Often times when I build a piece for myself or my own reasons I find myself experimenting with something new. A different joinery, a different way to cut the joinery, a unfamiliar species of wood, something, anything to expand my experience and hopefully make me better.
Since I am always trying to push my boundaries outward it was interesting to create a piece where I used techniques I already knew how to do well and see how fast it came together. After dedicating myself to this hand tool woodworking ideal for a couple of years now I have to say even I was impressed. If I worked in a shop full time I could have had this ready for finishing in a day and a half. Raw board to hardware fit.
The next step in anything is evaluation, Simon Cowell style, rip it apart so the next one is better. What would I do differently if I were to do it all over again.
1. For the sake of speed I used 1/4 birch plywood for the bottom of the box. I would have preferred solid wood (no reason other than personal fetish)
2. I would have liked some strap hinges instead of simple brass ones, (not that it matters a lot on a box that will probably stay nailed shut for the next quarter century)
3. I didnt take the time to plan my dovetails around the grooves plowed that capture the bottom and so I had to glue in small patch pieces to hide the showing gaps. The patches are probably only visible to me (and now to you because I told you to look for them) but in my mind I would feel better if I made it right the first time and didnt plan to patch at all, I just havent fixed this geometry in my head enough to make it second nature yet.
4. Im not completely sold on the interior battens, They are glued on only half and nailed across the whole of the lid to help promote the lid staying flat as long as possible. I gave an instruction letter to the new owners explaining some of the quirks about living with and using solid wood furniture, something todays consumer doesnt get a whole lot of experience with. I woulds have preferred full length battens on the outside edges of the piece but in the end I didnt like the way it would look this time around. I wanted very, very clean lines. Only time will tell I guess, and chances are I will never hear one way or another.
At any rate, heres to the new owners, may the years be kind to their relationship and may their love grow strong like the oak that this box is carved from.
Ratione et Passionis
Oldwolf
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