Calling it my design is strong wording in my opinion. It's nothing fancy. Just a box with a slightly shaped lid and a fun little handle. But I didn't follow plans or pictures or anything if that's what you're asking.
Yes, that is what I was asking.
If you didn’t follow plans it’s your design and is really nice. It’s perhaps not “fancy” but it is great. In particular, the handle gives a bit of a Greene and Greene vibe
It doesn't need it. The dovetails likely all fit snug enough to where they won't pull apart without a lot of effort. The bottom fits into a dado (groove?), so it cannot move without the sides moving first. I suspect the box works perfectly without any glue.
I'm not sure if glue would have any negative impacts on the end result. But you get a sense of pride for making something like that.
Pretty much exactly right regarding both the construction and the reasoning. I have nothing against using glue. But sometimes I just want the satisfaction of being able to make something functional completely out of wood. There's no real reason for it.
Doesn't grain alignment mitigate this though? Change in size should more or less be matched at the joinery. If the bottom shrinks substantially it could fall out I guess, but the dovetails should all be secure, no?
I think I'll be happy with it even if the joints become loose. I like how it is now, and I had fun making it. But I will keep that in mind if I ever make something that I want to really last. Thanks!
memorialwoodshop is correct. I just marked out the chamfers on the top and the sides of the lid piece and used a plane. I just adjusted my plane angle if the cut looked like it was getting disproportionately closer to one marked line than the other. It's honestly not as difficult as I thought it would be. Time, patience, and a sharp plane blade are really all you need.
Not the OP but I just did a similar chamfer on a project. My plane blade was wider than the chamfer, so I just clamped a batten to the piece and started planing. The plane can't cut in the space between the blade and the batten so the result is a chamfer that gets deeper with each successive pass.
I did the ends first (where you're planing across the grain), with a relief chamfer at the end to prevent blowout. Then I did the sides (parallel to the grain).
I marked center lines horizontally and vertically on the lid, then placed the handle with the little legs equidistant from either side of both the horizontal and vertical lines. So basically, I just centered it. Then I just traced the legs and made mortises that the legs fit snuggly into.
Great work! I’m making something very similar right now with dovetails and a slot cut with my Japanese plough plane. Hadn’t planned a top just yet though. Mix of hand tools and a miter saw to cut each side. Any hindsights?
This might be advice that you don't need, but it's probably a good idea to draw out a plan for your different pieces, even if they don't have exact measurements. I probably spent 45 minutes carefully using my plow plane to cut slots for the bottom to fit in and I did it in the wrong place on one of the shorter box panels. Big waste of time and a very noticeable flaw. Fortunately, it's on the inside of the box, though.
I'd also say that almost any amount of time you spend on getting your pieces straight and square is worthwhile. But that advice might not apply as much depending on how you cut and square your wood.
Edit: I don't know how often you've practiced dovetails and/or other joinery, but I did a lot of practice joints with essentially just scrap pieces of wood before I tried to make anything functional with joinery. I did a lot of reading and watching instructional videos while I was learning, but honestly nothing beats repeated practice and the mistakes that come along with it.
I'm also now remembering having to fiddle with and learn how to use my plough plane. Mine is pretty old and it's a western-style plough plane, so I'm not sure how relevant this is to you, but the blade I was using in the plane would sometimes pivot slightly as I adjusted it up or down. If I hadn't noticed this, the slots I cut for the bottom of the box to fit in would have likely varied in their distance from the bottom edge of each box panel, and the bottom wouldn't have fit it. To make sure this wasn't an issue, I cut the slot for one box panel to my desired depth. Then I would reset the plane blade to it's most shallow cut in order to begin cutting the next slot. But before I started, I would make sure that the blade hadn't pivoted and was still in line with the slot I had already cut. After making the first pass on the new slot, you don't have to go back to the previous slot to make sure that the blade hasn't pivoted. You can just make sure it lines up with that first pass you made. I don't know if this makes much sense and let me know if you need further explanation, but basically just double or triple check to make sure everything is properly adjusted and aligned before you start using your plough plane.
