jbschutz

I have been making small decorative boxes for a few years, and for most, I use plywood for the bottoms. I set it into a dodo, and I like that it is more stable and stronger than solid wood of the same thickness. In applications where the edge is in play, I would not use plywood. I think plywood is a quality product and has its applications.

Bustindust:
Thanks for the props; regarding the leaf....It is a little hard to see on this pic., but the grain on the two leaf halves runs at 45 degrees to the center vein. This is how I do it (it took me a while to figure it out). I start with two pieces of 1/4 inch stock, about 3 inches square. I glue them together with the grain of one running at 90 degrees to the other. I glue together two opposite corners only. When the glue has set, I draw a meandering line for the center vein from one unglued corner to the other and band saw on that line. Then, I saw off the glued corners. Now, the top piece from one side, mates with the bottom piece from the other side, and their grains are at 90 degrees to each other. Then, I saw a very thin piece of contrastin wood for the vein and glue the three pieces together. I draw my leaf shape, trying to match the shape of (in this case, cherry) the wood species leaf. A little careful band saw work and shaping with a dremel and sanding sleeve, and there you are. I back bevel the under side of the edges to give the illusion of being thin. On, my website, I have several boxes with leaves, maple, cherry, walnut, koa, etc. www.johnschutz.com.

I must confess that I am one of the crowd that believes that pilot error is more responsible for injury than the design of a good table saw. I take full responsibility for my accident....nearly taking off my left thumb. Ofter 4 hours of surgery and $40,000 from my insurance company, I still have a thumb, but it doesn't work quite like the other one.
The best protection from injury is caution and knowing how to perform operations on safely on your table saw. I am much more cautious and think through what I am doing before I start the saw. One careless move can be disasterous.

A bad finish on a good piece can ruin the result, but a good finish can enhance good woodworking. I want to be able to enhance my work.

Carol,
I am very impressed with this project. I viewed your short video and want to give it a whirl. I have been making boxes for a couple of years now, and am always tinkering with design and trying different woods and looks. Thank you.
jbschutz. www.johnschutz.com is my website.

I like this; it feels very organic and true to the wood.

This bucket was not intended to hold water. It makes a great decorative accent to be used as a magazine rack or to hold a potted plant.

Misha,
The lids are hinged by drilling and inserting a pin through the box side into the edge of the lid. I counter-sink the steel pin, and then mix poly varnish and cherry sawdust to fill the holes. The tricky part comes in drilling the holes through the sides and into the lid edge. Accurate measuring and drilling make it work.

Santa knows I have been a good boy, but there are a few things I could use. I really could use a better router table and a dust collection system, but mostly, I would like some beautiful wood to turn into even more beautiful projects. I take a small amount of pride in creating decorative boxes from material that would likely end up in the dumpster, so I would love to have connections with those who create that waste, so I could take it off their hands.

Coolman92;
I really don't have plans to share. I was just winging it, hoping that the lid would turn out as I pictured. I did the rough shaping on the beltsander....the curved part of the belt. The box itself is about 5x5 inches at the top and the taper is 12 degrees. I like the look, but the next one I make will have better matching grain. The sides are rather plane grained and the top is highly figured. I did the knob freehand on the bandsaw and then on the belt sander. Everything was then sanded with the random orbit sander and then hand sanded. Finished with spray poly.
John Schutz
p.s. Take a look at my website....www.johnschutz.com

These recipe boxes are exquisite! I have made a few recipe boxes as gifts, but never the double size. Beautiful work and nice desigh, too.

Thanks for the comments on my cherry/walnut stash box. I am always trying to come up with new designs, and this shape pleases me. I have since made a similar one, only of maple and mahgoany. It is a little taller and I find not as pleasing to the eye.

Johndk,
After carving several one-piece leaves for other boxes, I decided that the two halves of the leaf should have grain at a 45 degree angle from the center vein. Then, I happened on an easy way to do that. I start with two pieces of 1/4 inch stock, about 2.5 inches square, and glue them one on top of the other with the grain of one at 90 degrees to the other. I glue together two opposing corners. After the glue has set, I bandsaw the center vein line from unglued corner to unglued corner and cut off the glued corners. Now the left piece from the top layer should match the right piece from the bottom layer, and vise-versa. Then I cut a very thin piece of contrasting wood and glue and clamp the three pieces together. Once dry, I saw out my leaf and shape the upper surface with my Dremel and sanding sleeve. I back bevel the lower edges to give the leaf the illusion of being very thin. Good luck.

It's dancing!... I am wondering about how difficult it was to get the drawers to function smoothly and properly, given their shapes. It makes me smile.