OK it's October...almost November and so I'm late as usual. Xmas is just around the corner and I'm just getting started on this year's secret project. Why secret? Well a couple years back I announced my project intentions to my wife and daughter who then entusiastically set deadlines and expectations for completion. Based on that lesson I vowed all future projects would be "secret projects" until completed. No schedules, no deadlines, no parties based on the presentation of a finished project.
My secret project(s) this year...there are two grandkids now...are a locomotive puzzle box and a "bandsaw" treasure box. Shhhh...don't tell the wife or kids!
These projects are more woodworking than wood carving, but do have some carving and have potential for more if someone desires to elaborate. I've not done a puzzle box nor a band saw box before so both are new to me.
The puzzle box is just a box that takes some sequence of mechanical steps to perform to open the box. The more complex the steps the more difficult "puzzle" to solve. My granson being only three, I have only six mechanisms to open the box.
A band saw box is just a big piece of solid wood (or several pieces glued up) that you use a band saw to cut out free form drawers and box shapes. I added carved drawer fronts and used the carvewright to layout the form on the wood blank. I't just a simple jewelry (treasure) box but does have two secret compartments.
These are scrap projects...made from wood scraps found around my shop.
Here’s the locomotive puzzle box parts laid out in sort of order. Note this prototype is being made from what scrap wood was laying around my shop. By my count there are nine different species of wood here…alder, birch, douglas fir, poplar, epe (Brazillian Iron Wood) , redwood, “white” wood (something from Lowes), pine, and unknown (wheels are old manufactured toy parts I had in a box). I think the smoke stack shaft was an old broom handle. The cow catcher and cab roof are cut offs from the band saw box.
With all the different species the finishing will be adventurous. I do want the wood to show thru so I don’t want to paint the parts. In keeping with the scrap materials theme I intend to use two or three left over stains and some gloss polyurethane I found in my paint cabinet.
If I don’t completely flub this I’ll post the finished toy pictures with a description of the operation of the mechanisms to open it and maybe a drawing. Were I to make another one, I might use the Carvewright for the wheels, cab, smoke stack, etc… to add detail to the pieces…and maybe purchase some maple of other suitable wood toy materials.
The band saw box is sanded and ready to be finished. There are four species of wood used…birch, poplar, douglas fir, redwood, and purple heart for the drawer pulls. I didn’t have any wood large enough for the project so I glued up pieces of poplar, redwood and fir for the blank.
I used the Carvewright to layout the form of the face, the recess for the pulls and drawers and used it to carve the lettering and designs on the drawer faces. I’m posting the .mpc here in case anyone wants to try one for themselves…change the names to protect the innocent of course. Note there is a false bottom in the two top drawers hiding a small secret compartment below. Also note the fir didn’t carve very well. Should have used the poplar face for carving.
Probably going to use a can of shellac I obtained for something else and didn’t use it, to finish the box and drawers. I do have some flocking for the drawer interiors. Another adventure as I’ve ever done that before either. Stay tuned…
Shhhhh....Secret Project Time Again
Reply With Quote
Santa will enjoy playing with these before the kids get them.