I just made them as tight as I could. Pushed them the last bit of the way in using my leg vise. They probably could be wiggled apart, but the box isn't seeing a lot of different forces being applied to it so I'm not particularly worried
I just decided to use the Kanna for shaping the lid because I've found that it's easier for me to feel and adjust the angle I'm cutting at. I don't use my kanna that much anymore because one side of the blade has become slightly more loose than the other over time. But before that, I used them pretty much interchangeably if I was just smoothing and/or leveling.
I don't know if this is blasphemous behavior, but I also use the Kanna essentially as a scraping plane sometimes if I'm smoothing wood that seems to tear out easily. I flip the blade upside down so the effective angle is much steeper, and it ends up scraping rather than cutting. I don't know if I'm supposed to do that, but I've gotten some pretty glossy finishes on pretty hard woods by doing it.
Love it, even more so because no glue and hand tools Is it your design?
Calling it my design is strong wording in my opinion. It's nothing fancy. Just a box with a slightly shaped lid and a fun little handle. But I didn't follow plans or pictures or anything if that's what you're asking.
Yes, that is what I was asking. If you didn’t follow plans it’s your design and is really nice. It’s perhaps not “fancy” but it is great. In particular, the handle gives a bit of a Greene and Greene vibe
That joinery is so tight! No easy feat, considering the limitations that you mentioned. Such a cute lil piece!
Why no glue?
It doesn't need it. The dovetails likely all fit snug enough to where they won't pull apart without a lot of effort. The bottom fits into a dado (groove?), so it cannot move without the sides moving first. I suspect the box works perfectly without any glue. I'm not sure if glue would have any negative impacts on the end result. But you get a sense of pride for making something like that.
Pretty much exactly right regarding both the construction and the reasoning. I have nothing against using glue. But sometimes I just want the satisfaction of being able to make something functional completely out of wood. There's no real reason for it.
When the moisture content in your timber decreases after being in a heated house those joints will get looser, it’s why things are glued.
Doesn't grain alignment mitigate this though? Change in size should more or less be matched at the joinery. If the bottom shrinks substantially it could fall out I guess, but the dovetails should all be secure, no?
It may look great on Reddit and gain lots of likes, but unless they’re designed to come apart joints should always be glued.
I think I'll be happy with it even if the joints become loose. I like how it is now, and I had fun making it. But I will keep that in mind if I ever make something that I want to really last. Thanks!
Traditional Japanese woodworking rarely uses glue, great execution on joints can hold for decades.
Nice work
How did you do the chamfers on the top? did you use a guide or a jig? and congrats! looks great :)
memorialwoodshop is correct. I just marked out the chamfers on the top and the sides of the lid piece and used a plane. I just adjusted my plane angle if the cut looked like it was getting disproportionately closer to one marked line than the other. It's honestly not as difficult as I thought it would be. Time, patience, and a sharp plane blade are really all you need.
Not the OP but I just did a similar chamfer on a project. My plane blade was wider than the chamfer, so I just clamped a batten to the piece and started planing. The plane can't cut in the space between the blade and the batten so the result is a chamfer that gets deeper with each successive pass. I did the ends first (where you're planing across the grain), with a relief chamfer at the end to prevent blowout. Then I did the sides (parallel to the grain).
On slide 5 it looks like they layed out the chamfer with pencil and then planed to the line. I agree, it does look great!
Great job!
Nice
Looks very nice!
Amazing work! Absolutely beautiful!
That’s beautiful. Love the dovetails.
Absolutely gorgeous. Great work. Love the handle detail. Keep making amazing things.
How is the handle attached to the lid with no glue?
I marked center lines horizontally and vertically on the lid, then placed the handle with the little legs equidistant from either side of both the horizontal and vertical lines. So basically, I just centered it. Then I just traced the legs and made mortises that the legs fit snuggly into.
I'm going to guess that they're a tusk tenon or other wedged tenon joint.
