandingisslightlythickerthanthesurroundingveneersur-faces,soit’snecessarytoscrapeitflushwithacabi-netscraper.Keepthescrapersharpbyflatteningitsedgewithaburnisherandformingthedesiredburr.

Clamptheboxinabenchvicetosecureitwhilescraping.Thenusebothhandstoslightlybendthescraper(photo e ).Becarefulnottoscrapethecherrybordersoryoumightcutrightdowntothehardwoodsubstrate.Repeatthesestepstoscrapethebandingflushontheremainingsidesofthebox.

Scrape the banding flush

use A cABinet scRApeR to shave the banding flat and flush, bending the scraper slightly with both hands as you push it away from you.

e


caul,oneat3⁄4in.andanotherat1in.ThendrawthefourlinestorepresenttheGreekkey(photo A ).Erasethetwoinsidelines,leavingjusttheL-shapedkey(thiswillmakeitlessconfusingwhencuttingoutthekey).

3. Usea1⁄4-in.-wideby10-tpibandsawbladetocuttheGreekkeyfromtheclampingcaul.Cutdownthecenterofthepencillines,makingsurethatyoucutperfectlystraight.Thenuseasandingblockand150-gritsandpapertosmoothedgesofthecaul.

4. PlacethecaulontopoftheKarelianburlveneer,aligningtheedgesattheveneer’scorner.PressdownonthecaulanduseascalpeltocutalongthenotchedcutouttoremoveoneL-shapedGreekkeycorner.Again,maketwoorthreepassestocutthroughtheveneer(photo B ). RepeattocutoneGreekkeyfromeachoftheremainingthreeveneercorners.Notethatyou’llhavetoflipoverthecaultocutthecornersontheoppositeendoftheveneer.

with the cAul on top of the Karelian burl veneer for the top, cut along the notched cutout in the caul to remove one L-shaped Greek key corner.

B

rectangularpiecesofquarteredcherryveneerforeachcorner.

2. Usethemiterboxandfine-toothhandsawtocuttolengthbandingpieceno.1.Startbycuttinga45°angleononeend,thendry-fititagainsttheendofthelongpieceofbandingtapedtothecenterpanel.Checktobesurethemiteredjointfitstightlytogether.Nowmarktheoppositeendofpieceno.1andmiter-cutittolength.Checktobesurebandingpieceno.1fitsproperly,thenflipoverthecenterpanelandtapepieceno.1inplacewithbluepainter’stape.Repeattocutandattachbandingpieceno.2.

1. CuttolengththefourlongpiecesofbandingthatgoaroundtheperimeteroftheKarelianburlveneercenterpanel.Usethemiterboxtocutbothendsofeachpieceto45°.Holdthepiecesofmiteredbandingtighttothecenterpanelandsecurewithbluepainter’stape.

Nowreferto“GreekKeyCornerLayout”onp.82forcuttingthesevenshortpiecesofbandingthatareneededtocreateeachGreekkeycorner.It’simportanttocutandfitthebandingpiecesaccordingtothenumericalsequenceshownindrawing. NotetoothatinordertocompletetheGreekkeypattern,you’llalsoneedtocutonesmallsquareoftheKarelianburlveneerandtwosmall

Make the Greek key banding


6. Cutandtapeinplacebandingpiecesno.5andno.6andthentapethemtothecenterpanel.Besuretouseasteelruletokeepallthepiecesstraightandsquare.

7. Miter-cuttheendofbandingpieceno.7andsetittighttothemiteredendofpieceno.6andagainsttheedgeoftheKarelianburlsquare.Makeapencilmarkwherepieceno.7overlapsbandingpieceno.4(photo c ). Square-cutbandingno.7onthepen-cilmark,setitinplace,andtapeittothebacksideofthecenterpanel.RepeatthesestepstocompletetheremainingthreeGreekkeycorners.

3. Miter-cuttheendofbandingpieceno.3andfititagainstthemiteredendofpieceno.2.Drawalinewhereyoumustsquare-cuttheendofbandingno.3(photo A ).Thissquaredendwillbuttupagainsttheedgeofbandingpieceno.4,givingtheappearancethatbandingpiecesarecrossingoveroneanother.Oncebandingpieceno.3hasbeencutandfitted,flipovertheveneerpanelandtapeno.3inplace.

4. Cutbandingpieceno.4,whichisthelongestpieceintheGreekkeycorner.Startbycuttinga45°angleinoneendandthenbuttitagainstthemiteredendofpieceno.1.Takeasteelrule,slipitunderneathbandingno.4andpresstheruleagainsttheoutsideedgeofthecenterpanel.Makeapencilmarkwherethesteelruleintersectsbandingno.4(photo B ). Miter-cutbandingpieceno.4onthepencilmarkto45°.Tapebandingpieceno.4tothecenterpanel.

5. PlaceapieceofKarelianburlveneerontothecuttingmatanduseasteelruleandscalpeltocutouta5⁄8-in.square.TapethissmallsquareofveneerintothecenteroftheGreekkey.

cut And fit BAnding piece no. 3, drawing a line where the square-cut end butts up against the edge of banding no. 4.

A

Greek Key Corner Layout

1

Walnut

Curly maple

Karelian burl

Banding

Quartered cherry

2

3

4

5 7

6


mARk the outside miteR for banding piece no. 4, which is the longest piece in the Greek key corner.

B

mARk the squARe cut on the end of banding piece no. 7 where it abuts banding no. 4.

c

cut the smAll RectAngles of cherry veneer to fit into the open notches beside each Greek key corner. The wood grain on the rectangle should match the wood grain on the border.

d

To make sure the Greek key cor-ners are square and straight, use a straightedge guide or steel rule to align the banding pieces before marking and cutting them to length.

work smart

8. TocompleteeachGreekkeycorneryoumustcutandinstalltherectangularpiecesofquarteredcherryveneerthatfilltheopenspacestoeithersideofeachGreekkey.However,beforecuttingthesesmallrectangularpieces,youmustcuttheoutsidecherrybordersfirst.That’llmakeitmucheasiertomatchupthewoodgrainontheborderswiththewoodgrainontherectangles.

Usethesame111⁄8-in.-longand141⁄8-in.-longclampingcaulsusedearliertocutthecherrybordersforthesidesofthebox.Followthestepsshownonpp.76–77forcuttingthequarteredcherryveneerborderstofitaroundthecenterpaneloftheboxtop.

9. ThenextstepistocutthesmallrectangularpiecesofcherryveneertofitintotheopennotchesbesideeachGreekkeycorner.Startbysettingonecherryborderontopofaflitchofcherryveneer.Shifttheborderarounduntilyoufindamatchingwood-grainpatternontheveneer.NowsliptheveneerundertheGreekkeycorner,aligningthematchingwood-grainpatternundertheopennotch.Firmlypressdownonthebandingandcherryveneer,andthencutoutthecherryrectanglewithascalpel(photo d ).

Thewoodgrainontherectanglewillnowmatchthewoodgrainontheborder.RepeatthesestepstocuttwocherryrectanglesforeachGreekkeycorner.Oncedone,tapetherectanglestothebackofthecenterpanel.Thentapethefourquarteredcherryborderstothepanelaswell.


1. Setthecenterveneerpanelontothecuttingmatwiththebluepainter’stapefacingdown.Applywater-gumtapetothetopsurfaceoftheveneerpanel,coveringtheentiresurfacetocreateasinglesheetofveneerforgluingtotheboxtop.

2. Pressdownthewater-gumtapewithafine-bristlebrassbrush.Thenuseascalpeltotrimofftheexcesstapefromaroundtheedgesoftheveneerpanel(photo e ).

3. Peeloffthebluetapeandthenfliptheveneerpaneloversothatthewater-gumtapefacesup.Useasmallwoodblocktopressdownthetapeandtheveneeredgesnexttothebanding.Thishandrub-bingwilleliminateanyairpocketsandensureatightgluebondtotheboxtop.

4. Maketwoclampingcaulsoutof1-in.-thickMDF.Cutbothcaulsto111⁄8-in.-wideby141⁄8-in.-longpieces,onefortheboxtopandtheotherfortheboxbottom.Usesprayadhesivetoadheretwolayersof1⁄8-in.-thickfoamtooneoftheclampingcauls.Rollalight,evencoatingofyellowglueontothetopveneerpanelandontothetopofthebox(photo f ).

5. Takethetwohardwoodrunnersusedearliertoveneertheboxends(seep.79)andsetthemonedgeontheworkbench.Placethefoam-coveredclampingcaulontopoftherunners.Thenlaytheveneerpanelontopofthefoamwithitsgluedsur-facefacingup.Settheboxupsidedownontopoftheveneer.Nowplacethesecondclampingcaulontoptoprotectthebottomofthebox.

6. Startbylightlyclampingthecenteroftheboxandthentheedges.Theveneerwillmoveslightlyasyouapplypressure,sorepositiontheveneerwhennecessarytoensurethatthecornersofthequarteredcherryveneerborderslineupwiththecornersofthe

Glue on the top veneer panel

coveR the top suRfAce of the center veneer panel with water-gum tape, and then trim off the excess tape from around the edges of the panel.

e

Roll A light, even coAting of yellow glue onto the top veneer panel and onto the top of the box and then clamp the panel to the box.

f

.


all outSide edgeS and cornerS of the

boxarefittedwithsolid-walnutbanding,whichisnotonlyattractivebutalsohelpsprotecttheveneer.Thenarrowpiecesofwalnutfitintoshallow1⁄8-in.by1⁄8-in.rabbets,whicharecutontheroutertable.

1. Startbymountingarabbetingbitintheroutertable.Installaball-bearingpilotontothebittopro-ducea1⁄8-in.-deepcutandthenadjusttheheightoftherouterbitto1⁄8in.Routa1⁄8-in.by1⁄8-in.rabbetaroundtheedgesoftheboxtopandbottom,andalongeachofthefourboxcorners(photo A ).

2. Cutthesolid-walnutbandingonthetablesaw.Startwitha2-in.-thickby30-in.-longpieceofwalnutthat’satleast2in.or3in.wide.Locktheripfence5⁄32in.fromthesawbladeandthencutone5⁄32-in.-thickby2-in.-wideby30-in.-longstripofwalnut.Placethestripflatdownagainstthesawtableandcutseven5⁄32-in.by5⁄32-in.by30-in.-longpiecesofband-ing.Thiswillbeenoughbandingfortheentirebox,

plusoneextrapiece.Notethatthebandingisabout1⁄32in.largerthantherabbets.Oncethey’regluedinplace,you’llbeabletoscrapethebandingperfectlyflushwiththeveneeredbox.

Cut the rabbet and the corner banding

Rout 1⁄ 8-in. by 1⁄8-in. rabbets around the edges of the box top and bottom and along each of the four box corners, pushing the box past the bit at a slow and steady pace.

A

box.Littlebylittletightenalltheclamps,makingsuretheveneerdoesn’tshiftoutofposition.Letthegluedryfortwohoursbeforeunclampingthebox.

7. Placetheboxupsidedownonthecuttingmatanduseascalpeltotrimofftheexcessveneerfromaroundtheperimeter.Removeanydryglueorveneerremnantswithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper.

8. Toremovethewater-gumtape,startbywipingdownthetapewithawetrag.Waitaminuteortwo,

thenpeeloffthetape. Ifthetapeistoodifficulttopeeloff,rewetitorsimplyscrapeitoffwithacabi-netscraper.Oncethetapehasbeenremoved,lettheveneerdrybeforeproceeding.

9. Clamptheboxintoabenchviceanduseacabi-netscrapertoscrapethebandingflushwiththeKarelianburlveneercenterpanelandthequarteredcherryborders.Usebothhandstoslightlybendthescraperasyoupushitawayfromyou.Shaveoffonlyenoughwoodtolevelthebandingwiththesur-roundingsurfaces.


use A cABinet scRApeR to scrape the walnut banding flush with the veneer.

c

Attach the walnut banding

1. Startinstallingthewalnutbandingintotherab-betatthetop,frontedgeofthebox.Usethemiterboxandfine-toothhandsawtomiter-cutoneendofthebandingto45°.Holdthebandingintotherabbetwithitsmiteredendflushwiththeendofthebox.Nowuseapenciltomarktheoppositeendofthebandingevenwiththebox(photo B ).Miter-cutthebandingto45°onthepencilmark.

2. Aftercuttingthebandingtolength,setitintotherabbetandsecurewithstripsofbluepainter’stape.Continuecuttingandtapingbandingpiecesaroundthetopandthenaroundthebottomofthebox.

3. Preparetocutthefourshort,verticalpiecesofwalnutbandingthatfitintotherabbetsroutedintothecornersofthebox.(Notethatthesebandingpiecesaresquarecut,notmitered.)Usethemiterboxandfine-toothhandsawtomakeasquare90°cutontheendofalengthofbanding.Holdthebandingintothecornerrabbetwithitssquare-cutendsittingontopofthehorizontalbandingatthebottomofthebox.Makeapencilmarkwheretheverticalcornerbandingmeetsthehorizontalbandingatthetopofthebox.Square-cutthebandingtolength,thentapeitintotherabbet.Repeattocutandfittheremainingthreepiecesofcornerbanding.

4. Onceyou’vecutandtapedintoplaceall12bandingpieces,removethem,andbrushyellowglueintoarabbetandontotheappropriatepieceofbanding.Pressthebandingintoitsrabbetandsecurewithtape.Checktobesurethebandingisperfectlyalignedwithintherabbet.Repeatfortheremainingpiecesofbanding.Wipeawayanyexcessgluewithacleancloth.Letthegluedryforatleastonehourbeforepeelingoffthetape.

5. Clamptheboxtotheworkbenchanduseacabi-netscrapertocarefullyscrapethewalnutbanding

flushwiththeveneer.Bendthescraperslightlyandslowlyshaveawaytheexcesswalnut(photo c ). Repeattoscrapeflushtheverticalpiecesofbandingateachboxcorner.Thenuseasandingblockand150-gritsandpapertolightlysandtheentirebox.

fit the wAlnut BAnding into the rabbet at the top front edge of the box, marking for miter cuts at both ends.

B


Startbysettingtheripfencesothattheedgeofthesledis5in.fromthecenterofthesawblade.Thenadjusttheheightofthesawbladetoexactly23⁄32in.Atthisheight,thebladewon’tcutcompletelythroughtheboxbutinsteadwillleaveabout1⁄32in.ofhardwooduncut.Thatway,theboxhalvesremainintactthroughoutthecuttingprocess.

2. Beforecuttingthebox,turnonthesawandrunbothsledsthroughtheblade.Thiswillsplitthesledbottomsinhalf,butthescrewsinthefrontandrearsupportblockswillholdthesledtogether.Thesawkerfattherearofthesledwillclearlyshowwherethebladeexitsthesled.

3. Settheboxintotheleft-handsledwiththeboxendrestingagainsttherearsupportblockandtheveneeredboxtoptightagainsttheangledfence.(Theleft-handsledistheonewiththeplywoodfenceanglingtotheleft,awayfromthesaw’sripfence.)Checkthebottomoftheboxforthechiselmarkorstampyoumadeearlier.Turnonthesawandpushthesledthroughthesawblade(photo A ).

to cut the box toP Safely and accu-

ratelyfromtheboxitselfyoumustmaketwocuttingsledsforthetablesaw(seethesidebaronp.88).Youneedtwosledsbecausethetopiscutfromtheboxata6°angle,requiringonesledforeachendofthebox.

1. Afterbuildingbothcuttingsleds,setupthetablesawforcuttingtheboxtopfromthebox.

Cut the box in half

to cut the Box in hAlf, set the box on the sled and push the sled through the sawblade with one hand holding the front corner of the box, and the other pushing the rear of the sled.

A

cut thRough the BAck surface of the box with the sawblade tilted to 6º, keeping the box tight to the fence throughout the cut. Reset the fence and cut the front surface of the box.

Buse A scAlpel to cut through the remaining sliver of hardwood and separate the box top from the box itself.

c


Making the cutting SledS

1. Cut two pieces of 3⁄4-in.-thick plywood 21 in. wide

by 23 in. long. Glue the pieces together and then

secure them with one 11⁄4-in. screw driven into oppo-

site corners. Place the plywood assembly into a

vacuum press bag and let the glue dry for about two

hours. Once the glue dries, remove both screws and

scrape off any excess dry glue from the four edges.

You can now cut the eight parts needed to build both

sleds from this one 11⁄2-in.-thick plywood panel.

2. Cut two 10-in.-wide by 16-in.-long plywood pieces

to serve as the bottom of the sleds. Then cut the two

11⁄2-in.-wide by 10-in.-long strips for the front support

block. Next, cut two 213⁄16-in.-wide by 10-in.-long pieces

for the rear support blocks. Finally cut two 11⁄4-in.-wide

by 10-in.-long pieces for the angled fence.

3. To establish the 6° angle on the rear support blocks,

make a mark at one end of each block 13⁄4 in. up from

the bottom edge (see “Box-Cutting Sleds” below).

Draw a line from this mark to the corner at the

opposite end of the 10-in.-long plywood block. Use a

bandsaw to cut along the outside edge of the pencil

line on each rear support block. Smooth the diagonal

edges with a sanding block and 80-grit sandpaper.

4. To each sled bottom fasten one rear support block,

one front support block, and one angled fence. Bore

screw-pilot holes first, and then secure each plywood

part with 21⁄2-in.-long flathead screws. Refer to the

drawing for the exact placement of each part and

screw. It’s important to keep the screws well away

from the blade’s cutting path.

Box-Cutting SledsLeft sled Right sled

Box bottom

5 in. 5 in.

10 in.

13⁄4 in.6º

16 in.

213⁄16 in.35⁄8 in.

29⁄16 in.29⁄16 in.

11⁄4 in.

Tablesaw fence

11⁄2 in.

Front support block

Fence

15⁄16 in.311⁄16 in.

5 in.

10 in.

16 in.

11⁄2 in.

Rear support block

213⁄16 in.13⁄4 in.

6º

Fence

11⁄4 in.

Tablesaw fence

Box bottom

35⁄8 in.

29⁄16 in.

15⁄16 in. 311⁄16 in.

29⁄16 in.

5 in.


Make the interior panels2. Makefourclampingcaulsfrom1⁄4-in.-thickMDForplywood:two103⁄8in.wideby123⁄4in.longforthefixedpanel,andtwo77⁄8in.wideby123⁄4in.longfortheremovablepanel.

3. Placeoneoftheremovable-panelclampingcaulsontopofasheetofKarelianburlveneer,pressdown,andthenuseascalpeltocutaroundtheperimeteredgesofthecaul.Maketwoorthreepassestocutthroughtheveneer.Repeattocutasecondpieceofveneerfortheremovablepanel.Thenusethefixed-panelcaultocutonepieceofKarelianburlveneerandonepieceofscrapveneer.Thescrapveneerwillbegluedtothebackofthefixedpanel.

there are two PanelS inSide the artiStSketchBox,onefixedandtheotherremovable.Bothpanelsarecutfrom1⁄2-in.-thickmapleply-woodandthencoveredwithKarelianburlveneerandedge-trimmedwithwalnuthardwood.Forthepanelstofitintothebox,youmustcuta6°angleintobothlongedgesofeachpanel.Buttostart,cutthepanels1⁄2in.widerthanneededandthentrimthemtosizeafterveneering.

1. Usethetablesawtocutthemapleplywoodfixedpanelto101⁄8in.wideby121⁄2in.long.Thencuttheremovablepanelto75⁄8in.wideby121⁄2in.long.

The sawblade will be hidden from view while cutting the box on the sled. Be sure to keep your hands toward the outer edges of the sled and well away from the path of the blade, especially where it exits the rear of the sled.

work smart

4. Aftercompletingtheinitialcut,puttheright-handsledontothesawtable.Rotatetheboxendforendandsetitsrightenddownintothesled.(Thistime,thesled’splywoodfencewillbeanglingtotheright,towardthesaw’sripfence.)Holdtheboxtighttotherearsupportblockandfenceandpushitthroughtheblade.Again,besuretokeepbothhandswellawayfromthesawblade.

5. Setasidebothcuttingsledsandpreparetocutthroughthebacksurfaceofthebox.Beginbytilt-ingthesawbladeto6°andthenlowerthebladetoprecisely19⁄32in.high.Locktheripfence29⁄16in.

fromthecenteroftheblade.Turnonthesawandslowlypushtheboxpasttheblade,makingsureyoukeeptheboxtighttothefencethroughoutthecut(photo B , p. 87).

6. Preparetocutthefrontsurfaceofthebox.Setthefence311⁄16in.tothecenteroftheblade.Don’treadjustthebladeangleorheight.Turnonthesawandmakethefinalpassovertheblade.Remember,theboxtopwillremainattachedtotheboxafterthefinalcut.

7. Settheboxonthecuttingmatorotherflat,protectedsurfaceanduseascalpeltocuttheboxtopfromtheboxitself.You’llneedtocutthroughonlyabout1⁄32in.ofhardwood,butworkslowlyandcarefully(photo c , p. 87)

8. Afterseveringthetop,asmallridgeofwoodwillremainalongtheundersideoftheboxtopandupperedgesofthebox.Removetheseridgeswithalow-angleblockplane.Thensandtheedgessmoothandflatwithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper.


plAce the fouR veneeR Bundles for the fixed and removable panels into a vacuum-press bag.

Acut A compound Angle on the ends of each piece of walnut end trim to match the 6º bevel angle on the panels.

B

fourpiecesofwalnuthardwoodto1⁄8in.thickby5⁄8in.wideby30in.long,whichwillbeenoughtrimforbothplywoodpanels.

8. Setupthepowermitersawforcuttingtolengththefourshorterpiecesofwalnuttrimthatcoverthesquare(notbeveled)endsofeachplywoodpanel.Rotatethesawbladefora45°miter,andthentiltthebladefor6°bevel.Thiswillproducethecompound-anglecutsnecessarytomatchthe6°bevelangleonthepanels.Cutthecompoundangleintooneendofalengthoftrim,thenholditagainsttheplywoodpanelandmarkwheretocuttheoppositeend.Repeatthissteptocuttheremainingthreepiecesoftheendtrim(photo B ).

9. Tocutthelongerpiecesofwalnuttrimthatcoverthebevelededgesoftheplywoodpanels,adjustthemitersawbeveltozerobutleavethemiterangleat45°.Cutthe45°angleintooneendofalengthoftrim,holditagainsttheplywoodpanel,andmarkwheretocuttheoppositeend.Repeattocuttheremainingthreepiecesoftheedgetrim.

10. Afteryou’vecutalleightpiecesofwalnuttrimtolength,brushyellowglueontothesquare,shorteredgesofeachpanelandontothefourshorterpiecesoftrim.Pressthetrimagainstthepaneledgesandsecurewithbluepainter’stape.Thenusethreebar

4. Applyanevencoatingofyellowgluetothefourveneerpiecesandtobothsurfacesofeachplywoodpanel.Presstheveneerontothepanelsandthensandwicheachbetweentheappropriatepairofclampingcauls.SecuretheveneeredbundleswithstripsofGorillaTapebeforeplacingthemintoavacuum-pressbag.Allowthegluetodryforabouttwohours(photo A ).

5. Afterthegluehasdriedremovethetapeandcauls.Placethepanelsontothecuttingmatanduseascalpeltotrimofftheexcessveneer.Thenuseasand-ingblockand150-gritsandpapertosandawayanyexcessglueorveneerfromtheedgesofthepanels.

6. Cuttheplywoodpanelstosize.Tiltthetablesawbladeto6°andsetthefence95⁄8in.fromtheblade.Pushthefixedpanelthroughtheblade,bevelingonelongedgeto6°.Thenrotatethefixedpanel180°andflipitoverendforend.Setthejust-bevelededgeagainstthefenceandcutamatching6°bevelintotheoppositeedge.Thiswillgivethefixedpaneltwoparallelbevelededges,bothanglinginthesamedirection.Resettheripfence71⁄8in.fromthebladeandrepeattobevelbothlongedgesontheremov-ableplywoodpanel.

7. Usethetablesawtomillthewalnuttrimthatgoesaroundtheedgesoftheplywoodpanels.Cut


with the RemovABle pAnel supported by a plywood drilling platform, use a 11⁄2-in.-dia. Forstner bit to drill a half-circle finger pull centered along the top edge.

shAve the wAlnut tRim flush with the burl veneer using a low-angle block plane. For the best results, tilt the plane slightly toward the burl and use long, even strokes.

e

dglue And clAmp the walnut trim against the panel edges, making sure that the miters line up to the panel corners before tightening the clamps.

c

clampstoholdthetrimontoeachpanel;makesurethemiterslineuptothepanelcornersbeforetight-eningtheclamps(photo c ). Next,glueandclampthelongerpiecesofwalnuttrimtothetwolongbevelededgesofeachplywoodpanel.Letthegluedrytwohourstothreehoursbeforeremovingtheclamps.

11. Setoneoftheplywoodpanelsonthecuttingmatandusealow-angleblockplanetoshavethewalnuttrimflushwiththeKarelianburlveneer(photo d ).Repeattoplanethewalnuttrimflushonbothsidesofeachpanel.Lightlysandallsurfacesandedgeswithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper.

12. Preparetodrillafingerpullintotheremov-ablepanel.Startbymakingadrillingplatformforthedrillpress,whichwillincreaseaccuracyandpreventsplinteringattherearoftheplywoodpanel.Cuta12-in.-wideby18-in.-longpieceof3⁄4-in.ply-wood,whichwillserveasthebaseoftheplatform.Thencuta2-in.-wideby18-in.-longpieceof3⁄4-in.plywoodforthefence.Nailorscrewthefencetothetopsurfaceofthebase,flushalongonelongedge.Clampthedrillingplatformtothedrillpresstablewiththetipofa11⁄2-in.-dia.Forstnerbitcenteredovertheedgeofthefence.

13. Next,drawacenterlineontotheedgeofthe121⁄2-in.-longremovablepanelandthensetthepanelagainstthefence.Clamptheremovablepaneltothefenceanddrillthe11⁄2-in.-dia.half-circlefin-gerpull(photo e ).


1. Setthetwosupportblocksintothetopbox,withthewiderblockattherearofthetopandthenarrowerblockatthefront.Setthefixedpanelontopoftheblockstomakesureitsitsflushwiththetopedgeoftheboxtop.Thereshouldbea1⁄64-in.gaparoundtheedgesofthepaneltoallowforwoodmovement.

Install the fixed panel

glue the two suppoRt Blocks into the top box, with the wider block at the rear of the top and the narrower block at the front.

A

2. Brushyellowglueontothecleatandontotheinsideofthebox.Clampthecleatinplacesothatit’llholdtheremovablepanelflushwiththetop,rearedgeofthebox.

3. Makethetwoblocksthatsupportthefixedpanel.Youcancuttheseblocksfromanyhardwoodspeciesbecausethey’llbehiddenfromview.Squareupthetablesawbladeto0°andcutthetwosupportblocks(see“Materials”onp.63).

4. Tiltthetablesawbladeto6°andsettheblade13⁄16in.fromtheblade.Useapushsticktopushthefirst,widerblockpasttheblade.Resetthefence1⁄4in.fromthebladeandbevel-ripthe6°angleintothesecond,narrowerhardwoodblock.

the next SteP iS to make and inStall

theonecleatandtwoblocksthatsupportthetwoplywoodpanels(seethedrawingonp.68).Theloweredgeoftheremovablepanelrestsonacleatfastenedtotheinside,rearsurfaceofthebox;theremovablepanel’supperedgesitsintherabbetcutinthepencil-trayfront,whichisalreadyinstalled.Thefixedpanelissupportedbytwoblocksattachedtotheinsideoftheboxtop.

1. Cutapieceofcurlymaplehardwoodforthecleat(see“Materials”onp.63).Tiltthetablesawbladeto6°andsettheripfence19⁄16in.fromtheblade.Bevel-ripthe6°angleintothetopedgeofthecleat.

Make the inside cleat and support blocks


2. Removethefixedpanelandbothsupportblocks.Brushyellowglueontotheinsideoftheboxtopandontotherearandbottomsurfacesofeachsupportblock.Presstheblocksintoplaceandsecurewithclamps(photo A ). Letthegluedryfortwohours,thenremovetheclamps.

3. Toadherethefixedpaneltothesupportblocks,Iusedhotanimal-hideglueforitssuperiorstrengthandbecauseitaccommodateswoodmovementbet-terthanothertypesofglue.Brushthreelargespotsofglueontoeachsupportblock,oneneareachendandoneinthecenter.

4. Pressthefixedpaneldownontothesup-portblocksandsecurewithsixsmallbarclamps.Positiontheclampsdirectlyoverthegluespots.Waittwohoursbeforeremovingtheclamps(photo B ).

5. Settheremovablepanelintothebox.Itshouldfitlooselywitha1⁄64-in.gaparoundallfouredges.Ifitfitsalittletootightly,sanddownthewalnutedgingwithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper(photo c ).

glue And clAmp the fixed panel onto the support blocks.

B

the RemovABle pAnel should fit loosely with a 1⁄64-in. gap around all four edges.

c


oftheboxtop.Notethatthispartalignspreciselywiththedecorativebandingrunningalongtheboxtop.Drilltwopilotholes,andthenfastentheswing-ingparttotheboxtop.Repeattoattachtheupperpartofthesecondcatch(photo A ).

2. Usea1⁄4-in.-widesteelruleasaspacerforinstallingthelower,fixedpartofthecatch.Holdthe

to hold the box cloSed, i inStalled

twoswingcatches;andtomakeiteasytocarrytheboxaround,Iattachedasimplehandle.Thecatchesandhandlearenickelplatedtomatchthehinges.

1. Positioneachcatch11⁄2in.fromtheoutsideedgeoftheboxtotheoutsideedgeofthecatch.Holdtheupper,swingingpartofthecatchagainstthefront

Attach the catches and handle

1. Startbyattachingthehingestotherearedgeofthebox.Holdonehingeinplace,7⁄8in.infromtheend.Positionthehingeknuckle(thecylindricalpartthatholdsthepin)toextendjustpasttherearedgeofthebox.Tracearoundthehingewithasharppencil.Repeatforthesecondhinge.

2. Usea3⁄4-in.-widewoodchiselandmallettocutjustinsidethepencillines.Holdthechiselatpre-cisely90°andcuttoadepthof1⁄16in.Removethewastewoodfromwithineachhingemortisewitha#2/8carvinggouge.Again,removejust1⁄16in.ofwoodfromeachmortise.

3. Drillpilotholesandthenscrewthehingestotherearedgeofthebox.

4. Placetheboxtoptightagainsttheboxintheopenposition.Lineupthetopwiththebox,makingsurethesidesareperfectlyflushwitheachother.Openthehingesandlaythemflatontheedgeoftheboxtop.Tracearoundeachhingewithasharppencil,thencutthemortiseswiththechiselandgouge(photo A ).

Install the hinges

the Box top is AttAched to the box with a pair of 3⁄4-in.-wide by 1-in.-long nickel-finish hinges.

A


1. Startbyremovingallthehardware,includingthehinges.Lightlyhand-sandallsurfaceswith150-gritsandpaper.Blowoffthesandingdustandwipeeverythingdownwithaclean,drycloth.

2. Sprayonaverylightcoatingofclearpre-catalyzedlacquerfinish,whichwillactasasealer.Allowthisinitialcoattodryfortwohours,whichisanhourlongerthanrecommendedbythelacquermanufacturer(photo A ).

3. Hand-sandallsurfacesagainusingultrafine320-gritsandpaper.Removethesandingdust,andsprayonanotherlightcoatoflacquer.Becare-fulnottoapplythelacquertoothicklyoritwillcrackovertime.

4. Repeatthepreviousstepbysandingfirstandthenapplyingonefinalcoatoflacquer.Letthefin-ishdryovernightandthenreinstallthehardware.

Finish the box

Apply A cleAR pRecAtAlyzed lacquer finish using a pneumatic sprayer. (Here, I’m using a DeVilbiss® model J6A-504 C-11 sprayer with a 1-quart cup.)

A

AttAch A pAiR of swing cAtches to hold the box closed.

A

ruleagainsttheswingingpartofthecatch,andthenpressthefixedpartagainsttherule.Setatrysquareontheboxtopanduseittoalignthetwopartsofthecatch.Drillpilotholesandattachthefixedparttothefrontofthebox.Repeattoinstallthefixedpartofthesecondcatch.

3. Thelastpieceofhardwaretoinstallisthe41⁄4-in.-longpolishednickelhandle.Centerthehandleontheboxfrontandattachwiththetwoscrews.

96 Music B ox

his traditional-

style music box is truly

a feast for the senses: Its

unique shape, enhanced by inlaid

marquetry, is a beauty to behold;

the richly figured burl veneer prac-

tically demands caressing, and,

unlike most wooden boxes, this

one can soothe you with the sound

of music.

Made primarily of solid maple

hardwood covered with maple

burl veneer, the box is accented

with solid flamed birch trim and

midnight-black ebony veneer. The

box’s musical theme is represented

inside and out by detailed marque-

try work of violins with musical

notes and by a lyre harp applied to

the box front. A 72-note musical

movement installed inside the box

plays three different melodies.

In this chapter you’ll learn

advanced veneering techniques,

including how to select and adhere

veneer so the wood grain matches

on all sides of the box and flows

nicely from the inside of the box

to the outside and around the

chamfered corners. Specific instruc-

T

Music Boxtions show how to add inlays to

the radius trim that accents the

box. There are also step-by-step

directions for turning the four seg-

mented feet on a lathe.

I briefly discuss the inlaid

marquetry of this box, but more

detailed marquetry instructions are

given for the Traditional Jewelry

Box project (see p. 188). Those

techniques can be applied here. The

violins on the outside are made of

flat-cut African mahogany. On the

inside of the box lid, I used blood-

wood veneer for the violins, so that

when you open the lid, you see the

same marquetry design but in a

slightly different color of wood.

