# Keepsake Box Step by step



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

I started with a fire log of Flame Box Elder about 18" x 13" Dia. Took it home and sawed and resawed it on the bandsaw into pieces 1/2" thick about 2 1/2" to 3" wide. After room drying in the shop for several weeks some of the boards were cupped pretty badly, so I just went with the flow and glued them together to form a 12" x 18 curved top with about 1 1/2" rise at the center. Sanding and planing the top and inside curves until they were consistent, using a pattern to check occasionally on the inside and eyeball and touch on the top surface. I used to clay model cars so my visual and tactile skills are pretty fair. :thumbsup::thumbdown::laughing:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Keepsake box Cont'd.*

Then after the top was pretty well formed and sanded. I needed to rabbet the top to accept the end panels. I made a jig to hold the top vertically and a pattern with the corresponding curve and using a guide bushing against the pattern, routed a curved rabbet in the each end of the top. :blink:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Keepsake Box Cont'd*

I needed to make the edges of the top vertical so I used the table saw and a riser block under to keep it from shifiting on the break through. A little scary.... but it went well. No photo of that, too scary I forgot!
I also hand planed a horizontal flat strip along the length of the top inside, 1/4" wide to accept the rabbets in the front and rear panels .

I needed to transfer the curved rabbett in the top onto the ends. A pencil compass got me pretty close on the first attempt and a 2nd try was almost perfect. That allowed me to dry fit some parts leaving some overhang to sand off later after gluing up.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Keepsake Box Cont'd*

I decided I did not want a typical straight horizontal parting line between the top and bottom. With a curved top the cut line should/could be curved as well. 
The trick here was to precut the curves partially through but not quite to the corners on the bandsaw to leave enough stock to keep things from falling apart. Both sides and the front and rear got the partial cut. A sliver of wood acted as a temporary spacer until assembly. Then the cut was completed after gluing up with a pull saw through the corners. Worked Great!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Keepsake Box Cont'd*

Now I have the completed box in two parts top and bottom. Let the sanding begin! Sanded with 180 grit until every surface was smooth.

Then the hinge question came up. I found some neat quadrant hinges at Rockler, but with no instructions I was stumped. So many experiments and trials on some scraps later, I decided to take the plunge and saw kerf them in from the back and fill the kerfs later.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Keepsake Box Cont'd*

With that dilemma solved it's on to the next one, what to use for a finish?? :blink: I had posted that question here....got a few words of wisdom and tried shellac and satin brushing lacquer by Deft. I went with the Deft and was not disappointed. After 4 coats and block sanding with 180 grit to level out the surfaces, I got the desired low luster finish with a Scotchbrite pad.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Keepsake Box Cont'd*

With the finish finished I took some photos.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Keepsake Box Finished!*

Final Photos

:yes: bill


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*OMT One more thing*

I didn't mention how much of a PITA mortising the little lock in the backside was. :furious: But finally after many slips of the chisel, I finally got it flush and drilled the key hole. I made a brass escutcheon to tidy up the key hole and add detail to the front. :thumbsup: 
I might add a brass plate with "Keepsake Box" on it . I donno? bill


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## JimBobWay (Mar 20, 2009)

Thanks for the write-up on this. It looks really good. I especially liked how you worked with the warping and just let it be to make the lid. Nice work!


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## garryswf (Aug 17, 2009)

*Very Nice*

Bill,
You done a fantastic job on the box, whoever gets it will be very lucky. Looked at this step by step post about the construction of this project and just have one question. Is there any way you can take those hindges back off the box so everyone can see exactly what they look like :laughing::laughing::laughing:. A video of the chiseling process would also help everyone too :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:. Hey just jerkin your chain.


