I really have no explanation of exactly what this box is. I know it is an idea sparked from an old box I saw for sale a while back on Etsy. The box featured some old mason jars stored in it and for some reason It really caught my eye. I always seemed to get motivated by older looking items, perhaps it’s a woodworking ghost..lol.
I knew that if I was going to go strictly with hand tools that creating this curved section for cutouts to meet the lid would be a sure challenge. It was…lol. This box is all about seeing what you can make with what you have, and so I just dressed it out as I saw fit to set a mood of a more simple time when people made things with pride. Many of my pine boards had marks from other jobs but I just felt this would only add the aged look to it once stained. So I went forward.
The handles were off an old timer carpenters box I once bought (more for the old tools in it and not for the box) at a local Flea Market. It felt great to rescue these fine handles since the old box was just about a total wreck for using.
The hinges were all custom filed into their shapes with a pattern I drafted. I got these at lowe’s and wanted something more interesting than rectangles. Again the satisfaction in the learning….I want something..so I teach myself how to make it the best that I can. I decided to use some black Krylon engine enamel to sharpen the hardware up a little to play off of the coats of Tung Oil, Danish Oil, and BLO. Something new while making it look aged. Well just as I thought the paint was easy to scratch off if you tried to do so, I was a little bummed out. But I looked at it again and I thought why not use some sandpaper and a little file to dress some antique like scratches into it! I played around a bit and I think it looks cool with the purposeful aging I gave to the hardware.
The piece of Pine I used for the drop in bottom was wood taken off of the curb on bulk pick up day and it looked like it may have sat in the persons cellar/garage for a good many years.
The board was totally twisted from warping so my 3/4 boards twisted thickness soon became a handy shave under a 1/2 inch courtesy of my Stanley number 4. I was really proud with how how level and true I got her to look. Have to thank my Grandfathers Red Diamond marking gauge for aiding me and striking the lines along the sides for true guidance.
Once the bottom piece was leveled out I was ready to address the dimensions for the bottom.
I ripped and crosscut to my desired length and chiseled out some dados for some wall cleats to stop the bottom from falling through.
I later added a strip of 1/4 pine that I brad nailed to the back of the top to help the folding lid so it could rest level on itself. For some ornamentation I carefully scalloped the edges using a pair of old dividers and applied careful chip carving.
You should have seen the fun in ripping my 3/4 pine board down to create the 1/4 thickness for that piece…lol. Steady moves and crossed fingers on that one. I also was sure to gently drive the brads into the finished piece hoping for no splitting….I got lucky…hahahaha.
I made a little slip lock with an Oak dowel and I was lucky to get a nice snap to it as well. For some smaller things I use my carving experience from all of those spoons to help produce certain curves and catches for locks.
This was a fun build and I think it may look cozy in a rustic household.
I enjoyed the time spent learning from mistakes and also seeing the improvement in my ideas. I just call it the Old School Pine Box and looking back at my text it really was made with some older things as well as new. A little tip of the hat to any of those in the past that may get a kick out of this in the present.
The box was finished with 100, 250, and 400 sandpaper. 2 coats of Danish Oil
3 coats of Tung Oil, 2 coats of BLO. Black Krylon engine Enamel for the Hinges and Handles.
Well anyway, I surely thank you if you took a look and got a kick from it. Have fun with your ideas friends and keep making sawdust!
Joe