Hot silicon sand was used to cre-

ate the subtle shading of certain

veneer pieces, which lends a three-

dimensional look to the marquetry.

Finished size of box: 9 in. tall

8 in. deep 151⁄2 in. wide

Music B ox 97


1 Flitch (7 sheets) for box 1⁄42 in. 21 in. 31 in. maple burl veneer

1 Front 9⁄16 in. 6 in. 13 in. maple

2 Front corners 9⁄16 in. 6 in. 11⁄8 in. maple

2 Ends 9⁄16 in. 6 in. 63⁄4 in. maple

1 Back 9⁄16 in. 6 in. 141⁄2 in. maple

1 Bottom 9⁄16 in. 71⁄2 in. 141⁄2 in. maple

1 Movement platform 1⁄4 in. 63⁄4 in. 133⁄4 in. maple

2 Splines 1⁄8 in. 1⁄2 in. 61⁄4 in. maple

2 Front and back inner box 9⁄16 in. 19⁄16 in. 91⁄2 in. maple

2 Ends inner box 9⁄16 in. 19⁄16 in. 5 in. maple

1 Top inner box 1⁄8 in. 5 in. 91⁄2 in. glass

1 Radius trim block 5⁄8 in. 1 in. 511⁄16 in. flamed birch

1 Spline 1⁄8 in. 3⁄4 in. 41⁄4 in. maple

5 Part A top cove trim 13⁄32 in. 13⁄32 in. 12 in. flamed birch

5 Part B middle trim 5⁄16 in. 11⁄16 in. 12 in. flamed birch

5 Part C bottom trim 7⁄32 in. 11⁄16 in. 12 in. flamed birch

10 Part A top cove veneer 1⁄42 in. 5⁄8 in. 121⁄8 in. Macassar ebony veneer

5 Parts B and C middle and top veneer

1⁄42 in. 7⁄8 in. 121⁄8 in. Macassar ebony veneer

1 Parts B and C radius trim 11⁄16 in. 4 in. 12 in. flamed birch (oversize)

1 Part A radius trim 13⁄32 in. 4 in. 12 in. flamed birch (oversize)

32 Foot pieces (for 4 feet) 13⁄16 in. 5⁄8 in. 31⁄2 in. flamed birch

materials▲▲

98 Music B ox

1. Startbycuttingthehardwoodmaplesubstratefortheboxparts.Tocreatetheboxfront,back,bothends,andtwochamferedcorners,cuttwohardwoodmaplepieces,eachmeasuring9⁄16in.thickby6in.wideby30in.long.

2. Fortheboxbottom,you’llneedapieceofmaplethat’s9⁄16in.thickby71⁄2in.wideby141⁄2in.long.Andforthemovementplatform,cutamaplepiecemeasuring1⁄4in.thickby63⁄4in.wideby133⁄4in.long.Themovementplatformgetsinstalled31⁄8in.abovetheboxbottomandprovidesaplacetomountthemusicalmovement(seethedrawingonp.104).

i Chose to glue maPle burl veneer tomaplehardwoodratherthanbuildtheboxfromsolidmapleburl.That’sbecausesolidmapleburlisn’treadilyavailable,norisiteasilyroutedandmachined.Andthedensityofburlisn’tgoodforsoundquality;it’stoounstableandunpredictable.Forthisbox,you’llneedaflitchofsevensheetsofmapleburlveneer,eachmeasuring1⁄42in.thickby21in.wideby31in.long.(Aflitchisabundleofveneersheetsthatarelaidtogetherinsequenceexactlyastheywerecutfromthelog.)You’llneedonlyfivesheetstocompletethisbox,butit’salwaysagoodideatohaveacoupleextrasheetsonhandincaseofanymistakesorunforeseenproblems.

Veneer the hardwood parts


32 Foot pieces (for 4 feet) 1⁄42 in. 7⁄8 in. 31⁄2 in. Macassar ebony veneer

8 Marquetry veneers 1⁄42 in. 8 in. 15 in. see p. 123

1 Top 1⁄2 in. 8 in. 15 in. maple veneer plywood

1 Top trim 1⁄2 in. 5⁄8 in. 22 in. flamed birch

1 Top trim 1⁄2 in. 5⁄8 in. 14 in. flamed birch

1 Trim inlay veneer 1⁄42 in. 8 in. 48 in. black dyed veneer

1 Lyre harp 5⁄16 in. 41⁄2 in. 51⁄2 in. flamed birch (oversize)

1 Musical movement

1 pair 95º stop hinges 11⁄16 in. 11⁄4 in.


Music B ox 99

My favorite tool for cutting veneer is a medical-grade scalpel. It’s extremely sharp and produces the cleanest, most precise cuts. The model I use has replaceable #10A blades, which can be resharpened on an ultra-fine sharp-ening stone. Scalpels and blades are available from several online sources.

work smart

Veneering oVer Hardwood

Look closely at virtually any antique piece of furni-

ture and you’ll likely find veneer glued over hard-

wood, especially on the legs, aprons, and other

small surfaces. These veneered surfaces often

remain in great shape for generations because there

is very little movement between the hardwood and

the veneer. Larger surfaces—tabletops, broad sides,

and front panels—are usually built out of hand-

made plywood or lumber-core plywood, and then

veneered.

Veneer doesn’t hold up very well when glued to

large slabs of hardwood because the slabs tend to

expand and contract too much. Plus they can crack

and warp, which damages the veneer. Keep in mind

that the rate of expansion and contraction of wood

varies from species to species and even from board

to board. The amount of movement also seems to

decline with age. In smaller projects, such as the

wooden box shown here, veneering over hardwood

works well because the amount of wood movement

is insignificant.

3. Useascalpelorartist’smatknife,straightedge,andself-healingmattoslicetheveneerdowntosize.Forbestresults,makeeachcutintwoorthreelightpasses.Tryingtoforcetheknifethroughtheveneeronasinglepasscanchiptheveneerorcausetheknifetoveerawayfromthestraightedge.Foreachhardwoodsubstrate,cutapieceofveneerthat’sabout1⁄8in.oversizeonallsides.

4. Applyyellowgluetotheveneerandsubstrateandspreaditevenlywitha3-in.roller.Presstheveneerinplace,thenfliptheboardandglueveneer

totheoppositeside(photo A ). Iprefertouseavacuumpresstoclamptheveneerinplacewhilethegluedries(seep.100).Thissimplemachineprovidestheeasiestandabsolutebestwaytobondveneertoasubstrate.Ifyoudon’thaveavacuumpress,useseveraltraditionalclampsand/orweightstopressdowntheveneer.

Use A 3-in. roller to evenly apply yellow glue to the veneer and both sides of the two substrates.

A

100 Music B ox

5. Ifusingavacuumpress,startbymakingfourclampingcauls,whicharesimply3⁄4-in.-thickpiecesofMDFcuttothesamesizeastheveneer.Roundthecornersofthecaulssotheywon’tpuncturethevacuumbag.SandwichoneoftheveneersubstratesbetweentwoMDFcauls.Wrapthebundleinfourstripsofbluepainter’stape,justtokeepthepiecesfromshiftingoutofposition.Slidethebundleintothevacuumbag,connectthevacuumhose,andturnonthevacuumpress.Asairissuckedfromthebag,vacuumpressurewillsqueezethepartstogether.Leavethepiecesinthevacuumpressforthreehours.Repeattoadheretheveneertothesecondmaplesubstrate(photo B ).

the Best wAy to Bond veneer to substrate is to use a vacuum press, with the veneer substrate sandwiched between two MDF clamping cauls.

B

1. Whenmatchinguptheveneergrain,startinthemiddleofonepanelanddrawthe13-in.-longboxfront.Thendrawalineateachendoftheboxfrontoutlinetorepresentthesawkerf.Mymitersawbladeis1⁄8in.thick,soImarkedthekerflines1⁄8in.awayfromtheendsoftheboxfront(photo A ). Drawlinesforthetwochamferedcornersandboxends,makingsuretomarkthesawkerfs.Nowmarkthebackoftheboxontothesecondsubstrate.

take both veneered substrates andlaythemedgetoedge.Besurethegrainontheveneersmatches.Onepanelislongenoughtocutoutthefront,twochamferedcorners,andbothendswithalittleextramaterialleftover.Thesecondpanelwillproducethebackofthebox;theremainderwillbeusedlaterforcuttingtheinteriorboxparts.

Lay out and cut the box parts

A self-healing mat is indispensable when cutting veneers. It’ll help you make clean straight cuts, and its surface “heals” itself to like-new condition, even after repetitive cuts. In addition, the knife will stay sharper longer, and the mat’s 1-in. grid pattern helps in sizing your cuts.

work smart

Music B ox 101

As yoU sAw throUgh the pArts, cut just barely into the plywood table. That way, you’ll be able to reuse the auxiliary fence and table for future projects.

lAy oUt the Box pArts on the two veneered substrates, making sure to draw in the lines that represent the sawkerf lines.

A

B

Make an auxiliary plywood fence and table for your miter saw and clamp it to the saw’s fence. Then when you cut through the box parts, the saw-blade won’t blow out the veneer on the underside.

work smart

2. Cutagrooveintotheinsidefaceofbothveneeredsubstrates.Thegroovesacceptthemove-mentplatformthatsupportsthemusicalmovementmechanism.Themapleplatformis1⁄4in.thick,plusthethicknessoftheveneeroneachside.Adjustthetablesawbladetocut1⁄4in.deepandsettheripfencetopositionthegroove2in.downfromthetopedgeoftheboxparts.

Tocutthegroovetopreciselyfitthethicknessoftheplatform,youmustmaketwoorthreepassesovertheblade,movingthefenceslightlyaftereachcut.Thefinishedgroovewillbeslightlylessthan5⁄16in.wide.

3. Cutthepartstosize,usingthelayoutlinesdrawnearlier(photo B ). Aftercuttingallsixboxparts—front,back,twoends,andtwochamferedcorners—dry-assembletheboxtoensurethatthegroovesalignandthattheveneergrainmatchesallaroundthebox.

102 Music B ox

boxpart.Routthe45°cutintobothendsoftheboxbackandintotherearofbothboxends.Usethesamebittorout45°mitersintothebottomedgeoftheboxfront,back,ends,chamferedcorners,andintoallsixedgesoftheboxbottom(photo d ).(Itisveryimportanttouseapushblockwitha45°angleforroutingthesmallchamferedcornersofthebottom.Theangledpushblockwillpreventthechamferedcornersfromslidingintotherouterbitandruiningthebottom.)

Eachrearcornerofthebox,wherethebackjoinstheboxends,isconnectedwithaspline-reinforced45°miterjoint.And45°miterjointsarealsousedtojointheboxbottomtothebox(thesejointsarenotreinforcedwithwoodensplines).Cuteachofthesemitersusingtheroutertableand45°chamferingbit.

1. Settherouter-tablefenceflushwiththeball-bearingguideontherouterbit.Adjusttheheightofthebittocuta45°angleacrosstheedgeofeach

Rout the 45° miter joints

Thetwofrontchamferedcornersarejoinedtotheboxendsandfrontwithaspecialtyjointcalledalockmiter.Thesestrong,attractivejointsaremilledontheroutertableusinga221⁄2°lock-miterrouterbitset.Thesethastwobits,oneforcuttingmor-tisesandoneforcuttingtenons.

1. Usethemortise-cuttinglock-miterbittomillthejointintobothendsoftheboxfrontandintothefrontofeachboxend(photo C ).

2. Switchtothetenon-cuttinglock-miterbitandmillthejointsintobothendsofeachchamferedcorner.Whenroutingtheseparts,besuretoprotectyourhandsbyusingafeatherboardclampedtothefenceandapushsticktopushthewoodpastthebit.

Rout the lock-miter joints

A two-piece 221⁄2° lock-miter router bit set is a great investment for serious woodworkers. It can be used for many applications, includ-ing cabinet corners, and interlocking edge-to-edge joints on eight-sided projects.

work smart

roUt the loCk-miter joint into both ends of the box front and into the front of each box end. Be sure to use a push stick for safety and accuracy.

C

Music B ox 103

roUt 45° miters into the bottom edges of the box parts and also into both ends of the box back and the rear of both box ends.

Cutting the miters with a 45° chamfer router bit is faster and cleaner than using a tablesaw. With the tablesaw, you’d have to readjust the fence many times and the blade would chip the veneer on the underside.

work smart

switCh to the tABlesAw and cut a 1⁄4-in. spline groove into the center of each mitered edge.

e2. Movetothetablesawandbevel-tiltthebladeto45°.Adjusttheripfencetocutintothecenterofthemiterededgeandraisethebladetocut1⁄4in.deep.Usethemitergaugetopasseachmiterededgepasttheblade,cuttingashallowsplinegroove(photo e ).

3. Cuttwomaplehardwoodsplinesonthetable-saw,eachmeasuring1⁄8in.thickby1⁄2in.wideby61⁄4in.long.Checktobesurethesplinesfitsnuglyintothegroovescutinthemiterjoints;theyshouldslideinwithsomeresistance.

splinter-freecutonboththetopandbottomsur-facesoftheboxparts.

Ontheboxback,drawa21⁄2-in.-wideby101⁄2-in.-longcutoutwitha11⁄4in.radiusoneachend;referto“VerticalSectionofBack”onp.104 forthelocationofthebacksoundhole.Centeringiton

Theboxbackandthebottomhaveelongatedholescutinthem,whichserveassoundholesthatletthemusicoutandalsoprovideaccesstothemusi-calmovement’swindingmechanism.Cutoutbothholeswithascrollsawand#3reverseskip-toothsawblade.Thisstylebladeproducesasmooth,

Cut the sound holes

d

104 Music B ox

Use A sCrollsAw to cut out the sound holes on the back and bottom of the box. The sound holes make the 72-note movement sound much better and help bring out the bass and treble. F

theboxbottom,drawa4-in.-wideby101⁄2-in.-longcutoutwitha4-in.radiusoneachend.

Drilla1⁄2-in.-dia.accessholeinthewasteareaofeachpart.Feedthescrollsawbladethroughtheaccessholeandcutoutthesoundholes(photo F ). Use150-gritsandpapertosmooththecutsandtoeaseovertheedgesonbothsidesoftheholes.

Vertical Section of Back

Inner box Glass pane Movement platform

Sound hole

Segmented foot

155⁄8 in.

2 in.

1⁄2 in.

6 in.

31⁄8 in.

21⁄2 in.

101⁄2 in.

141⁄2 in.

91⁄4 in.

23⁄8 in.

Music B ox 105

1. Afterallthepartsaremilled,laythemoutonaflatsurfaceandlightlysandbothsidesofeachpartwitharandom-orbitsanderfittedwith150-gritsandpaper.

2. Dry-assemblethebox,usingbluepainter’stapeonthecorners.Drawapencillinearoundtheinsideoftheboxandontothemovementplatform.Theselineswillallowyoutoaccuratelymarkthepositionsofthemountingholesforthemusicalmovement(photo g ). Disassemblethebox.

3. Forthemovementshownhere,firstdrawa5-in.-wideby91⁄2-in.-longrectangle,centeredonthebackedgeandthendrawa3-in.-wideby71⁄2-in.-longrectanglecenteredinsidethefirstrectangle.Markmounting-holelocationsontothemovement

Lay out for the musical movement

dry-AssemBle the Box and draw a pencil line around the inside of the box and onto the movement platform.

g

platform.(Eachmusicalmovementcomeswithitsownmarkingtemplate.)Putapieceofscrapply-woodundertheplatform,anddrillouttheholes.

There are many different brands and sizes of musi-

cal movements, ranging from 18 to 144 notes. The

more notes available, the fuller range of sound and

harmony. The important thing to understand is that

as the note and cylinder size increase, so does the

musical performance. So the larger the movement,

the more elaborate the musical display and sound it

will produce.

Each movement has a different drilling template,

and it’s imperative to have the movement on hand

before drilling the mounting and winding holes. For

this project, I installed a Sankyo 72-note Orpheus

musical movement (code No. J02; available at www.

bettermusicboxes.com), which plays three melodies:

“March of the Toy Soldiers,” “Waltz of the Flowers,”

and “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” This particular

movement has an on and off switch that lets you

Musical MoVeMent

decide whether to play music continuously or to stop

after each melody. And it’ll play music with the lid

open or closed. When you wind up the music box,

be very careful not to overwind the mechanism or it

might break.

http://www.bettermusicboxes.com

http://www.bettermusicboxes.com

106 Music B ox

AssemBle the Box sides, top, and mounting platform first; allow to dry and then glue on the mitered-edge bottom.

glUe And ClAmp the box together. Once the glue is dry, remove the clamps and trim the splines flush to the box edges using a small handsaw.

1. Beforeapplyinganyglue,putstripsofbluepainter’stapealongallinsidecornerswheregluewillsqueezeout.Thenuseasmallbrushtospreadanevencoatingofglueontothemiteredcornerjoints.However,don’tputglueinthegrooves;themovementplatformmustbefreetoexpandandcontract.Assemblethebox,exceptforthebottom,


After the glue dries for about 30 minutes, use a putty knife to scrape off any excess glue from the tape on the inside corners. It’s much easier to remove the glue before it has completely hardened.

work smart

A

B

Music B ox 107

ClAmp the Box Bottom to the box, using three spring clamps around the sound hole to ensure a tight glue bond.

the first steP to Cutting veneer for

thetopedgesoftheboxistomakeacutting/clamp-ingcaulfromascrappieceofhardwood.Cutthecaultothesamelengthastheboxfrontand1⁄8in.widerthantheboxfront’sthickness.Besuretocuteachendofthecaulto221⁄2°tomatchtheanglebetweentheboxfrontandthechamferedcorners.

1. Placethecuttingcaulontopoftheveneerandpressdowntightly.Useascalpelorartist’smatknifetocutaroundtheedgesofthecaul,makingtwoorthreepassesuntilyou’vecutthroughtheveneer.

2. Useabrushtospreadyellowglueontothebackoftheveneerandontotheedgeoftheboxfront.Presstheveneerintoplace,makingsureitsendsalignwiththe221⁄2°jointsatthechamferedcorners.Setthecaulontopoftheveneerandsqueezeitdownwithfiveshortbarclamps(photo A ).

Repeatthisprocesstocutandadhereveneertothetopedgesoftheboxbackandends.Makenewcutting/clampingcauls,asneeded.

3. Trimthetop-edgeveneerflushusingaverysharpwoodchisel.Holdthechiselwithitsbevelfac-inguptopreventthechiselfromgougingthework(photo B , p. 108).

Veneer the top edges

andholdthepartstogetherwithstripsofpainter’stape.Checktheboxforsquareandclampitwithfiveshortbarclamps.Letthegluedryovernight,thenremovetheclamps(photo A , facing page).

2. Brushglueontothemiterededgesoftheboxbottom(photo B ). Thenusethreespringclampsandsixshortbarclampstoholdthebottomtothebox(photo C ).

Veneer the top edges of the box front, set the caul on top, and clamp. Wait at least an hour before removing the clamps.

A

Use a putty knife or wood chisel to lightly scrape away any glue that squeezes out from under the ends of the veneer. If this excess glue isn’t removed, it’ll prevent the next piece of veneer from butting tightly against the first one.

work smart

C

108 Music B ox

trim the top-edge Veneer flush to the sides with a sharp chisel.

4. Toveneerthetopedgesofthetwochamferedcorners,firstmakeacutting/clampingcaulthat’s1⁄16in.longerthanthesurfacetobeveneered.Thatextralengthallowsthecaultobridgethejointateachendofthesmallpieceofveneer,effectivelyclampingitdown.Setthecaulontopoftheveneerandcutouttwopiecesforthechamferedcorners.Test-fittheveneerpiecestothechamferedcorners.Ifnecessary,useasandingblockwith150-gritsand-

CUt the Veneer for the top edges of the two chamfered corners; also make a matching clamping caul.

C

1. Taketheremainderoftheveneered-maplesubstrate,whichisapproximately6in.wideby151⁄4in.long,andcuttwo19⁄16-in.-widestripsonthetablesaw.Thosestripswillproducethefoursidesoftheinnerbox.However,beforecuttingthestripstolength,youmustglueveneertoonelongedgeoneachpiece.

2. Cuttwopiecesofmapleburlveneerabout1⁄16in.widerandlongerthantheveneered-maplestrips.Brushglueontothebackoftheveneerandtoonelongedgeofeachstrip.Clamptheveneerinplace.Oncethegluedries,useachiseltotrimtheveneerflush,thenlightlysandwith150-gritsandpaper.

there are many reasons why i

designedaninnerboxforthismusicbox,butthemostimportantisimprovedsoundquality.The72-notemusicalmovementfitssnuglyinsidetheinnerbox,whichallowsthemusictoshootstraightupandout.Iftherewerenoinnerbox,thesoundwouldbouncearoundinsidethemuchlargermainbox,diminishingthesoundquality.Ialsoinstalledaglasspaneovertheinnerbox,whichprotectsthemusicalmovementfromfingerprintsanddust.

Idecidedtoplacethemusicalmovement’son/offswitchinsidethebox,ratherthanontheoutsidewhereit’softenlocated.Puttingtheswitchinsidekeepstheoutsideoftheboxfreeofanyhardwareandprotectstheswitchfromdamagingbumpsandknocks.

Construct the inner box

papertolightlysandtheveneeruntileachpiecefitsperfectly.Brushglueontotheveneerpiecesandontothetopedgesofthechamferedcorners.Presseachveneerpieceintoplaceandclamp(photo C ).

B

Music B ox 109

8. Placetheinnerboxinsidethemusicbox,cen-teredlefttorightonthemovementplatformandtightagainsttheboxback.Tracearoundtheinsideandoutsideoftheinnerbox.Removetheinnerboxanddrillfour1⁄8-in.-dia.screw-shankclearanceholesthroughthemovementplatform,centeredontheoutlines.Drilloneholecenteredateachend,andtwoequallyspacedalongthefrontpanel(photo B ).

9. Settheinnerboxbackintoplaceandtipthemainmusicboxontoitsback.Nowdrill1⁄8-in.-dia.pilotholesthroughtheholesdrilledearlierandintothebottomedgeoftheinnerbox.Useamanualscrewdrivertofastentheinnerboxwithfour3⁄4-in.-long,#8pan-headwoodscrews.

3. Usethemitersaw,withthebladerotatedto45°,tocutthestripsintothepartsfortheinnerbox.Cutboththefrontandbackto91⁄2in.longandcuteachofthetwoendsto5in.long.

4. Drilla5⁄16-in.-dia.centerholethroughtheinner-boxfront;theholewillaccommodatetheon/offswitch.Thenusethetablesawtocuta3⁄32-in.-deepby3⁄8-in.-widecentergrooveintotheinsidesurfaceoftheinner-boxfront.TheL-leverprotrudingfromtherearofthemusicalmovementwillslideintothisgroove.

5. Placetheinner-boxpartsfacedownandendtoendinthefollowingorder:end,back,end,front.Holdthepartstogetherwithbluepainter’stape.

6. Flipoverthetaped-togetherpartsandplacestripsoftapebesidetheinsidejointswheregluewillsqueezeout(photo A ). Spreadglueontothecornerjointsandassembletheinnerbox.Applytapeacrossthefouroutsidecornerstoholdtheboxtogether.Checktobesuretheboxissquare,thenallowthegluetodryovernight.

7. Makeafull-sizetemplateoutof1⁄4-in.plywoodfortheglasstopthatcoverstheinnerbox.Drilltwo1⁄4-in.-dia.holesintothetemplateforthethumbscrews.Bringthetemplatetoaglassshopandhavethemcutanddrillapieceof1⁄8-in.-thickglasstomatch.

prepAre to glUe the pArts for the inner box (from left to right: front, end, back, end). Note the groove in the front, which accommodates the L-lever that protrudes from the musical movement.

A

plACe the inner Box inside the music box, centered left to right on the movement platform and tight against the box back.

B

110 Music B ox

the bottom edge of the ComPleted

musicboxisembellishedwithdecorativetrimthatrunsaroundtheends,chamferedcorners,andfrontofthebox.Alongthefront,thetrimcurvesdown-ward,formingagentleradius.Beforeproceeding,youmustinstallaroundedwoodenblocktotheunder-sideoftheboxtosupportthatcurvedsectionoftrim.

1. Cutthe5⁄8-in.-thickby1-in.-wideby511⁄16-in.-longradiustrimblockfromapieceofsolidflamedbirch.Drawa47⁄16-in.radiusontotheblock,thencutthecurvewithabandsaw.Smooththecutedgewith150-gritsandpaper.Theradiustrimblockattachestotheboxbottomwithawoodensplinethatfitsintomatchingslots.Startbysettinguptheroutertablewitharabbetbitthatcuts1⁄8in.wideand3⁄8in.deep.Cuta43⁄16-in.-longslotintothestraightedgeoftheradiustrimblock.Centertheslotsothatitstartsandstops3⁄4in.fromeachendoftheblock.Usethesamesetuptocutanidenticalslotintotheboxbottom(photo A ).

2. Usethetablesawtocuta1⁄8-in.-thickby3⁄4-in.-wideby41⁄4-in.-longmaplehardwoodspline.Roundoverthefourcornersofthespline,thendry-fititintotheslots.Trim,asnecessary,toachieveasnug,butnottootight,fit.Spreadglueontothesplineandintothegrooves,thenclamptheradiustrimblocktothebox(photo B ).

Install the radius trim block

roUt A slot For the spline in the straight edge of the radius trim block and a matching slot in the box bottom. Draw vertical lines on the router table fence to indicate where to start and stop routing the spline slots.

A

ClAmp the splined rAdiUs trim block to the bottom of the box.

B

Music B ox 111

A throUgh-seCtion of the completed trim that runs around the bottom of the box. It’s composed of three pieces of solid birch and three strips of ebony veneer. The key letters assigned to each birch piece help keep track of how they’re glued together.

A

resultofthisassemblageisadelicatelyshapedprofilethat’saccentedwithblackpinstripes(photo A , below).Thistrimissimilarindesignandconstructiontothesegmented-turnedfeet,whicheffectivelytiestogetherthesetwodesignelements.

the deCorative trim that runs aroundthebottomofthemusicboxislaminatedfromsixpieces.Thebodyofthetrimiscomposedofthreepiecesofflamedbirch,whichareseparatedbytwostripsofebonyveneer.Athirdstripofebonyveneerisadheredtotherearoftheupperbirchpiece.The

Fabricate the decorative trim with inlay

Cut and glue the hardwood and veneer

1. Cuttosizetheflamedbirchandebonyveneerpieceslistedin“Materials”onp.97.(Thelistincludesalittleextra,whichyoucanusetomaketestcutswhensettingupthemitersaw.)Millthebirchpiecesonatablesawandcuttheveneerusingamatknifeandstraightedge.

2. Brushglueontothemiddleandbottombirchtrimpieces(partsBandCinthephotoatleft).Applygluetobothsidesofastripofebonyveneertoo.Laytheveneerbetweenthebirchpieces,andsqueezethemtogether.Repeatforthenexttwotrimpieces,thenclampallthreetogetheratthesametime.Assemblethefinaltwopiecesoftriminasimilarmanner.

3. Afterthegluehasdried,sandtheveneerflushtothehardwoodwithasandingblockand80-gritsandpaper.

4. Preparetogluetwostripsofebonyveneertoeachtopbirchtrimpiece(partA).Brushglueontoonesideofthebirchpieceandontooneebonyveneerstrip;clampthepartstogetheruntilthegluedries.Sandtheveneerflush,thenrepeattoadherethefinalebonyveneerstripstotheadjacentsidesofeachbirchpiece.(Notethat,atthispoint,thetrimpiecesareallstraight-sided;wewillprofilethemlater,asexplainedonp.115.)

112 Music B ox

3. Onthesecondboard,whichis3⁄8in.thick,drawintheoutsideradiusofpartAto37⁄8in.andthenmarktheinsideradiusto37⁄16in.See“FrontRadiusTrim”belowformoredetails.

4. Usea1⁄4-in.-wide6tpi(toothperinch)skip-toothbandsawbladetocutoutthecurvedpiecesofbirchtrim(photo C ).

Toformthecurvedsectionoftrim,you’llneedtocutthreecurvedpiecesofbirch.Startbydrawingthethreeradii ontotwopiecesofbirchhardwood.Cuteachbirchboardapproximately4in.wideby12in.,thenrunthemthroughathicknessplaner.Millthefirstboardto11⁄16in.thick,whichisthesamethicknessastrimpiecesBandC.Planethesecondboardto13⁄32in.,orasthickastrimpieceA.

1. Onthefirstboard,whichis11⁄16in.thick,useacompassanddrawthelargestradiusof47⁄16in.ThatrepresentstheoutsideradiusofpartC.Then,withoutmovingthecompass’spivotpoint,drawa43⁄16-in.radius,whichistheinsideradiusofpartC.

2. Movethecompassbackabout1in.orsoanddrawanother43⁄16-in.radiustorepresenttheout-sideradiusofpartB.Fromthesamepivotpoint,readjustthecompassanddrawa37⁄8-in.radiusfortheinsidecurveofpartB(photo B ).

Lay out the front radius trim

When drawing the radii for the front radius trim note that you must mark them approximately 1 in. longer than the actual pieces of trim, which are about 53⁄4 in. long. Cutting them about 63⁄4 in. long is necessary in order to cut the angled miters onto the ends.

work smart

Front Radius Trim413⁄16 in.

511⁄16 in.

1 in.

1 in.

47⁄16-in. radius

37⁄16-in. radius

A

B

C

Music B ox 113

Use A CompAss to draw parts A, B, and C for the front radius trim.

BCUt oUt the CUrVed pieCes of birch trim on the bandsaw. Guide the blade as close to the outside edge of the pencil line as possible but be careful not to cut into or past the line.

C

Aftercuttingtheradiustrim,you’llneedtosandthesurfacessmoothandremoveallthebandsaw-blademarks.Whilesanding,supportthetrimpieceswithroundedwasteblockscutfromthetwobirchboards.Clamptheblockstotheworkbench,thenclamptheradiustrimtotheblocks.

1. Sandonehalfoftheoutsideradiususingasmallblockofwoodwrappedwith80-gritsandpaper.Uselongsandingstrokesuntilthesurfaceissmooth.Thenfliparoundthetrimpieceandsandtheotherhalf.Repeatfortheremainingradiustrimpieces.

2. Smooththeinsideradiiwithahomemadesand-ingcylinder.Onalathe,turna5-in.-dia.by6-in.-longwoodcylinder.Screwasimplewoodenhandletoeachendofthecylinder.Thenstickan80-gritpressure-sensitiveadhesive(PSA)abrasivedisktothecylinderanduseittosmooththeinsidecurves(photo d ).

Sand the front radius trim

Use A shopmAde sanding cylinder to smooth the inside curves of the front radius trim.

d

114 Music B ox

glUe A Veneer strip to the outside curved surface of top trim part A, using parts B and C as a clamping form.

2. Makearoundedclampingformfromtheboardsfromwhichyoucutoutthecurvedbirchtrim.GluethecurvedveneerstriptothebacksideofthecurvedbirchtrimpartA.Settheveneeredsurfacedownagainsttheformandsecurewithseveralspringclamps.

3. Afterthegluedries,trimawaytheexcessveneer.Thensandtheveneerflushwiththebirchusingthesandingcylinder.

4. Nowpreparetoglueaveneerstriptotheout-sidecurvedsurfaceoftoptrimpartA.Onlythistime,brushglueontojustonesideoftheveneerandontotheoutsidecurvedsurfaceofpartA.Presstheveneerintoplace,thensetpartAontopofpartsBandC,whichtogethercreatetheperfect-sizeclampingform.Holdthepartstogetherwithspringclampsuntilthegluehardens.Thentrimandsandtheveneerflush(photo e ).

Preparetocutthreepiecesofebonyveneerforthefrontradiustrim.Theseveneerpieceswillbelami-natedbetweentheradiusbirchpiecesmilledandsandedintheprevioussteps.

1. Setthecurvedbirchtoptrim(partA)ontopofalargepieceofebonyveneer.Tracearoundthepart,drawingapproximately1⁄8in.wideronbothsidesandend.Cuttheveneeralongthelineusingascalpelorartistmatknife.Fortheveneerstripthatgoesbetweenthetopandmiddletrimpieces(partsAandB),cutastraightpieceofveneer5⁄8in.wideby53⁄4in.long.Thencutanotherstraightstripofveneerto7⁄8in.wideby61⁄4in.longtofitbetweenthemiddleandbottomtrimpieces(partsBandC).

ToinstallthestraightveneerstripbetweenpartsBandC,brushglueontobothsurfacesoftheveneerandontotheundersideofpartBandtopedgeofpartC.Clampthethreepiecestogetherusingsmallspringclamps.

Cut and clamp the front radius veneer

e

Music B ox 115

Setuptheroutertableandfenceforroutingprofilesintothestraightpiecesoftrim.Shapeeachprofileintwoorthreeprogressivelydeepercutstopreventkickbacksorblowingoutanedge.Andbesuretouseapushsticktoprotectyourfingers.

1. Startbyusinga5⁄16-in.-radiusroundoverbittoroundtheedgeofthemiddletrimpieces,partB.

2. Switchtoa3⁄16-in.-radiuscovebitandroutthebottomtrim,partC(photo F ).

3. Installa3⁄8-in.-radiuscovebitandroutacoveprofileintothehardwoodsurfaceofthetoptrim,partA.

Rout the straight trim pieces

roUt the proFiles into each of the straight trim pieces (shown here is routing the cove in the bottom trim, part C).

