03-07-2018, 03:56 PM
I was honored to get a text from a Friend of Miss Tina. Her dad passed the week before the text arrived, and she said she wanted to know if I would make a box for the flag from his funeral. He was a Navy Vet. I never hesitated, "Sure." I texted back, "Call me." We had a short conversation, in which she told me she had always admired my woodworking projects, and wasn't sure I'd be interested, or that she could "afford" my work.
Well, my projects are never simple, I don't do things halfway. You need to buy the glass, the challenge coins, and order a name plate... and we'll need to decide on a design.
What? Yeah, bring the flag and come on by, and we'll chat. She came over the next day, which happened to be a Saturday, and we sat down and worked out a rough sketch of the box, basing the measurements on the folded flag. It was much more than she had expected, but not what I would normally have done as the funeral home in Nevada had used a much larger flag than I usually see for a Cremation.
She left (with the flag in hand) and instructions to order the coins and the name plate, but to hold off on the glass until I called her with the measurements. I couldn't start the actual build until I had the coins and plate in hand, but I could work on the formal drawing. I got busy over the next couple days and got 'er done.
With the formal layout done, I started working thru the mahogany and chose the key pieces based on the grain and dimensions. I found I was ONE wide board short for the base, this meant I needed to join a couple.
That's always fun.
I got to work and once I had the measurements on the plate and the coins, laid out the pedestal and the flag compartment, with the trim to hold the glass in place.
I used an old trick learned from a friend to avoid errors, and marked each edge needing to be routed with a whisp of blue chalk. I also labeled the parts with position and orientation. Later they get labeled in more permanent locations that won't get sanded away.
The base was routed with a Roman Ogee, in multiple passes to avoid tearout.
After cutting the rabbit in the back for the rear panel, there were still corners that needed to be hand cut with the chisel...
The pedestal is almost ready to assemble.
Taped off, stained and assembled...
Well, my projects are never simple, I don't do things halfway. You need to buy the glass, the challenge coins, and order a name plate... and we'll need to decide on a design.
What? Yeah, bring the flag and come on by, and we'll chat. She came over the next day, which happened to be a Saturday, and we sat down and worked out a rough sketch of the box, basing the measurements on the folded flag. It was much more than she had expected, but not what I would normally have done as the funeral home in Nevada had used a much larger flag than I usually see for a Cremation.She left (with the flag in hand) and instructions to order the coins and the name plate, but to hold off on the glass until I called her with the measurements. I couldn't start the actual build until I had the coins and plate in hand, but I could work on the formal drawing. I got busy over the next couple days and got 'er done.
With the formal layout done, I started working thru the mahogany and chose the key pieces based on the grain and dimensions. I found I was ONE wide board short for the base, this meant I needed to join a couple.
That's always fun.
I got to work and once I had the measurements on the plate and the coins, laid out the pedestal and the flag compartment, with the trim to hold the glass in place.
I used an old trick learned from a friend to avoid errors, and marked each edge needing to be routed with a whisp of blue chalk. I also labeled the parts with position and orientation. Later they get labeled in more permanent locations that won't get sanded away.
The base was routed with a Roman Ogee, in multiple passes to avoid tearout.
After cutting the rabbit in the back for the rear panel, there were still corners that needed to be hand cut with the chisel...
The pedestal is almost ready to assemble.
Taped off, stained and assembled...
Jim in Okie
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
Dave
