I don't now recall what made me decide to try my hand at boxes. I do know that of late I've been very interested in detail, and a box affords the opportunity to showcase one's attention to detail. At the library I found a fascinating book called "400 Boxes" that is, as the title suggests, a book featuring 400 hand-made boxes. There are some truly wonderous creations there - and it makes me realize how much farther one could take this (if one had all the time in the world, of course).
The boxes were made primarily of padouk and canarywood, with accents of maple, purpleheart, bloodwood, walnut, zebrawood, and ipe. This project was my first use of dovetails - the classic woodworking joint. They're a time consuming and exacting process (and that's saying something coming from a guy building furniture in his spare time). These were rough-cut with a table saw and finished with chisels. If I made them on a regular basis I would buy a jig for use with a router - and who knows? maybe someday I will.
With each project I seem to be using hand tools more and more, which is gratifying. What one can do with a couple of sharp chisels can't be duplicated by machine, and chisels, files, and a block plane are perfect for ensuring proper fitting of the myriad parts and pieces that go into my projects these days. AND there's less dust. AND I get to listen to music and maybe even sip on a beer while I work - luxuries not afforded with power tools.
With each project I seem to be using hand tools more and more, which is gratifying. What one can do with a couple of sharp chisels can't be duplicated by machine, and chisels, files, and a block plane are perfect for ensuring proper fitting of the myriad parts and pieces that go into my projects these days. AND there's less dust. AND I get to listen to music and maybe even sip on a beer while I work - luxuries not afforded with power tools.
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