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## Chad (May 10, 2009)

Very nice! Thanks for the full project thread I'm gonna save it for reference, I,ve never tried a box with a curved lid and opening. Thanks again for the post!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Making a curved top*

Chad, I left out a few details, probably because I didn't always remember to take a photo of every step. But to join the curved/cupped boards I remember setting the jointer fence to an angle that seemed to make the best overall curve then carefully milled that angle on the edges. There might be a better way, some sort of jig but you end up spending more time making jigs than working on the project itself. :laughing:
But that way you can make several of the same pieces since you're all set up.
The curved rabbet jig was pretty clever, if I say so myself.  
Good Luck if you start one. :thumbsup: bill
The Charles Neil thread, 
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/bombe-chest-chest-13546/
shows how to make large curved surfaces by dadoing out the waste at various heights and using saw kerfs and planing away until it's smooth.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The "Finished" Keepsake Box*

I think this is it! :yes: :thumbsup: Finally...:smile: bill


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## garryswf (Aug 17, 2009)

*Wow*

Bill,
The finished box looks super, I do like the way yo finished the inside. Great job.


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## Jimbo. (Jan 28, 2009)

woodnthings said:


> I didn't mention how much of a PITA mortising the little lock in the backside was. :furious: But finally after many slips of the chisel, I finally got it flush and drilled the key hole.


i use the same locks and they take forever to chisel in!! but i cant see a way of doing it first! :thumbdown:


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Wow, Bill, that's really cool. I particularly admire the way you did the hinges; very neat.

Paul


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## iceberg (Nov 20, 2010)

Nice work! I really like the colors and hinges and the lock! Approximately how tall is the box at the front and back?


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Nice thread, Bill. Good work showing how you did the details.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

the finished product without reading looks like you may have soaked the lid or something to achieve the curve. hard to believe the finished box started with a warped top...lol. that is craftmanship. i also like your lid hinges and your contour box seperation, that is cool. hope it goes to a safe home.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The Keepsake Box was a Christmas Gift...*

For a special friend who understood the time and effort and meaning that inspired and created it. It was in her care for almost a year, but suddenly appeared at my doorstep via UPS, no note, no explanation, no phone call. A brief explanation was emailed, and now it is back here. It will probably remain in my care until my son inherits it.
Some things will never be known except that women are extremely complicated beings...

The dimensions are 10" x 15 1/2" x 6 1/2" highest point of the arch on top, 5 1/2" at the front and back. The thickness of the wood is 3/8" on all material except the removable tray which is 1/4". I see many small boxes which are made way too thick on the sides...up to 3/4"... Way out of proportion in my view and way too heavy looking and feeling. The thickness I chose is more in keeping with the scale and lightness of the finished piece. The light colored wood also adds to the "lightness". 

My goal is to make several more in that size and a larger version humped back Hope chest or blanket chest. The trick will be to jig up a means to make the curved top pieces and join them together. Sometimes I don't remember how I did stuff and if I had to do it again I have no clue....:blink: bill


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

OK, now your ticking me off, Woodnthings. Using the old "cupped board" for the lid trick? :laughing:
Beautiful box. And beautiful play by play instructions... er, I mean advice.
Thanks for posting and all the work involved.


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

I just built a nice cherry box and was trying to decide the top (routed arch, flat, veneer?). I just happen to have some nice cupped cherry so I'll give it a go. One thing I am sure of - it won't be nearly as nice yours.
Thanks for the nice idea.


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## MastersHand (Nov 28, 2010)

That's how to make a bad situation into something that fits your needs. Way to think past a problem and make a beautiful salutation. Beautiful box Happy Holidays


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## wwinsauer (Dec 7, 2010)

Gorgeous box!

I love that you cut the wood from scratch and followed through to the end. Love the hinges and that you busted out the hand tools too! Great use of resources! The jig was very clever, don't know if I would have thought of that.

Beautiful work! So very well done!

Wayne


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## Capacity Workstation (Jun 6, 2011)

This is Beautiful!


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

I know this is an older thread, I must have missed it the first time through, but since it's been resurrected....

