Padauk jewelry box build thread

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

I haven't had a build thread here, ever, I think, so this might be my first.

I tried building a box for my wife for Christmas, missed the deadline, then screwed it up big time, so I'm starting over.

This piece of lumber is 6' long, 7" wide, and 6/4. I'll resaw it to get all the pieces I need out of it--all the pieces to the box are 1/2" thick.

I'll try to post regularly and get it done soon.

[jppierson]

I look forward to the build-along. There always seems to be some sort of challenge along the way and the various suggested solutions are always thought provoking. Good Luck and lets get started!

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

I changed my mind. I'm building two.

[FrankAtl]

Looking forward to this. I enjoy build threads.

[jteneyck]

Looks a lot like Sapele after you planed it.  

John

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

John--

My phone didn't do the color justice. It's really a nice red-orange.

Question: I'll modify the plans to add contrasting splines instead of hidden splines. I'm thinking of using walnut or cherry, for the subtle contrast. Will the red of the padauk bleed onto them badly when I sand it?

Also, is padauk one of those woods I need to wipe with acetone before gluing? I'm using Titebond III.

[Arlin Eastman]

What???  Nothing in the background saying anything about the Marines. 


Lighting has a big play on taking pics of wood.

[jteneyck]

John--

My phone didn't do the color justice.  It's really a nice red-orange.

Question:  I'll modify the plans to add contrasting splines instead of hidden splines.  I'm thinking of using walnut or cherry, for the subtle contrast.  Will the red of the padauk bleed onto them badly when I sand it?

Also, is padauk one of those woods I need to wipe with acetone before gluing?  I'm using Titebond III.

I suspect the sawdust will get into the splines.  But it might not matter because walnut and cherry aren't that different in color, certainly not like if you wanted to use maple splines.  And  it probably wouldn't be an issue at all if you use hand planes instead of sanding. 

John

[JohnnyEgo]

I love the way padauk smells when it is cut, which probably means it will give me cancer. I look forward to your build-along thread, and wish I had the foresight and/or bravery to do the same with my last box build. However, it just so happens that it was made with padauk and walnut, and I can answer some of your questions. I did not have an issue with Titebond 3 adhering to my paduak trim. I have plenty of acetone available, but I did not wipe down the padauk before gluing and the bond appears to have set tight. I had bigger problems with burning, which were resolved in my case by cutting slightly long and then sanding to width. Padauk is also fairly hard and in my experience, dulled chisel blades fairly quickly. Also, the dust gets everywhere and is bright red. I ended up having to dedicate sanding pads to it, and was careful to mitigate contamination by sanding it in isolation, or pre-finishing or masking ther parts wherever possible. Also a lot of vacuum assisted wet sanding with a lot of clean-up whenever it wasn't possible.

Walnut hides a lot of these sins. The joint lines on my maple box with padauk keys did not; even though the joints were tight, each seam looked almost grouted in padauk dust. Padauk also darkens up quite a bit with time and oxidation, so the contrast might be more subtle than you'd expect. Became more like a deep brown with reddish tints than the more orange-red color it was when cut. But it's still a nice looking contrast in my opinion. Wish I had a better picture, but this should give you some idea of the contrast between the two.



Also, don't know if this is helpful or not, as it is not in the same context as a box, but some of the contrast between maple, walnut, and padauk in better natural lighting:


Look forward to your build-along! Small boxes are not a thing I have normally done, but I do intend to make more of them in the future, and enjoy learning from the experiences of others.

[DFJarvie]

I never had an issue with the glue but with the finish. The oils in the wood affect the poly so it doesn’t dry well so it’s dull and tacky. Bob Flexner recommends wiping with Naphta or lacquer thinner and apply the finish just as the stuff evaporates. Also on porous woods don’t buff with steel wool since it will get in the pores and leave it’s of steel.