Ruffnek

That is a wonderfully crafted box. I'm not familiar with end-grain veneer but I will become so. It looks fantastic the way you used it.

I, too, can appreciate the fitting of those quad hinges and the mortised lock. They are also not inexpensive.

I'm sure it will become a treasured possession by your daughter one day. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Thanks for the comments.

The Ebony plugs actually hide screws that are used in conjunction with glue for the box joints. I marked the locations for the plugs, used my benchtop mortiser with a 5/16" square chisel and bit to cut a shallow mortise and then drilled a counter-sunk thru hole for the screws.

Mike,

The carving is outstanding as usual, the grain matching of the Cherry is near perfect and the craftsmanship is impeccable. This piece will only become more beautiful with age, too, as the Cherry darkens. Wonderful work.

I believe it was Solomon who said, "There is nothing new under the sun."

All furniture is copied from someone else's design. It may be modified or embellished but it's still a copy of a copy of a copy...

Sam Maloof's iconic rocking chair was copied in part from Danish furniture with it's sculpted flowing lines.

The 18th Century Masters built their furniture from mostly English designs which were copied in part from French designs. Chippendale did not invent the designs in his "Director", he simply copied others, embellishing them and drawing variations of each piece. The Ball & Claw, so associated with Chippendale furniture was not even in the "Director" but is a Chinese design.

Does anyone here use mortise & tenon joinery, dovetail joinery, practically any type of joinery you can imagine? Well, you are copying someone because those joinery methods have been around for centuries. If you don't copy, you can't build furniture or anything else for that matter.

I'm a hobbiest but I sell the occassional piece to supplement my tool budget. I sometimes build from plans and I often modify those plans to suit my fancy. If I do it long enough, I'll eventually come up with a "new" design that I can call my own, even knowing that it isn't.

So, to ask permission to copy a plan is courteous but not doing so is not unethical, IMNSHO.

I believe it was Solomon who said, "There is nothing new under the sun."

All furniture is copied from someone else's design. It may be modified or embellished but it's still a copy of a copy of a copy...

Sam Maloof's iconic rocking chair was copied in part from Danish furniture with it's sculpted flowing lines.

The 18th Century Masters built their furniture from mostly English designs which were copied in part from French designs. Chippendale did not invent the designs in his "Director", he simply copied others, embellishing them and drawing variations of each piece. The Ball & Claw, so associated with Chippendale furniture was not even in the "Director" but is a Chinese design.

Does anyone here use mortise & tenon joinery, dovetail joinery, practically any type of joinery you can imagine? Well, you are copying someone because those joinery methods have been around for centuries. If you don't copy, you can't build furniture or anything else for that matter.

I'm a hobbiest but I sell the occassional piece to supplement my tool budget. I sometimes build from plans and I often modify those plans to suit my fancy. If I do it long enough, I'll eventually come up with a "new" design that I can call my own, even knowing that it isn't.

So, to ask permission to copy a plan is courteous but not doing so is not unethical, IMNSHO.

I've never had it happen but I have no doubt that striking two hammer heads together can cause a piece to chip off of one or both. Explode?...hardly.

After 36 years of working on and around drilling rigs, I've seen all types of hammers...from 16 oz. claw hammers to 16 lb. sledge hammers used and abused in every way imaginable. I've never even seen one chip, much less explode.

Besides, there are few actions in a woodworking shop that someone will not consider unsafe. Practicing common sense safety is a good thing but seeing or imagining danger around every corner becomes a bit jaded after a while.

I've never had it happen but I have no doubt that striking two hammer heads together can cause a piece to chip off of one or both. Explode?...hardly.

After 36 years of working on and around drilling rigs, I've seen all types of hammers...from 16 oz. claw hammers to 16 lb. sledge hammers used and abused in every way imaginable. I've never even seen one chip, much less explode.

Besides, there are few actions in a woodworking shop that someone will not consider unsafe. Practicing common sense safety is a good thing but seeing or imagining danger around every corner becomes a bit jaded after a while.

I've never had it happen but I have no doubt that striking two hammer heads together can cause a piece to chip off of one or both. Explode?...hardly.

After 36 years of working on and around drilling rigs, I've seen all types of hammers...from 16 oz. claw hammers to 16 lb. sledge hammers used and abused in every way imaginable. I've never even seen one chip, much less explode.

Besides, there are few actions in a woodworking shop that someone will not consider unsafe. Practicing common sense safety is a good thing but seeing or imagining danger around every corner becomes a bit jaded after a while.

Fine hand tools deserve a fine place to house them and Gary has built such a place. The tool cabinets are elegant, functional and beautiful. I wish they were in my shop.

Cody Colston

I'd like to see more articles on Federal style furniture along with Chippendale, Queen Anne and Hepplewhite.

Mission, Shaker and Greene & Greene I can get from other publications...all of them.