Beautiful job, by the way. But with all this talk here recently about kiln vs air dried lumber, weren't you leary about using air dried on such a project?
I've got a lot of air dried lumber that I've been afraid to use because of wood movement. Still haven't cleaned out a spot in my basement for the kiln.
Thanks


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*That didn't really occur to me since...*

The wood had cupped so much just standing in the shop. It was really wet out of the log and since it was sawed thin, 1/2" or so, I just felt it was dry enough to use. The other pieces were flat enough to just plane and join. Can't say what might happen in a different situation. I did acquire a few other logs recently and I'll be milling them ...hoping they cup as well.:laughing: bill


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*not quite*



cowboy dan said:


> the finished product without reading looks like you may have soaked the lid or something to achieve the curve. *hard to believe the finished box started with a warped top*...lol. that is craftmanship. i also like your lid hinges and your contour box seperation, that is cool. hope it goes to a safe home.


The wood was warped, not the top if that's what you meant. When the wood dried it cupped around the growth rings as you would expect. So I wondered what to do with it and came up with make the "cup shape" work for me in stead of fighting it by flattening it.
The step I left out was taking the edges to the jointer and tilting the fence to get mating surfaces. If I make another one I'll have to remember how I did all that tricky stuff.....:blink: bill


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## Brink (Nov 22, 2010)

Don't know how I missed this one. Gonna rush home and read it then


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## Brink (Nov 22, 2010)

That is a great thread. I can imagine the upset of finding beautiful, 1/2" lumber warped. The end result looks like it was planned all along. Thanx for sharing the build, it looks great.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Yeah, upset at first*

BUt there were only about 6 pieces and they were 18" long so it wasn't a big deal. By using the cupped boards, not curved and edge joining them I got a pretty consistent curve, not perfect, but close enough to sand the inside with a disk sander and hand plane and belt sand the outside or top surface. 

I'm still pondering a method of creating the cup or hollow on the inside. A shallow cove on the table saw is the best I've come up with. A router on a rounded carriage also is in the running. I'm not into bending, so that's out for no particular reason. A 3/4" thick board will allow only so much for a double sided curve before you run out of dimension.

Thanks for the compliments. Respect is good. Admiration is always appreciated. :yes: bill


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## Jr.Woodchuck (Nov 9, 2010)

Great looking project. A tip for hinges; I use a small router jig I got from Stewart - MacDonald. They sell stuff for guitars makers. This one mounts to a Dremel tool. Very well made and great for small jobs. I mound hinges and all small hardware with it. Very little chisel work when I am done. Works great for quadrant hinges also. I use a Forster bit to dill into the side for the retaining bar.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Thanks Bill,
I wasn't trying to jinks your project, just trying to learn a little.

If you were serious about wanting more cupped boards, you might try milling the log into boards, seal the ends well to prevent checking, and then lay the boards outside on the grass and let the sun draw it up. I forget which way you should turn the rings, up or down. You might have to experiment. Once cupped, bring inside to finish drying what the sun hasn't done.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

frankp said:


> Nice thread, Bill. Good work showing how you did the details.


I agree and thanks for posting.


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## aaronhl (Jun 2, 2011)

Wish I could be that good.


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## aaronhl (Jun 2, 2011)

....


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## Manuka Jock (Jun 27, 2011)

woodnthings said:


> Chad, I left out a few details, probably because I didn't always remember to take a photo of every step. But to join the curved/cupped boards I remember setting the jointer fence to an angle that seemed to make the best overall curve then carefully milled that angle on the edges. There might be a better way, some sort of jig but you end up spending more time making jigs than working on the project itself. :laughing:


This page has the Round Edge Method about halfway down .
The routed scallop is more forgiving than the flat bevel , it may be just the thing for cupped joinery


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## WhoWoodHaveThought (May 21, 2017)

Wow, it's amazing to see it made step-by-step. Thanks for sharing this! :thumbsup:


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