F

Next,routthesameprofilesintotheradiustrimpieces.Youwon’tbeabletouseapushstickforthisoperation,soinstallastarterpinintheroutertable.Theroundpinhasahardplasticsleevethatspinswhentheworkpieceispressedagainstit,helpingyoucontrolandguidetheworkintothebit.

1. Beginbyusinga3⁄16-in.-radiuscovebittoroutthebottomtrim,partC.

2. Installa5⁄16-in.-radiusroundoverbitandshapethemiddletrimpieces,partB(photo g ).

3. Finallyusea3⁄8-in.-radiuscovebittocutacoveprofileintothetoptrim,partA.

Rout and cut the radius trim pieces

shApe the middle rAdiUs trim pieces, part B, using a starter pin in the router table to help you control and guide the work into the bit.

g

116 Music B ox

To cut the mitered ends onto the front

radius trim safely and accurately, you

must first make a radius cutting block

for the miter saw. Start by cutting a 3⁄4-in.-thick by 3-in.-wide by 43⁄4-in.-long

block of hardwood. Trim each end of

the block to 221⁄2° on the miter saw.

Next, draw a 37⁄16-in. radius onto

the block to match the inside radius of

top trim part A. Cut the radius from the

block using a bandsaw. Sand the cut

edge smooth with 150-grit sandpaper.

Make a radius cutting Block

4. Withalltheindividualtrimpiecesrouted,it’stimetogluethemtogether.Brushglueontotheundersideofthetoptrim(partA)andontotheupperedgeofthemiddletrim(partB).Squeezethepartstogetherandsecurewithseveralspringclamps.Wipeoffanyexcessglueandallowthegluetocureovernight.Thenextday,sandthepartslightlywith150-gritsandpaper.

5. Makearadiuscuttingblocktocutthemitersontheendsofthefrontradiustrim(seethesidebarbelow).Setthecuttingblockontothemiter-sawtable,thenholdtheradiustoptrimpartAagainstthecurvedsurfaceofthecuttingblock.Miter-cuteachendoftheradiustrimto221⁄2°,makingsuretheoveralllengthofthecurvedtrimpieceis511⁄16in.

Shaping the radius trim requires time and patience. Make several progres-sively deeper cuts, removing only about 1⁄32 in. of wood on each pass. This may seem overly cautious, but it’s the surest way to reduce danger-ous kickbacks and damaging blowouts that would result in having to fabricate a new laminated part. After execut-ing the final cut on each profile, check it against the straight trim pieces to ensure the two profiles align.

work smart

Music B ox 117

1. Laythemusicboxonitsbackandsettheradiustrimpieceontopoftheradiustrimblockattachedtotheboxfront,butdon’tgluethetrimjustyet(photo A ).

2. Cutthestraightpiecesoftrimthatrunalongtheends,chamferedcorners,andfrontofthebox.Notethatyoumustbevel-cutthetrimendsto221⁄2°wherethepiecesmeetatthechamferedcor-ners.Butmiter-cutthetrimto221⁄2°whereitbuttsagainsttheendsoftheradiustrim.Dry-fitthetrimpiecestotheboxtoensureallthejointsfittightlytogether.

3. Heathotanimalhideglueto140°Finanelectrichotpot.Thenusethegluetofastentheradiustrimpiecetothefrontofthemusicbox.Holdthepieceinplacebyhandfortwominutes;there’snoneedtouseclamps.Next,usehidegluetoadherethestraighttrimpiecestothebox.Again,holdeachpieceinplacebyhandforapproximatelytwominutes.

4. Putmaskingtapeontothebox,directlyabovewherethetrimwillbeattached(itwillmakegluecleanupeasier).Thenuseanelectricheatguntowarmthebackofthetrimpieceandthesurfaceofthebox(thisgivesyoumoretimetofitthepiecesbeforethegluegrabsandprovidesastrongerbond)(photo B ).

5. Brushwarmhideglueontobothheatedsurfacesandrubthepiecestogethertosqueezeoutexcessglue.Pressthetrimintoplaceandholditbyhandforoneminuteortwominutes.Letthegluedryfortwohoursorthreehours.Repeattoinstalltheremainingpiecesoftrim.

Install the trim

with the mUsiC Box on its back, test-fit the radius trim piece on top of the radius trim block attached to the box front.

A

wArming the BACk of the trim piece and the surface of the box gives you more time to fit the pieces before the glue grabs, and it provides a stronger bond.

B

118 Music B ox

the box sits on four turned woodenfeet,whicharedesignedtomatchthedecorativetrimweinstalledinthepreviousstep.Eachfootismadefromeighttriangularpiecesofbirchandeightstripsofebonyveneer.Thebirchpiecesareseparatedbyveneerstrips,andall16segmentsaregluedtogether.Theglued-upblankisthenturnedonalathe,atechniqueknownassegmented turning,toproducebirchfeethighlightedwithverticalblackpinstripes(photo A ).

1. Takea13⁄16-in.-thickby4-in.-wideby32-in.-longpieceofflamedbirchandbevelripa221⁄2°anglealongoneedge.Fliptheboardendforendandmakeanotherpassoverthebladetocreatea

Make the segmented feet blank

Make a Jig for cutting segMented Pieces

To ensure safe, accurate cuts, make a tablesaw jig

for milling the segmented pieces. Start by cutting a 3⁄4-in.-thick plywood panel, making it at least 16 in.

wide and as long as the saw’s table. Rip a 3⁄4-in.-thick

by 3-in.-wide plywood fence as long as the plywood

panel. Screw the fence to the edge of the plywood

panel.

Tilt the bevel angle of the sawblade to 221⁄2° and

raise the blade 2 in. above the saw table. Position the

saw’s rip fence 113⁄16 in. from the top of the blade (the

blade tooth closest to the fence), then lower the blade

below the table. Clamp the jig to the saw table with

its plywood fence against the saw’s rip fence.

Turn on the saw and slowly raise the blade until

it cuts through and protrudes about 11⁄4 in. above

the clamped-down plywood panel. Next, clamp a

featherboard to the fence as close as possible to the

sawblade. Make a flat push stick about 13⁄16 in. thick

by 6 in. wide by 12 in. long with a handle screwed to

one end.

mAke A tABlesAw jig to mill the triangular pieces for the segmented feet. When cutting the pieces, cut only halfway into the push stick to create a stop, which helps prevent kickbacks.

eACh deliCAte Foot is composed of eight pieces of solid flamed birch and eight pieces of Macassar ebony veneer, which mirrors the ebony inlays throughout the box.

A

Music B ox 119

CUt Both sides of the birch segments at 221⁄2º.

BplACe the eBony Veneer strips into the V-shaped channels of the clamping jig. Apply glue to the veneer and to the long sides of the birch triangles.

C

AssemBle And glUe eight triangular pieces (four veneered and four plain) into an octagonal blank. Hold the pieces together with rubber bands.

d

triangularshapedsegment.Checktobesurethetriangularpiecemeasures5⁄8in.wideatitsbaseand7⁄8in.alongeachangledside.Oncesatisfied,ripatotaloffour triangularsegments.Thencrosscutthesegmentsinto31⁄2-in.-longpieces.Youshouldendupwith32birchpieces(photo B ).

2. Makeaclampingjigtoaidingluingebonyveneertofouroftheeighttriangularbirchpieces.Startbycuttinga3⁄4-in.-thickby31⁄2-in.-wideby22-in.-longhardwoodboardtoserveasthebaseofthejig.Thencutasecondhardwoodboardto13⁄16in.thickby31⁄2in.wideby24in.longtoactasthetopclampingsurfaceofthejig.Bevel-tiltthemiter-sawbladeto221⁄2°andcutthesecondboardintoeight21⁄2-in.-longblocks;beveljustoneendofeachblock.Now,screweachblocktothebase,buttingthemtogetherbeveltobevel.Theresultwillbeaclampingjigwithfour31⁄2-in.-longV-shapedchannels.

3. Useascalpelorartist’smatknifetocut32stripsofebonyveneerto7⁄8in.wideby31⁄2in.long.LineeachV-shapedchannelintheclampingjigwithtwoveneerstrips.Brushyellowglueontotheveneerstripsandontothetwo7⁄8-in.-longsidesofeachtri-angularbirchpiece(photo C ).

4. Presstheglued-upbirchpiecesdownintothechannels,thencovereachonewitha1⁄2-in.-thickby3⁄4-in.-wideby31⁄2-in.-longscrapwoodblock.Clampdowntheblockstowedgethebirchpiecesagainsttheveneerstrips.

5. Allowthegluetodryforjust30minutes,thenuseaplasticmallettotapoutthefourveneeredbirchpieces;that’senoughstocktomakeoneseg-mentedfoot.Repeatthisprocesstoveneerthetri-angularbirchpiecesfortheremainingthreefeet.

6. Takeeighttriangular-shapedbirchpieces—fourveneeredandfourplain—andbrushyellowglueontothe7⁄8-in.-longsidesofeachpiece.Assemblethepiecesintoanoctagonalblank,makingsureyouseparateeachplainpiecewithaveneeredpiece.Holdthepiecestogetherwithseveralrubberbands(photo d ). Repeatfortheremainingthreeseg-mentedfeet.Allowthegluetocureovernight,thenremovetherubberbandsandcrosscuteachofthefourblanksto3in.long.

120 Music B ox

Toturnthesegmentedfeetonthelatheyou’llneedanoutsidecaliperandfourturningtools:arough-inggouge,1⁄8-in.partingtool,skewchisel,and3⁄8-in.round-edgeskew.

1. Mountoneoftheoctagonalblanksinthelatheandsetthespeedtoabout500rpm.Usearough-inggougetocuttheblankintoaperfectlyround11⁄2-in.-dia.cylinder.Stopoccasionallyandcheckthediameterwiththecalipers.

2. Photocopythe“SegmentedFootTemplate”below.Withthelatheturnedoff,holdthetemplateagainsttheroundblankandmarkwheretocutwiththepartingchisel(photo e ). Thenholdthepen-cilpointagainsteachmarkandrotatetheblankbyhandtodrawcutlinesallthewayaroundtheblank.

Turn the segmented feet

When turning the feet, be sure the gouge is always in contact with the tool rest. Position the tool rest no more than 1⁄4 in. away from the spin-ning blank.

work smart

Segmented Foot Template

3. Startingatthebottomendofthefoot,usethe1⁄8-in.partingtooltocutadepthkerfintotheblankoneachofthesixlines(photo F ).

4. Crankupthelathetoabout800rpmandusetheround-edgeskewtoremovethewastewoodandturnthebottomendofthefoot.Becarefulnottocutdeeperthanthedepthkerfs.

5. Shapetheroundedbunontheveryendofthefootwithaskewchisel(photo g ).

6. Turnthe1⁄4-in.-longtenonattheupperendofthefootwithapartingchisel.Checkwiththecali-perstoensurethetenonisexactly5⁄8in.dia.

7. Usetheskewchiseltoshapethelargeandsmallroundedsectionsofthefoot.Workslowly,shavingoffverysmallamountsofwooduntilyoureachthefinalshape.

Template is full scale. Grid is 1⁄4 in. 1⁄4 in.

25⁄8 in.

11⁄2 in.

1⁄8-in. parting tool

1⁄4 in.5⁄8 in.

Music B ox 121

Use the pArting tool to make the initial cuts in the foot. Refer to the marking template to determine how deep to cut each kerf and then use calipers to maintain the proper diameter.

F

I like to keep my lathe at a slow setting from the beginning to the end. I keep my digital rotations per minute reading any-where from 500 rpm to 900 rpm. When cutting with the roughing gouge, keep it lower (around500 rpm) and then speed up when detailing with the other turning tools. The type of wood also deter-mines my speed setting.

work smart

hold the segmented-Foot template against the round blank and mark the key cuts.

e

shApe the roUnded BUn on the end of the foot with a skew chisel; be careful the skew tip doesn’t cut into the foot and sever the bun.

g

122 Music B ox

the segmented Feet fit into 5⁄8-in.-dia. holes drilled in the box bottom.

Boretheholesintotheboxbottomtoreceivethesegmentedfeetwitha5⁄8-in.-dia.Forstnerbit,whichwillproduceperfectlyflat-bottomedholes.

1. Positionthetwofrontholes5⁄16in.infromthechamferedcorners.Borethetworearholes3⁄4in.fromthebackedgeoftheboxand5⁄16in.infromeachend.Toensureeachholeisjustslightlydeeperthan1⁄4in.deep,stickasmallpieceoftapeontothedrillbittoactasadepthguide(photo i ).

2. Brushyellowglueontothetenonsandpressthefeetintotheholes.

Install the feet

i

8. Reversethedirectionofthelatheandsetthespeedto900rpm.Grabahandfulofwoodshavingsandholditagainstthespinningfoot.Theshavingsactasultrafinesandpapertosmooththeturnedsur-face(photo h ).

9. Cutthetenonto1⁄4in.longusingthepartingtool.Don’tcutallthewaythroughthefoot;leaveapproximately1⁄8in.dia.remaining.Removethefootfromthelatheanduseafine-toothhandsawtocuttheexcesswoodfromtheendofthetenon.Repeatthepreviousstepstoformtheremainingthreesegmentedfeet.

with the lAthe rUnning in the reverse direction, hold a handful of wood shavings against the spinning foot to smooth the turned surface.

h

Music B ox 123

this musiC box features a toP that

hasmarquetryonboththeinsideandoutsidesurfaces.Eachimageshowstwoviolinslyingonascrolledsheetofmusic.Usetheviolinmarquetrytemplatesonp.124tolayoutandcuttheveneerpieces.

Tocreatebothmarquetryscenesyou’llneedeightsheetsofveneer,eachmeasuring1⁄42in.by8in.by15in.,andaphotocopyofeachmarquetrycuttingtemplate.Fortheoutsideofthetop,you’llneedonepieceeachofmapleburl,flat-cutwalnut,black-dyedmaple,Macassarebony,andholly.Andyou’llneedtwopiecesofflat-cutAfricanmahogany,whichhavethewoodgrainanglingatopposing60°angles.You’llalsoneedoneinexpensivepieceofveneerofanywoodspecies.(Iusethecheapest,thinnestmahoganyveneerIcanfind.)Thispieceof“scrap”veneergetsgluedtothecuttingtemplate.

Tocreatethemarquetryontheinsideofthetop,usethesameveneers,exceptthatthetwopiecesofmahoganyarereplacedwithtwosheetsofbloodwoodveneer.Seep.215forinstructionsoncuttingandassemblingthemarquetry(photo A ).

1. Tomaketheboxtop,startwithan8-in.-wideby15-in.-longsubstratecutfrom1⁄2-in.-thickbirchormapleveneerplywood.It’simportanttouseeitherbirchormapleplywoodbecauseeachhassmooth,flatwoodgrainthatwon’ttelegraphthroughtheveneer.Inthiscase,Iusedplywoodforthesub-strate,nothardwood,becauseplywoodislighterinweightandhaslesswoodmovement.Glueveneertobothsidesoftheplywoodsubstrate,employingthesametechniqueyouusedearliertoveneertheboxends,top,andfront(seep.98).

2. Oncetheboxtopisveneered,tracetheboxoutlineontotheoutsidesurfaceoftheboxtop(photo B ). Cutalongthestraightpencillineson

Veneer the box top

prepAre the mArqUetry for the box top following the directions given starting on p. 215.

A

trACe the Box oUtline onto the outside surface of the box top.

B

atablesawanduseamitersawtotrimthetwofrontcornersto45°.

3. Useamatknifetocuta5⁄8-in.-wideby143⁄4-in.-longstripofmapleburlveneer.Glueandclamptheveneertothebackedgeoftheboxtop.Afterthegluedries,useasharpflatchiseltotrimtheveneerflush.Thenlightlysandtheveneeranditsedgeswithasandingblockand150-gritsandpaper.

124 Music B ox

Marquetry Template (Right Side)the CUtting templAte is mirrored right; glued to the substrate, it will be mirrored left.

Marquetry Template (Left Side)the CUtting templAte is mirrored right; glued to the substrate, it will be mirrored left.



Music B ox 125

the next steP is to fabriCate the

veneeredhardwoodtrimpiecesthatgoaroundtheends,chamferedcorners,andfrontoftheboxtop.Cuttwopiecesofsolidflamedbirch,makingone1⁄2in.wideby5⁄8in.thickby22in.long,andthesecondpiece1⁄2in.wideby5⁄8in.thickby14in.long.Thencutascrappieceofhardwoodforuseasaclampingcaul(about3⁄8in.thickby3⁄4in.wideby22in.long).

1. Useamatknifeandstraightedgetocuttwo3⁄4-in.-wideby241⁄4-in.-longstripsofblackdyedveneer.Brushyellowglueontoonefaceofthebirchhardwoodandonefaceoftheveneer.Presstheveneerontothebirchtrim,settheclampingcaulontop,andclampthepiecestogetherwithspringclamps(photo A ). Oncethegluedries,sandtheveneerflushtothehardwoodwith150-gritsandpaper.

2. Usingamitersaw,cutfivepiecesoftrimtofitaroundtheboxtop.Notethatthepiecesthatmeetatthechamferedcornersmustbecutto221⁄2°.Whencutting,holdtheveneeredsurfacesagainstthesawfencetopreventsplintering(photo B ).

3. Attachthehardwoodtrim,startingwiththefrontpiece.Glueandclampittotheboxtopusingshortbarclamps.Checktomakesureitsendsalignperfectlywiththeangledcorners.Thenglueonthechamferedcorners,followedbytheendpieces.Notethatthetrimisabout1⁄16in.thickerthantheboxtop.Whenattachingthetrim,besureit’scen-teredontheedge,overhangingthetopandbottomsurfacesby1⁄32in.

Attach trim to the box top

CUt the FiVe top trim pieces and dry-fit them to the top to make sure they’re the correct length.

B

glUe And ClAmp the black ebony veneer to the two strips of birch trim.

A

126 Music B ox

mAke three pAsses over a 3⁄8-in.-radius cove bit to rout the profile into the bottom edge of the hardwood trim.

1. Thelyreharpattachedtothefrontoftheboxcompletesthemusicaltheme.Tobegin,cutapieceofsolidflamedbirchto5⁄16in.thickby41⁄2in.wideby51⁄2in.long.Thencutapieceofblackdyedveneerto45⁄8in.wideby55⁄8in.long.Finallymakea3⁄4-in.-thickby45⁄8-in.-wideby45⁄8-in.-longclampingblockoutofscrapwood.

Make the lyre harp

the hardwood trim on the box toPfeaturesadecorativeprofileroutedintoitstopandbottomedges.Beforeyoucanrouttheprofiles,firstroutthetrimflushwiththeboxtopusingaportablerouterfittedwithaflush-trimmingbit.Routthetopsurfacefirst,thenfliptheboxtopoverandroutthebottomsurface.

1. Movetotheroutertableandinstalla3⁄8-in.-radiuscovebit.Settheboxtopontheroutertablewithitstopsurfacefacingup.Youneedtocuta3⁄8-in.-radiuscoveprofileintothebottomedgeofthehardwoodtrim,butyoumustshapetheprofileinthreeprogressivelydeepercutstoavoidsplintering.

2. Adjustthebitforashallowdepthofcutandthenmakeonepassbythebit,makingsureyoukeeptheboxtoppressedtightlyagainstthebit’sball-bearingpilot.Raisethebitalittleandmakeanotherpass.Finallyraisethebittoproducea3⁄8-in.-radiuscove(photo A ).

3. Replacethecovebitwitha3⁄8-in.-radiusround-overbit.Fliptheboxtopoversothatitstopsurface

Rout the box top

A

Flip the Box oVer, switch to a 3⁄8-in.-radius roundover bit, and round over the top edge of the trim.

B

2. Brushyellowglueontothebirchandontothebackoftheveneer.Settheclampingblockagainsttheveneerandclampthethreepiecestogether.Allowthegluetodryovernight,thenremovetheclampsandblocktorevealthelyreharpblank.

3. Makeaphotocopyofthe“LyreHarpTemplate”onthefacingpageandcuttofittheblank.Spray

isfacingdown.Nowusethesamethree-passtech-niquetoroundoverthetopedgeofthehardwoodtrim(photo B ). Lightlyhand-sandtheboxtopandtrimwith150-gritsandpaper.

Music B ox 127

CUt oUt the hArp on a scrollsaw, using a #5 reverse skip-tooth blade for a smooth, splinter-free cut.

A

adhesiveontotheblankandontotherearofthepapertemplate.Pressthetemplatetotheblank.

4. Cutouttheharponthescrollsaw(photo A ). Useaseriesofsmallfilesandraspstoroundovertheedgesoftheharp.Hand-sandawaythefilemarkingswith150-gritsandpaper.

5. Nowprepareto“lowerthebridge,”whichmeanscuttingthebridgeslightlylowerthanthesurroundingsurface.(Thebridgeisthestraightarminthemiddleoftheharp.)Thisstepisnecessarysothatwhenyouveneerthebridge,theveneerwilllayflushwiththehardwood.Beginbyusinga#5/8gougetomakeastabcutstraightdownintothehardwoodpreciselywherethebridgemeetstheharp.Lightlytapthegougewiththemallettocutonly1⁄32in.deep.

6. Switchtoa#5/5gougeandstab-cutthetwooutsidecornersatthesamelocationontheharp(photo B ).

7. Flat-carveuptothestabcutsusinga#5/8gouge.Thenlowertherestofthebridgewithaflatwoodfileuntilyou’veremovedabout1⁄32in.ofwood.

to lower the Bridge of the harp, make a stab cut in the center with a #5/8 gouge and then switch to a #5/5 gouge (shown here) to stab-cut the two outside corners.

B

Lyre Harp Template


43⁄4 in.

37⁄8 in.

128 Music B ox

glUe the hArp to the front of the box, placing a wood block between the harp and the weight.

d

makingsureit’sinthecorrectposition.Holdtheharpinplacefortwominutes.

8. Cuta3⁄4-in.-thickblockofwoodslightlysmallerthantheharp.Laythewoodblockontheharpandplacea20-lb.weightontop.Letthegluesetforthreehoursbeforeremovingtheweight(photo d ).

1. Here’sasimplewaytoveneerthebridgeoftheharp:Laytracingpaperovertheharp,thentracearoundthebridge.Besurealsotooutlinetheedgesofthecurvedsectionsatthebaseandtopendofthebridge.

2. Usescissorstocutthetemplateintothreepieces:thetwocurvedsectionsandthestraightarmofthebridge.Thentakeawhitepencilandoutlinethecurvedpiecesontoblackdyedveneer.Tracethestraightpieceontomapleburlveneer.

3. Cutoutthethreepieceswithamatknifeandthenjointhemtogetherwithbluepainter’stape(photo C ).

4. Brushglueontothebridgeandontothebackoftheveneerpieces.Presstheveneertothebridge,coverwithasmallclampingblock,andsecurewiththreespringclamps.Afterthegluedries,fliptheharpoverandtrimofftheaccessveneerwithamatknife.

5. Hand-sandtheveneerflushwith150-gritsand-paperandapplyalightcoatoflacquer.ThenuseanUltra®FineGrainerBlacktouch-upmarkerfromMohawk®(productNo.M265-0501BlackGP6)todrawstringlinesontothelyreharpandviolins.

6. Setthefinishedlyreharponthefrontofthemusicbox.Itshouldbe3⁄4in.downfromthetopedgeand3⁄4in.upfromthecurvedpieceofhard-woodtrim.Lightlytracearoundtheharpwithapencil.Removetheharpanddrawalineabout1⁄8in.insidetheharp’soutline.Thissecondlinerepresentsthegluearea.Erasetheoutsidetraceline.

7. Adheretheharptotheboxwithhotanimalhideglue.Useanelectricheatguntowarmthebackoftheharpandtheboxfront.Brushthehotglueontobothsurfacesandpresstheharptotheboxfront,

Veneer the bridge

CUt oUt the strAight Arm of the bridge (maple burl veneer) and the two curved sections at the base and top end of the bridge (black dyed veneer) and then join them together with blue painter’s tape.

C

Music B ox 129

1. Propupthetopsothatit’slevelwiththebox.Measureinfromeachend1in.andsetthehingesflatacrosstheseambetweenthetopandbox.Alsopositioneachhingesothatitsknuckle—thecylin-dricalpartthathousesthepin—extendspastthebackedgeby3⁄16in.Tracearoundthehingeswithasharppencil,markingtheiroutlinesontothebackoftheboxandtheboxtop(photo A ).

2. Useawoodchiselandmallettocutjustinsidethepencillines.Holdthechiselatprecisely90°.Cuttoadepthof3⁄32in.

3. Removethewastewoodfromwithineachhingemortiseusing#2/8carvinggouge.Again,remove

Install the hinges

the top is AttAChed to the box with two 11⁄16-in. by 11⁄4-in. 95º stop hinges.

A

1. Lightlysandallsurfaceswith150-gritsandpaper.Blowoffallthesandingdustandwipeeverythingdownwithaclean,dryrag.

2. Sprayonaverylightcoatofclear,precatalyzedlacquer,whichactsasasealer.Allowthesealertodryonehourlongerthanisrecommendedonthecontainerforatotaloftwohours.

3. Sandagain,thistimewithultra-fine320-gritsandpaper.Removeallthesandingdust,thensprayonanotherlightcoatoflacquer.Becarefulnottoapplythelacquertoothicklyoritcouldcrackovertime.

4. Repeatthepreviousstepbysandingfirstandthenapplyingonefinalcoatoflacquer.Letthefin-ishdryovernightandtheninstallthehingesandthemusicalmovement.

Finish the music box

just3⁄32in.fromeachmortise.Dry-fitthehinges,predrillforthebrassscrews,butdon’tattachthehingesuntilafterapplyingthefinish.

130 Rose B ox

ade from

mahogany with ebony

accents, this attractive

box is embellished—inside and

out—with whimsical wild roses

that were created with intricate

relief carvings and colorful marque-

try. And unlike simple rectangular

boxes that have straight sides, the

Rose Box has curved sides with an

elegantly shaped top to match.

There are many methods for

joining together box parts, but here

I used mitered-corner elongated

dovetail joints, which fit tightly

together and look great, too. I show

bandsaw techniques for cutting radi-

uses on the four box sides, includ-

ing the double-radius end pieces.

The rose carvings serve as a

focal point, adding style and beauty

without overpowering the box.

Here, I focus on carving techniques

that take into account the shape,

size, and depth of the carvings.

These three details are critical for

giving the carvings a natural, free-

flowing style that complements the

shape of the box. To help balance

out the carvings on the box top, I

Rose Boxadded an elliptical-shaped center

medallion fashioned from ebony

hardwood.

The final creative touch, which

appears on the inside of the box

top and bottom, is marquetry,

which is the ancient art of cutting

thin veneers to create patterns

and images. (I cover marquetry

techniques in detail beginning on

p. 215.) The marquetry of roses

lends an elegant touch to the com-

pleted box and reflects the rose

carvings on the outside. If you’re

not quite ready to tackle carving

and marquetry, don’t worry, you

can build a simpler box identical to

the Rose Box, except for the carv-

ings and marquetry (see the photo

on the facing page).

M

Rose B ox 131

Quantity Part Size ConStruCtion noteS

1 Top 13⁄4 in. 10 in. 14 in. mahogany (oversize)

2 Ends 23⁄4 in. 33⁄4 in. 85⁄8 in. mahogany

2 Front and back 11⁄2 in. 33⁄4 in. 10 in. mahogany

2 Box ends and top ends trim

5⁄16 in. 213⁄16 in. 811⁄16 in. ebony

2 Box front and back and top front and back trim

5⁄16 in. 19⁄16 in. 101⁄16 in. ebony

1 Bottom 1⁄4 in. 8 in. wide 13 in. Baltic birch plywood (oversize)

1 Dovetail spline 3⁄8 in. 1⁄2 in. 24 in. mahogany

5 Marquetry veneers see p. 141

1 Medallion 1⁄2 in. 11⁄2 in. 21⁄4 in. ebony (oversize)

1 pair Butt hinges 1 in. 1 in.

1 Chain 1⁄4 in. 51⁄2 in.

materials

Finished size of box: 51⁄2 in. tall 85⁄8 in. deep 13 in. long

132 Rose B ox

the main box PartS arecutfromribbon-stripedAfricanmahogany.OnereasonIchosemahoganyisthatyoucanstillbuy8/4mahoganyinlargesizes.Thatmeansyoudon’thavetoglueuptwoormoreboardstoformthetop;itlooksmuchbetterandcleanerwhenmadefromasinglepieceofwood.IpurchasedapieceofAfricanmahoganymeasuring2in.thickby12in.wideby7ft.longfromalocalhardwoodsupplier.Itproducedenoughmahoganytomaketwocompleteboxes.

1. Startbyusingapowermitersawandtablesawtocrosscutandriptosizethepartsthat’llmakeupthefoursidesofthebox.Also,cutanoversizeblankfortheboxtop.It’simportanttofirstmillthesidesandassemblethebox,soyoucanthenaccuratelymarkandcutthetop.Thissequenceensuresthetopwillfitperfectly.Thisfirstphaseconsistsofalotofcutting,gluing,mitering,routingdovetails,cuttingradiusesoutonthebandsaw,androutingthegroovefortheboxbottom.Remember,youmustmaketheboxbeforeyoucanstartonthetop.

2. Preparetolaminate,orgluetogether,themahoganyblanksfortheendsofthebox.Laminat-ingisnecessarytobuildupthethicknessoftheboardstopermitbandsawingthecurveslater.Startbysandingthesurfacestobegluedtogetherwithaflatsandingblockand80-gritsandpaper(photo A ).Removethesandingdustwithcompressedairandasoftrag.Markthetopedgesoftheblankstoaidinreassemblingthemintherightorder(photo B ).

Prep the parts for glue-up

MArk the top edges of the blanks to aid in assembling them in the right order. These are the ends of the box (enough to make two boxes).

prepAre to lAMinAte the mahogany blanks for the ends of the box by sanding the surfaces to be glued with 80-grit sandpaper.

A

B

Rose B ox 133

4. Useatablesawandpowermitersawtocutallfoursidesoftheboxtotheirfinisheddimensions(see“Materials”onp.131).Ifyourtablesawcan’tcutallthewaythroughtheblankinonepass,cutslightlymorethanhalfwaythrough,thenfliptheblankoverandcompletethecut.

1. ApplyTitebond®IIIorsimilaryellowcarpenter’sgluetothesurfacesthatwerehand-sanded.Spreadthegluewithagood-qualitypaintroller.

2. Tightlyclamptogetherthepieces,makingsureyourlayoutmarkslineup.Allowthegluetocureovernight(photo C ).

3. Oncetheglueiscompletelydry,useajointertosquareupthesidesofthelaminatedblanks.Setthecuttingdepthofthejointertoapproximately1⁄32in.Squaringtheblockscantaketwoorthreepasses,sobecarefulnotremovetoomuchwoodbeforetheblanksaresquare.

Laminate the blanks

I chose ebony hardwood for the decorative trim and medallion, but any complementary dark wood would be suitable, including walnut.

work smart

ClAMp together the four pairs of blanks, making sure the layout marks line up.

C

134 Rose B ox

1. You’llneedtwoebonypiecesforthetopedgesoftheends,eachmeasuring5⁄16in.thickby213⁄16in.wideby811⁄16in.long.Andtwomorepiecesforthetopedgesofthefrontandbackcutto5⁄16in.thickby19⁄16in.wideby101⁄16in.long.

2. Use80-gritsandpaperandaflatsandingblocktoroughenthesurfacestobegluedonthemahog-anyblanksandtheebonyaccentpieces.Removethesandingdustwithcompressedairandarag.

3. Applygluetobothsurfaces,thenspreaditevenlywithapaintroller(photo A ).Tightlyclamptogetherthepiecesandletthemdryovernight.

Cut and glue the ebony accent pieces

Apply glue evenly to the ebony accents and the surface of the laminated blanks.

A

Cut the ebony a bit larger than needed and use clamps to align it with the sides. This makes the ebony easier to sand flush. Apply as much pressure as you can to ensure a tight bond.

work smart

Templates

Plan view of front and back

10 in.

11⁄2 in.

Plan view of sides

13⁄4 in.

1 in.

85⁄8 in.

15⁄8 in.23⁄4 in.

11⁄8 in.

7⁄8 in.

Glue line

90º

53º

37º


37º

Rose B ox 135

the Box Corners

When building the Rose Box, you can’t simply

cut the box corners to 45° because there are

two different sizes of radiuses meeting at each

90° corner. Also, the box sides are 7⁄8 in. thick,

and the only way to maintain that thickness is to

cut two different angles, one at 53° and the other

at 37°. When they come together, they’ll form

90° corners.

1. Drawthemiteranglesontotheblankswithaprotractorandwhitepencil,whichwillproduceeasy-to-seecutlinesonthedarkwood.Drawa53°angleontotheboxends,anda37°angleontothefrontandbackpieces(photo A ).

2. Adjustthebladeangleofthemitersawtoalignwiththewhitecutline.Ifyoursawdoesn’tcutto53°,slipshimsbetweentheblankandthemiter-sawfence.Firmlyholdtheboxendinplace,andcare-

Cut the miter joints

Make sure the glue line on the two end pieces faces toward the inside of the box. That way, the lines won’t be visible from the outside.

work smart

MArk the Miter Angles onto the dark wood with a white pencil: 53º for the box ends and 37º for the front and back pieces.

A

trAnsfer the outline of the end templates onto the wood blanks. Be sure to draw the outline of the dovetail slots too.

B

fullycuttheangle.Rotatethesawbladetotheoppo-sitemiterangleandcuttheotherendofthepieces.

