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The Editors Mailbox

Rope handle spices up a tea box

comments (7) May 24th, 2011 in Reader's Gallery

MPekovich Michael Pekovich, art director
thumbs up 22 users recommend
This is the first time Ive worked with English brown oak. It has great color and a finer grain than white oak. 
The interior has a pine partition for tea bags. It also aligns the top and bottom of the box.
The handle was a fun challenge. I wanted some way to hold the lid in place while the box is carried. The rope idea came to mind, but the key was creating a handle that could come apart. I got it right after a couple tries.
This is the first time Ive worked with English brown oak. It has great color and a finer grain than white oak.  - CLICK TO ENLARGE

This is the first time I've worked with English brown oak. It has great color and a finer grain than white oak. 
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On this dovetailed box, I glued up the top, bottom and sides as a single unit then sawed off the lid on the bandsaw. I added a pine partition which also registers the lid to the base. The rope closure was the fun part of this project. The ebony handle halves connect with a sliding dovetail.


Design or Plan used: My own design
posted in: Reader's Gallery, box, dovetails, arts and crafts, asian inspired, ebony
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Comments (7)

myehle myehle writes: Terrific imagination on the rope handle. I can't wait to make one. A real stroke of genius.
Posted: 1:57 pm on September 8th

jimbell jimbell writes: Gorgeous looking wood. You did it justice.
Posted: 1:04 am on August 16th

woodrads woodrads writes: this is a great piece. has a fantastic japanese feel to it, and the rope handles are a stroke of genius. looks like it is meant to be used, treasured, and will get even better looking over time. an heirloom. i want one!

Posted: 6:47 pm on August 14th

mgberry mgberry writes: Very nice design. Your piece has a very strong traditional appeal that sits nicely with the rope handle.
Posted: 10:46 am on June 19th

MPekovich MPekovich writes: 4545- Thanks, that's an interesting way to look at it. I think my wife would agree that "crude utilitarianism and fine aesthetic sensibility" describes me pretty well.
-Mike
Posted: 11:49 am on May 25th

4545 4545 writes: This piece seems to me to be a marvelous interplay of an almost crude utilitarianism and fine aesthetic sensibility in the proportions and fine craftsmanship. The rope is just right; who would have thought? I guess that's the element of art.
Posted: 6:36 pm on May 24th

NateC NateC writes: Very interesting handle design.
Posted: 11:58 am on May 24th

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