I had sooo much fun with the project, for Colonial Wall Box Part 1 click on the proceeding link.

 

After the getting the parts cut out in the Part 1 post, I sanded the pieces that were going to be on the inside portion of the box area to 400. I like to sand before assembly anything that may be hard to sand after assembly. Once I got the parts sanded, I glued them up and let sit over night.

 

Once it was all set up, I went ahead and constructed the base and routed a recessed 1/4 round profile around the front and sides, and glued and screwed the base to the box. I used dark colored straight slot number 6 screws. countersunk flush so in case the recipient wants to set the box on a table instead of hanging it on a wall, the screws wouldn't hit the surface. I like using straight slot screws in woodworking, it just seems correct to me, and classy.

 

Before I assembled the base on the box, I took to sculpting the edges and the upper neck. The upper neck was done with a round file and cleaned up with a half round and then sanded. If I had a cigar shave I would have used it, someday I want to get one, Veritas has some wonderful cigar shaves.

 

I love the way the lines turned out on the neck,

 

 

The black knob I sawed off a tiny piece of ebony, and I took a chisel and rounded the portion that was inserted into a hole in the drawer face. The knob is far from being round, but I love it because it's faceted by my chisel and has flats all over it showing that it was truly done by hand.

I wish I had a nice close up of the knob. The tiny drawer bottom is even raised a bit.

 

 

 

So that's it, it was fun, and it's classy looking I think. I'll do more for sure.

Wow, John! That is a super classy wall box. Anyone would be proud to have that in their house!

Nice looking box John.

I got the plans for that one printed up and sitting on my desk in pile with a few other things that I want to make.

 

 

 

Thanks for the kudos gents, it was a very fun project, kind of stress reliever to just have fun, free style some lines in, and go with it. As with all the old Workbench plans they only give you a guide, not a step by step tutorial to build. I am beginning to wonder if woodworking plans in the 60's and 70's were pretty much similar, unlike today they tell you how to do this, how to do that, what tool to use etc. I wonder when woodworking plans morphed into the detail they have today. This would be an interesting subject to discuss sometime, when did woodworking plans go from basic layout schematics to step by step tutorials? hmmmm

Interesting observation, John.

Society (or someone) must have come up with some interesting ideas of the abilities different of people.

When I was a kid, my favorite pastime was building plastic models. Not just for the cool looking plane or ship but also because the instructions were informative about the object you were building. Woodworking plans, on the other hand, were as you pointed out- general guidelines.

 

 

Today, plastic models instructions are completely "picturized". Little if any written instructions. The woodworking plans are written as volumes of information.

I used to love those plastic models Lew, I like building military items, USS Enterprise Aircraft Carrier, German U-Boats, WWII Fighter Planes, Revell, was a big name I remember, I also remember getting so danged sleepy when working around the glue! Little did we know!

 

I think it's a compelling discussion, one I have not seen elsewhere. If you look at old plans they are basic schematics, and you may have gotten some template trace-outs that you had to scale up. Then sometime along the way, it went from plans that assumed the builder had a basic understanding of woodworking and the tools needed, to plans that detailed every step in the building process to finishing and the techniques for finishing. I am not saying one way is better over the other, it just is what it is. I wonder if the elimination of trade courses in 7 through 12 grades have anything to with the need to explain every step of the building and finishing process. I don't know, just blue skying here and throwing it out there. Interesting indeed.

 

 

 

That's a great looking wall box. Like the design that it can be hanged on the wall or set on a table. The wood is beautiful and well finished. Like the cool ebony handle. Great job John!

Up from the archives, I loved this project!