3. Preparetocutthedovetailslotsintheboxparts.Startbymakingphotocopiesoftheendtem-platesshowninthedrawingsonthefacingpage.Cutoutthetemplates,thendrawtheirshapeontothewoodblanks.Besuretodrawtheoutlineofthedovetailslotstoo(photo B ).

136 Rose B ox

Cut the dovetails

5. Nowusetheroutertabletomilldovetail-shapedmahoganysplines,whichwillslideintothedovetailslots.Makeonelongsplinemeasuring3⁄8in.thickby1⁄2in.wideby24in.long,whichwillbecrosscuttoformtheindividualsplines.

Withthedovetailbitset1⁄4in.abovetheroutertable,positiontherouterfence1⁄8in.awayfromthecenterofthedovetailbit,adistanceequalto1⁄16in.lessthanthebit’swidth.Runallfoursidesofthesplinestockpasttherouterbit.Besuretouseapushstickandblockofwoodtoprotectyourfingersasyoumillthisnarrowpiece(photo d ).

6. Checktoseehowthesplinefitsintothedove-tailslotsinthedry-assembledbox.Ifnecessary,readjusttheroutertablesetupandrecutthespline.Oncesatisfiedwiththefit,crosscutthesplinesto4in.long,whichisabout1⁄2in.longerthanneeded.

7. Slideasplineintoeachofthefourcornerjoints,butdon’tgluetheminplacejustyet.

1. Dry-assemblethebox.Laya3⁄8-in.-wideby14°dovetailrouterbitacrosseachofthefourdovetailjointstoconfirmthattherouterbitalignswiththeoutlineofthedovetailslot.

2. Usingthemitersaw,cuta37°angleontothefouroutsidecornersofthetwoends;alongwiththealready53°angle,thiswillyielda90°angle.Thiscutallowsyoutoguidethepartsalongtherouter-tablefencewhenroutingslotsforthesliding-dovetailjoints.

3. Setthedovetailbitsothatitprojects1⁄4in.abovetheroutertable.Adjusttherouter-tablefencetoalignthebitwiththedovetailoutlinedrawnontotheboxends.Mountapieceofscrapwood,miteredto53°,totheroutertable’smitergaugetopreventblowout.Checkthefenceandmitergaugeforsquare,thenmakeafewpracticecutsinscrap.Turnontherouterandusethemitergaugetopushoneoftheboxendsacrossthedovetailbit(photo C ).

4. Readjusttherouter-tablefenceandcutmatingslotsintothefrontandbackpieces.Forsafetyandaccuracy,cutapushblock13⁄4in.thick4in.wide 6in.longwitha37°anglecutintothefrontedgeforthefrontandbacktorestonwhileroutingthedovetails.

Cut the dovetAil slots in the ends, front, and back. Note that when routing the ends, you must hold the 90º cut flat against the router-table fence.

C

run All four sides of the spline stock past the router bit to cut the dovetail spline.

d

Rose B ox 137

1. Cutthefront,back,andendsalongthewhitelinesdrawnfromthetemplate.Applylight,evenpressuretothepieceswhensawingandavoidstop-pingonceyoustartcutting(photo A ).Savethecut-offpiecesandmarkwhichparttheycamefrom;you’llneedthemlatertomarkthearchesontheboxbottom.

2. Useadrumsanderwith100-gritsleevetoremoveallofthebandsaw-blademarks.Thenhand-sandallsurfaceswith150-gritsandpapertoremoveanyremainingscratches.Makesuretosandinthedirectionofthewoodgrain.

3. Preparetocutagrooveintotheboxpartstoreceivethe1⁄4-in.plywoodboxbottom.Installa1⁄4-in.-wideby3⁄8-in.-deeprabbetbitorgroove-cuttingbitintotheroutertable.Setthebittocut7⁄8in.upfromthebottomedgeoftheboxparts;thispositioningallowsroomforcuttinginthelowerarches.Routthegroove.

4. Makeaphotocopyofthetemplatesofthedeco-rativearchesontheloweredgesoftheboxends,front,andback(see“ArchTemplates”onp.138).Cutoutthetemplates,andthentracethemontotheappropriateboxpart(photo B ).

Shape the front, back, and ends

When cutting the decorative arches, it’s important to set the blade guide about 1⁄4 in. above the thickest part of the ends. In that position, the guide will be nearly 21⁄2 in. above the thinner part of the ends, but that’s necessary in order to clear the thick, center section.

work smart

Cut out the front, back, and ends on the bandsaw. Use a square to make sure the bandsaw blade is perfectly square to the table. Set the bottom of the blade guide about 3⁄4 in. above the top of the box, so the cutting line and blade are clearly visible.

A

trACe the AppropriAte template of the decorative arches onto the lower edges of the box ends, front, and back.

B

138 Rose B ox

5. Usebluepainter’stapetosecurethescrappiecesbackontotheinsidesurfacesoftheends,front,andback.Thiswillprovideabroad,flatsurfaceforeasiercutting.Usethebandsawtocutalongthetemplatelinestoformthedecorativearches(photo C ). Smooththebottomedgesoftheboxparts,firstwithadrumsander,thenbyhand-sanding.

Cut Along the teMplAte lines to form the decorative arches.

C

Arch Templates


Bottom, side cutout template

Bottom, front/back cutout template

10 in.

85⁄8 in.

Ebony

Mahogany

Rose B ox 139

on the plywood Box BottoM, trace one line around the inside of the box and then add a second line 11⁄32 in. out from the first line.

Cut the box top and bottomdry-aSSemble the box, then fliP itupsidedownandsetitontothemahoganyblankyoucutearlierforuseasthetopofthebox.Besuretheboxissittingperfectlysquareontheblank,notcockedoffline.

1. Tracearoundtheperimeteroftheboxtomarkthetop(photo A ). Cutalongtheselineswithabandsawtoformtheboxtop.

2. Cutan8-in.by13-in.pieceof1⁄4-in.-thickbirchplywoodforuseasthebottomofthebox.Settheboxupsidedownontopoftheplywood,andtracearoundtheinsideofthebox.

3. Usingacompass,drawasecondline11⁄32in.outsideofthelineyoujusttracedontotheplywood.Asyoumovethecompass,guideitsmetalpivotpointalongthefirsttracedlineandthepencilpointwillmarkthesecondlineparallelwiththefirstline.Whenyou’redonetracing,cuttheboxbottomtoshapeonthebandsaw,makingsureyoucutalongtheoutsideline(photo B ).

set the Box upside down on the mahogany top blank and trace around the perimeter of the box to mark the top.

A

B

140 Rose B ox

note that Some of the PhotoS in thiSsectionshowthemarquetrydetailing;see“AddingMarquetry”onthefacingpageandonp.215forinstructionsonveneeringandmarquetry.

1. Layoutalltheboxpartsonaflat,cleanworksurface(photo A ). Placemaskingtapewherevergluemaysqueezeoutofthecornerjoints.Applywoodgluetothedovetailslotsandmiterjoints,beingcarefulnottogetanyglueinthebottomgroovesorontotheplywoodbottom.Trimthefourdovetailsplinestotheirfinishedlength.

2. Assembletheboxwiththeplywoodbottomnestledintothegrooves.

3. Spreadglueontothedovetailsplinesandthenslidethemintothedovetailcornerjoints.

4. Clamptheboxtogether,usingcut-offwastepiecesontheendstocreateflatclampingsurfaces.Wipeawayanyexcessglueandallowtheglued-upboxtocureovernight(photo B ).

Assemble the box

slide the plywood BottoM into the grooves and clamp the box together, using the cut-off waste pieces on the ends to create flat clamping surfaces.

B

lAy out All the pArts on a flat, clean work surface.

A

Rose B ox 141

Marquetry Template

Adding MArquetry

If you choose to glue marquetry into the underside

of the box top and the top side of the box bottom,

use the “Marquetry Template” above (it is a mirror

image on both sides of the design).

When choosing veneers, it’s important to select

colors and grain patterns that best duplicate natural

colors and textures. And by changing wood-grain

directions, you can add depth and shadow to the

marquetry image. To make the roses, vines, and

stems on this box look as natural as possible,

I selected a mix of bloodwood, myrtle burl, maple

burl, walnut, and ebony veneers. You’ll need one

sheet each of the following veneers:

• Bloodwood veneer: 1⁄42 in. by 71⁄2 in. by 121⁄2 in.

• Myrtle burl veneer: 1⁄42 in. by 71⁄2 in. by 121⁄2 in.

• Maple burl veneer: 1⁄42 in. by 71⁄2 in. by 121⁄2 in.

• Walnut veneer: 1⁄42 in. by 71⁄2 in. by 121⁄2 in.

• Ebony veneer: 1⁄42 in. by 15⁄8 in. by 21⁄4 in.


Ebony

Bloodwood(rose)

Myrtle burl(leaves)

Maple burl (background)

Walnut(stems)

142 Rose B ox

1. Tomakethedecorativecentermedallionthatgracesthetopofthebox,startbymillingasmallblockofebonyto1⁄2in.thickby11⁄2in.wideby21⁄4in.long.Makeaphotocopyofthefull-scale“MedallionTemplate”below.Cutoutthetemplateandtracethecentermedallionoutlineontotheebonypiecewithawhitepencil.

2. Cutalongtheoutsideofthewhitelineonabandsaw.Bycuttingjustbeyondtheoutlineofthemedallion,you’llendupwithalittleextrawoodtoworkwithwhenfilingandsandingthemedalliontoitsfinisheddimension(photo A ).

3. Usearasporcoarsefiletoroundoverthetopedgeofthemedallion.Onceyouhaveachievedtheovalshape,hand-sandthemedallionsmoothwith150-gritsandpaper.Setthemedallionaside;itdoesn’tgetaffixedtotheboxuntilrightbeforeyouinstallthehinges.

Prepare the center medallion

Cut out the MedAllion on the bandsaw, cutting just outside the white line to leave a little extra wood for final dimensioning.

Medallion Template

Solid ebony center

Line 1

Line 2

Line 3

Line 4

A

Template is full scale. Grid is 1⁄4 in.1⁄4 in.

Line 1

Line 2

Line 3

Line 4

11⁄4 in.

2 in.Convex rings

Concave ring

Rose B ox 143

Asyouworkyourwayaroundtheoutsideline,besuretocutonlyabout1⁄16in.deepintothemahog-anytop.Nowrepeatthisstab-cuttechniquetoscorearoundtheinsideellipseline,onlythistime,use#3/8and#2/8carvinggouges.

3. Afterscoringtheouterandinnerellipses,usea#9/3gougetocarveouttheconcavecenterringthat’slocatedbetweenthesecondandthirdellipselines(photo d ).

Theebonymedallionsitsinthecenteroftwoellip-ticalringsthatarecarvedintothemahoganytop.

1. Findthecenteroftheboxtopbydrawingfourlines:verticalcenterline,horizontalcenterline,andcorner-to-cornerdiagonals.Makeafull-scalephotocopyofthetopmedallion,shownonthefac-ingpage.Fromthattemplatecutoutallfourringsstartingwithlineno.1andworkingtono.4.Aftercuttingouteachring,traceitsshapeontothetop(photo B ).

2. Startontheoutsideline,usingthreecarvinggouges:#5/12,#3/12,and#2/8.Matchthesweepofthegougetotheradiusoftheline.Beginbymakingastabcutbyholdingthecarvinggougeperfectlyvertical.Lightlytapthegouge’shandlewithamallet(photo C ).

Carve the elliptical rings

trAnsfer the four ring lines from the template onto the center of the box top.

B

with the gouge held perpendiCulAr to the surface, make stab cuts along the outside ring, matching the sweep of the gouge to the radius of the line. Cut no more than 1⁄16 in. deep.

Cuse A #9/3 gouge to carve out the concave center ring between the second and third ellipse lines. Again, carve no deeper than 1⁄16 in.

d

144 Rose B ox

cumference,makingiteasytochangeradiuswhenfiling.Shapethemiddleconcaveringfirst,round-ingtheinsideuptotheconvexpartoftherings.Continuefilingallthewayaroundthecarvingtocompletetheellipticalrings(photo f ).

4. Useatechniquecalledflat carvingtoremove1⁄16in.ofwoodfromthecenteroftheellipse,andfromaroundtheouterperimeteroftheellipse.Carveasflatlyaspossibleusinga#2/8carvinggouge.Remove1⁄16in.ofwoodfromtheentirecen-teroftheinnerellipsering.Thenstartabout3⁄4in.outsidetheouterringandcarveawaywooduptothering.Asyouwork,lightlytapthegougehandlewithamallet;don’ttrypushingitthroughthewood.Themalletdeliversanevenamountofpressureonthegouge,thusreducingthechanceofslippingandcuttingthroughtherings(photo e ).

5. Usesmallfilestoshapeandsmooththeellipti-calrings,includingaroundfilecalledadetailriffler.Thediameteroftherifflerchangesarounditscir-

Using small files and rifflers allows you to carve very precise details. However, keep in mind that filing the elliptical rings can take a couple of hours, so be patient and work carefully.

work smart

gouge sizes: A nuMBers gAMe

Carving gouges come in a wide variety of sizes and

shapes and are designated by numbers that resem-

ble fractions. The first number represents the sweep,

or radius, of the gouge; the larger the number, the

more of a radius the gouge has. The second number

stands for the width of the gouge in millimeters. So

a #3/5 gouge has a #3 sweep and is 5 mm wide. To

carve the Rose Box, you’ll need the following gouges:

#3/3, #3/5, #5/5, #2/8, #3/8, #5/8, #3/12, #5/12, #3/25,

#8/7, and #9/3.

use A detAil riffler to shape the elliptical rings. Shape the middle concave ring first, rounding the inside up to the convex part of the rings. Continue filing all the way around the carving to complete the elliptical rings.

fflAt-CArve wood from the center of the ellipse and from around the outer perimeter, effectively raising the elliptical rings by removing the wood surrounding them. It’s important to carve the center of the ellipse completely flat, so that the medallion will sit flat and even.

e

Rose B ox 145

1. Youneedtoremoveagoodamountofmaterialtogivethetopitssinuousprofile.Startwitha#3/25carvinggougetoflattenthetoparoundthecenterellipticalring.Carveoutwardawayfromthecenterholdingthegougehandleatapproximately20°.Tapthegougehandlewithamalletforbettercontrol(photo A ).

2. Shapetheleft-andright-sidesofthetopwitharaspingplane,suchasaStanleySurform®tool.Lightlyraspdowneachside,goingabout1⁄4in.deeperattheveryouteredges.

3. Afterformingtheroughshapeoftheboxtop,usea#8/7gougetocarveaseriesofdepthcutsintothetop.Thistechniqueprovidesanaccuratewaytoremovealotofwoodveryquickly.Startcarv-ingabout11⁄4in.awayfromtheleftandrightoftheellipticalring,and1⁄2in.fromthefrontandbackofthering.Useamallettotapthegouge,andasyougetclosertotheouteredgesofthetop,cutalittledeeper.Attheveryedges,cutapproximately5⁄16in.deep.Repeatthissteparoundthetop,leavingabout1⁄2in.ofwoodbetweenthecuts(photo B ).

4. Carveawaythewastematerialbetweenthedepthcutswitha#5/12carvinggougeandmallet.Startnearthecenterofthetop,andworktowardtheouteredges.Continuecarvinginthismanneruntilyou’veremovedallthewastewood(photo C , p. 146).

Shape the top

to reMove A lot of wood rapidly, use a#8/7 gouge to carve a series of depth cuts into the top, leaving about 1⁄2 in. of wood between the cuts.

B

AlwAys CArve AwAy from your body to avoid getting cut should the gouge slip.

A

146 Rose B ox

6. Beforecarvingtherosesintothetop,smooththetop’ssurfacewithabastardwoodfile.Leaveaflatareaabout5⁄16in.widearoundtheperimeterofthetoptoaccepttheebonytrim.Thisareaneedstobeflatandthickenoughtoacceptthehingescrews,whichareabout3⁄8in.long.

5. Smoothawaythecarvingmarkswitharaspingplane.IliketouseaStanleySurformarchedrasp,whicheasilyconformstotheshapeoftheroundedtop.Afterremovingallthegougemarks,repeatsteps3and4toshapethetopuntilit’sroundedonthesidesandeven(photo d ).

sMooth AwAy the carving marks with a rasping plane, such as a Stanley Surform.

shArp gouges = CleAn Cuts, Fewer ACCidents

It’s important to keep your carving gouges sharp.

They’ll cut quicker and easier and eliminate acci-

dents caused by forcing dull gouges through the

wood. I keep my gouges sharp with a Tormek®

sharpening system, which provides a very fast, easy

way to sharpen gouges. This compact machine has

a wet grinding stone and a leather honing wheel. As

soon as the gouges become dull, I use the honing

wheel with buffing compound to sharpen the edges

and then I don’t have to use the grinding wheel so

often to completely resharpen the gouges.

switCh to A #5/12 gouge to carve away the waste material between the depth cuts.

dC

Rose B ox 147

thetemplate.Thisborderrepresentstheouteredgeoftherosecarving(photo A ).

3. Stab-cutaroundtheperimeterofthepapertemplate(notthepencilline).Forthis,you’llneedsevencarvinggouges:#2/8,#3/3,#3/5,#3/8,#3/12,#5/5,and#5/8.Asyouworkyourwayaroundthetemplate,it’simportanttobeabletochoosethegougewithasweepthatmostcloselymatchesthecurveoftheoutline.

Pickastartingpointanywherealongtheedgeofthetemplateandholdthecarvinggougeat90°tothesurface.Lightlytapthegougetwicewithacarvingmallet,cuttingapproximately1⁄16in.deep.Continuetoworkyourwayaroundbothtemplates,changinggougesasnecessarytomatchthecurves(photo B ).

WoodCarving iS a Wonderful Skill tomasterbecauseitcanbeusedonmanydifferentprojects.Here,Ichoserosesfortheirnaturalbeautyandbecausetheycomplementtheshapeofthebox.

1. Makeaphotocopyoftheleftandrighttopcarv-ingtemplatesshownonp.148andcutouttherose,vines,andleavesasonepiece.Setthetemplatesontheboxtop,centeredintheareatotheleftandrightoftheellipticalrings.Useapenciltoverylightlytracearoundthetemplates.

2. Sprayadhesiveontothebacksofthetemplates,thenpressthemontothetop,usingthepencillinesforproperplacement.Firmlypressdownonthetemplatestoensuretheywon’tmove.Now,drawadarklinearoundthetemplatewithapencil,butthistime,markthelineapproximately1⁄8in.awayfrom

Stab-cut the roses onto the top and front

Affix the teMplAtes to the box top and then draw a pencil line about 1⁄8 in. away from the edge of each template.

MAke stAB Cuts around the perimeter of the paper template, switching gouges to match the curve of the outline. Cut about 1⁄16 in. deep.

A B

148 Rose B ox

Carving Templates

Front

Top (left and right)



Rose B ox 149

1. Onceyou’vecompletedallthestabcuts,youcanbeginreliefcarvingalongthepencillinethat’s1⁄8in.fromthetemplate.Holdagougeonthepencillineata60°angleandlightlystrikeitwithamallettocutuptothestabcut.(Usingamalletprovidesgreatercontrolandhelpspreventaccidentallycarvingbeyondthestabcut.)(photo C )

2. Usingthesamemethodofstabandreliefcuts,carveonerosepetalatatime,startingwiththeout-sidepetalsandworkingintowardthecenteroftherose.Matchthecarvinggougetothelinesofeachpetal.Andit’sbesttocompleteeachpetalbeforemovingontothenext,asopposedtostab-cuttingallthepetalsandthencomingbacktocarvethemall.Stab-cut1⁄16in.downintothewood(photo d ).

3. Relief-carveuptothestabcutswhileholdingthegougeatapproximately45°.Youneedtoholdthegougeatthisslightlyshalloweranglebecausetherosepetalsarerelativelywide(photo e ).

Carve the roses and petals

When creating the relief carvings of roses, vines, and leaves, work slowly and delib-erately. And remember, carving isn’t as complicated as it looks; these methods can be learned by novices or seasoned wood-workers. All you need is a little patience and practice.

work smart

onCe you’ve CoMpleted all the stab cuts, begin relief carving along the pencil line that’s 1⁄8 in. from the template. These sharply angled cuts create a border outline that gives the carving much depth and shadow.

C

CArve the rose petAls one at a time using the same method of stab cuts and relief carving.

dMAke the relief Cuts on the petals with the gouge held at approximately 45º.

e

150 Rose B ox

1. Whenyougettoaleaf,usethesamestab-cutandrelief-carvingmethod.Onlynow,gobacktoholdingthegougeat60°tocreatemoredepth.Whencarvingtheleaveslocatedclosetotherose,tapthegougeverylightly.Ifyoustriketooforcefullywiththemallet,youriskbreakingofforcrackingoneoftherosepetals.

2. Startbyusinga#3/5gougetocarveacon-cavewavedownintothewide,lowerpartofaleaf(photo f ).

3. Switchtoa#7/4gougetocutintothenarrowareabetweenthemiddleoftheleafanditspointedtip.Worksidetoside,cuttingabout3⁄32in.deep.Becarefulnottocarveawaywoodfromthemiddleorverytipoftheleaf(photo g ).

Whendone,themiddleandtipoftheleafwilllookasthoughtheyarearchingupward.Tocreatetheoppositeeffect,carveawaythepointedtipandit’lllookasthoughtheleafiscurvingdownintothewood.Thisisagoodtimetobecreative.Makeeachleafalittledifferentfromthepreviousone.Oncetheleavesarecarved,smooththemwithasmallroundfileordetailriffler.

Carve the leaves

To make leaves look as real as pos-sible, I carve into each one a slight wave, which mirrors the natural curves and bends that occur in leaves (it’s useful to look at photos for inspira-tion). However, it’s important that the leaves don’t all look alike. This box features 24 leaves on the top and 13 on the front, so it takes a little bit of forethought and creativity to make them look different from each other.

work smart

relief-Cut the wide, lower part of the leaf using a#3/5 a gouge.

f

Moving onto the leAves, use a #7/4 gouge to carve a concave wave across the widest part of the leaf and then, using the same gouge, work the area near the leaf tip.

g

Rose B ox 151

Beforecarvingthemeanderingvinesthatextendoutfromtheroses,notethatthevinestaperfromabout3⁄16in.wideneartherosedowntoabout1⁄16in.widewheretheymeettheleaves.Alsonotethatthevinesarchupwardanddownward,creatinghighspotsandlowspots.

1. Carvethevineswithtwosmallgouges:#3/3and#3/5.Whileit’salwaysimportanttousesharpgouges,it’sparticularlycriticalwhencarvingfinedetails,suchasvinesandleaves.Asyoucutalongthetemplateoutline,carveonlyabout1⁄16in.deep,carvingthelowsectionsofthevinesfirst(photo h ).

2. Shapearadiusalongbothsidesofthevines,essentiallyroundingthemoff.Keepshavingawaywooduntilyouachievenatural-lookingvines.

3. Carvesomerealisticdetailsintotheleaves.Startbycuttingasmallradiusaroundtheedgesofeachleafandcleanupthejuncturewheretheleavesmeetthevines.Thisisalsoagoodtimetocutveryfineveinsintotheleaves.Startbyfreehanddrawingveinsontoalltheleaves.(Ifindithelpfultolookatthecarvingtemplatewhendrawingtheveins.)

Cuttheshallowveinswitha#15/3V-toolcarvingknife.HoldtheV-toolat30°to45°,thenlightlycutalongthepencillines.Youdon’tneedamalletforthisstep;simplypushthetoolthroughthewoodwithlightpressure.Carvealongallthepencillines,makingsuretocutdeepenough—about1⁄32in.—tocreateshadowlinesalongalltheveinsoneachleaf(photo i ).

Shape the vines

use sMAll gouges to carve the vines, working the low sections of the vines first.

h

use A #15/3 v-tool carving knife to carve the shallow veins in the leaves (you don’t need a mallet for this step).

i

152 Rose B ox

Rout the top for ebony trim

1. Usesmallfilestofine-tunethecarvingdetails.Irecommendusingfilesbecausesandpapercaneasilyremovesmallerdetails.Andalthoughfilingcanbeabittediousandtime-consuming,it’smorepreciseandprovidesthebestwaytocreaterealistic-lookingcarvings.

File and sand the carvings

It’s best to sand carvings last because the grits from the sand-paper get trapped into the wood. If you carve after sanding, you run the risk of dulling or chipping your carving gouge on the abrasive grits.

work smart

noW PrePare the box toP to reCeive

theebonyaccenttrimthatrunsaroundtheunder-sideofthetop.Theebonytrimfitsintoarabbetroutedintotheundersideofthetop.Tocuttherab-bet,youmustfirstmakeatracingtemplateofthetopoutofpaperandthencutoutaparticleboardroutingtemplate.

1. Settheboxtopdownontoasheetofpaperandtracearoundit.Next,adjustapencilcompassto7⁄8in.andtracearoundtheboxtopoutline,mak-ingsuretomarkinsideoftheoutline.Cutoutthe

papertemplatewithscissors.Theresultwillbeapapercutoutshapedexactlyliketheboxtop,only7⁄8in.smalleronallsides.

2. Tracethepapertemplateontoapieceof11⁄4-in.-thickparticleboard.Cuttheparticleboardtemplatetosizeonthebandsawandthensanditsedgessmoothwithadrumsander.

3. Screwtheparticleboardroutingtemplatetotheundersideoftheboxtop,makingsureit’scenteredandequallyspacedfromallfouredges(photo A ).

the rounded CirCle end of the riffler is particularly well suited for smoothing out areas around the rose petals.

J

2. Forthiscarving,Iusedtwodetailrifflerstosmoothoutalltheroughspotsandtohighlightthedetailsalongthepetals,leaves,andvines(photo J ). Onceyou’redonefiling,lightlysandwithasandingsponge,whichgetsintoallthesmallareaswithoutsandingoffthedetails.

Nowrepeattheentirecarvingprocesstocreatetherosepatternonthefrontofthebox.Usethefronttemplateonp.148,andcarvewiththesamegougesusedtomakerosesontheboxtop.

Rose B ox 153

Theresultingscrewholeswillbecoveredlaterbymarquetry. Ifyou’renotplanningtodomarquetry,securethetemplatetothetopwithtwoclamps.Thismethodisabittrickybecauseyoumustrouthalftherabbet,movetheclamps,andthenroutthesecondhalf,butiteliminateshavingtodrivescrewsintothetop.Whenclampingthetemplate,besuretoplaceprotectiveblocksundertheclamps’pads,andchecktomakecertaintheclampsaretightsothetemplatecan’tmove.

4. Cuttherabbetwitha3⁄4-in.-dia.pattern-makingrouterbitthathasa1-in.cuttingheightandis21⁄4in.longoverall.Thisstylebithasa3⁄4-in.-dia.ball-bearingpilotpositionedabovethebit’scarbidecutters.Adjusttherouter’sdepth-of-cutto5⁄16in.Clamptheboxtoptotheworkbenchandthensettherouterontothetemplate,withthebitclearofthetop.Turntherouteronandthenslowlycutintotheboxtopuntilthebit’sball-bearingpilotcomesincontactwiththetemplate(photo B ).

5. Advancetherouter,movinglefttoright,whileallthetimekeepingthepilotpressedagainstthetemplate.Shifttherouteroutwardoccasionallytotrimawaywastewoodfromtherabbet.Whennecessary,repositiontheclampsandcontinuerout-inguntilyou’vecutarabbetallthewayaroundtheboxtop.

As you rout the rabbet for the ebony trim, the bearing rolls along the particleboard template and the bit cuts the shape of the template into the box top.

B

Center A pArtiCleBoArd routing template on the underside of the box top and screw or clamp it down.

A

Can’t find 11⁄4-in.-thick particleboard for the routing template? No prob-lem. Make the template from two pieces of 5⁄8-in. material or one piece of 3⁄4-in. and one piece of 1⁄2-in. material.

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154 Rose B ox

1. Usetheparticleboardroutingtemplateandawhitepenciltodrawoutlinesofthetrimpiecesontotheebonyboards.Besuretheebonyaccentpiecesareslightlythicker—1⁄32in.to1⁄16in.—thanthedepthoftherabbet(photo C ).

2. Cutoutthedecorativepiecesonthebandsaworscrollsaw.Cutveryclosetotheinsidelinesandthensandtheedgesperfectlysmoothtoensurethepiecesfittightlyagainsttherabbet.Saweachebonytrimpiecetolength.

Cut and attach the ebony trim

The best adhesive for attaching the ebony trim is hot animal hide glue, which bonds fast and doesn’t require clamping. Heat the glue to 140°F to 150°F in an electric glue pot.

work smart

hide glue BAsiCs

When melting hide glue, I use an electric glue pot

that’s thermostatically controlled, so I can easily

maintain a temperature of 140°F to 150°F. There

are two basic types of hide glues available: granu-

lar and pearl. The difference between the two is

strength and drying time. As the strength of the

glue increases, the time you have to work before the

glue begins to harden decreases. Granular hide glue

is extremely strong, so it has a short drying time;

it’s ideal for uncomplicated assemblies for which

strength is a top priority. Pearl hide glue isn’t as

strong as the granular type, so it takes longer to dry;

it’s preferred for applications where you need a little

extra time to assemble and clamp parts together.

drAw the outlines of the trim pieces onto the ebony boards with a white pencil.

C

Affix the eBony triM to the top with hot animal hide glue, which bonds fast and doesn’t require clamping.

d

Rose B ox 155

use A 1⁄4-in.-diA. cove bit to rout finger pulls into the edge of the trim to make the box easier to open.

e

thebox.Closetheboxanduseawhitepenciltodrawthefingerpullsontotheebonytrim.Makeeachpullabout11⁄4in.long.Thenroutthefingerpullsintothetrimusinga1⁄4-in.-dia.covebit(photo e ).

5. Taketheebonymedallionyoumadeearlierandglueitinthecenteroftheellipticalringscarvedintotheboxtop.Securethemedallionwithhotanimalhideglue.

3. Useanelectricheatguntoapplyheattoonesectionoftherabbetandoneebonytrimpiece.Oncethesurfacesarewarm,brushonhotanimalhideglueandpressthepieceintoplacewithyourhands.Holditinplaceforabouttwominutes.Repeattoattachtheremainingthreetrimpieces(photo d ). Lettheaccentpiecesdryforfourhourstosixhoursandthensandthemflush.

4. Tomaketheboxeasiertoopen,routshallowfingerpullsintotheebonytrimonthetopandon

156 Rose B ox

the toP iS attaChed to the box With

two1-in.by1-in.butthinges.However,becausethehingesarepositionedclosetotheboxcorners,theycoverupthedovetailsplines.Toremedythat,cutaV-shapednotchintooneleafofeachhinge.

1. Makethenotchesabout1⁄16in.largerthanthedovetailspline.Thencutonenotchfromeachhingeusingascrollsawfittedwitha#3/0by61-tpijewelers’blade.

2. Laytheboxtopupsidedownonsomecorkblocksandbuttitupagainstthebox.Useasteelruleorsimilarstraightedgetoalignthehingeswitheachother.Marktheirpositionsontothetopandontotheboxwithawhitepencil.Thesewhitelinesrepresenttheoutlinesofthehingemortises(photo A ).

Install the hinges

notCh eACh hinge around the dovetail splines and use a straightedge to align the hinges.

Ebony is extremely hard and splits easily. Be sure to drill pilot holes before driving in the hinge screws.

work smart

3. Tocuttheshallowhingemortises,startbyusingaflatchiseltomakestabcutsstraightdownintotheebony.Carefullycutrightonthewhitepencillines.Afterscribingeachhingemortise,usea#2/8carv-inggougetomakereliefcutsacrossthemortisesanduptothestabcuts.

4. Repeatthesestepsuntilthehingessitflushinthemortises.Attachthehingeswith3⁄8-in.-longscrews.

A

Rose B ox 157

pAint to MAtCh

If desired, paint the hinges and chain black to blend in with

the ebony trim. Start by sanding the hinges with 600-grit

sandpaper and then clean them and the chain with lacquer

thinner. Thoroughly dry the parts and spray-paint with flat

black enamel paint.

5. Installashortlengthofchaintoholdopentheboxtop atapproximately95°.MarkanXontheboxtopwhereyouwanttoattachthechain.(Ifyouinlaidmar-quetry,affixthechaintothecenteroftheebonyoval.)

6. Adjustthechainsothetopopensslightlybeyondvertical,about95°.Usearoundrasporfiletocuta3⁄8-in.halfcircleintothecenterbackedgeofthebox.Thissmallcutouthelpskeepthechaininplacewhenyouopenandclosethetop.Screwthechaintotheundersideofthetopandtotheinside,backofthebox.

i finiShed the box With magnalaC®

precatalyzedlacquer,aclearfinishmadebyM.L.Campbell®.

1. Startbylightlyhand-sandingallsurfaceswith150-gritsandpaper.Thenblowoffallsandingdustandwipethepiecedownwithaclean,drycloth.

2. Sprayonaverylightcoatoflacquerfinish,effectivelysealingthewood’sgrain.Letthelacquerdryforabouttwohours,whichisonehourlongerthanrecommended.Thisextratimeensuresthefin-ishdriescompletely.

3. Hand-sandallsurfaceswithextra-fine320-gritsandpaper.Sandthecarvingswithafinishingscratchpad,whichisasoftscouringpad(photo A ).Blowoffthesandingdustandwipethesurfacesclean.

4. Sprayonanotherlightcoatoflacquer,letitdry,andthenapplyathirdandfinalcoat.Notethatit’simportanttoapplythincoats.Ifyouspraylacquerontoothickly,itwilleventuallycrack.Letthefinalcoatdryovernight.

Finishing touches

A

158 C ame o Je welr y B ox

he elaborate

design of this Cameo

Jewelry Box is based on

classic cameo necklaces, which

have been worn as a symbol of

prestige since the 16th century.