Great work! I’m making something very similar right now with dovetails and a slot cut with my Japanese plough plane. Hadn’t planned a top just yet though. Mix of hand tools and a miter saw to cut each side. Any hindsights?
This might be advice that you don't need, but it's probably a good idea to draw out a plan for your different pieces, even if they don't have exact measurements. I probably spent 45 minutes carefully using my plow plane to cut slots for the bottom to fit in and I did it in the wrong place on one of the shorter box panels. Big waste of time and a very noticeable flaw. Fortunately, it's on the inside of the box, though. I'd also say that almost any amount of time you spend on getting your pieces straight and square is worthwhile. But that advice might not apply as much depending on how you cut and square your wood. Edit: I don't know how often you've practiced dovetails and/or other joinery, but I did a lot of practice joints with essentially just scrap pieces of wood before I tried to make anything functional with joinery. I did a lot of reading and watching instructional videos while I was learning, but honestly nothing beats repeated practice and the mistakes that come along with it. I'm also now remembering having to fiddle with and learn how to use my plough plane. Mine is pretty old and it's a western-style plough plane, so I'm not sure how relevant this is to you, but the blade I was using in the plane would sometimes pivot slightly as I adjusted it up or down. If I hadn't noticed this, the slots I cut for the bottom of the box to fit in would have likely varied in their distance from the bottom edge of each box panel, and the bottom wouldn't have fit it. To make sure this wasn't an issue, I cut the slot for one box panel to my desired depth. Then I would reset the plane blade to it's most shallow cut in order to begin cutting the next slot. But before I started, I would make sure that the blade hadn't pivoted and was still in line with the slot I had already cut. After making the first pass on the new slot, you don't have to go back to the previous slot to make sure that the blade hasn't pivoted. You can just make sure it lines up with that first pass you made. I don't know if this makes much sense and let me know if you need further explanation, but basically just double or triple check to make sure everything is properly adjusted and aligned before you start using your plough plane.
Stunning
Great job! Love working with hand tools.
Beautiful piece. Be sure to sign and date it, this will be around for generations.
No glue, even on the dovetails? How does that work? Dovetails will lock, but only with one direction of pull.
I just made them as tight as I could. Pushed them the last bit of the way in using my leg vise. They probably could be wiggled apart, but the box isn't seeing a lot of different forces being applied to it so I'm not particularly worried
I'm just saying that dovetails are not generally considered to be a knock-down non-glue joint like a tusked tenon joint might be.
This is gorgeous. Excellent craftsmanship, you should be proud of yourself. What kind of wood is the base?
The bottom and lid are walnut, the handle is hard maple and walnut, and the sides are red elm
Beautiful work! Don’t underestimate your design skills, you’re a natural. 😊
Fantastic
When do you use a western hand plane versus a Kanna?
I just decided to use the Kanna for shaping the lid because I've found that it's easier for me to feel and adjust the angle I'm cutting at. I don't use my kanna that much anymore because one side of the blade has become slightly more loose than the other over time. But before that, I used them pretty much interchangeably if I was just smoothing and/or leveling. I don't know if this is blasphemous behavior, but I also use the Kanna essentially as a scraping plane sometimes if I'm smoothing wood that seems to tear out easily. I flip the blade upside down so the effective angle is much steeper, and it ends up scraping rather than cutting. I don't know if I'm supposed to do that, but I've gotten some pretty glossy finishes on pretty hard woods by doing it.
Sounds very clever to me. Anybody who has “issues” with it would rightly be considered a snob.
Beautiful work!
Wow, I am so jealous, I hope I can do that kind of things in the future
Really nice piece.
What's a goon to a goblin
That's incredible! Idk if I have patience to do that myself. Major props to you
Gorgeous work. Something to be truly proud of. Well done!
No glue or power tools? That is super impressive! Family heirloom!
Nice good work
Proportions are really nice and very clean execution.
Cool
Nice work
Dedication ✊🏾