Dovetail Study

[Ron Brese]

I've not posted in a while. Been busy participating in a construction project. Basically building my dream shop for someone else. But I digress.

The photos show a ditty box I made as a dovetail study. I needed a project to revisit my dovetail skills. When you can make something in the process that's a bonus. This also gave me a chance to test a finishing schedule for pine that I've been thinking about.

Ron

[C. in Indy]

Wow, I like the whole thing!   Especially impressed with the base skirting and the top battens design.

Chris

[hbmcc]

Looks good! But, isn't that table a bench that resided in your shop?

[Mike Brady]

I've not posted in a while. Been busy participating in a construction project. Basically building my dream shop for someone else. But I digress.

The photos show a ditty box I made as a dovetail study. I needed a project to revisit my dovetail skills. When you can make something in the process that's a bonus. This also gave me a chance to test a finishing schedule for pine that I've been thinking about.

Ron

That is a handsome box, Ron.  Its a great tune-up project for dovetailing.  Looks like you probably don't need the practice.
  Please share that finishing schedule, which looks like a pumpkin pine that is very warm and gives the piece a gently aged appearance.  Does the lid just rest on the battens or are there hinges?

[titanxt]

I love it!!! Very nice. I love the design. Is there any surprises on the inside? Andy

[gov.cheese]

The finish on the pine is beautiful.

[Ron Brese]

The table under the box is a kitchen island that my son helped me fashion some years ago. The top and the under color is very similar on my Shaker work bench.

Not making pine something it's not is the first rule in finishing pine. That being said here's the finishing schedule.

I sanded all the flat surfaces to 320 grit using a block. The block keeps the surfaces flat and not lumpy as happens when the backing is soft.
I applied a coat of tung oil finish as a stain blocker. I let that settle for about 20 minutes and than applied  Dark Vintage Maple Transtint dye dissolved in water. I allowed that to dry over night and then knocked down the raised areas with 400 grit sandpaper. I then applied an oil based Golden Oak stain. the next day I shot one coat of a satin lacquer on all surfaces. After curing I lightly sanded that coat with 400 grit sandpaper. I then applied a couple wipe on wipe off coats of tung oil finish. The next day I rubbed it down with 4/0 steel wool and cleaned up the residue from that process with Old English scratch cover for dark woods. 

This box was made as a man's valet box and so it has a brown leather covered bottom. Unlike some of the jewelry boxes I've made in the past that had leather bottoms and Kumiko dividers.

I like subtle reveals on the base of my boxes. I think it works well with the smaller scale. I had the idea to dovetail the base but when it was together I was on the fence as to whether I liked it. My fear was that it along with the dovetailed corners might a bit busy to the eye. As it was a study I went ahead with it. This may be one of those situations where, "just because you can, doesn't mean you should". If I were to make a similar box again I'm not sure I would replicate that detail.

The top is hinged. The hinges are mounted to the back of the battens and box. When the case was assembled and the base added I thought the box was tall enough and didn't want to add more height. This configuration allow me to settle the top boards within the sides. I got this idea from an Odate tool box I made some while back.

Thanks for the kind comments, good woodworking to all,

Ron

[Scoony]

Love it. I have been thinking about building some wooden tuff-boxes with some pine that I have, and that design gives me some ideas on what I want to build.

[Hank Knight]

Nice project, Ron. I like it a lot.
What is "Old English scratch cover for dark woods"?

[Ron Brese]

Nice project, Ron. I like it a lot.
What is "Old English scratch cover for dark woods"?

Old English is the brand. It's a furniture polish that contains a dark colorant. It will darken distressing on older pieces but in this case it helps clean up your piece after rubbing out. If any bits of white residue from rubbing out gets caught in the crooks and crannies it will color it so it so it's not noticeable.

Ron