Throughout the years, cameo jew-

els represented not only wealth but

also love and were much sought

after by royalty throughout Europe.

Cameo Jewelry Box

This box is both elegant and

beautiful with many curves and

straight, angular lines blending

together with a bloodwood ribbon

inlay surrounded by a warm-brown

chestnut burl. Centered on the

box top is a marquetry design of a

cameo with winding ribbons flow-

ing from sides to the top, creating

the illusion of a necklace.

In this chapter, you’ll learn

advanced bandsaw techniques for

cutting the radiused front, back, and

ends from 3-in.-thick hardwood.

There are step-by-step instructions

for gluing veneers together to form

radiused inlays around the cameo

marquetry. The Cameo Jewelry Box

measures 51⁄2 in. tall by 8 in. deep

by 15 in. long, providing plenty of

space to store jewelry of any size,

including cameo necklaces.

T

C ame o Je welr y B ox 159

materialsQuantity Part Size ConStruCtion

noteS

2 Front and back 3 in. 51⁄16 in. 141⁄2 in. cherry

2 Ends 3 in. 51⁄16 in. 71⁄2 in. cherry

4 Splines 1⁄4 in. 1⁄2 in. 51⁄2 in. cherry

1 Back interior 1⁄42 in. 51⁄4 in. 123⁄8 in. chestnut burl veneer

2 End interior 1⁄42 in. 51⁄4 in. 55⁄8 in. chestnut burl veneer

1 Front center interior 1⁄42 in. 41⁄4 in. 45⁄16 in. chestnut burl veneer

2 Front end interior 1⁄42 in. 51⁄4 in. 41⁄4 in. chestnut burl veneer

2 Front flat center edges interior

1⁄42 in. 41⁄4 in. 7⁄16 in. chestnut burl veneer

5 Marquetry packets for front and ends see p. 168

1 Back 1⁄42 in. 51⁄4 in. 123⁄4 in. chestnut burl veneer

2 Straight corners 1⁄42 in. 11⁄32 in. 43⁄8 in. chestnut burl

2 Straight corners 1⁄42 in. 11⁄32 in. 3⁄4 in. bloodwood

1 Bottom 1⁄4 in. 9 in. 16 in. maple plywood

1 Bottom interior 1⁄42 in. 71⁄2 in. 141⁄2 in. chestnut burl veneer

4

Outside corners

1⁄42 in. 17⁄16 in. 51⁄8 in.

1 piece each chestnut burl veneer, bloodwood veneer, and scrap veneer

1 Front top edge 1⁄42 in. 15⁄8 in. 131⁄2 in. chestnut burl veneer

1 Back top edge 1⁄42 in. 15⁄8 in. 131⁄2 in. chestnut burl veneer

2 End top edges 1⁄42 in. 15⁄8 in. 61⁄2 in. chestnut burl veneer

1 Top 1⁄2 in. 9 in. 16 in. maple veneer plywood

1 Top background 1⁄42 in. 9 in. 16 in. chestnut burl veneer

▲▲


Cut the hardwood box partsit’S beSt to uSe 3-in.-thickhardwood fortheboxparts,butifyoucan’tfindhardwoodthatthick,youcouldalwayslaminatetogethertwoormoreboardstoequal3in.thick.Ibuiltthisboxfroma

pieceofcherryhardwoodthatmeasured3in.thickby101⁄4in.wideby36in.long,whichwasplentyofwoodtogetallfourboxparts:front,back,andeachend.


Quantity Part Size ConStruCtion noteS

1 Ribbon 1⁄42 in. 9 in. 16 in. bloodwood veneer

1 Template 1⁄42 in. 9 in. 16 in. scrap veneer

1 Necklace loop 1⁄42 in. 11⁄2 in. 11⁄2 in. black-dyed veneer

1 Underside of box top 1⁄42 in. 81⁄2 in. 151⁄2 in. chestnut burl veneer

5 Cameo marquetry veneers 1⁄42 in. 41⁄4 in. 51⁄4 in. see p. 180

4 Cameo inlay veneer (top and bottom)

1⁄42 in. 3⁄4 in. 6 in. black-dyed veneer

1 Cameo inlay veneer (top and bottom)

1⁄42 in. 3⁄4 in. 6 in. bloodwood veneer

4 Cameo inlay veneer (sides) 1⁄42 in. 3⁄4 in. 5 in. black-dyed veneer

1 Cameo inlay veneer (sides) 1⁄42 in. 3⁄4 in. 5 in. bloodwood veneer

16 Top edges 1⁄42-in. veneer see p. 185

4 Corner ribbons 1⁄42 in. 5⁄8 in. 5⁄8 in. bloodwood veneer

1 Finger pull 3⁄16 in. 7⁄8 in. 21⁄2 in. bloodwood hardwood

1 Long divider 3⁄16 in. 17⁄8 in. 131⁄8 in. bloodwood hardwood

2 Short dividers 3⁄16 in. 17⁄8 in. 51⁄16 in. long bloodwood hardwood

1 pair 95º angle stop hinges 11⁄16 in. 11⁄4 in.


1. Ripthecherryblankintotwo51⁄16-in.-wideboards.Toavoidburningthewoodorstrainingthesawmotor,pushthewoodpastthebladeveryslowly.

2. Crosscutthetwoboardstoproducetheboxfront,back,andtwoends.Besuretocuteachpartabout1in.longerthannecessary,whichmakesiteasiertolayoutthetemplatesandcutthepartsonthebandsaw(photo A ).

3. Useajointertomillthehardwoodpartstotheirfinishedwidth.Adjustthejointer’sdepthofcutto1⁄32in.,thenturnonthemachineandpassbothedgesofeachpartoverthespinningcutterheadat

leastonce.Thefinishedwidthofthepartsis5in.,butit’sokayifthey’realittlewiderornarrower,aslongasthepartsareallthesameexactsize.

Mill the hardwood blank

Selecting the Right haRdwood

When choosing hardwood for the box parts, it’s best

to use tight-grain wood, such as basswood, cherry,

maple, or birch as opposed to oak or ash, which are

open-grain woods. I’ve discovered that open-grain

woods will telegraph through the veneer, reducing

the impact of the marquetry design. For this particu-

lar box, I chose cherry hardwood.

Cut the box front and back to 51⁄16 in. wide by141⁄2 in. long and cut each of the two ends to 51⁄16 in. wide by 71⁄2 in. long.

A

Mark and cut the curves

1. Photocopythefront,back,andendtemplates,shownin“ProfileTemplates”onp.162.Cutoutthetemplatesandcenterthemonthetopedgeoftheboxparts(photo b ).Useasharppenciltocare-fullydrawaroundeachtemplate.It’simportanttotracethetemplatesasaccuratelyaspossible,espe-ciallyattheangledendsofeachtemplate.Theseslantedlinesrepresentthemiteredjointsthateven-

Center the templAtes on the top edge of the box parts and carefully draw around each one.

b


tuallymeettoformthe90°cornersofthebox.Iftheselinesaren’tmarkedandcutprecisely,theboxwillbeoutofsquare.

2.Beforecuttingthecurvedshapesontheband-saw,usethemitersawtocuttwo45°anglesateachendofthefourboxparts.It’simportantthatthesawiscuttingpreciselyat45°,sofirstcutsomescrapwoodandchecktheanglewithacombinationsquare.Onceyou’veconfirmedtheaccuracyofthesaw,holdeachparttightagainstthesaw’sfenceandworktableandcutalongthe45°lines.

3. Preparethebandsawforcuttingthecurvedshapesintothefourboxparts.Startbyinstallinga3⁄16-in.-wideby10-tpi(teethperinch)bandsawblade.Thenuseatrysquaretoconfirmthatthebandsawbladeandworktableformanexact90°angle.Adjustthebandsaw’scuttingheight

to51⁄4in.,whichwillhelppreventthebladefromveeringawayfromthecuttingline.

4. Startthebandsawandslowlypushtheboxpartintotheblade.Steerthebladerightdownthecen-terofthepencillinewithasmooth,steadypush(photo C ).Savethecut-offpartsforuseinclamp-ingdowntheveneer.

The most accurate way to cut out paper templates is with a scalpel or artist mat knife on a self-healing mat. Lightly press down on the knife and slowly follow the lines to form each full-size paper template.

work smart

Profile Templates

73⁄8 in.


Back

End

Front

143⁄8 in.

143⁄8 in.

133⁄8 in.

133⁄8 in.

13⁄8 in.

11⁄2 in.

11⁄2 in.

63⁄8 in.


Aftercuttingcurvesintoboththeinsideandoutsidesurfacesofthefourboxparts,takeafewminutestosmoothawaythebandsaw-blademarksusingahalf-roundfileand80-gritsandpaper.

1. Firmlyclampthepartinabenchvisetopreventitfrommoving.Holdthefilewithbothhandsandapplyanequalamountofpressureasyoudrawitbackandforthacrossthesurface.Usetheflatsideofthefiletosmooththeflatandconvexsurfaces.Smooththeconcavesurfaceswiththefile’sroundedside.Continuetofileuntilyou’veremovedallthebandsaw-blademarks.

2. Smoothallthefiledsurfacesusingahomemadesandingstick.Takean80-gritpressure-sensitiveadhesive(PSA)sandingdiskandstickittoa11⁄4-in.-dia.woodendowel.Usethesandingsticktosmoothawayallthefilemarks(photo D ).Thisisalsoagoodtimetofileandsandthecut-offpieces,whichwillbeusedlaterasclampingcaulswhengluingdowntheveneer.

Smooth the box parts

After filing the curved surfaces, use a homemade sanding stick fitted with 80-grit sandpaper to smooth away the file marks.

D

Cut the CurveD surfACes of the front, back, and two ends, guiding the blade right down the center of the pencil line with a smooth, steady push.

C

When cutting the box parts on the bandsaw, remember to save the cut-off pieces. You can use them later as clamping cauls when you veneer the inside and outside surfaces of the box, a great way to clamp the veneers if you don’t own a vacuum press.

work smart

3. Throughoutthefilingandsandingprocess,stopandcheckperiodicallytomakesureyou’renotremovingtoolittleortoomuchwoodfromthesur-faces.Layatrysquareacrossthewood’ssurfaceandlookforhighandlowspots.Stopsandingwhenthesurfacesareperfectlyflatandeven.


the next SteP iS to Cut grooveS intotheboxpartstoaccepthardwoodsplinesandthe1⁄4-in.-thickplywoodboxbottom.Thesplinesareusedtoreinforcethefourcornerjointsofthebox.Startbycuttingfour1⁄4-in.-thickby1⁄2-in.-wideby51⁄2-in.-longpiecesofhardwoodforuseasthesplines.Anyhardwoodspecieswillsufficebecausethespineswilllaterbecoveredbyveneer.

1. Routsplinegroovesintobothendsofthefourboxparts(front,back,andends)usingaroutertablefittedwitha1⁄4-in.-dia.double-flutestraightbit.Positiontherouter-tablefence9⁄16in.fromthecenterofthe1⁄4-in.-dia.bit.Mountapieceofscrapwoodtotheroutertable’smitergaugetopreventblowout.Thenusethemitergaugetopushtheboxpartsoverthebit,cuttingthesplinegrooves.Notethatit’sbesttomaketwo1⁄8-in.-deepcutstopro-ducethe1⁄4-in.-deepgroove(photo A ).

2. Preparetocutagroovefortheplywoodboxbottombyinstallinga1⁄4-in.-wideby1⁄2-in.-deepthree-wingslotcutterintotheroutertable.Besurethebithasa1⁄2-in.-dia.shankandisatleast31⁄4-in.long.Thelongshankisneededbecausethegroovesarelocated13⁄4in.upfromthebottomedgeontheboxparts.Also,installastarterpinintothetabletoprovideadditionalcontrolasyouguidethecurvedpartspastthecutter.Routthegrooveintotheinsidesurfaceoftheboxfront,back,andends(photo b ).

Rout for the splines and bottom

rout the 1⁄4-in.-Deep grooves for the hardwood splines into both ends of the four box parts. Make the cut in two passes to reduce tension on the small-diameter router bit and minimize chipping to the inside face of the parts.

A

rout the 1⁄4-in.-wiDe groove for the box bottom. Guide each part into the spinning cutter and against the starter pin, pushing the parts slowly and steadily.

b


look CloSely atthephotosofthefinishedcameoboxonp.158andyou’llnoticethattherearecontouredprofilescutintothebottomedgesofthefront,back,andendsofthebox.Theserefined

detailsarecutonthebandsawandlendeye-catchingdefinitionandelegancetotheoveralldesign.

1. Tocreatethecontouredprofiles,startbyphoto-copyingthe“BottomProfileTemplates”shownonp.166.Cutoutthetemplatesandtracethemontothefaceofeachpart(photo A ).

2. Makethefirstbandsawcutalongtheendsoftheparts,whichwilleventuallymeettoformthecornersofthebox.Flipthepiecearoundandcuttheoppositeend.Repeatfortheboxbackandends(photo b ).

3. Tocutthecontouredprofilealongthebottomedgeofthefourboxparts,firstsetacutoffpieceofwoodonthebandsawtableandthenplacetheboxpartontop.Thecut-offpiecewillsupporttheboxpartandallowyoutocutsquarelyat90°(photo C ).

Cut the bottom profiles

trACe the bottom profiles onto the face of the front (shown here), back, and two ends. When tracing the outside radius onto the front corners, be sure the inside of the radius doesn’t extend more than 5⁄16 in. into the cor-ner; otherwise, you’ll cut into the spline grooves.

A

to Cut the outsiDe rADius, hold the box front at a 45º angle with the spline groove flat against the band-saw table. Saw along the curved pencil line.

bsupport the workpieCe on a cutoff block when cutting the contoured profile along the bottom edge of the four box parts. Be sure the box part is positioned slightly offset, so you don’t saw into the cutoff block.

C


4. Afterbandsawingalltheboxparts,useadrumsanderwith120-gritabrasivesleevetosmoothawayallofthebandsawmarks.

5. Dry-assembletheboxwithclampsandhard-woodsplinesinsertedintothecorner-jointgrooves.Thenclamptheassembledboxtotheworkbenchwithonecorneroverhangingtheedge.Sandthecornerflushusingan80-gritPSAdiskadheredtoaroundblockofwood.Repeatfortheremainingthreeboxcorners(photo D ). Dry-Assemble the box and sand the corner flush.

D

Bottom Profile Templates

7 in.

Enlarge by 270% for full-size templates. When enlarged, grid is 1⁄2 in. 1⁄2 in.

Back Front

End

The front and back half templates are mirror images; use these templates for the right-hand side and flip to draw the left-hand side.

5 in.


the following SeQuenCe explainshowtoapplychestnutburlveneertotheinteriorsurfacesoftheboxparts.Ipreferusinghotanimalhidegluetoadhereveneer,butyellowcarpenter’sgluecanbeusedaswell.ForthisboxIpurchasedaflitchofchestnutburl,whichconsistsofsevensheetsofveneer,each1⁄42in.thickby12in.wideby161⁄2in.long.You’llneedonlysixsheets,butit’sgoodtohaveoneextraincaseofanyproblemsormishaps.

1. Startbyusingsprayadhesivetostick1⁄16-in.-thickpolyfoamtothefaceoftheclampingcauls.Polyfoamisaflexibleandnonabrasivelightweightwrapthatcanbefoundatmostshippingsupplystores.Thefoammakesupfortheroughly1⁄16in.ofwoodthatwassawnawaybythebandsaw(photo A ).

2. Useaself-healingcuttingmatandscalpelorartistmatknifetocutveneerfortheinsideoftheboxfront,back,andends.You’llneedatotalof

eightveneerpieces(see“Materials”onp.159).Theboxfrontrequiresfiveveneerpiecesbecauseofitsintricateshape.

3. Usebluepainter’stapetocovertheendsandbottomgroovetopreventgluefromgettingontotheseareas.

4. Heatthehotanimalhideglueinanelectrichotpot.Thenuseanelectricheatguntowarmthebacksideoftheveneerandtheinteriorsurfaceoftheboxback.Warmeachsurfaceforaboutoneminute.Thisallowsmoresetuptimewhenbrushingonthehideglue(photo b ).

5. Usea11⁄2-in.-widepaintbrushtoapplyhotani-malhidegluetobothsurfaces.Lightlypresstheveneertotheboxback.

6. Placeapieceofthincardboardbetweentheveneerandthefoam-coveredclampingcaulanduseseveralshortbarclampstoclampdowntheveneer(photo C , p. 168).Letthegluecureovernight.

Veneer the inside surfaces

before brushing on the hot animal hide glue, warm the backside of the veneer and the interior surface of the box part to allow more setup time.

b

ADhere 1⁄16-in.-thiCk poly foam to the face of the clamping cauls (the foam makes up for the thickness of the wood sawn away by the bandsaw).

A


7. Afterremovingtheclamps,useascalpelorartistknifetotrimtheveneerflushalongtheedges,andtouncoverthegrooveroutedearlierfortheboxbottom.

8. Removethebluepainter’stapeandmakea1⁄8-in.-thicksandingblockoutofanyscraphard-wood;wraptheblockwith150-gritsandpaper.Sandtheveneerflushwiththegroove.Thenusesmallfilestosmooththeveneerperfectlyflushwiththehardwoodaroundtheperimeterofthepart.

Repeattoveneertheinteriorofthethreeremain-ingboxparts.

ClAmp Down the veneer, with a piece of thin cardboard inserted between the veneer and the foam-covered clamping caul.

C

Veneer the outside surfacesthiS iS a relatively SimPle marquetrypat-ternbecauseyou’llbeusingonlythreepiecesofveneerforeachofthefivemarquetrypackets.Youwillneedapacketforthefrontcenter,foreachofthetwofrontsides,andoneforeachofthetwoboxends.

Eachpacketconsistsofthreepiecesof1⁄42-in.-thickveneer:chestnutburlforthebackground,bloodwoodfortheribbon,andscrapveneerforthecuttingtemplate.Templatesforalltheinlaysareshownin“FrontandSideMarquetryTemplates”onthefacingpage.

Thesizesofeachveneerpacketare • Frontcenter:41⁄8in.by43⁄4in. • Frontrightside:45⁄8in.by51⁄4in. • Frontleftside:45⁄8in.by51⁄4in. • Boxrightend:51⁄4in.by61⁄4in. • Boxleftend:51⁄4in.by61⁄4in.

1. Usethescrollsawtocutthefiveveneerpackets.Forspecificinstructions,refertop.215.

2. Aftercuttingthemarquetrypackets,usetheshadingtechniqueshownonp.221toshadethe

bloodwoodribbons.Themosteffectiveplacetoaddshadingiswheretwopiecesofribbonmeet.

3. Preparetheveneerforgluingbystickingtheoutersurfaceoftheveneertoapieceofdouble-tackmountingfilm(availableatart-supplystores).Thestickyfilmwillsecurelyholdtheveneeredpiecesinposition(photo A ).

stiCk the outer surfACe of the veneer to a piece of double-tack mounting film.

A


Front and Side Marquetry Templates

Front bow templateCutting face left = glue right

Front side templatesShowing face left = right side

Enlarge all templates by 210% for full-size templates. When enlarged, grid is 1⁄2 in. 1⁄2 in.

Left side end templateCutting face left = glue right; for the right side end, the template is reversed.

Showing face right = left side


C

6. Afterremovingtheclamps,useascalpeltotrimofftheextraveneerandsmallfilestosmooththeveneeredges.Therewillbesomepaperleftonthemarquetryface;lightlysandoffthepaperwith150-gritsandpaper(photo C ).Repeatthisstepfortheremainingboxparts.

7.Fortheoutsidebacksurfaceoftheboxyouwillnotneedapacket,justasinglesheetofchestnutburlveneer.Brushhotanimalhideglueontobothsurfacesandthenpresstheveneertotheboxpart.Clampdowntheveneersecurelywithshortbarclamps.

4. Useanelectricheatguntowarmthebacksideoftheveneerandtheoutersurfaceoftheboxpart.Thenbrushhotanimalhideglueontobothsurfaces.

5. Presstheveneertotheboxpart,thencoveritwithasinglelayerof1⁄16-in.-thickpolyfoam.Setthecut-offpieceontopofthefoamandsecurelyclampdowntheveneerwithshortbarclamps(photo b ).Letthegluedryatleastthreehours(Iprefertowaitovernighttoensureagoodgluebondwhengluingveneertoanytypeofradius).

Making a MaRquetRy Packet

When creating marquetry designs with veneers,

it’s important to glue kraft paper to the face of the

veneer before cutting the veneer to size. The kraft

paper flattens and strengthens the veneer and helps

prevent chipping and cracking while cutting on the

scrollsaw.

When sawing the veneer, the face with the kraft

paper should always be face down because the

underside is vulnerable to chipping. The exception is

the upper sheet of the marquetry packet where the

paper template is glued on top of the waste veneer.

And remember, when preparing a marquetry

packet, the top cutting template is facing the oppo-

site direction to the actual finished marquetry. This

is because the front of the image is facing down. For

example, the woman shown in the center cameo is

facing left when the veneer is being cut, but when

glued down to the box top she is facing right.

For this cameo box you’ll use the packet method

of marquetry, except for the two front corners, four

box corners, and four top corners. These smaller

pieces must be cut individually to match up exactly

with the other ribbons. This technique is explained in

greater detail on the facing page. The use of packet

marquetry is explained on p. 215.

remove the ClAmps and trim off the extra veneer; lightly sand off any paper left on the marquetry face.

CClAmp the veneer to the box part in this order: box part, veneer, layer of 1⁄16-in.-thick poly foam, and cut-off piece on top.

b


Thefrontoftheboxfeaturesacentersectionthat’sslightlyconcaveandembellishedwithamarquetryred-ribbonbow.Ateachendofthecentersec-tionarenarrow,straightcornersthatreturnbackandconnecttotheconvexfrontsections.Theredribbonflowsfromthebowoutinbothdirectionsacrosstheboxfront.Thefollowingstepsdescribehowtocutthinstripsofmarquetry—whichincludeshortlengthsofribbon—tocoverthetwonarrow,straightcorners.

1. Holdapieceoftracingpaperontheconcavecentersectionofthebox,sothatyoucanseetheribbonthroughthepaper.Withapencil,drawthetwolinesofaslightlyarchedribbonthatwillgoacrossthenarrowcornerandmatchupwiththeribbonontheconvexsection(photo D ).

2. Usingastraightedge,self-healingmat,andscalpel,cuttheveneerforthetwonarrow,straightcorners.You’llneedtwopiecesofchestnutburl11⁄32in.wideby43⁄8in.long,andtwopiecesofbloodwood11⁄32in.wideby3⁄4in.long.Sprayclearadhesivetothebacksideofthebloodwoodandthenstickitontothechestnutburlfromwheretheribbonwillbecutout.

3. Takethetracing-papertemplateandsprayaclearadhesiveonthebackside.Pressitontothetopofthebloodwoodandchestnutburlwiththeribboncuttinglinescenteredonthebloodwood(photo e ).

4. Installa3/0by61-tpijeweler’sbladeinthescrollsawandsetittotheslowestspeed.Thencuttheribbonandbackgroundatthesametimebyfollowingthepencillines.Guidethenarrowpieceslowlyandsteadilyintotheblade,whichwillhelppreventthebladefromveeringoffcourse.

Veneer the small straight corners

use A pieCe of trACing pAper to outline the narrow piece of ribbon trim that bridges the straight cor-ner between the convex outer section and the concave center section of the front.

D

Affix the nArrow trACing-pAper template onto the top of the bloodwood and chestnut burl, with the ribbon cutting lines centered on the blood-wood. Cut out on the scrollsaw.

e

It’s important for the bloodwood ribbon grain to be going in the same direction. On the small straight corners at the ends of the front center section the wood grain should be horizontal.

work smart

Another way to cut out the ribbon and background veneers is to employ a technique that’s known as the window method. This method is explained on p. 45.

work smart



5. Aftertheveneeriscut,usebluepainter’stapetostitchthetopandbottomchestnutburlbackgroundveneertothecenterribbon.Hotanimalhideglueisagreatchoiceforadheringthissmallpieceofveneertothecornersbecauseit’sdifficulttogetclampstoworkinthisarea(photo f ).

to meAsure for the bottom pAnel, dry-assemble the box and trace the inside of the box onto the plywood.

A

Assemble the strAight Corner, hold together with blue painter’s tape, and glue in place, aligning the ribbons on either side.

f

Hot animal hide glue is the best adhe-sive for adhering smaller veneer pieces to a substrate. If you don’t get a good bond the first time, you can always reheat the veneer with an electric heat gun and reposition the veneer.

work smart

before Continuing withtheveneering,youmustmakethebottomoftheboxandthengluetogetherthefoursidesofthebox.

1. Dry-assembletheboxbyinstallingthewoodensplinesintothefourcorners.Thenusetwolongrubberbandstoholdtheboxsquare.Settheboxupsidedownontoapieceof1⁄4-in.-thickby9-in.-wideby16-in.-longmapleplywood.Tracetheinsideshapeoftheboxontotheplywood(photo A ).

2.Useacompasstodrawalineparalleltoand15⁄32in.outsidethepenciloutlineyoujusttraced.Thissecondlinerepresentsthefinishedsizeandshapeoftheboxbottomandallows1⁄32-in.expan-

6. Taketheheatgunandlightlyheatthebacksideoftheveneerandthefaceoftheboxcorner.Brushhotanimalhideglueontobothsurfaces,thenpresstheveneerontothecorner.Besuretoalignthecornerribbonwiththeribbonstotheleftandright.Holdtheveneerwithyourfingertipsforaboutoneminute,thenfirmlypressdowntheveneerwithawoodenveneerhammer.Letthegluedryforaboutthreehoursandthentrimwithyourscalpelorartistknifeandsandtheveneerflush.


together,usingthecut-offpartsasclampingcauls,andthenletthegluecureovernight(photo C ).

6.Useasandingblockand150-gritsandpapertosandthesplinesflushwiththetopandbottomedgeofthebox.Thencleanoffanyexcessglueonthefaceofthecornersusingascraperorsandpaper.

sionspaceforthebottomtofitintothe1⁄2-in.-deepgroove.Cutouttheboxbottom(photo b ).

3. Dry-assembletheboxwiththeplywoodbottominstalled.Iftheboxjointsdon’tfittogether,removetheboxbottomandcutorsandawayalittlemate-rial.Reassembletomakesurethatalltheboxpartsfittightlytogether.

4. Next,preparetoveneertheboxbottombycut-tinga71⁄2-in.-wideby141⁄2-in.-longpieceofchest-nutburl.Applythebottomveneerusingyellowglueandavacuumbag.Aftertheglueisdry,setthebottomupsidedownontoaself-healingmat.Useascalpeltotrimtheveneerclosetotheplywoodedge,thenfileorsandtheveneeredgeflush.

5. Applybluepainter’stapealongtheinsideendsoftheboxparts,toprotectthesurfacesfromgluesqueeze-out.Cutthefoursplinesto51⁄16in.long,whichis1⁄16in.longerthannecessary.Brushyel-lowglueontothecornerjointsandsplinegrooves,andthenassemblethebox.Becarefulnottogetglueintotheboxbottomgrooves.Clampthebox

DrAw A line 15⁄ 32 in. outside the pencil outline and cut out the box bottom, making sure you steer the band-saw blade down the center of the outer line.

b

glue the splines into the corner joints and assemble the box. Clamp, using the cut-off parts as cauls.

C


2. Topreserveyourtracing-papertemplate,makeaphotocopyoftheoriginal.Thencutoutandgluethecopytothefaceofthewasteveneerusingspray

Prepare the outside cornersto enSure that thebloodwoodveneerrib-bonsonthecornersmatchupwiththeribbonsonthefrontandendsofthebox,useapenciltodrawtheribbonsontothehardwoodcornersofthebox.Here,youcanbealittlecreative,shapingtherib-bonsasyoulike.Justbesuretheyalignwiththefrontandendribbons.Andtomaketheribbonsappeartotwist,simplydrawtheribbontoapointfromeachdirection(photo A ).

Allfouroftheboxcornerswillhaveribbonsrunningacrossthem.Thetwobackcornerswillhaveasingleribbon,thetwofrontcornersrequiretworibbonseach.Afterdrawingtheribbonsontothehardwoodcorners,covereachcornerwithtracingpaperandtracetheribbonoutlinesontothepaper.Thiswillbethecuttingtemplatefortheveneersusedtocoverthecorner.

Veneer the outside corners

Thefollowingstepsguideyouthroughcreatingthemarquetrydetailatthefouroutsideboxcorners.Thissimpletechniqueensuresthattheinlaid-veneerpatternswillflowsmoothlyfromtheboxfront,acrossthecorners,andontotheboxends.

1.Foreachboxcornercutthreepiecesofveneer,eachapproximately17⁄16in.wideby51⁄8in.long.You’llneedonepieceofchestnutburlfortheback-ground,onepieceofbloodwoodfortheribbon,andonepieceofscrapveneerforthetemplate.Cutouttheveneerusingascalpelandself-healingcuttingmat(photo b ).Besurethewoodgrainonthebloodwoodveneerisrunningvertically.Thatway,theribbonwilllooklikeit’sflowingupwardtothetop.

you neeD three pieCes of veneer to create the outside corners: one piece of chestnut burl for the back-ground, one piece of bloodwood for the ribbon, and one piece of scrap veneer for the template.

b

ConneCt the ribbons on the front and ends of the box by continuing them across the hardwood corners of the box. You can afford to be creative here.

A


adhesive.Stackthethreepiecesofveneerandtapetogethertwoedgestoformasmallpacket.

3. Setthescrollsawtoitsslowestspeedandcutthestacked-veneerpacketalongthepencillines(photo C ).

4. Placethecutveneerpiecesbacktogetherface-sidedownontoasheetofmounting-filmpaper.Thentrimofftheexcesspaperwithascalpel.

use hot AnimAl hiDe glue to attach the top edge veneer to the box; apply glue to both surfaces.

A

Assemble the stACkeD-veneer packet and cut along the pencil lines.

Cpress the Corner veneer into place, rubbing down lightly with a wooden veneer hammer.

D

Veneer the top edgesuSe the Same Cutting temPlateS thatyouusedtocutthehardwoodcherryfront,back,andends(seep.162)tocutthechestnutburlveneerforthetopedgesofthebox.Onlythistime,drawaline1⁄8in.largeraroundthetemplates.Followtheradiusprofiles,butmarktheendsat45°.Checktobesurethemiteredendsofthetemplatesfallcenteredonthemiteredboxcorners.Tracethetemplatesontotheveneerandcutoutthefourpieces.

1. Usetheheatguntolightlywarmthegluesideoftheveneerandthehardwoodedge.Brushhotani-malhideglueontobothsurfaces(photo A ).

5. Usinganelectricheatgun,lightlywarmthegluesideoftheveneerandthefaceofthehardwoodcor-ner.Brushhotanimalhideglueontobothsurfaces,thenlightlypresstheveneerintoplace;holdwithyourfingertipsforaboutoneminute.Lightlyrubdowntheveneerwithawoodenveneerhammer(photo D ).Letthegluedryatleastthreehoursbeforetrimmingandsandingtheedgesflush.(Notethatifyou’reusingyellowglueinsteadofhotanimalhidegluetoadheretheveneer,you’llhavetomakeaclampingcaultomatchtheoutsideradiuscorners.)


Make the box top

2. Lightlypressdowntheveneerwithyourfinger-tips,holdforoneminute,andthenrubdowntheveneerwithawoodenveneerhammer.

3. Beforeveneeringtheremainingthreeedges,dry-fiteachveneerpiecetoensurethatitfitspre-ciselyatthemiteredcorners.Thengluedowntheveneerpieces.

4. Aftertheglueiscompletelydry,placetheboxupsidedownonaself-healingcuttingmatanduseascalpeltotrimofftheexcessveneeraroundtheout-sideandinsideofthebox.Becarefulnottocuttoocloseoryoumightaccidentallysliceintothebox.Filetheveneeredgesflush,thenfinishbylightlysandingwith150-gritsandpaper,roundingoverthesharpcorners.

1. Cuta1⁄2-in.-thickby9-in.-wideby16-in.-longpieceofmaple-veneercoreplywoodforthetop.Placetheboxupsidedownontopoftheplywoodandtracearoundit.Cutthetoptosizeonthebandsaw,steeringthebladealongtheinsideofthepencilline.

2. Sandtheedgesoftheplywoodboxtopflatandsmoothwithasandingblockand80-gritsandpaper.Asyou’resanding,checkoccasionallytoseehowwellthetopfitsthebox.Thetopshouldbe1⁄42in.smalleratalledgestoallowfortheveneer.

3. Tosquareupthehingesalongthecontouredbackedgeoftheboxtop,startbydrawingastraightlineontotheinsidesurfaceofthetop,about1in.fromtherearedge.Markthecenterlineofthetopontothestraightlineandthencentereachhinge33⁄8in.totheleftandrightofthecenterline.Usethesereferencelinestodrawoutlinesfortwo11⁄16-in.by11⁄4-in.95°anglestophinges.

4. Cuttheoutlineofeachhingemortisewithaflatchisel.Keeptheedgeofthechiselontheinsideofthepencillineandholditpreciselyat90°.Lightlytapthechiselwithamallet.

5. Next,removewoodfromthemortiseusinga#2/8carvingknife.Thehingeleafis3⁄32in.thick,

butremoveonlyhalfofthat—3⁄64in.—atatime.Cutfromthecenterofeachmortiseuptotheoutlinecuts.Repeattorecessthemortisesto3⁄32in.deep(photo A ).

