Last week, I posted a blog where I was making a Paul Sellers Keepsake Box out of Spanish Cedar. Due to my level of inexperience and the soft, fragile nature I had a major breakage in one side despite dry fittings and being gentle in the glue up. It took a lot of wind out of my sails when this happened so it's taken me a while to work on it.
I first had to saw the top off of the box. That was uneventful. Now with the bottom and top separated, I could go about the repair. I used a variety of cauls and covered them in packing/cellophane tape and glued the pieces up with Titebond Liquid Hide Glue. The top also required gluing in the perpendicular direction. After that was done, I used my low angle block plane to clean up glue squeeze out and flush up the still uneven surfaces.
It looks much better now. It will never be perfect and the cracks will likely always be visible. I plan to try some wood filler to see if it helps. I'm not happy about what happened but it will still be functional. My daughter will love it as is.
The next one should be a lot better based on what I learned from this. I have decided on the wood to use - birds eye maple for the sides and genuine mahogany for the top and bottom. I've worked with maple before and I don't think I will have the same issues in terms of fragility. Will explore using maybe some foam between the box and cauls during its glue up.
Those breaks were a lot uglier than I first thought they were. Maybe you could use banding and inlay them 360 right on the fracture line.
ReplyDeleteHi Ralph, that is an excellent idea. My wife has an irrational love of inlay/banding. I do have a lot of premade inlay sitting around. I will look into it. Would be a good opportunity for a no pressure situation to see if I can really fix it up and hide the break. Not critical but a good chance to practice. My wife will get a big chuckle when I tell her this.
DeleteTalked to my wife Ralph. She loves the idea. Showed her the commercial inlay I have and we picked one out. I know what I am going to be working on this weekend. Kind of excited. Part of me just wants this project done but I'm more excited about "saving" it.
DeleteOne thing that may help is making prototypes from poplar.It allows you to learn the nuances to the project and toss a part if need be.Then once you have a better understanding, use your good wood. The upside is you have box or whatever to use around the shop, a future reference if you decide to make another in the future, and a visual of your improvement as a woodworker. I get a chuckle from my early stuff. I have made as many as a half dozen prototypes before making a special gift item. The prototypes can be given away as well.Consider it practice.
ReplyDeleteGood point Bob. I also like working with poplar with handtools. I will probably do so moving forward.
ReplyDeleteGiven away could also mean as Christmas gifts. Folks have always loved when I have made them things but it takes so long and is so stressful I haven't done it in a few years. By going to the prototype route, not only am I learning how to make something that might be a bit tricky but I am also likely building something that might be a nice gift as well. Could "upgrade" from poplar to cherry or maple or even a nice pine of somekind. I have resisted a lot free wood from my woodworking club because I don't have room but this might also be a way of using some of that wood. Nothing wrong with poplar - I actually like it quite a bit. It just doesn't look as "nice" as some other woods and for non-wood folks I'd like there to be some ohh and ah with the wood species as well. All good problems you now have me thinking about Bob. Thanks.
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