6. Repeatsteps4and5tomortisethehingesintothebackedgeofthebox.Thenattachtheboxtopbyscrewingonthehinges.Onceyou’veconfirmedthatthetopfitsproperly,removethehingesandplacethemasideuntiltheboxiscomplete.

use A flAt Chisel to cut the outline of each hinge mortise on the box top. Remove wood from the mortise using a #2/8 carving knife.

A


PhotoCoPy and Cut out the“TopMar-quetryTemplates”onp.178.Notethatthetemplateis1⁄8in.largeronallsidesthantheplywoodboxtop.Thatlittlebitextratemplateallowsyoutoseebetterhowtheribbonslineupatthefourcorners.

1. Usingascrollsawatitslowestsettingwitha3/0by61tpijeweler’sblade,cuttheboxtopfollow-ingtheoutsidelineofthetemplate(photo A ).

2. Toveneertheboxtop,you’llneedthreepiecesofveneer:chestnutburlforthebackground,blood-woodfortheribbon,andscrapveneerforthetemplate.Cuteachpiece9in.wideby16in.long.Detailedmarquetryinstructionsaregivenonp.215,butthereareacoupleofextrastepsneededtocreatethistop.

3. Onthemarquetrypacketfortheloopofthenecklace,useasmallpieceofblack-dyedveneer,measuring11⁄2in.by11⁄2in.Tapetheblacksquareofveneertotheundersideofthescrapveneertemplate

preciselywheretheloopislocated.Foradetailthissmall,there’snoreasontouseafullsheetofveneer.

4. Thecenterellipseiswasteveneerthatyou’llcutoutwhenfollowingthecenterofthecutline.Thiswillalsobethecenterlineofthe1⁄8-in.inlayrecessthatyou’llrouttoreceivethecameonecklacemarquetry.

Veneer the box top

Making claMPing caulS foR the Box toP

For gluing the marquetry to the box top, I make

two clamping cauls from a piece of 11⁄4-in.-thick

particleboard to provide extra support for keeping

the veneer flat to the top when clamping. I make

one the same size and shape as the top, so I can

clearly see the veneer when clamping, and one

slightly larger, measuring 11⁄4 in. by 12 in. by 19 in.,

which supports the veneer.

Cut the box top following the outside line of the template.

A


8. Tocovertheundersideoftheboxtop,cutan81⁄2-in.-wideby151⁄2-in.-longpieceofchestnutburlandadhereusingthesamestepsdescribedearlierforgluingonthemarquetryveneer.

5. Afteryou’redonecuttingandshadingthetopmarquetrypacket,placeallthepiecesbacktogetherface-sidedownontoasheetofmountingfilmpaper.Besurethesheetisslightlylargerthantheveneer(photo b ).Thenuseascalpeltocutofftheexcesspaper.

6. Brushthehideglueontoboththeuppersurfaceoftheboxtopandmarquetry.Thenclampwithbarclampsandletthegluedryovernight.Clampthecenteroftheclampingcaulfirst,thentheouteredgessogluewillseepoutward,creatingafastbond.

7. Aftertheglueisdry,placethetopupside-downonaself-healingmatanduseascalpeltocutawaytheexcessveneer.Thenclampthetopinabenchviceanduseasmallfiletotrimtheveneerflush.

Assemble the Cut veneer pieces for the box top face down on a sheet of mounting film paper.

b

Top Marquetry Templates


1⁄8 in. oversize on all sides

Ellipse for cameo

marquetry5 in.

4 in.


earlier you made a ClamPing Caul cuttothesamesizeandshapeastheboxtop(seep.177).You’llneeditagainforthisstep,onlythistimeyou’llhavetocutanellipsefromthecenterofthecaulsoyoucanroutarecessforinlayingthecameomarquetry.

1. Makeaphotocopyoftheellipsetemplate,shownbelow.Cutoutthetemplateandthentraceitontothecenterontheclampingcaul.

2. Drilla1⁄4-in.-dia.holeontheinsideoftheellipse,veryclosetothecutline.Movetothescroll-sawandfeeda#5crown-toothscrollsawblade

throughthehole.Carefullycutoutthe45⁄8-in.-wideby55⁄8-in.-longellipse,whichisthesamesizeastherouter-bushingguidetemplate.

3. Usearoundedsandingblockwith80-gritsand-papertosmooththeedgeoftheellipse.Oncetheellipseissandedsmooth,clampthecaultotheboxtop,liningupalledges.

4. Torouttherecessforthecameomarquetry,firstattacha3⁄4-in.-dia.guidebushingtotheplungerouterbase.Theninstalla1⁄8-in.-dia.straight-cuttingrouterbitandsetthedepthtobeflushwiththetopsubstrate,cuttingonlythe1⁄42-in.-thickveneer.

Rout the cameo marquetry recess

Ellipse Template and Router Layout


1. Use a 3⁄4-in. bushing to rout 1⁄42 in. deep around perimeter of cameo.

2. Use a 5⁄8-in. bushing to rout a 1⁄16-in.-deep by 1⁄8-in.-wide elliptical groove.

Template outline

1⁄8-in. bitOutside edge of inlay

Inside edge of inlay

51⁄8-in. outside edge

41⁄8-in. outside edge

55⁄8 in.

45⁄8 in.


Glue the cameo marquetry to the box top

5. Starttherouter,loweritdownontotheclamp-ingcaul,andslowlyguideitaroundtheellipticalcutout.Besuretoholdtheguidebushingtightagainsttheedgeofthecutout.Thebitwillcuttheoutlineofthe4-in.-wideby5-in.-tallellipse(photo A ).

to Create the Cameo veneer PaCket,you’llneedfivepiecesofveneer:

• Mapleburlforthebackground • Bloodwoodforthedressandhairband • Quiltedmapleforthehair • Flat-cutmaplefortheface,neck,andshoulders • Scrapveneerforthecuttingtemplate

Cuteachpiece41⁄4in.wideby51⁄4in.long.Again,detailedmarquetryinformationcanbefoundonp.215.

1. Tomatchthecameotothetopellipse,layasheetoftracingpaperovertheellipticalcutoutontheboxtop.Useascalpeltocutouttheellipse,thentransferittothecameomarquetry(photo A ).

trAnsfer the trACing-pAper elliptical cutout to the cameo marquetry.

A

6. Oncetheellipticalringisroutedout,scrapeofftheexcessglueusinga3⁄4-in.-wideflatchisel.

Always wear eye and hearing protection when routing. Be sure all bits, attach-ments, clamps, and locking devices are secured before starting the router. And always unplug the router when removing or installing a bit.

work smart

when routing the recess for the cameo veneer, it’s best to use a plunge router, which is easy to adjust and provides the most accurate results.

A


Cameo TemplateWhen cutting, woman faces left; when gluing, woman faces right.

working on A self-heAling mAt, use a scalpel to cut out the cameo.

b

2. Usingaself-healingmatandscalpel,cutouttheellipseusingshortcutsandthreetofourlightpassesuntilthecameoisfreefromitsbackground(photo b ).

3. Flipoverthecameomarquetry,sothatthepaperfilmisfacingup.Placethecameomarquetryintotheellipseontheboxtop,makingsureitfits.Ifthereareafewplacesthatwon’tlayflushwiththetopveneer,useascalpeltotrimawayanyaccessveneer.Thecameoisnowreadyforgluingtothetop.

4. Cutaclampingcaulfrom3⁄4-in.plywood.Makeit41⁄8in.wideby51⁄8in.tall,whichisslightlylargerthantheellipse.

the diffeRence Between glue coloR

When gluing down the cameo marquetry, I prefer

to use darker glue, which helps fill in and hide the

small sawkerfs. The darker glue also blends with

the veneer much better than does white or yellow

glue. For example, dark glue makes the cleavage

line much more visible against the flat-cut maple

veneer. Use dark glue wherever there are dark-

colored veneers and you want to hide the sawkerf

lines. Titebond II dark wood glue is a darker version

of the company’s Titebond II yellow wood glue. You

could also use animal hide glue, which is rather dark

in color.

5. Useanelectricheatguntoslightlywarmtheundersideofthecameoveneerandtheellipserecessroutedintheboxtop.Brushhotanimalhideglueontobothsurfaces,thenclampthecameomarque-



to rout the 1⁄8-in.-wide groovearound

thecameoinlay,usethesameclampingcaulthatyouusedearlierforroutingtheellipseintotheboxtop.Theellipticalinlayisformedbysettingapieceofbloodwoodveneerinthemiddlebetweenfourpiecesofblack-dyedveneer.

1. Settherouter’sdepthofcutto1⁄16in.deepandreplacethe3⁄4-in.guidebushingwitha5⁄8-in.guidebushing(see“EllipseTemplateandRouterLayout”onp.179).Runtherouteraroundtheellipticalcut-outtocuta1⁄8-in.-wideellipticalgroovearoundthemarquetrypicture(photo A ).Therouterbitwillsplittheveneerseaminhalf,makingthefinishedsizeoftheellipse41⁄8in.wideby51⁄8in.tall.

2. Makeclampingjigsforlaminatingtogetherthefivestripsofveneerthatmakeuptheellipticalringthatgoesaroundthecameomarquetry.Notethattheringismadeupoffourlaminatedveneersec-tions:oneeachforthetopandbottomoftheellipse,andoneforeachsideoftheellipse.

3. From3⁄4-in.plywoodcutanelliptical-shapedblockthat’s37⁄8in.wideby47⁄8in.long;thisisthesizeoftheinsidedimensionoftheellipticalgroove.Thiscenterblockisusedtoformallfoursectionsoftheellipticalring.

Make the elliptical inlay

using the sAme ClAmping CAul used earlier for routing the ellipse into the box top, rout a 1⁄8-in.-wide ellip-tical groove around the marquetry picture.

A

onCe the CAmeo mArquetry is in place and the glue is dry, lightly sand off the mounting film and glue.

C

tryinplace.Letthegluesetforatleastthreehoursbeforeremovingtheclamps.

6. Removetheclampsandlightlysandthecameowith150-gritsandpaper.Becarefulnottosandtooaggressively.Atthisstageyouneedtosandoffthemountingfilmandglueonly.Savethefinalsandingforjustbeforefinishing(photo C ).


finalcuttingandfitting.You’llcompletetwoglue-ups,whichwillproduceenoughveneertoformtheellipticalinlay.

7. Brushyellowglueonallfacesoftheveneerandthenclampthefivepiecesofveneerinbetweentheplywoodclampingjigs.Startbylaminatingtogethertheveneerpiecesthatwillmakeupboththetopandbottomsectionsoftheellipticalring(photo b ).

Repeatthissteptolaminatetheveneerstripsthatwillproducetheleft-andright-sidesectionsof

4. Nowcutone3⁄4-in.plywoodblocktotheout-sidedimensionandshapeofthetopoftheellipticalgroove.Thisblockisusedtolaminatethetopandbottomsectionsoftheellipticalring.

5. Cuta3⁄4-in.plywoodblocktotheoutsidedimensionandshapeofthesideoftheellipticalgroove.Thisblockisusedtolaminatetheleftandrightsidesectionsoftheellipticalring.

6. Cutthe10stripsofveneersneededtomaketheellipticalinlay.Toformthetopandbottomoftheellipse,cutfourpiecesofblack-dyedveneerandonepieceofbloodwoodveneerto3⁄4in.wideby6in.long.Fortherightandleftsidesoftheellipse,cutfourpiecesofblack-dyedveneerandonepieceofbloodwoodveneerto3⁄4in.wideby5in.long.Notethatthesepiecesarelongerthanneededtoallowfor

ClAmp the five pieCes of veneer (four black-dyed veneer and one bloodwood) that form the top and bottom sections of the elliptical ring. Then repeat for the pieces that make up the sides.

b

When routing the 1⁄8-in. inlay, switch off the router at the end of the cut and wait for the bit to stop spinning before lifting the router off the workpiece. That will prevent you from accidentally cutting into the cameo.

work smart

fitting VeneeR to the elliPtical gRooVe

The five pieces of veneer at 1⁄42-in. thickness don’t

quite equal the 1⁄8-in. width of the elliptical groove.

But when you take into account the glue between

the veneer layers, the inlay will fit very tightly. Keep

in mind that veneers vary in thickness, so it’s a good

idea to check the thickness before gluing.


waywithachiselandsandingblock.Repeatthesesamestepsonallfourpiecesofinlay.Don’tglueanyoftheveneerinlaypiecesintotheellipticalgrooveuntilthey’veallbeencut,trimmedanddry-fitted.

Trim and fit the elliptical inlay sections

theellipticalring.Allowthegluetocureovernight.Fromthesetwolaminations,you’llbeabletocutthefoursectionsneededtocreatetheellipticalring.

8. Beforecuttingthelaminationstotheirfinishedthickness,useasandingblockand80-gritsand-papertosandflatbothedges.Thiswillensurethatthey’llsitflatintothebottomoftheellipticalgroove.

9. Useawhitepenciltomarkacutline1⁄8in.fromtheedgeoftheveneerstrip.Useascrollsawwitha#5crown-toothbladetocutalongtheline,produc-inga1⁄8-in.-widestripofveneer(photo C ).

1. Useasharpchiseltocutapproximate45°mitersintobothendsoftheleft-sideveneerstrip.Theexactangleofthemiterisn’tcritical,anyanglecloseto45°willhelphidethejointsmuchbetterthanwillastraightcut.

2. Makeasmallsandingblockfrom1⁄8-in.-thickscrapwoodandglueapieceof150-gritsandpaperontoit.Settheinlayveneerstripontoapieceof3⁄4-in.plywoodthat’sapproximately6in.by6in.Holdtheveneerstripwithitsmiteredendslightlyoverhangingtheplywoodedge.Standthesandingblockonedgeontheworkbenchandslideitbackandforthacrosstheplywood,lightlysandingtheendoftheveneerflatandsmooth.

3. Settheleft-sideveneerstripintotheellipticalgrooveandthenmarkwithapencilthemiterlinesonbothsidesofthetopveneerpiece(photo D ).Placethenextinlaypieceintothegroove,overlap-pingwherethetwopiecesmeet.Marktheanglewithawhitepencil,thencutthemiterthesame

fit the siDe veneer strip into the elliptical groove and then mark for the miter cuts on both sides of the top veneer piece.

D

mArk A Cut line 1⁄ 8 in. from the edge of the veneer strip and use a scrollsaw to make the cut.

C


veneerwithoutcausinganydamage.You’llalsoneedonelargerclampingblockmadefrom3⁄4-in.plywood,measuring8in.sq.,fortheundersideofthetop.

5. Applyhotanimalhideglueinallfourofyourinlays.Thenusingsixbarclamps,clampdownthefullellipticalinlay,lettingthegluedryforthreehoursbeforeremovingtheclamps.

6. Clamptheboxtoptotheworkbenchandsandtheinlaysmoothusingasandingblockwrappedwitha3-in.by21-in.sandingbelt.Startwith80-gritsandpaper,thenswitchtoa150-gritsandpaper,usingacircularsandingmotion(photo e ).

Veneer the box top edges

4. Makesixclampingblockswithcorkgluedtotheirfacesoutof3⁄4-in.plywood;makeeachone11⁄2in.sq.Thesewillbeusedtoclampdownthe

to Cover the edgeS oftheboxtop, you’llneedatotal of16piecesofveneer:12cutfromchestnutburland4cutfrombloodwood.Setthetopontothebox,whichwillmakeiteasiertomatchuptheburlpattern.Cutthefollowingveneerpiecestosizeusingascalpel,straightedge,andself-healingmat.

with the box top ClAmpeD to the workbench, sand the inlay smooth using a circular sanding motion.

e

1. Startwiththefourcorners,whichhaveblood-woodribbonsrunningthroughtomatchuptheribbonsonthetop.Usethesametechniquesasyoudidforveneeringthetwosmallstraightcornersontheboxfront(seep.171).

materialsQuantity Part Size ConStruCtion

noteS

1 Back edge 5⁄8 in. 127⁄8 in. chestnut burl veneer

2 Ends 5⁄8 in. 61⁄8 in. chestnut burl veneer

1 Front center 5⁄8 in. 41⁄2 in. chestnut burl veneer

2 Front ends 5⁄8 in. 43⁄8 in. chestnut burl veneer

4 Corners 5⁄8 in. 13⁄8 in chestnut burl veneer

2 Front small corners 3⁄8 in. 5⁄8 in. chestnut burl veneer

4 Corner ribbons 5⁄8 in. 5⁄8 in. bloodwood (grain running vertically)


2. Drawtheribbonsdirectlyontotheplywoodedgeoftheboxtop.Thencutapieceoftracingpaperthesamesizeasthecornerveneer:5⁄8in.wideby13⁄8in.long.Placethetracingpaperonthecor-nerandtracetheribbonsyoujustdrew(photo A ).

3. Useaclearadhesiveandspraythebacksideofthebloodwoodveneerandthetracingtemplate.Placethebloodwoodontopofthechestnutburlandthetracingtemplateontothebloodwood.

4. Installa3/0by61-tpijeweler’sbladeintothescrollsaw.Adjustthesawtoitsslowestspeed.Cuttheribbonandthebackgroundatthesametimebyfollowingthepencillines.

5. Separatethepiecesofveneerandthenusebluepainter’stapetostitchthebloodwoodribbontothechestnut-burlbackgroundpieces.

6. Useanelectricheatguntowarmthebacksideofthecornerveneerpiecesandtheedgeofthebox.Brushhotanimalhidegluetobothsurfaces,then

Create a finger pull

Chisel A 3⁄16-in.-Deep mortise for the bloodwood finger pull.

A

lightlypresstheveneerontothecorner.Holdtheveneerwithyourfingertipsforaboutoneminute.Thenfirmlypressdowntheveneerwithawoodenveneerhammer.

7. Usethesameclampingcaulsthatyouusedforveneeringthefacesoftheboxandclampthetopedges.

8. Afterthegluehascompletelydried,trimofftheexcessveneerwithascalpelandthenfiletheedgesflushwithasmall,flatneedlefile.

DrAw the ribbons onto the edge of the box top and trace onto a piece of tracing paper the same size as the corner veneer.

A

1. Makeaphotocopyofthe“Finger-PullTemplate,”shownonthefacingpage.Cutoutthetemplateandusesprayadhesivetoattachittoa3⁄16-in.-thickby7⁄8-in.-wideby21⁄2-in.-longpieceofbloodwoodhardwood.

2. Cutthefingerpulltoshapeonthescrollsawusinga#5crown-toothblade.Sandtheedgesflatwitha150-gritsandingblock.

3. Placethepullontothebottomoftheboxtopandtracearounditwithapencil.Thefingerpullwilloverhangapproximately5⁄16in.,whichallowsyoutoliftopenthelideasily.

4. Chiseloutwoodfromwithintheoutline,creat-inga3⁄16-in.-deepmortiseforthebloodwoodfinger


Make the inside dividersthe interior of the Cameo box isdividedintosixcompartments, whicharecreatedbydividerscutfrom3⁄16-in.-thickbloodwoodhardwood.

1. Cutthreepiecesofbloodwood:oneforthelongdividerandtwofortheshortdividers(see“Materials”onp.160).Cutedge-lapjointsintothepiecesusingthetablesaw’smitergauge.Setthesaw-bladeheightto15⁄16in.tocuthalfwaythroughthe17⁄8-in.-widedividers(photo A ).

2. Trimthefrontendsoftheshortdividersto45°.Thisangleallowstheshortdividerstofittightlyagainsttheinsideanglesoftheboxfront.

3. Finishthebox,asdescribedonp.157.Oncethefinishdries,attachtheboxtopwiththetwohinges.

Cut 15⁄16-in. eDge-lAp joints into the three interior dividers.

A

pull.It’sbesttocutthemortisewiththreechisels:a3⁄4-in.-wideflatwoodchisel,#2/12gouge,and#8/4gouge.Stab-cutalongthepencilline,thenrelief-cutuptothestabcut.Repeatthisstepacoupleoftimesuntilyou’veremoved3⁄16in.ofwood(photo A , facing page bottom).

3⁄4 in.

Finger-Pull Template

5. Dry-fitthefingerpullintothemortise.Oncesatisfiedwiththefit,applyalittleyellowgluetothemortiseandclampthefingerpullinplace.Afterthegluedries,lightlysandthefrontofthepulltosoftenthesharpedge.

Template shown is full scale. Grid is 1⁄4 in. 1⁄4 in.

23⁄8 in.

188 Tradi t iona l Je welr y B ox

his stately walnut

and maple jewelry box

combines a graceful

design with Old World craftsman-

ship. The box is designed and built

much like a miniature piece of fine

furniture, embellished with doors,

drawers, and turned columns that

elevate the design beyond mere

function.

For this chapter, I built two

boxes, one with rose-themed mar-

quetry and one without. Choose

the design you like. Both boxes fea-

ture walnut-burl veneer and bird’s-

eye maple trim. The veneers used

in the marquetry include purple-

heart for the roses, poplar for the

leaves, and ebony and myrtle burl

for the scrolls and vines.

Under the lid, bird’s-eye maple

dividers help separate and organize

Traditional Jewelry Box

jewelry. The front door swings open

to reveal three hidden storage draw-

ers, and the box also has two side

doors that conceal rotating carou-

sels specifically designed for neatly

storing and displaying necklaces.

This spacious box is designed

to accommodate a treasure trove

of jewels, and it represents the

underlying spirit of fine crafts-

manship, dedicated artistry, and

high-quality woodworking. Build

this traditional-style box and rest

assured that it will be treasured

and passed down throughout the

generations.

T

Finished size of box: 11 in. tall 10 in. deep 193⁄8 in. long

Tradi t iona l Je welr y B ox 189

materialsQuantity Part size ConstruCtion

notes

2 Bottom platform 3⁄4 in. 91⁄8 in. 185⁄8 in. maple or birch veneer-core plywood

5 Sheets 1⁄42 in. 24 in. 31 in. walnut burl veneer

1 Back 1⁄2 in. 87⁄8 in. 141⁄2 in. birch veneer plywood

2 Ends 1⁄2 in. 87⁄8 in. 81⁄8 in. birch veneer plywood

2 Front panels 1⁄2 in. 31⁄2 in. 87⁄8 in. birch veneer plywood

2 Corner pieces 1⁄2 in. 13⁄4 in. 87⁄8 in birch veneer plywood

2 Return corner pieces 1⁄2 in. 11⁄4 in. 75⁄8 in. birch veneer plywood

1 Back base 1⁄2 in. 15⁄8 in. 155⁄8 in. bird’s-eye maple

2 Splines 1⁄4 in. 1⁄2 in. 48 in. walnut

1 Base trim 2 in. 8 in. 96 in. birds-eye maple (enough for 2 boxes)

6 Drawer slides 5⁄16 in. 3⁄4 in. 71⁄4 in. walnut

1 Upper tray sides 1⁄2 in. 13⁄8 in. 24 in. maple plywood

1 Front tray 1⁄8 in. 2 in. 81⁄2 in. bending plywood (4 pieces)

1 Front tray 1⁄42 in. 2 in. 81⁄2 in. maple veneer (1 piece)

1 Front tray 1⁄42 in. 2 in. 81⁄2 in. walnut burl veneer (2 pieces)

1 Side tray 1⁄8 in. 4 in. 81⁄2 in. bending plywood (4 pieces)

1 Side tray 1⁄42 in. 4 in. 81⁄2 in. maple veneer (1 piece)

1 Side tray 1⁄42 in. 4 in. 81⁄2 in. walnut burl veneer (2 pieces)

3 Tray bottoms 1⁄4 in. 11 in. 20 in. birch plywood (enough for 3 bottoms)

2 Column blanks 17⁄8 in. 17⁄8 in. 81⁄8 in. bird’s-eye maple

1 Accent trim, front radius 3⁄32 in. 7⁄16 in. 91⁄2 in. bird’s-eye maple (3 layers)

▲▲



2 Accent trim, side radius 3⁄32 in. 7⁄16 in. 8 in. bird’s-eye maple (6 layers)

12 Front, side doors 1⁄8 in. 81⁄2 in. 91⁄2 in. bending plywood

3 Front, side doors 1⁄42 in. 81⁄2 in. 91⁄2 in. maple veneer

3 Veneer packets for doors see p. 215

3 Door pulls 1⁄4 in. 3⁄4 in. 1 in. walnut

6 Drawer sides 3⁄8 in. 23⁄8 in. 8 in. walnut

6 Drawer fronts and backs 3⁄8 in. 23⁄8 in. 69⁄16 in. walnut

3 Drawer bottoms 1⁄8 in. 61⁄16 in. 75⁄8 in. plywood

1 Dowel 1⁄8 in. dia. 24 in. maple

1 Center tray divider 5⁄16 in. 3⁄4 in. 85⁄8 in. bird’s-eye maple

2 Center tray dividers 5⁄16 in. 3⁄4 in. 63⁄4 in. bird’s-eye maple

2 Side tray dividers 5⁄16 in. 3⁄4 in. 7 in. bird’s-eye maple

2 Side tray dividers 5⁄16 in. 3⁄4 in. 31⁄2 in. bird’s-eye maple

2 Side tray dividers 5⁄16 in. 3⁄4 in. 27⁄8 in. bird’s-eye maple

2 Top straight trim 9⁄16 in. 7⁄16 in. 21 in. bird’s-eye maple

1 Front radius trim 9⁄16 in. 11⁄4 in. 83⁄4 in. bird’s-eye maple

2 Side radius trim 9⁄16 in. 13⁄4 in. 71⁄4 in. bird’s-eye maple

1 Top 1⁄2 in. 101⁄4 in. 191⁄4 in. maple veneer plywood

1 Veneer packet for top see p. 229

6 Door hinges 5⁄8 in. 3⁄4 in. brass

3 Door catches

1 pair 95° stop hinges 11⁄16 in. 11⁄4 in.

4 Chain carousels

2 Carousel blocks 1⁄2 in. 21⁄4 in. 6 in. walnut

Flocking fibers brown



1. Startbycuttingtwopiecesof3⁄4-in.mapleorbirchveneer-coreplywood(see“Materials”onp.189).Brushyellowcarpenter’sglueontoonesurface,andthenclampthepiecestogethertoforma11⁄2-in.-thickblank.

2. Forthewholebox,you’llneedaflitchoffivesheetsof1⁄42-in.-thickwalnutburlveneer,eachmea-suring24in.wideby31in.long.(Youmaywanttogetacoupleextrasheetsincaseofanymistakesorunforeseenproblems.)Useaself-healingmatandscalpeltocuta91⁄2-in.-wideby19-in.-longpieceofwalnutburlveneerforthebottomplatform.

3. Applyyellowgluetotheveneerandbottomplatform,andspreaditevenlywitharoller(photo A ).Presstheveneerdownontothe11⁄2-in.-thickbottomplatform.

Make the bottom platform

Glue the wAlnut burl veneer onto the bottom platform.

A

Bottom Platform

3⁄4 in.

115⁄8-in. front radius

77⁄8-in. side radius

1⁄4-in. by 1⁄4-in. spline grooves

79⁄16 in.

33⁄4 in.

5⁄8 in.

73⁄8 in.

16.5º155⁄8 in.

185⁄8 in.75⁄8 in.

31⁄2 in. 2 in.2 in. 31⁄2 in.

37⁄16 in.37⁄16 in.

2 in.

87⁄8 in.


5. Oncethegluehascured,turnthebottomplat-formupsidedownontoaself-healingmatandtrimawayexcessveneerfromtheedges.

6. Referto“BottomPlatform”onp.191toaccu-ratelymarklayoutlinesontothebottomplatform.Usealargecompassortrammelpointstostrikethe115⁄8-in.frontradiusandthetwo77⁄8-in.sideradii.

7. Installa3⁄16-in.-wideby10-tpibladeinyourbandsawandcutthebottomplatformtoshapebyfollowingtheoutsideedgeofthepencillines.Slowlycutthethreeoutsideradiusedgesandinsidecorners(photo b ).Cutthetwooutsidesquarecornersonatablesawtoensurethatthey’reper-fectlysquare.

8. Tightenthebottomplatformintoabenchvisewiththeclampingcaulprotectingtheveneeredsurface.Smoothawayallthebandsaw-blademarkswithahalf-roundwoodfile.Besuretofileawayfromtheveneeredsurfacetopreventchippingthewalnutburlveneer.

4. Cuta91⁄2-in.-wideby19-in.-longclampingcaulfromapieceof3⁄4-in.plywood.Setthecaulontopoftheveneer-coveredbottomplatform.Securethethreepieces—platform,veneer,andcaul—withstripsofbluepainter’stape.Placetheassemblyintoavacuum-pressbagandletdryforaboutthreehours.

Thenextstepistoroutaseriesofgroovesintothebottomplatformtoreceive1⁄4-in.-thickhardwoodsplines.Thesplineswillconnectthebottomplat-formtotheboxends,front,andback.

1. Startbymakingaroutingtemplatefromapieceof1-in.-thickparticleboardmeasuring91⁄8in.wideby185⁄8in.long.Referto“BottomSplineRouting

Template”onthefacingpageandtransferthemea-surementsontotheparticleboard;cutoutthetem-plateonthebandsaw.Sandtheedgessmoothwith80-gritsandpaper.

2. Toroutthesplinegrooves,usea1⁄4-in.-shankdouble-flutestraightrouterbitthatmeasures1⁄4in.dia.by1⁄2-in.cuttinglengthby2-in.overalllength.

Rout the spline grooves

FollowinG the outside edGe of the pencil lines, cut the bottom platform to shape on the bandsaw (with the exception of the two outside square corners, which should be cut on the tablesaw).

b


Follow the templAte and rout the 1⁄4-in. groove for the splines in the bottom platform in two 1⁄8-in.-deep passes, using a slow, steady pace to prevent the bit from burning the template. C

Bottom Spline Routing Template

3⁄8 in.

Thatway,youwon’tneedtouseaguidebushing.Setthecuttingdepthto1⁄8in.deepandthenguidetherouteraroundthetemplate,makingtwo1⁄8-in.-deeppassestoproducethe1⁄4-in.by1⁄4-in.grooveforthesplines(photo C ).Thishalftemplateisusedtoroutsplinesgroovesintooneendofthebot-tomplatform.Flipitovertoroutthegroovesintheoppositeend.

1211⁄16 in.

185⁄8 in.

91⁄8 in.

71⁄2 in.

313⁄16 in.

15⁄16 in.

15⁄8 in.

21⁄8 in.1⁄4 in.

Matching up the veneer pattern on the rear and

inside surfaces of the box isn’t terribly important.

However, on the outside surfaces, the veneer pat-

tern should match up on both ends. Also, keep in

mind that the front-door veneer should match up

with the veneer on the two front panels. Mark and

set aside the matching door veneer for installation

later in this chapter.

Veneer Matching

youcancutallthepiecesfromfivesheetsofveneer:you’llneedtwobackpieces(91⁄8in.wideby143⁄4in.long),fourendpieces(91⁄8in.wideby83⁄8in.long),andfourfrontcornerpieces(91⁄8in.wideby8in.long)(photo A ).

4. Maketwo1⁄4-in.-plywoodclampingcaulsforeachboxpart,eachthesamesizeastheveneerforthatpart.Applyabeadofyellowgluetotheveneerandsubstrate;spreaditevenlywitharollertoensurealong-lastingbond.Glueandveneerbothsurfacesofthesubstrate.

5. Setaclampingcaulonbothsidesoftheveneer.(Roundthecornersofthetopcaulsothatitwon’tpuncturethepressurebag.)Wrapbluepainter’stapearoundallfoursidesofthecaulstoholdtheveneeredplywoodandcaulstogether.Thetapehelpskeepthepiecesfromslidingoncetheairpres-surebagstartsclampingdown.

6. Placethepartsintothevacuumpress,turnonthevacuum,andletthegluedrytwohours.Removethepartsfromthevacuumbaganduseascalpeltotrimtheveneerflushtotheplywoodedges.Useasandingblockwith150-gritsandpapertosandeachedgesmooth.

now PrePare to Cut PieCes of1⁄2-in.birch-veneerplywoodandwalnutburlveneerforthelowerboxparts,whichincludetheback,twoends,twofrontpanels,andfourcornerpieces.Irecom-mendveneeringboththeinsideandoutsideoftheboxbecauseitbalancestheplywoodandpreventswarping.Anditalwayslooksbetterwhentheinsideoftheboxisfinishedwithveneer.

1. Cutthe1⁄2-in.-thickbirch-plywoodpartstosizeonatablesaw.You’llneedone87⁄8-in.-wideby141⁄2-in.-longbackpieceandtwo87⁄8-in.-wideby81⁄8-in.-longendpieces.

2. Sawonefrontpanelandtwocornersfromonepieceofplywood;thismakesitmucheasiertomatchuptheveneerandcutthemitersonthetablesaw.Becausetherearetwofrontpanelsandfourcorners,youmustcuttwopiecesofplywoodto87⁄8in.wideby73⁄4in.long.Thefinishedsizesofthesixpiecesarelistedin“Materials”onp.189.

3. Cutthewalnutburlveneerfortheinsideandoutsidesurfacesoftheboxparts.Asnotedearlier,

Veneer the lower box parts

Cut the wAlnut burl veneer for the inside and outside surfaces of the box parts.

A



tothecenteroftherouterbit.Maketwo1⁄8-in.-deeppassestoformthe1⁄4-in.-wideby1⁄4-in.-deepgroovesintotheback.Thetopedgeofthebackwillneedtobeveneeredwithwalnutburl,somarkstopgrooves1⁄4in.awayfromthetopedgebydrawingpencillinesonthefenceforthestoplocations.

5. Placetheinsidefaceofthebackflatontotheroutertable,lininguptothepencilline.Raisethebittothe1⁄4-in.cuttingdepthandslowlyfeedthebackacrosstherouterbit(photo b ).

you need to make the baCk andbackbasenowbecausethebottomplatformhasagrooverun-ningthroughthebacksideandthatgroovemustalignwiththegroovesintheback.Thebackandbackbasemustbedry-fittedandsplinedtogetherbeforethebasetrimcanbemade.

1.Thebackis1⁄2in.thickby87⁄8in.wideby141⁄2in.long,whichincludesa16.5°anglecutonbothshortendsoftheback(toaccommodatetheradiusofthesidedoors).Tiltthetablesawbladeto16.5°andthenlowerthesawbladeunderneaththesawtable.

Setthesawfence141⁄2in.fromthebladeandthenclampa3⁄4-in.-thickMDForplywoodauxiliarytoptothesawtable.Turnonthetablesawandraisethebladetocutthroughtheauxiliarytop.Stopraisingthebladewhenit’sapproximately3⁄4in.abovetheauxiliarytop.Turnoffthesaw.Resetyourfenceoutwardslightlytoallowforthedifferencethatthe3⁄4-in.-thickauxiliarytopmakeswiththe16.5°angleinordertocutthewidthofthebackat141⁄2in.long.

2. Cutonesideslowlythroughthesawblade,keep-ingtheothersidetighttothefence.Thenturnthebottomaroundtocutthesameangleintotheotherside(photo A ).

3.Cutthebackbaseoutof1⁄2-in.-thickbird’s-eyemaple;makeit15⁄8in.by155⁄8in.,whichislongerthannecessarytoallowforthesidedoors.Useamitersawtocuttheendsofthebackbaseto16.5°.Theseangledendswillbuttupagainsttheradiustriminstalledlater(seep.199).

4. Routtwoverticalgroovesintothebackwheretheboxendswillbesplinedtothebackandbottomplatform.Setuptheroutertablewitha1⁄4-in.-dia.double-flutestraightbit.Positionthefence311⁄16in.

Fabricate the back and back base

Cut the bACk to 141⁄ 2 in. wide with a 16.5º angle on each end.

A

rout two Grooves into the back where the box ends will be splined to the back.

b


6. Routsplinegroovesintothetopedgeofthebaseandthebottomedgeoftheback.Positiontheroutertablefencetocenterthe1⁄4-in.-dia.routerbitontheedgesofthebaseandback.Rout1⁄4-in.-deepgroovesintobothpieces.Stopthegroovesapproxi-mately1⁄4in.fromthebackcorners,matchingthebasegroovestothesamelength.

7. Routintothetopedgeofthebaseontheendssothewalnutburlveneerwillbeflushtothehard-wood.Ontheroutertable,positionthe1⁄4-in.-dia.routerbit1⁄42in.abovetheroutertable,whichisthethicknessoftheveneer.Usingyourmitergaugesetat16.5°,holdthebaseupsidedowntotrimoffthehardwood.

8. Applyyellowgluetotwosmallpiecesofwalnutburlveneeronthetopendsofthebottombaseandclamptheveneertothebase.Letthegluedryfortwohours.Thentrimandsandwith150-gritsand-papermakingtheveneerflushtothebase.

Middle Horizontal Section

There are a lot of small splines needed for this box, so cut two longer pieces, each measuring 1⁄4 in. thick by 1⁄2 in. wide by 48 in. long. Then cut the splines to length as you need them.

work smart

BackGrooves for ends

Column

Front door

Side door

311⁄16 in.71⁄8 in.

65⁄8 in.


i PurChased a large PieCe ofbird’s-eyemaple,measuring2in.thickby8in.wideby96in.long,whichisplentyenoughfortwoboxes.It’salwaysagoodideatopurchasealittleextrabecausewoodgrain,texture,andcolorcanchangefromboardtoboard.Aboxlooksbestwhenallthetrimiscutfromthesamepieceofstock.

1. Cutapieceof2-in.-thickbird’s-eyemapletrimto8in.wideby14in.long.Runitthroughthethicknessplaneruntilitis15⁄8in.thick.Nextusethetablesawtoriptwostrips,eachmeasuring9⁄16in.thickby15⁄8in.wideby14in.long.Thenrunthetwostripsthroughtheplaneruntileachis7⁄16in.thick.

2. Seta10-in.-longpieceofthebird’s-eyemapleundereachofthetwoendsandfrontparts.Useapencilandmetalwasherwitha7⁄16-in.offsettodrawtheplatformradiusandtheoutsideradius.Besuretodrawtheradiilongenoughtoallowformiteringthecorners(photo A ).

3. Useabandsawwitha3⁄16-in.-wideby10-tpibladetocutouttheradiusedpieces(photo b ).

Cut the mitered base trim

use A penCil and metal washer with a 7⁄16-in. offset to outline the profile of the bird’s-eye maple trim.

A

Cut out the rAdiused trim pieces follow the outside edge of the pencil lines.

b

Veneering the SMall PieceS

On the top edge of the base, the very ends

must be veneered with a piece of walnut burl 9⁄16 in. from the outside edge where the back

gets glued to the base. This step is necessary

so that when the side doors are opened, the

small 1⁄2-in. by 9⁄16-in. edge will look as if it

were part of the bottom platform.


1. Usethepowermitersawtocutallthemapletrimpiecesforthebaseplatform.Dry-fitthepiecesbeforegluing,usingbluepainter’stapetoholdtheminplace.Notethatallthemitersforthetrimarecutto45°,exceptforthefrontradiustrim,whichiscutto55°,andthestraighttrimmiteredupagainstit,whichiscutto35°.

2. Forthetwoendradiuspiecesoftrim,youmustcuta62°angle.Becausemitersawsdon’tcutthatsharpofanangle,youneedtomakeasupportblock:Cuta2-in.by2-in.by8-in.blockofwoodtoa77⁄8-in.radius,whichmatchestheinsideradiusofthetrimpiece.Adjustthemiter-sawbladeto45°,setthesupportblockbehindtheradiustrim,andthen

Fit the mitered base trim

the bird’s-eye mAple base trim glued to thebottom platform (including the end radius piece, which is cut at 62º).

d

4. Beforeroutingtheprofileintothebasetrim,theoutsidesurfaceoftheradiustrimmustbesandedtoprovideasmoothsurfaceforguidingtherouterbit’sball-bearingpilot.Forthefrontandoutsideradii,useaflatsandingblockwith80-gritsandpaper.Sandsmooththetwoendradiipieceswithacurvedsandingblockand80-gritsandpaper.

5. Routthebasetrimusingadouble-round7⁄32-in.-radiusbitthathasa7⁄16-in.cuttingdepthand5⁄8-in.cuttingheight(photo C ).Firstrouttheprofileintothetwostraightpiecesusingtherouter-tablefenceasaguide.Keepthetrimtighttothefenceanduseapushstickforsafety.Settherouterbittomaketwoorthreepassestopreventanychippingorkickbacks.Fortheradiuspieces,useastarterpintostarttherouting.Thepincanbeusedforstabilitybypressingthetrimagainstitwhilerouting.

6. Beforemiteringandgluingthemapletrimtothebottomplatform,sandawaythebandsaw-blademarksfromtheinsidesurfaceofthethree

rout the bAse trim profile using a double-round7⁄32-in.-radius bit.

C

radiuspieces.Forthefrontradiustrim,cutasand-ingblocktomatchits115⁄8-in.radius.Stickan80-gritsandpapersheettoitsfaceandsandthesurfacesmooth.Smooththetworadiusendswithaflatsandingblockand80-gritsandpaper.Sandtheconvexshapewithlong,overlappingstrokes.


cutthetrimtoproducea62°angle.Thencutthestraighttrim—withoutthesupportblock—to28°;thetwopieceswillcometogethertoequalthe90°corner.

3. Glueandclampthetrimtothebottomplat-form.Oncethegluehasdried,useasmallblockplanetoshavethemaplehardwoodflushwiththeveneer(photo d ).

4. Usea3⁄4-in.-dia.Forstnerbittodrillholes(mortises)fortheturnedcolumns.Useanawltomarkacenterpointonbothfrontcorners.Thenbore1⁄2-in.-deepholestoformthetwomortises(photo e ).

Hold the trim pieces against the bottom platform and draw pencil lines onto the trim before cutting the miters. Marking in place will help prevent you from marking—and cutting—the parts too short.

work smart

drill 3⁄4-in.-diA. holes for the two turned columns on the front corners of the bottom panel.

e

cutting the radiuS triM

To cut the front radius trim on the miter

saw, use the same block that you used

for sanding the back face. (Make sure the

sandpaper doesn’t get cut by the saw-

blade or simply remove the sandpaper.)

Place the block against the miter-saw

fence so that the radius trim is positioned

90° to the miter-saw blade. Set the miter

gauge at a 55° angle and then cut both

miters into the front radius trim. Cut the

straight trim that is mitered up to the

radius trim at a 35° angle.


the Front edGes of the box ends are cut at two different angles. The lower section has an 18º angle to accommodate the front door. The upper section has a 35º angle to accept the upper tray of the box.

A

with the box end ClAmped between two scrap boards with the same 18º angle as the box end, cut up to the upper tray line, which is 13⁄8 in. down from thetop edge.

b

the front edges of the box endshavetwodifferentanglesfacingindifferentdirections.Thelowersectionis71⁄2in.longandhasan18°angletoaccommodatethefrontdoor.Theupper13⁄8-in.-longsectionhasa35°angletoaccepttheuppertrayofthebox.Keepinmindthatbothendsmustbecutasmirrorimageswithaleft-handandright-handpiece.

1. Usethetablesawtocutbothendsto81⁄2in.widewiththebladetiltedto35°.Thiscutistheuppertrayangle.Tocuttheopposingangles,setthetable-sawbladeto18°.

2. Fortherightend,lowerthetablesawbladebelowthetable.Laytheboxendflatonthesawtable,turnonthesaw,andraisetheblade.Becare-fulnottocutintotheuppertraysection.Fortheleftend,pushtheboardintotheblade,stoppingrightbeforetheuppertraysection(photo A ).

3. Cuttwoscrapboardswiththesame18°angleastheboxend.Clamponescrapboardtoeachsideoftheboxend.ThenuseaJapanesedetailsawordovetailsawtocutuptotheuppertrayline,whichis13⁄8in.downfromthetopedge(photo b ).Nowcutstraightintothefrontedge,followingthepencilline.

4. Usearoutertableand1⁄4-in.-dia.straightbittoroutagrooveintotheboxendsfortheuppertray.Setthefence1in.downfromthetopoftheboxend.Thiswillbetheheightoftheuppertrays.Ontheinsideoftheend,routthegrooveallthewaythroughtotheedge,butontheoutside,stopthegrooveapproximately1⁄4in.fromthefrontedge.

Make the two box ends


rout 1⁄4-in. stopped Grooves into the back and bottom edges of the box ends.

C

5. Cut1⁄8-in.-deepgroovesintotheinnerfaceoftheendsforthewoodendrawerslides.Thegroovesmustalignwiththecenterofeachdrawer.Routthethreestopgroovesapproximately11⁄4in.fromthefrontedgeoftheends.

Also,routa1⁄4-in.-deepby1⁄4-in.-widegrooveintheoutsidefaceofbothends.Thesewillbeusedlatertosplinethefronttotheends.Usingthebackedgeoftheboxsideasareference,adjusttheroutertablefenceto77⁄16in.,whichwillbethecenteroftherouterbit.Thisgroovestopsatthetopedgeofeachside.

6. Rout1⁄4-in.by1⁄4-in.splinegroovesintothebackandbottomedgesoftheends.Settheroutertablefencesothatthe1⁄4-in.-dia.routerbitiscenteredontheedgeofthepart,whichwillleaveapproximately1⁄8-in.spaceoneachsideofthegroove.Cutthesestopgroovesabout1⁄4in.fromthefrontandtopedges(photo C ).

Front Vertical Section

Upper tray

End

1 in.

Drawer slide

21⁄2 in.

27⁄16 in.

11⁄4 in.


Front Horizontal Section

Make the drawer slidesfor this box, you’llneedsixdrawerslides, eachmeasuring5⁄16in.thickby3⁄4in.wideby71⁄4in.long.It’seasiertoworkwithonepiece48in.longandthencuttheslidestolength.

1. Setthetablesawfenceto3⁄16in.wideandthebladeheightat1⁄4in.Runningbothsidesthroughthesawwillgiveyoua1⁄4-in.wideby1⁄8-in.deepspline(photo A ).

2. Cuttheslidesonthemitersawto71⁄4in.longonallsixslides.You’llhavetotrimoffbothendsofthesplineinorderforthesplinetofitintothestopgroove;itwillalsoneedtoclearthesplineonthebacksideofthebox.

when CuttinG the drAwer slides on the table-saw, use two featherboards, one on the top and one on the front, to keep the cut straight and clean.

A

Tray divider

77⁄16 in.

Front End

Upper tray

Outside corner Base trim

Back corner

10 in. 87⁄8 in.

2 in.31⁄2 in.

1⁄2 in.


3. Maskoffthedrawerslideswithbluepainter’stapetopreventgettinganyglueontheveneer.Withasmallbrushapplyyellowglueonboththeslideandthegroovesontheinnerfaceoftheboxendswheretheslideswillgo(photo b ).Clampthedrawerslidesontotheinnerfaceofthebox.

Apply yellow Glue on both the drawer slide and the grooves on the inner face of the ends where the slides will go.b

4. Applyyellowgluetobothrightandleftfrontsandcorners,thenusebluepainter’stapeasclampstoholdthejointsclosed(photo A ).Don’tgluethereturntothecorneratthistime.

1. Onthetablesaw,cuttheleftandrightboxfrontsasapairwithmatchinggrain;besuretosawa45°angleontoeachlongedgewiththeanglesgoinginthesamedirections.

Forthetworeturncorners,cutoneangleto45°forgluingtotheboxcornerandtheotherangleto30°formatchinguptothesidedoors.

2. Cuttwopiecesforthefronts,eachmeasuring1⁄2in.thickby31⁄2in.wideby87⁄8in.tall.Cuttwocornerpieces,each1⁄2in.thickby13⁄4in.wideby87⁄8in.tall,andtworeturncornersat1⁄2in.thickby11⁄4in.wideby87⁄8in.tall.

3. Afterthepartsarecuttosize,routa1⁄8-in.-deepby1⁄4-in.-widegroovefortheuppertrayintothebacksurfaceofbothfrontsusingaroutertableandthesame1-in.settingusedforthesidesandbackgrooves.

Make the fronts, corners, and return corners

Glue the Front squAre to the corner and clamp with strips of blue painter’s tape.

A

(continued on p. 206)


b

C

Making radiuS door and tray ForMS

To create the curved doors, you need to build two

radiused forms, one for the front door and one for

the side doors. Note that the side door radii are the

same as the upper tray sections of the box. Each

form consists of seven curved ribs cut from 3⁄4-in.

plywood. For the front door, cut seven 11⁄8-in.-wide

by 8-in.-long ribs. And for each side door, cut seven

15⁄16-in.-wide by 71⁄4-in.-long ribs.

1. Start by cutting two pieces of 3⁄4-in.-thick plywood.

Make one 18 in. sq. and the other 24 in. sq. Use a

circle-cutting jig and router to cut a 73⁄8-in. radius

out of the 18-in. plywood square for the side doors,

and a 105⁄8-in. radius out of the 24-in. square for the

front door, routing only a couple inches past the

actual lengths of the ribs (photo A ).

2. Apply masking tape to the rib and outside waste

material to keep the rib from kicking into the saw-

blade. Cut the width of the two ribs on the tablesaw

and then the length on the miter saw (photo b ).

These two pieces will be used as templates to make

the remaining ribs.

3. Place the ribs on top of the plywood blanks and

make sure they are square before drawing in the

radius with a pencil. Then cut out the remaining

12 ribs on the bandsaw, cutting on the outside edge

of the pencil line.

A

4. It’s important to make all the ribs exactly the same

size. Screw the rib template to the top of the other

ribs and rout the radius edge flush to the template

using a router table with a bearing flush-trimming

router bit (photo C ).

5. Cut the bottoms of the forms. The front bottom is 3⁄4 in. thick by 8 in. wide by 11 in. long, and the side

bottom is 1⁄2 in. thick by 73⁄4 in. wide by 11 in. long.

6. Use a pneumatic pin nailer, 11⁄4-in.-long pins, and

yellow glue to fasten each rib to the bottom. Place a 15⁄16-in.-wide spacer block between each rib to keep

them evenly spaced and parallel with one another

(photo d ).


d

e F

7. Cut four pieces of bending plywood to create a 1⁄2-in.-thick skin. You will need one piece of 3⁄8-in.-thick

bending plywood and one piece of 1⁄8-in.-thick ply-

wood for each door template to equal the 1⁄2-in. skin.

The pieces measure 83⁄4 in. wide by 111⁄2 in. long.

8. Roll yellow glue onto the ribs and onto the mating

surfaces of the bending plywood. Place the 3⁄8-in. ply-

wood onto the ribs, and then set the 1⁄8-in. plywood

on top (photo e ).

9. Use a pin nailer to shoot 11⁄4-in.-long pins through

the plywood and the ribs. Nail into each rib, using as

many nails as needed to secure the bending plywood

to the ribs.

10. Place both forms into a vacuum press bag and let

the glue dry for a couple of hours before removing.

11. Make an L-shaped straightedge from 1⁄2-in. ply-

wood and clamp the straightedge to the tablesaw

fence. Then adjust the fence to trim the bending

plywood flush with the form. Repeat to trim all four

sides to both forms (photo F ).


rout A short stopped groove into the upper face of the corners; the groove will be used to spline the corners to the upper tray.

b

Cut A notCh in the top of the corners to match the height of the return corners and accommodate the tray bottom.

C

Before cutting the fronts and cor-ners to their finished size, use the larger panels you veneered earlier. It is easier to rout the 1⁄4-in. by 1⁄4-in. groove into the bottom edge and also the long edge of the front that gets splined into the outside face of the sides before the parts are cut to size.

work smart

5. Routashortstoppedgrooveintotheupperfaceofthecorners,whichwillbeusedtosplinethecornerstotheuppertray.Settherouter-tablefence1⁄8in.fromtherouterbitandthenlowertherouterbitbelowtheroutertable.Holdacornerinpositionandraisetherouterbittocut1⁄8in.intothecorner.Pushthecornerintothebitanduptoyourstop.Lowertherouterbitbeforeliftingthecorner.Thesizeofthegroovewillbe1⁄8in.deepby1⁄4in.wideby11⁄8in.long,stopping1⁄8in.fromthetopedge(photo b ).

6. Inorderforthetraybottomtofitaroundthetraysides,theleftandrightcornersmustbecutdownto75⁄8in.tomatchtheheightofthereturn

corners.UseaJapanesedetailordovetailsawtocutthefrontdownto75⁄8in.,leavinga1⁄2-in.-wideby13⁄8-in.-tallsectionwiththegroove,whichisusedtoattachthetraysides(photo C ).

7. Gluethereturncornerstotheboxcorners,whichwillproducetwofrontcornersthatarereadyforveneeringtheedges.


5. Aftercuttingallthemitersintotheuppertraycorners,routagrooveintotheoutersurfaceoftheinsidefacepiece,whichwillbesplinedtothemainfrontcorner.Routa1⁄4-in.-deepby1⁄4-in.-wideby11⁄8-in.-longgrooveintotheinsidefacepiece.Stopthegroove1⁄8in.fromthetopandbottomofthepart.

6. Tofinishtheuppertraysides,usethesideandfrontradiusforms(seepp.204–205)tomakethetwosideradiustraysandthefrontradiustray.Sprayadhesiveontothefaceoftheformsandstickdown1⁄16-in.-thickfoam.Thiscushionylayerwillelimi-nateanyvoidswhengluingtheveneertothecore(photo b , p. 208).See“Materials”onp.189forthedimensionsofthefrontandsidetrayparts.

1. Cutonepieceof1⁄2-in.-thickmaple-veneerply-woodto13⁄8in.wideby24in.long.You’llneedthislengthtoallowforthemitercutsandmatchingupthegrain.

2. Togluetheveneertobothsurfacesofthetraysides,startbycuttingtwoclampingcaulsoutof1⁄4-in.-thickMDForplywood.Makeeachcaul11⁄2in.wideby241⁄8in.long.Cuttwopiecesofwalnutburlveneerforthefaces,eachone11⁄2in.wideby241⁄8in.long.Thencuttwomoreveneerpiecesfortheedges,eachat5⁄8in.wideby241⁄8in.longeach.Useasmallrollertoapplyyellowgluetotheveneerandbothfacesofthetray(photo A ).Placethecaulsonbothsidesofthetrays,sandwichingtheveneer.Usemaskingtapetoholdthepiecestogetherandthenplacethemintothevacuumpressbag.Letthegluedryfortwohours.

3. Afterbothfacesandedgesofthemapleply-woodstripareglued,veneered,andtrimmedflush,routa1⁄8-in.-deepby1⁄4-in.-widegroovefortheuppertraybottom.Usethesame1-in.spacingontherouter-tablefencethatyouusedfortheends,back,andfronts.

Tocutmitersintothesmallendsoftheuppertraycorners,useamitersawandanL-shapedplywoodfencetopreventthepiecesfrommovingorchipping.Themitersfortheseuppertraycornerswillbecutat45°,exceptforonemiterintothebackcorner,whichmustbecutto28°tomatchtheradiustraysides(see“FrontHorizontalSection”onp.202).

4. Cuttwo11⁄4-in.-longplywoodpiecesfortheinsideface,four2-in.-longpiecesfortheoutsidecor-ner,andtwo7⁄8-in.-longpiecesforthebackcorner.

Make the upper tray sides

veneer the FACes and edges of the upper tray sides with walnut burl veneer.

A


Whencuttingthe1⁄8-in.bendingplywood,cutanextrapiecetobeusedforthetopclampingcaul,whichwillprotecttheveneerfromthevacuumpressbag.Therewillbesevenlayerstomakeeachoneofthesetraysides:onepieceofwalnutburlveneerplacedontheform,thenthemapleveneer,fourlayersofthebendingplywood,andfinallyanotherpieceofwalnutburlveneer.

7. Rollyellowglueonallmatingfacesandstacktheminorder.Holdthebundletogetherwithbluepainter’stapeandthenplaceitintothevacuumpressbag.Letthegluedryforthreehoursbeforeremoving.

8. Usingtheformasasledonthetablesaw,trimtheedgesoftheradiustrays.Thencutthewidthofthetrayendsandfrontto13⁄8in.wide.Butbeforecut-tingthemtolength,routa1⁄8-in.-deepby1⁄4-in.-widegrooveintotheinsidefaces,whichwillreceivethetraybottom.Useaslot-cuttingbitintheroutertableandsetthebittocut1⁄8in.deep(photo C ).

rout A Groove into the inside faces of the radius trays to receive the tray bottom.

C

When cutting the radius tray parts to length, be sure to dry-fit the box together and measure for the length before cutting to size.

work smart

9. Usethemitersawtocuttheradiustrayendsandfront,justasyoudidforthesolidbasetrim(seep.197).

10. Fortheradiussidetrays,makeasolid-hardwoodjigtoholdthesidetraysat90°totherouter-tablefence.Becarefulwhencuttingthisgroovetomakesurethesidesdon’tmove.Setthe1⁄4-in.-dia.routerbittocut1⁄8in.deep,andmakeseveralpasses(photo d ). Routthisgroovethroughtheinsidefaceofthetraysides,andthengluea1⁄8-in.by1⁄4-in.stopgrooveplugintobothendsforveneeringtheedges.

use the side and front radius forms to make the two side radius trays and the front radius tray.

b

to rout the Grooves in the ends of the radius side trays, make a jig to hold the side trays at 90º to the router-table fence.

d


rout A Groove into the inside surface of the two side trays and into both short upper edges of the back.

e

2. Brushyellowglueontoboththeedgeandveneerusingstraightandangledclampingcauls.Clamptheveneertotheedgesandletthegluedryfortwohoursbeforetrimmingandfilingtheedgesflush(photo A ).

now that all the box Parts havebeenmade,it’stimetoveneeralltheedges.

1. Useaself-healingcuttingmat,straightedge,andscalpeltocutstripsof1⁄42-in.-thickwalnutburlveneerfortheedges.

Herearethesizesoftheedge-veneerpiecesrequired:

4 Radius side trays: top, bottom edges 1⁄42 in. by 2 in.

by 75⁄8 in.

2 Radius front tray: top, bottom edges 1⁄42 in. by 11⁄4 in.

by 77⁄8 in.

1 Back: top edge 1⁄42 in. by 5⁄8 in. by 143⁄4 in.

2 Back: side edges 1⁄42 in. by 5⁄8 in. by 91⁄8 in.

2 Sides: top edges 1⁄42 in. by 5⁄8 in. by 83⁄4 in.

2 Sides: front edges 1⁄42 in. by 5⁄8 in. by 73⁄4 in.

2 Front: top edges 1⁄42 in. by 5⁄8 in. by 33⁄4 in.

2 Return corners: side edges 1⁄42 in. by 5⁄8 in. by 77⁄8 in.

Veneer the edges

onCe All the box pArts have been made, veneer all the edges with the walnut burl veneer. It’s a good idea to make angled clamping cauls for the angled edges (shown here is the left-side end of the box).

A

11. Routagrooveintotheinsidesurfaceofthetwosidetraysandintobothshortupperedgesoftheback(photo e ).Lowertherouterbitflushwiththeroutertable.Thenstarttherouterandraisethebitupapproximately1⁄8-in.atatimeallowingforthe161⁄2°anglealreadycutintotheedge.Makeaboutthreepassesoverthebit,raisingit1⁄8in.eachtime,toequal5⁄16-in.deep.Besuretoallowforthespline.Cuta11⁄8-in.-longgroove,stopping1⁄8in.fromthetopedge.


1. Afteralltheboxedgeshavebeenveneeredandallthesplineshavebeencutandfitted,dry-fitallthepartstothebottomplatform(photo A ).Usebluepainter’stapetoholdtogethertheuppertraycorners.Thenfliptheboxupsidedownandsetitontoapieceof1⁄4-in.-thickby11-in.-wideby20-in.-longbirchplywood.

2. Tracearoundthethreetrayopenings,markingtheplywoodwherethebottomtrayswillbeinserted(photo b ).

3. Removetheboxanddrawaline3⁄32in.outsideofeachtrayoutline.Thisouterlinerepresentsthecutlineandwillallowthetraybottomstoextendintothe1⁄8-in.grooves(photo C ).

4. Onthebandsaw,cutalongthecenteroftheoutsidepencilline.Thenfitthebottomsintothegrooves.

at the beginning of the ProjeCt, wecuttwo48-in.-longsplinesforjoiningtogetherthetray,back,sides,andfronts(seep.196).Tomakesurethesplinesfitsnugly,measureandcutthemindi-viduallyasyouassemblethebox.

Make the tray bottoms

dry-Fit All the pArts to the bottom platform, using blue painter’s tape to hold the upper tray corners together.

A

remove the box and draw a cut line 3⁄32 in. outside of each tray outline.

bwith the box upside down on a piece of 1⁄4-in.-thick birch plywood, trace around the three tray openings.

C


one of the most eye-CatChing featuresofthisjewelryboxisthepairofturnedmaplecolumnsthatstandguardateachfrontcorner.Theroundcolumnsperfectlycomplementthecurveddoorsandbowedfront.Forcuttingintheprofileofthecolumns,refertothedirectionsfortheturnedseg-mentedfeetfortheMusicBoxonp.118.Toturnthecolumnsonthelathe,you’llneedanoutsidecaliperandfiveturningtools:roughinggouge,1⁄2-in.spindlegouge,1⁄4-in.spindlegouge,skewchisel,and1⁄8-in.partingtool.

Turn the maple columns

turn the two mAple columns that sit at the front corners of the box.

AColumn Template

1. Startbycuttingtwomapleblanks,eachmeasur-ing17⁄8in.squareby81⁄8in.long.

2. Bevel-tiltthetablesawbladeoverto45°andtrimoffthefourcornersofeachblank,creatingoctagonal-shapedblanks.

3. Mountoneblankontothelatheandusetheroughinggougetoturndownto13⁄4in.dia.Repeatforthesecondblank.

4. Makeaphotocopyof“ColumnTemplate”atleft.Usethetemplateasaguideinturningthecolumnstotheirfinalshape(photo A ).

71⁄2 in.


3⁄4 in.1⁄8 in.

1⁄2 in.


it’s diffiCult to glue alltheboxparts togetheratthesametime,sobreakdowntheassemblyprocessintoacoupleofsteps.Startbygluingthesidestothefrontcornersandthenattachtheupperinsidetraytothefront.

1. Tomakesureallthepartsfittogetheraccurately,dry-fittheback,sides,andfrontcornersontothebottomplatform,andassembletheupperinsidetraywiththesplinesslippedintothegrooves.Putmasking-tapestripsalongthejointstopreventanygluesqueeze-outfromgettingontothefaceoftheveneer.

2. Takeoffjustthefrontandinsidetray,leavingthesideandbackstillsplinedanddry-fittedtothebottomplatform.Atthisstageyou’regluingandclampingonlythesidestothefrontcornersandtheuppertraytothefrontcorner(photo A ).

3. Removethebackoftheboxandputstripsoftapealongthegluejointsonthebottomplatform.Alsoputtapealongthelowersectionsofthesidesandfront

cornersforgluingthemtotheplatform.Youwillalsobegluingthetwocolumnsontotheplatform.

4. Removethesidesandfrontcornersandbrushglueintothegroovesandontothesplines.Alsogluethemortisesandtenonsforthecolumns. Afterglu-ing,reassembletheparts.

5. Cuta3⁄4-in.-thickby10-in.-wideby19-in.-longpieceofplywoodforuseasaclampingcaul.Placeitontopofthesidesandfrontcornersandthenseta50-lb.weightontop.Aftertheglueisfullycured,repeatthesamestepsforattachingtheback,onlythistime,clampthebacktightagainstthebackedgesoftheendsandthebottom.

6. Slideallthreetraybottomsintotheirgrooves.Dry-fitandclampallofthetraysidesandfronts,makingsurethejointsfittightlytogether(photo b ).Brushglueonbothfacesofthetrayparts,thenclampthemtogether.It’sbesttoglueandclamponecompletecornerandradiussidetrayatatime.Oncethegluedries,glueandclamponthefronttray.

Start assembling the box

Glue And ClAmp the front corners to the sides.

Ato mAke it eAsier to clamp the radius tray front to the box, make a clamping block with the same radius on one face and a straightedge on the opposing side. The block will prevent the clamps from slipping off.

b


covebit.Toroutthestraightpieces,keepthetrimtightagainstthefenceanduseapushstickandfeatherboardforsafety.Routtheprofileintothefrontradiustrimusingthefenceandball-bearingguideonthebit(photo b , p. 214).Whenroutingthetwosideradiuspieces,removetherouter-tablefenceanduseastarterpinasasafetyguide.

6. Lightlyhand-sandthetrimpieceswith150-gritsandpaper.

7. Cutthemitersintothesmalltrimpieces;besureyouuseanL-shapedfence.Followthesamecuttingtechniquesyouusedonthebasetrimforcuttingthemiters(seep.197).Placebluepainter’stapeonthewalnutburlveneertopreventgluefromseepingontotheveneer.

a small band ofbird’s-eyemapleseparatesthelowerboxsectionfromtheuppertray.Thislight-blondtrimpieceaccentsthebase,columns,andtoptrimwhilecomplementingthedark-brownwalnutburlveneer.Becausethistrimisrelativelysmall,theradiusfrontandsidepiecesmustbelaminatedtogetherfromseveralthinstripsbeforeshapingthefinalprofileontheroutertable.Ifyouweretocutthistrimfromsolidwood,itwouldn’tholdupdur-ingrouting.Thefinishedsizeoftheaccenttrimis9⁄32in.thickby3⁄8in.wide.

1. Usethetablesawtocutthreestripsofmapleforthefrontradiustrim.Makeeachpiece3⁄32in.thickby7⁄16in.wideby91⁄2in.long.Cutthreestripsforeachofthetwosideradiuspieces.Makeeachstrip3⁄32in.thickby7⁄16in.wideby8in.long.

2. Takethreesidepiecesandbrushyellowglueontobothsurfacesofthecenterstrip.Stackthestripsandclampthemtotheboxtrayface,whichwillactasaclampingcaul.Becarefulnottogluethetrimtothebox.Letthegluedryforfourhoursbeforeremovingtheclamps.Repeatthisstepfortheoppositesideandfront(photo A ).

3. Adjustthejointertocut1⁄64in.deepandtrimthetopandbottomedgesflushuntilallthreestripsare3⁄8in.wide.

4. Usethetablesawtocuttwostraightpiecesofmapletrim,oneforeachsideofthebox.Makethesepieces9⁄32in.thickby3⁄8in.wideby16in.long;theextralengthwillallowyoutocutthemiteredends.

5. Toroutthenecessaryprofileintothemapletrimpieces,you’llneedtworouterbits.Thetopprofileisformedwitha3⁄16-in.-radiusroundoverbitandthebottomprofileiscreatedbya3⁄16-in.-radius

Mill the maple accent trim

Glue And ClAmp the three pieces for the side radius trim, using the box tray face as a clamping caul.

A


2. Rollyellowglueontoallmatingsurfaces.Thensecureeachbundlewithducttape.

3. Placetheglued-updoorblanksintothevacuumpressbag,turnonthevacuum,andletthegluedryforthreehours.

4. Beforetrimmingthedoorstosizeonthetable-saw,carefullymeasureeachdoorwayopeningonthebox,rememberingtoallowforthedoor-edgeveneers.Usetheclampingformsassledstocuttheheightandwidthofeachdoor(photo A ).

eaCh of the three curveddoorsiscomposedoffivelayers:fourpiecesof1⁄8-in.-thickbendingplywoodandonepieceofmapleveneergluedtothefrontsurface.Thedoorfaceswillthenbecoveredwithamarquetrydesign.Themapleveneerpre-ventstheplywood’swoodgrainfromtelegraphingthroughthemarquetry.

1. Tobuildthethreedoors,cut12piecesof1⁄8-in.-thickbendingplywood,eachmeasuring81⁄2in.wideby91⁄2in.long,andthreepiecesof1⁄42-in.-thickmapleveneer,each81⁄2in.wideby91⁄2in.long.Notethatthesedimensionsareslightlyoversizetoallowthedoorstobetrimmedtosizelater.

Make the radius doors

To prevent glued layers from shifting out of position while inside the vacuum press bag, hold the pieces together with Gorilla Tape. This heavy-duty, double-thick duct tape has superior holding power.

work smart

trim the Front and side doors to size on the table-saw, using the clamping forms as cutting sleds.

A

the mAple ACCent trim for the radius front and side pieces must be laminated together from several thin strips before shaping the final profile on the router table.

b

8. Thetrimisattachedflushtothebottomedgeofthetraywiththecoverprofilefacingdowntothebase.Useasmallbrushandapplyyellowgluetoboththeveneerandbacksideofthetrim.Usebluepainter’stapetoclampdownthesmallstraightpiecesoftrimandspringclampstoattachtheradiustrim.


when seleCting veneers forthedoors,keepinmindthatit’sbesttousewalnutburlorasimi-larlydarkveneerforthebackgroundandlightercolorsfortheintricatedesign,inthiscase,therosesandpetals.Adarkbackgroundveneeralsoeffec-tivelyhidesthetinybradholesleftbehindafternail-ingtogethertheveneerpacket.

1. Cutsixclampingcaulsfrom3⁄4-in.plywood:two8-in.-sq.piecesforthefrontdoor,andtwo71⁄2-in.-wideby8-in.-longpiecesforeachofthetwosidedoors.

2. Cuttheveneerusingascalpelandself-healingcuttingmat.Placeoneoftheplywoodclampingcaulsontop,pressdownfirmly,andcutaroundtheperimeter(photo A ).

Select and cut veneers

Cut Around the perimeter of the plywood clamping caul, making two or three cuts using medium pressure to slice through the veneer.

A

Marquetry: the Packet Method

There are many different ways to cut and produce

marquetry. The technique I explain in this chapter is

called the packet method. This style of preparing

and cutting is easy to learn and is an excellent

way to produce several different copies with just

one packet.

The marquetry steps shown here are for the front

radius door. The same techniques can be applied

to the other marquetry designs for this box or any

other box in this book. Here are the veneer pieces

you’ll need for each packet.

FronT door (all pieces are 8 in. sq.)

2 Rose petals: purpleheart veneer

1 Background: walnut burl veneer

1 Rose vines: myrtle burl veneer

1 Rose leaves: poplar veneer

1 Cutting template: scrap veneer

1 Back surface of front door: walnut burl veneer

SIde doorS (all pieces are 71⁄2 in. wide by 8 in. long)





2 Cutting templates: scrap veneer

2 Back surface of side doors: walnut burl veneer

You’ll also need 5 pieces of 8-in.-sq. newsprint or

kraft paper and 10 pieces that are 71⁄2 in. by 8 in., the

front door template (see p. 216), and the templates

for the side doors (see p. 217).


It’s best to make clamping cauls from ply-wood because it’s a softer material and is ideal for nailing together the veneer packets.

work smart

to eConomize when cutting veneers, attach a piece of scrap veneer to a partial sheet of veneer (here, purple-heart) if a whole sheet isn’t needed.

b

3. Whenpreparingtocuttheveneers,keepinmindthateachlayercanbedividedintodiffer-enttypesofveneer.Forexample,whenyoucutthepurpleheartveneertocreatetherosepetals,youwon’tneedthewholesheettocutouttherosepet-als;instead,cutapieceofwasteveneerofanytypethatisscraporacheaperveneer.Cutandtapeittogetherwiththepurpleheartusingbluepainter’stape.Thiswayyoucansaveyourimportantveneerswhilestillkeepingthepacketflatwhennailingittogetherforaccuratecutting(photo b ).

Side Door Marquetry Template

Enlarge by 200% for full-size template. When enlarged, grid is 1⁄2 in.1⁄2 in.


Front Door Marquetry Template

Glue paper to the veneers

Thenextstepistogluenewsprintorkraftpapertothefaceofeachpieceofveneer.Thepaperhelpsflattenandstrengthentheveneerstopreventthemfromchippingandcrackingwhilebeingcutonthescrollsaw.Usehotanimalhidegluetoadherethepapertotheveneer;itdriesquicklyanddoesn’tpenetratethroughtheporesoftheveneer.

1. Brushathinlayerofhideglueontotheveneerandthenplacethepaperontop.Foldupacleancottonclothintoatightball.Usethecottonballtorubandflattenthepaperdowntotheveneer(photo C ).

2. Placethepaper-coveredveneerbetweentwoclampingcauls.Tightenonebarclampinthecentertopressdownthepaper.Repeatthisprocedurefor

Glue A lAyer of newsprint or kraft paper to the veneer and flatten the paper down using a ball of cotton cloth.

C

theotherveneers.Also,glueandclampthecuttingtemplatetothewasteveneer.Whenclampingthelastlayers,besurethey’renotstickingtoeachother.Leavethepiecesclampedtightforatleastthreehoursor,betteryet,overnight.



veneeronly.Startinginthecenterofthepacketandmovingoutwardtotheedges,useapairofneedle-noseplierstoholdthe1⁄2-in.-long20-gaugenailsinplaceandthennailthroughthepacketandintotheplywoodclampingcauluntiltheheadisflushwiththetemplate(photo A ).

to ConneCt the veneer PaCkets, nailintothefaceoftheveneer.Oncethepacketisnailedtogether,flipitover,andsnipoffthenailpoints,leav-ingabout1⁄32in.ofnailprotruding.Strikethesnippednailswithatackhammertomushroomoverthenails,creatingrivetstoholdthepackettogether.

1. Removetheveneerfromtheclampingcaulsandpeeloffthepainter’stape.Positionthepoplarpiecewiththewoodgraingoingvertically.Arrangethewoodgrainofthetwopurpleheartpieceswithonegoingverticallyandtheotherhorizontally.Themyrtleburlveneercanbeorientedineitherdirec-tion.Thewalnutburlmustmatchascloseaspos-sibletothefrontsides.Thenplaceontopthewasteveneerpiecethathasthecuttingtemplateattached.

2. Placethesixveneerpiecesontopofaplywoodclampingcaul,squareuptheiredges,andthenlightlyclampthecenterofthepacketandplywoodcaultotheworkbench.

3. Useapenciltomarkthecuttingtemplatewherethenailsshouldbeplacedintothebackground

Nail and rivet the veneer packets

hAmmer the 1⁄ 2-in. nails through the packet and into the caul, using a pair of needle-nose pliers to hold the small nails.

A

Veneer Packet direction

When cutting a veneer packet, the surface with

the kraft paper should be face down because the

underside is most vulnerable to chipping or cracking.

The exception is for the top sheet of the marque-

try packet, which should always be face up. And

remember when preparing a marquetry packet, the

top cutting template is facing the opposite direction

of the actual final marquetry design. For example,

the lower leaves on the side doors face one direction

when cut from the packet but face the opposite direc-

tion when glued to the door.


pry the veneer packet off the plywood clamping caul and snip off the tips of each nail.

b

4. Useathinprybarornarrowslottedscrewdrivertoprytheveneerpacketofftheplywoodclampingcaul.Thenplacethepacketupsidedownonahardflatsurface.

5. Takeside-cuttingpliersandsnipoffthepointedtipsofeachnail,leavingjustatinybitofthenailprotruding(photo b ).Useahammertotapthesnippednailsflushwiththebottomsheetofveneer.Thiswillcreatearivetthatholdstheveneerpackettogether.

Cut the veneer packetto Cut the intriCate marQuetry design,Iusea20-in.variable-speedscrollsawthatcanbesloweddowntojust400strokesperminute(it’smucheasiertomakeprecisecutsatslowspeeds).Andtocuttheveneerpackets,IuseanOlson®5-in.,#3/0jewelers’metal-piercingscrollsawbladewith61tpi.Thebenefitofusingsuchasmallbladeisthatitprovidessuperiorcontrolwhencuttingintotightcornersandsawingoutthetiniest,mostintricatelyshapedpieces.Plusthebladeisonly0.0095in.thick,whichleavesanincrediblysmallgapbetweenthepieces,andthosegapswillbefilledinwithglue.

Theonlydrawbacktousingsmallerbladesisthattheywearoutmuchfasterthanlargerblades.Forexample,Iwentthroughthreebladesjusttocutthefront-doormarquetrypacket.However,theadditionalcostandinconveniencewerewellworthit,consideringhowpreciselythesebladescut.

1. Startbyboringa1⁄64-in.-dia.holethroughoneofthecuttinglinesinthecenteroftheveneerpacket.Thenfeedthescrollsawbladethoughtheholeinthe

Make a 1⁄4-in.-thick platform out of MDF or plywood the same shape as your scrollsaw table to give you more control when cut-ting the veneer packet. Drill a 1⁄8-in.-dia. hole where the blade is located. Then tape the edge of your platform to the scrollsaw table edge. This platform will prevent the smaller pieces from falling through and provides a better cutting surface for your marquetry packets.

work smart

packetandthroughthe1⁄8-in.holeintheplywoodauxiliarytable.Lockthebladeintothelowerbladeclampandsetthetension.

2. It’sbesttocutoutthecenterpiecesfirstandthenworkyourwaytowardtheouterpieces.Toremovethesmallerpiecesaftercutting,stopthesaw,liftthecornerofthepacket,andslideoutthesmallpiecesusinganarrowfileorsimilartool(photo A , p. 220).


3. Whencuttingtheveinsintotheleaves,justfol-lowthetemplatelines,andthenbackoutthebladewiththesawrunning.Theresultingkerfs(gaps)madebythebladewillfillwithglue,creatingdarklinesthatmaketheveinslookveryrealistic.

4. Tocutthesharpcornersoftherosestems,sawrightuptothetipofthestemandthenturnoffthescrollsaw.Removetheblade,turnthepacketaroundsothatthenextcutisstraight,andreinstalltheblade.Turnonthescrollsawandcutuptothenextsharpcorner.Repeatthesestepsforeachsharpcor-nercut(photo b ).

Anotherwaytocutsharpcornersistorotatethepacketatafasterpacerightatthetipofthecorner.Thiswilltakealittlepracticebutworksjustaswellandisafastermethod.

Nowfinishcuttingallthepiecesinthemarquetrypacket.

when CuttinG the veneer packet, cut out the cen-ter pieces first and then work your way toward the outer pieces.

A

to Cut shArp Corners, saw right up to the tip of the corner and then turn off the scrollsaw. remove the blade, turn the packet around so that the next cut is straight, and reinstall the blade.

b

It’s important to keep the blade cutting straight and on course when feeding the packet into the blade. Don’t get impatient and don’t push too hard; let the blade do the work. Also, while you’re cutting, occasion-ally lift up your fingertips very slightly, then immediately press the packet back down. This will reposition the packet by straighten-ing the blade. It will also help keep the blade cutting straight and on course.

work smart

As you’re cutting the veneer packet, place the cut pieces into a tray, so they won’t get mixed up. The way I keep everything organized is to place the center rose into the center of the tray and the left and right rosebuds and stems into the same location in the tray.

work smart


create Shading with hot Sand

Silica sand is used to shade marquetry pieces

by lightly burning the veneer, producing a three-

dimensional effect. This type of sand is very fine and

thus provides a uniform burn into the veneer. Some

of the best places for shading marquetry are where

two pieces meet or at the center or outside edges of

leaves. However, be careful not to overdo it. A little

shading in the proper places is all that’s required to

give the marquetry picture a natural look. (It’s smart

to practice with several different types of veneers

because veneers shade—and burn—at different

rates.)

1. Start by filling a cast-iron skillet about two-thirds

full with very fine silica sand. Set the skillet onto an

electric stove or portable burner and heat the sand

for about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place all the front-door marquetry

pieces on top of one of the plywood clamping cauls,

making sure to set them into their final positions

(photo A ).

3. Once the sand is hot, use tweezers to pick up the

marquetry pieces and partially bury them into the

sand. Leave the veneer pieces in the sand for short

periods of time, 5 seconds to 10 seconds, while peri-

odically checking the veneer. Be careful not to burn

them or they’ll become brittle and flake off. The goal

is to get a light to medium shade of color, which

gives the veneer a three-dimensional appearance

(photo b ).

4. After removing the marquetry pieces from the

sand, they’ll curl up a little as they cool. To flatten

them out, place all the shaded pieces onto a plywood

clamping caul. Then lightly mist the pieces with

water, place another plywood caul on top, and

clamp together for three hours. This will flatten the

marquetry pieces (photo C ).

b

A C


offthenailheadswithside-cuttingpliers, whichwillmakeiteasierandcleanertoremovetheremainingbackgroundveneer.

5. Useaveneerhammertofirmlypresstheback-groundveneerontothepapertemplate(photo e ).Usetweezerstoplacethemarquetrypiecesbacktogetherontothetemplate(photo F ).Whenposi-tioningtheveneerpieces,besuretoleaveatinygapbetweenthepiecestorepresentthesawbladekerfs.Thisisnecessarytoallowallthemarquetrypiecestofitperfectlyintothebackgroundveneer.Anddon’tworryaboutthegaps;they’llgetfilledinwithglue.

6. Onceallthepieceshavebeensetinplace,pressthemdownwiththeveneerhammer.

1. Cutapieceofscrapveneertothesamesizeasthedoorpackets;itwillbeusedasaclampingcaulfortheradiusdoors.Alsocuttwopiecesofdouble-tackmountingfilm(availableatmostart-supplystores)thesamesizeasthedoorpacketsforeachdoor.

2. Peelofftheprotectivebackingpaperfromonesideofthemountingfilmandpressittothescrapveneer.Thenpeeloffthebackingfromtheremain-ingsideandstickdownaphotocopyofthedoormarquetrytemplate(photo C ).

3. Applyanotherpieceofmountingfilmtothetopofthetemplateandthenpeeloffthebackingpapersoyoucanstickdownthebackgroundveneerandmarquetry.

4. Taketheveneerpacketyoucutonthescrollsawearlieranduseaslottedscrewdrivertoseparatethebackgroundveneerfromthenails(photo d ).Snip

Place the marquetry pieces together

use A sCrewdriver to separate the background veneer from the nails and remove it from the veneer packet.

d

AFFix A Copy of the door marquetry template to the double-tack mounting film on the surface of the scrap veneer.

C


press the bACkGround veneer onto the paper template using a veneer hammer.

euse tweezers to reassemble the marquetry pieces on the template.

F

the next steP istogluethemarquetrydesigntothefaceofthefrontdoorandveneerwalnutburltotherearofthedoor—atthesametime.

1. Usethesamefoam-facedradiusformsusedearlier(seep.204).Cutapieceof1⁄8-in.-thickbend-ingplywoodthesamesizeastheveneerandgluealayeroffoamtoonesurfacetocreatethetopclampingcaul.

2. BrushathinlayerofTitebondliquidhidegluetobothsidesofthedoorandtothebacksideoftherearveneerandfrontmarquetry(photo A ).Ilikethisparticulargluebecauseitsbrowncolorblendsinwellwiththemarquetry;it’salsoveryslowset-ting,soyou’vegotplentyoftimetoglueonbothsurfaces.

3. Placethedoorintoavacuumpressbag,turnonthevacuum,andletthegluedryforfourhours.

Glue the marquetry to the door

Glue the wAlnut burl veneer to the back of the door and the marquetry design to the front.

A


eaCh of the three doorshasapullmadefromsolidwalnut,whichblendsinbeautifullywiththewalnutburlveneer.Cutthewalnutpullsusingthetablesawandscrollsawandthenusearoutertabletonotchthedoorstoreceivethepulls.

1. Cutthreewalnutpulls,eachmeasuring1⁄4in.thickby3⁄4in.wideby1in.long.Thenmovetothescrollsawandcuta3⁄8-in.radiusintothefrontedgeofeachpull.Sandthepullssmoothwith150-gritsandpaper.

2. Torouttheslotintotheedgeofthedoors,buildasledusingtheradiusformsanda3⁄4-in.-thickby11-in.-wideby11-in.-longpanelwithacutoutinthe

frontedge(toallowfortherouterbit).Screwthepaneltothelongedgeoftheforms.Settherouterfencesothe3⁄4-in.-dia.straight-cuttingrouterbitiscenteredtothedoors.Adjusttheheightofthebittocuta1⁄4-in.-deepby3⁄4-in.-wideslotintothelongedgeofthedoors(photo A ).

Make and attach the door pulls

mAke A routinG sled to support the door as you cut the slot for the door pull.

A

When adjusting the router table’s depth of cut, remember to allow for the thickness of the veneer, which will be adhered to the edges of the doors.

work smart

4. Removethedoorfromthevacuumpressbagbutleaveitontheformtosandtheveneerflushwiththeedges.Placetheformontheworkbench,holdingthedoortotheform.Usealarge3-in.-widesandingblockwith150-gritsandpapergluedtotheface.Slidetheblockbackandforthagainsttheedgesuntiltheveneerisflushtothedooredges.Repeatthisstepforallfouredges(photo b ).

5. Using150-gritsandpaper,lightlysandoffthepaperfacecoveringthemarquetrydesign.use A sAndinG bloCk with a 150-grit sandpaper

face to sand the veneer flush with the edges.

b


1. Makecurvedclampingcaulsoutof3⁄4-in.-thickplywoodorMDFforveneeringtheradiusedgesofthethreedoors.Cuteachcaul1⁄4in.widerand1⁄4in.longerthanthedoorradiuses.Nowusethesecaulsascuttingtemplatestocutthewalnutburlveneerpiecestocoverthedooredges.

2. You’llneedtwoveneerpiecesforthefrontdoor,each11⁄4in.wideby8in.long,andfourpiecesforthesidedoors,each2in.wideby73⁄8in.long.Thosecurvedpieceswillbecutforthetopandbot-tomedgesofthedoors.You’llalsoneedsixstraightpieces,measuring5⁄8in.wideby71⁄2in.long,fortheverticaledgesofthedoors.

3. Startingwiththeradiusedges,brushyellowglueontothetopandbottomdooredgesandontothebacksurfacesoftheveneerpieces.Clamptheveneerpiecestothedooredgesusingtheclampingcaulsandshortbarclamps.Repeatthisprocesstoveneerthestraightdooredges.

4. Oncethegluedries,trimtheedgesflush.Placethedooredgeflatontotheself-healingcuttingmatandtrimtheveneerflushtothefaceusingascalpel(photo b ).

5. Afterveneeringallthedooredges,placemask-ingtapearoundtheperimeteroftheroutednotchesinthedoors.Thenglueandclampthewalnutdoorpullsintothenotches(photo C ).Allowthegluetodryforaboutfourhours,thenremovetheclampsandpeeloffthetape.

Veneer the door edges

Glue the wAlnut burl veneer to the edges of the doors, trimming the edges flush once the glue is dry.

b

Glue And ClAmp the walnut door pulls into the notches.

C


for the Center front seCtion ofthebox,Ichosetomakethreehiddenstoragedrawersfrom1⁄2-in.-thicksolidwalnut,whichblendsinbeauti-fullywiththewalnutburlveneer.ForthebottomofthedrawersIused1⁄8-in.-thickplywoodsuitableforflocking.

1. Tomakethedrawerparts,startwithtwopiecesof1⁄2-in.walnut,eachmeasuring23⁄8in.wideby36in.long.Useathicknessplanertosurfacethewalnutdownto3⁄8in.thick.

2. Cutagrooveforthe1⁄8-in.-thickplywoodbot-toms.Setthetablesawfence1⁄8in.fromthebladeandadjustthebladeheightto1⁄8in.Thenpushboth36-in.-longboardsthroughthesawbladetoproduce1⁄8-in.by1⁄8-in.grooves,positioned1⁄8in.upfromthebottomedges.

3. Cutthedrawersides,fronts,andbackstolengthwithamitersaw.Setupastopblocktoensureaccu-racyforcuttingthe45°anglesonbothendsofeachpieceforthelength.

4. Tomakethefingerpulls,drawacenterlineontoallthreedrawerfronts.Withacompasssetata11⁄8-in.radius,placethecenterpoint1⁄2in.abovethedrawerfrontthenstrikethearch,whichwillgiveyouanellipseat5⁄8in.tallby2in.wide.

5. Useascrollsawtocutoutallthreeellipticalfin-gerpulls.Thenuse150-gritsandpapertosmooththescrollsawblademarks.

6. Cutthethree1⁄8-in.-thickdrawerbottomsonthetablesaw.

7. Onceallthepartsarecut,stickmaskingtapetotheinsidecorners.Brushyellowglueontothemiteredends,sliptheplywooddrawerbottomsintothegrooves,andassembleeachdrawer.(Don’tbrushglueintothegrooves.)Clampthedrawerpartstogetherandletdryforatleastfourhours(photo A ).

Build the drawers

Cut And Assemble the drawer parts, masking the inside corners to keep the glue off the walnut.

A


Tomakesimpleanddurabledrawerslides,withoutanyscrewsorhardware,routagrooveinthedrawersidestofitoverthewoodenslides. Routthegroovesusinga3⁄4-in.-dia.straight-cuttingrouterbit.Settherouterbit7⁄32in.abovetheroutertable.Thegroovesshouldstopapproximately1⁄4in.fromthedrawer’sfrontface;drawlinesontothefenceforthestartingandstoppinglocations.

1. Tocutthedrawer-slidegroovesintotherightsideofeachdrawer,starttherouter,thencarefullylowerthedrawersidedownintothespinningbit,withthebottomedgeofthedrawertighttothefence(photo b ).Tocuttheleft-sidegrooves,simplypushthedrawerintothebit,stoppingatthestopline.

2. Reinforcethedrawers’cornerjointswith1⁄8-in.-dia.maplehardwooddowelpins.Useadrillpresstoborefour1⁄8-in.-dia.by3⁄4-in.-deepholesthrougheachside,twoateachend.Cuteight1-in.-longdowelpinsforeachdrawer.

3. Smearyellowglueontothedowels,thentapthemintotheholes(photo C ).Wipeofftheexcessglue,thentrimthedowelsflush.Sandthedrawerssmoothwith150-gritsandpaper.

Drawer-slide grooves and corner joints

reinForCe the Corner joints of the drawers with 1⁄8-in.-dia. maple dowel pins.

C

rout Grooves in both sides of the drawer sides to fit over the wooden slides. Be sure the bottom edge of the drawer is tight to the fence.

b


Make the upper tray dividers

Imadethetraydividersoutof3⁄4-in.-thickbird’s-eyemapletoaccentthebird’s-eyetrimandcolumnsonthebox.Idividedthecenterandsidetraystohavesixopeningspertray.

1. Ripthemapleinto5⁄16-in.-thickby3⁄4-in.-widestripsandthencutthestripstolength(see“Materials”onp.190).

2. Toestablishwheretocutthehalf-lapjoints,setthemaplestripsintotheirrespectivetraysandmarkwheretheyoverlapeachother.

3. Adjustthetablesawbladeto3⁄8in.high,whichwillsplitthewidthofthedividersinhalf.Useamitergaugewithablockofwoodattachedforsupportandtoprotectthebackedgeofthedivid-ersfromchipping.Useyourpencilmarkstoshowwheretocutthehalf-lapjoints(photo d ).

4. Onceallthejointsarecut,gluethedividerpartstogether.Letthegluedryfortwohoursandthensandtheedgesandcornerswith150-gritsandpaper(photo e ).

Glue the divider pArts together for the center and two side trays.

dCut the hAlF-lAp joints in the drawer dividers, using a miter gauge with a block of wood attached for support.

e


2. Usethe“TopMarquetryTemplate”shownbelowtolayoutandcuttheveneerpieces.Followthesamestepsdescribedonp.215.Theveneerpacketforthistopmeasures101⁄4in.wideby191⁄4in.long.

Herearetheveneerpiecesrequiredfortheboxtopmarquetrypacket:





1 Scrolls: black-dyed ebony veneer

1 Cutting template: scrap veneer

1 Underside of box top: walnut burl veneer

3. Cutthetwo2-in.by2-in.squareoutsidecornersoftheboxtoponthetablesaw.Thenmovetothebandsawandcuttheradiusprofileandtheinside

the toP has the same style ofrosesasthedoors,aswellasablendoflinesandscrollsinter-twinedintotherosedesign.Fortheboxtop,Imadethemarquetrypatterntothesamedimensionsastheoutsideedgesofthebox:95⁄8in.wideby185⁄8in.long.Then,afterveneeringthemarquetryontheboxtopandapplyingthewalnutburlontheback-side,Iaddedbird’s-eyemaplehardwoodtrimtotheedgesoftheboxtop.Withtheroutedprofiles,itleavesthetopoverhangingslightly,withthebottomcoveprofileusedtoliftthetop.

1. Cutapieceof1⁄2-in.-thickmapleveneerplywoodfortheboxtop.Cutthepieceslightlyoversizeat101⁄4in.wideby191⁄4in.long.Fliptheboxupsidedownandsetitontotheplywoodtop.Traceapencillinearoundtheboxandontotheplywood.

Make the box top

Top Marquetry Template

Enlarge by 300% for full-size template. When enlarged, grid is 1 in. 1 in.


use A low-AnGle bloCk plAne to shave the maple trim flush with the veneer on each side of the box top.

A

corners,usinga3⁄16-in.by10-tpibandsawbladeforaclean,smoothcut(seethephotoonp.192).

4. Useabenchviseandtwoclampingcaulsplacedontheveneersideonbothsidesofthetoptopro-tecttheveneer.Removeallthebandsaw-blademarkswithahalf-roundfile.Makesureyoufilestraightoranglingslightlytowardthebottomtopreventchippingthewalnutburlveneer.

5. Glueastripofwalnutburlveneertotherearedgeoftheboxtop.It’simportanttoveneertheedgebeforeinstallingthemapletrim.

6. Tocreatethe9⁄16-in.-thickbird’s-eyemapletopstraighttrim,cuttwopieces7⁄16in.wideby21in.long.Forthefrontradiustrim,cutonepiece11⁄4in.

wideby83⁄4in.long,andforthesideradiustrim,cuttwopieces13⁄4in.wideby71⁄4in.long.

7. Makingthebird’s-eyemapletrimforthetopedgesissimilartomakingthebasetrimforthebot-tomplatform,usingthesamestepsforcuttingandshapingthetoptrim(seep.197).Torouttheradiusandcoveprofiles,followthesamestepsusedtomakethesmallaccenttrim(seep.213),exceptthetopradiusprofilerouterbitandthecoverouterbiteachhavea5⁄16-in.radius.

8. Oncethemapletrimisgluedon,usealow-angleblockplanetoshaveitflushwiththeveneeroneachsideoftheboxtop(photo A ).Sandsmooththecoveandradiusprofileswith150-gritsandpaper.


2. Pressthedoorclosedandthebuttonpointwillmarkasmallindentationintotheedgeofthebox.Drilla15⁄64-in.-dia.hole onthemark,andthenuseepoxytogluetheotherhalfofthedoorcatchintothehole.Repeatfortheotherdoors.

to hold the jewelry-box doors Closed,installsmalldoor-snapclosures,whichcanbepur-chasedatanyhardwarestore.

1. Startbydrillinga15⁄64-in.-dia.holeintothedoor.Next,mixupsomeepoxyadhesiveandgluethebrassbuttonpointintothehole.

Install the door catches

to hinge the three radius doors IusedthreepairsofthesmallestbrassbutthingesIcouldfind;thehingesare3⁄4in.tallby5⁄8in.wide.

1. Makeahingetemplatefromheavyweightpaperorthincardboard,1⁄2in.wideby71⁄2in.long.Cuttwo1⁄4-in.-wideby3⁄4-in.-longnotchesintothetem-plate,positioned1⁄2in.fromeachendtorepresentthehinge-mortiselocations.

2. Placethetemplateontotheedgeofthejewelryboxanduseapenciltooutlinethehingemortisesontothebox(photo A ).Repeattomarkthehingemortisesontotheradiusdooredges.

3. Cutthe1⁄32-in.-deephingemortisesusinga1⁄4-in.-widewoodchiselanda#2/8carvinggouge.

4. Beforescrewingonthehinges,drill1⁄16-in.-dia.pilotholessoyoudon’tsnapthescrewsorstriptheirheads.

Install the door hinges

use A templAte to mark the location of the hinges for the three radius doors.

A


adhesiveisespeciallyformulatedtoholdthesuedefibersfirmlyinplace;itwillnotcrackafterdryingandiscolorcoordinatedtomatcheachshadeofthesuedefibers.

an inexPensive way toprotectyourjewelryfromslidingaroundinsidethethreesmalldrawersistousesuedeflocking.Searchonlineforwood-workingandhardwarecompaniesthatcarrymini-flockersuedefibersandadhesive.Theundercoat

Finishing and flocking

ProViding extra SuPPort

It’s necessary to cut a hinge mortise into the back

edge of the box, but plywood doesn’t stand up to

chiseling as well as hardwood does. That’s why I

always clamp a small hardwood block to the inside

surface of the box, which provides extra support and

helps prevent the plywood from chipping, cracking,

or splitting.

ontheinsideedgeofthepencillinesandperfectlyvertical,lightlytapthechiselintothewood.Thefinisheddepthofeachmortisemustbe3⁄32in.,butcutawayonlyhalfofthewoodatatime.Switchtoa#2/8carvinggougetoremovethewastematerialfromeachmortise.

4. Predrillandscrewthehingestotheboxtopandbottom.Removeuntilafteryouhaveputthefinishonthebox.

1. Toattachtheboxtop,usetwo11⁄16-in.by11⁄4-in.95°stophingesmounted13⁄4in.infromtheboxends.Placeeachhingesquareontothetopbackedgeoftheboxwithits3⁄16-in.-dia.knucklehangingoffthebackside.Tracearoundthehingeswithaverysharppencil.

2. Butttheboxtopupagainstthebackedgeoftheboxandlaythehingesflatontothetop.Tracethehingesontotheboxtop.

3. Startcuttingthehingemortiseswitha3⁄8-in.-widewoodchiselandmallet.Holdingthechisel

Install the box top hinges


the last steP istoinstalltwochaincarouselsbehindeachofthesidedoors.Thechaincarouselsaredesignedforholdingnecklaces(photo A ).

1. Cuttwopiecesofsolidwalnut,eachmeasuring1⁄2in.thickby21⁄4in.wideby6in.long.Drilltwo3⁄8-in.-dia.holeswithequalspacingthrougheachblock.Glueandclamptheblockstotheundersideoftheuppertrays.

2. Squeezesomeepoxyadhesiveintotheholesandtheninsertthechaincarousels.Usebarclampstoholdthecarouselsinplaceuntiltheepoxydries.

3. Reattachallthehingesandassemblethecom-pletedboxparts.

Mount the chain carousels

1. Lightlyhand-sandallsurfaceswith150-gritsandpaper.Blowoffallthesandingdustandwipeeverythingdownwithaclean,dryrag.

2. Sprayonaverylightcoatofprecatalyzedlac-querfinish,whichactsasasealer.Allowthelacquertodryonehourlongerthanisrecommendedonthecontainer.

3. Sandagain,thistimewithultra-fine320-gritsandpaper.Removeallthesandingdustandthensprayonanotherlightcoatoflacquer.Becarefulnottoapplythelacquertoothicklyoritcouldcrackovertime.

4. Repeatthepreviousstepbysandingfirstandthenapplyingonefinalcoatoflacquer.Letthefin-ishdryovernight.

5. Applyabrownundercoatadhesivebyeitherbrushingorsprayingontothebottomsofthethreedrawerandthreeuppertrays.

6. Whiletheundercoatadhesiveisstillwet,sprayonacoatingofbrownflockingfiberswithahand-operatedmini-flocker.Letthefibersandadhesivedryovernight.

instAll two ChAin CArousels (designed to hold necklaces) behind each of the side doors.

A

Metric Equivalents

Inches Centimeters Millimeters

1⁄8 0.3 3

1⁄4 0.6 6

3⁄8 1.0 10

1⁄2 1.3 13

5⁄8 1.6 16

3⁄4 1.9 19

7⁄8 2.2 22

1 2.5 25

11⁄4 3.2 32

11⁄2 3.8 38

13⁄4 4.4 44

2 5.1 51

21⁄2 6.4 64

3 7.6 76

31⁄2 8.9 89

4 10.2 102

41⁄2 11.4 114

5 12.7 127

6 15.2 152

7 17.8 178

8 20.3 203

9 22.9 229

10 25.4 254

11 27.9 279

12 30.5 305

Inches Centimeters Millimeters

13 33.0 330

14 35.6 356

15 38.1 381

16 40.6 406

17 43.2 432

18 45.7 457

19 48.3 483

20 50.8 508

21 53.3 533

22 55.9 559

23 58.4 584

24 61.0 610

25 63.5 635

26 66.0 660

27 68.6 686

28 71.1 711

29 73.7 737

30 76.2 762

31 78.7 787

32 81.3 813

33 83.8 838

34 86.4 864

35 88.9 889

36 91.4 914

235

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Out-of-the-box thinking takes on dramatic new meaning with this collection of seven unique wooden box projects that will be cherished for years to come. Demonstrated with step-by-step instructions by expert woodworker Dennis Zongker, this guide shows crafters how to master beginner-to-advanced woodworking techniques that give these stylish boxes true standout appeal.

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